When I picked up some gorgeous heirloom tomatoes at my local greengrocer I knew immediately I wanted to make a Heirloom Tomato Salad with them.
Some ingredients are best enjoyed simply, and this is certainly true of tomatoes in my opinion, especially heirloom tomatoes. Heirloom tomatoes lack a genetic mutation that is present in common tomatoes that provide that uniform red colour we are so familiar with, but the lack of this mutation is of benefit to the tomatoes though in that it imparts a sweeter and more of a true tomato taste.
Amazingly heirloom tomatoes come in over 4,000 different varieties. Yes, 4,000! And come in yellow, brown, red, green, purple and also come in a mixture of these colours, making them especially beautiful.
My heirloom tomato salad is a combination of chopped and sliced tomatoes, bocconcini, basil, toasted croutons and a simple dressing. While I made the salad for 1, for my lunch today, you can easily multiply the ingredients to make a larger salad to share.
So tell me, what is your favourite way to enjoy tomatoes?
Heirloom Tomato Salad
Ingredients
- 1/2 slice of bread roughly torn into bite size pies
- 1 tbs good quality extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp white wine vinegar
- 1/4 tsp dijon mustard
- sea salt
- black pepper
- 200 g heirloom tomatoes 8 oz
- 1/4 cup small basil leaves
- 1 - 2 bocconcini balls
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 celsius (350 Fahrenheit) and toss the bread in a bowl with 1 tsp of the olive oil. Mix to combine and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden. Set aside to cool.
- To make the dressing combine the remaining oil, mustard, sea salt, pepper and white wine vinegar in a small bowl and whisk to combine.
- Slice the tomatoes, or if you have cherry tomatoes, quarter, and arrange on a plate. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Tear the bocconcini and scatter over the tomatoes. Scatter with basil leaves and the cooled croutons. Drizzle with the dressing and enjoy immediately.
Nutrition
Dan from Platter Talk says
May 29, 2013 at 5:05 amWow! This salad is a knockout! I it’s color and it i so fresh-sounding too. Beautiful post, I am looking forward to trying this!
Jennifer says
May 30, 2013 at 9:20 amThanks Dan 🙂
Amy says
May 27, 2013 at 8:11 pmThis salad looks absolutely delicious, and a great way to use up end of Autumn tomatoes. I love caprese salad with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. The best way to enjoy tomatoes while sitting outside with a newspaper and a cool drink in the summer sunshine.
Sara @bellyrumbles says
May 26, 2013 at 9:27 pmStunning salad. Tomatoes, when in season, are just the best.
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com says
May 24, 2013 at 4:45 pmYummy salad! Love all the colors from the heirloom tomatoes!
Priscilla | ShesCookin says
May 22, 2013 at 8:40 amAbsolutely gorgeous! Simply dressed is the best way to have heirloom potatoes. We have one potted tomato on our patio – I hope it does well! I miss the big garden we had before moving.
Jennifer says
May 24, 2013 at 10:37 amThanks Priscilla. I hope your tomato plant does well. 🙂
Jennifer says
May 21, 2013 at 11:50 pmWhat a beautiful salad. Anxiously awaiting heirloom tomatoes here in Canada. Soon. And this will definitely be a salad I’ll enjoy once they get here.
thelittleloaf says
May 21, 2013 at 10:13 pmDifferent coloured tomatoes are so much more interesting! I love a simple salad like this – sometimes the classics are that way for a reason, yum.
Rosa says
May 21, 2013 at 3:41 pmExquisite! This colorful salad must be very tasty. Heirloom tomatoes are fantastic.
Cheers,
Rosa
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says
May 21, 2013 at 3:26 pmMy favourite salad with tomatoes is a Bulgarian Shopska salad. It’s cucumbers mixed with chopped tomatoes, a little oil, salt and pepper and grated Bulgarian feta on top. It’s supposed to look like a snow covered mountaint. yum.
Jennifer says
May 21, 2013 at 3:32 pmSounds like a beautiful salad Maureen!
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
May 21, 2013 at 2:56 pmMy favorite way to eat tomatoes is just like this – simple preparation lets the flavors shine. This salad will be perfect for when my tomatoes are ripe in the next few weeks!
Jennifer says
May 21, 2013 at 3:32 pmI have some tomatoes growing too. Funnily enough I cut into a tomato a couple of months ago and the seeds inside had sprouted, so I planted them, and low and behold I have a couple of tomato plants which now have fruit. I can’t wait for them to ripen!