The Easiest Tomato and Basil Salad
Take advantage of fresh summer produce with these quick Marinated Tomatoes that are dressed in a simple homemade balsamic vinaigrette. In just 25 minutes, start to finish, this easy snack or appetizer can be on the table. Serve alongside your favorite light summer dishes, like Grilled Spatchcock Chicken and Grilled Swordfish Skewers. Or simply spoon on top of toasted bread!
One bite and you’ll agree: marinated tomatoes are here to stay!
Check out more of my easy summer recipes, including some of my favorite ways to use tomatoes: fresh tomato and mozzarella salad, light and fresh Israeli salad, or this quick tomato onion salad.
Ingredient Notes
- Small tomatoes, such as grape or cherry tomatoes: Halved
- Flaky sea salt: Used to season the tomatoes and to bring out and release excess water.
- Extra virgin olive oil: The base of the marinated tomato salad dressing.
- Aged balsamic vinegar: Used to dress the tomatoes.
- Dried oregano: This adds a lot of flavor to the salad dressing.
- Freshly cracked black pepper: To season everything!
- Crushed red pepper flakes: This adds a little heat to the tomato dish.
- Fresh garlic: Not only will this add a bold garlic flavor, but raw garlic adds a little extra heat as well.
- Fresh basil: A match made in heaven with fresh summer tomatoes!
For serving, consider adding a little fresh cheese (we recommend fresh mozzarella, goat cheese, crumbled feta, or straciatella, if you can get your hands on it!) and a baguette. All best enjoyed at room temperature.
Directions
- Strain the tomatoes. Place halved tomatoes in a colander set over a large bowl, then season generously with flaky sea salt. Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes. The salt will draw out excess water.
- Make the marinade. In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, aged balsamic vinegar, dried oregano, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes.
- Toss, then serve. Transfer the tomatoes to the large bowl with the marinade — do not rinse. Add thinly sliced garlic and julienned (thinly sliced) basil. If you’re adding cheese, do so now. Gently toss everything together, then taste and adjust seasoning as needed. We always recommend seasoning with flaky sea salt for this recipe.
Enjoy marinated tomatoes as a light salad or served over toasted baguette or crostini. If you have leftover tomatoes needing to be used up, check out these fresh tomato recipes — they’re all easy and delicious!
Expert Tips
- For the best flavor, use ripe, in-season tomatoes. I recommend smaller tomatoes with a firmer flesh, as they hold up better. Plum tomatoes are another great option, whereas something like heirloom tomatoes or Roma tomatoes will become softer or mushier more quickly.
- Strain the tomatoes: by seasoning the tomatoes with flaky sea salt and straining over a colander, excess juices will be extracted and strain. This will keep the tomato salad less watery.
- Do not substitute fresh basil for dried basil. You can add other fresh herbs, though! Parsley, oregano, and dill are all great.
- For more heat, add more crushed red pepper flakes.
- Love the balsamic marinade? Consider doubling then pour over all your favorite salads, grilled meats, or vegetables!
Make-Ahead and Store
Once you cut into tomatoes — for any recipe — they’re really best enjoyed that first day. This is because the texture of the tomatoes will change as they are exposed to air or sit in sauce.
- To make-ahead: You can make this a few hours in advance, but with its quick marinade time you don’t need to plan to make it much before serving. In fact, we recommend not making this more than a few hours earlier.
- Leftovers and storage: Store leftovers in a fridge in an airtight container. They’ll keep for up to 3 days. Do not freeze. The texture of the fresh tomatoes will change too much during freezing and thawing.
Substitutions
While you can use any fresh tomatoes you like, I recommend smaller tomatoes with a firmer flesh, such as grape tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, or Roma tomatoes.
For a slightly different taste, substitute fresh basil with fresh oregano. You can also substitute balsamic vinegar with red wine vinegar. Both are delicious, but we prefer the bold, rich flavor of balsamic.
Serving Suggestions
- As an appetizer: Slice up some crusty bread or baguette, toast, then serve with a spoonful of tomatoes right on top. Add as much additional fresh basil as you like! This would also work well on top of avocado toast.
- On a salad: Consider serving marinated tomatoes over a bed or arugula. If you love truffle as much as we do, add a generous drizzle of truffle oil or truffle honey!
- As a light side dish to a summer menu! It’s great alongside grilled chicken or fish, and can be treated in a way similar to bruschetta.
- With pasta! For a larger meal, toss this marinated tomato recipe with your favorite pasta. Light and fresh! Garnish with extra basil leaves.
Light and full of flavor, this is one appetizer we’ll be making on repeat all summer long. If you make this Marinated Tomatoes recipe, please let us know by leaving a review and rating below!
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Marinated Tomatoes with Balsamic Vinaigrette
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pints (10oz each) small tomatoes such as grape tomatoes, halved
- 2 tsp flaky sea salt plus more for serving
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 Tbsp aged balsamic vinegar
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- 4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 3 Tbsp fresh basil julienned
- Optional for serving: cheese, such as burrata, straciatella, fresh mozzarella, goat cheese, or crumbled feta
- Baguette, optional for serving
Instructions
- Prep the tomatoes. Place all halved tomatoes in a colander set over a mixing bowl. Season generously with flaky sea salt, about 1-2 tsp. Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes. Reserve the tomato liquid for another use (like a salad dressing!), then transfer the seasoned tomatoes to a large mixing bowl.
- Make the marinade. In a large bowl, whisk together ⅓ cup olive oil, 3 Tbsp aged balsamic vinegar, ½ tsp dried oregano, ¼ tsp black pepper, and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.
- Dress the tomatoes. To the dressing, add the seasoned tomatoes, 4 thinly sliced cloves of garlic, and 3 Tbsp thinly sliced basil. If using cheese, add that now. Gently toss to combine, then transfer to a bowl or serving plate. Sprinkle with additional flaky sea salt to taste, then serve immediately. Can be enjoyed as a salad or served over toasted baguette as crostini.
Notes
-
- To make-ahead: You can make this a few hours in advance, but with its quick marinade time you don’t need to plan to make it much before serving. In fact, we recommend not making this more than a few hours earlier.
- Leftovers and storage: Store leftovers in a fridge in an airtight container. They’ll keep for up to 3 days. Do not freeze. The texture of the fresh tomatoes will change too much during freezing and thawing.
- How to serve:
-
- As an appetizer: Slice up some crusty bread or baguette, toast, then serve with a spoonful of tomatoes right on top. Add as much additional fresh basil as you like! This would also work well on top of avocado toast.
- On a salad: Consider serving marinated tomatoes over a bed or arugula. If you love truffle as much as we do, add a generous drizzle of truffle oil or truffle honey!
- As a light side dish to a summer menu! It’s great alongside grilled chicken or fish, and can be treated in a way similar to bruschetta.
- With pasta! For a larger meal, toss this marinated tomato recipe with your favorite pasta. Light and fresh! Garnish with extra basil leaves.
I refer to this dish as my dark horse. This recipe is deceptively delightful for its insightfully simple ingredients! An absolute crowd pleaser for any event – refreshing and bursting with complexities. I know what you might be thinking… “raw garlic cloves? I don’t know about that.” Let me set your mind at ease and tell you, totally works and is never overpowering. So whip this dish up and get ready to be the talk of your next family, friends, or potluck meal!
Hah, I love this. I’m looking forward to summer when I can serve this for lunch over creamy burrata! xo, Ari