Fresh Marinated Tomatoes with Balsamic Vinaigrette
Seasoning fresh tomatoes with salt about 10-15 minutes prior to eating is the easiest way to enhance their natural, sweet flavor. But when you toss those tomatoes with balsamic vinaigrette, garlic, and fresh basil, you've instantly upgraded an already delicious ingredient to be the star side dish of any summer meal. Easy enough to make every single day during tomato season!
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 207kcal
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
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- 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:
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- 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.
Nutrition
Calories: 207kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Sodium: 795mg | Potassium: 364mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 775IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1mg
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