This tomato salad is made with ripe tomatoes, fresh seasonal garlic, parsley, and a simple dressing of olive oil and white balsamic vinegar. A little sugar balances the acidity, while salt and freshly ground black pepper bring out the flavor of the tomatoes. It is a simple side dish that lets good tomatoes do most of the work.
A Salad from the Tomato Garden
I have grown tomatoes for more than two decades, and I still enjoy trying different varieties each year. There are always a few new ones to grow, alongside some old favorites that I don’t want to give up.
When I find a tomato variety I particularly like, I save some of the seeds for the following year. Over time, this has given me quite a collection of tomatoes to choose from. Some are especially good for cooking, while others are best eaten fresh.
For this salad, I used four different varieties: San Marzano, Zlatava, Sungold, and Black Prince. The San Marzano and Zlatava tomatoes add their own colors and shapes to the plate, while the Sungold tomatoes bring a little extra sweetness. Black Prince tomatoes have a deep brownish color and a rich flavor.
You don’t need these particular varieties to make the salad. Any ripe, flavorful tomatoes will work, and using several colors makes the finished salad look especially nice.
A Simple Dressing for Tomatoes
The dressing is deliberately uncomplicated. I mix olive oil with white balsamic vinegar, salt, a little sugar, and freshly ground black pepper.
White balsamic vinegar has a milder flavor than regular balsamic vinegar and works well with fresh tomatoes without overpowering them. The small amount of sugar helps balance the acidity, especially when the tomatoes are not quite as sweet as you hoped.
Fresh garlic is another important part of this salad. I used one young garlic clove from this season’s crop. At this stage, the garlic has not yet formed the separate cloves you see in mature garlic. It has a fresh, mild flavor that works particularly well with raw tomatoes.
I slice the garlic thinly and scatter it over the tomatoes, together with chopped fresh parsley. The dressing goes over everything just before serving.
Let the Tomatoes Shine
This is the kind of salad where the quality of the tomatoes matters more than the number of ingredients. Choose tomatoes that are ripe and full of flavor, and don’t be afraid to use a mixture of varieties.
I like to slice the tomatoes and arrange them on a white plate, adding the garlic and parsley on top. It makes a colorful side dish without requiring much preparation.
Letting the salad sit for about 10 minutes before serving gives the dressing time to mingle with the tomatoes and garlic. The tomatoes will release some of their juices, which mix with the dressing and make their own little sauce on the plate.
More Ways to Use Summer Tomatoes
When the tomato plants are producing well, I find myself looking for different ways to use them. Sometimes the best thing is simply to slice them and serve them with a little salt. Other times, a few more ingredients turn them into a completely different dish.
I sometimes make my French Tomato Tart, especially when I have plenty of colorful tomatoes. I also like Finnish Bread Cheese on Archipelago Bread, where tomatoes are a fresh addition to the traditional Finnish bread cheese.
For something warmer, Roasted Cherry Tomatoes bring out the sweetness of the tomatoes, while my Grilled Vegetable Salad is another good way to use a selection of summer vegetables.
But I don’t always want to cook the tomatoes. This simple tomato salad is one of those recipes. Slice the tomatoes, add the fresh garlic and parsley, whisk together the dressing, and dinner is almost ready.
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Fresh Tomato Salad with Garlic and Parsley
Equipment
- Cutting board
- Sharp knife
- Small bowl
- Whisk or fork
- Serving plate or shallow bowl
Ingredients
Tomato Salad
- 600 g (1.3 lb) ripe tomatoes, in different colors
- 1 fresh garlic clove finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
Dressing
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp white balsamic vinegar
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp sugar
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Wash and slice the tomatoes. Arrange them on a serving plate or in a shallow bowl.
- Finely chop the fresh garlic and sprinkle it over the tomatoes.
- Chop the parsley and add it to the tomatoes.
- Whisk together the olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, salt, sugar, and black pepper.
- Drizzle the dressing over the tomatoes and gently toss or leave as arranged on the plate.
- Let the salad sit for about 10 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to come together.
- Serving: Serve as a side dish with grilled meat, fish, or other summer meals.
Notes
Fresh seasonal garlic has a milder, fresher flavor than fully matured garlic, so it works well here.
The salad can be served immediately, but letting it sit for about 10 minutes gives the garlic and dressing time to flavor the tomatoes.
Adjust the salt, sugar, and vinegar to taste depending on the sweetness and acidity of the tomatoes.
