Heirloom Tomato Salad with Basil Vinaigrette

Name: Heirloom Tomato Salad with Basil Vinaigrette
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: assorted ripe tomatoes — 800 g; lettuce — 150 g; basil leaves; small bunch of basil — 20 g; extra virgin olive oil — 3 tbsp; white wine vinegar — 2 tbsp; sugar — 1 tsp; Dijon mustard — 1 tsp; garlic — 2 clove; salt and ground black pepper by taste

10 minutes

Easy

Summer is my favorite time of year, thanks to the incredible abundance of fresh vegetables, greens, and fruits at the market. Just today, I found some absolutely beautiful, juicy, and sweet tomatoes of various kinds – the kind you only get when they're perfectly in season. And truly, these tomatoes are at their best when enjoyed raw, especially in a vibrant salad.

I want to share a recipe for a simple yet stunning and incredibly delicious summer salad. The natural sweetness of ripe tomatoes is perfectly complemented by a bright, zesty basil dressing. Bonus tip: this versatile dressing is fantastic on other salads too, so feel free to experiment!

Salads Vegetarian American cuisine European cuisine

32 seconds ago

Ingredients for 4 servings:

Base

Dressing

Recipe:

Ingredient Notes:

Tomatoes. Go for any ripe, flavorful tomatoes that are fresh and in season where you live. That’s key for a delicious salad!
Basil. You’ll need fresh green basil for this. I recommend a classic variety without strong additional flavors like lemon or clove, so the pure basil taste shines through.
Lettuce: Romaine lettuce was my choice, but iceberg lettuce, Lollo Bionda, or baby spinach are all suitable alternatives. For an extra layer of flavor, consider tossing in a handful of arugula.
Oil. The dressing is best made with extra virgin olive oil. If you prefer a milder taste, you can swap it for a refined oil like sunflower, light olive, canola, or grapeseed oil. Just know the dressing’s flavor won’t be as robust.
Vinegar. Pick a light vinegar with 3-6% acidity for the dressing, such as apple cider, white wine, or sherry vinegar. Regular 9% spirit vinegar will be too sharp.
Mustard. You can use regular table mustard or Dijon mustard here. Honey mustard is another tasty option if you like a touch of sweetness.
Garlic: For this recipe, it’s best to use fresh garlic.

Let’s start cooking!

Make the dressing. Place all the ingredients in a bowl.

Blend until smooth.

Cut the tomatoes into half-centimeter-thick rings. Arrange the tomatoes, lettuce, and basil leaves on plates. Drizzle with the dressing and serve.

This salad is the perfect accompaniment to meat.

Enjoy!

This Heirloom Tomato Salad with Basil Vinaigrette recipe was checked, prepared and approved by Chef Tatyana Nazaruk - author of FlavorIt.com.
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