I love tomatoes, and love that Charles and I both take great pride in our tomato crops. So much so that in the summer it became our ritual on Friday nights after work to go and pick fresh tomatoes out of our garden, and we would then go and make a fresh salad with the bounty. On one such Friday night, we were out picking tomatoes and Charles told me that he thought there was a ripe Cherokee purple tomato around the corner . . . and there were several, along with a beautiful engagement ring. Whether it’s an engagement ring, or some of the ripe tomatoes from our 15+ varieties in the garden, I love going out to our garden and seeing what treasures await! Tomatoes prepared in their most natural state—like in this recipe, sliced up with some fresh basil from the garden—is indeed our definition of summertime on a plate and is what this recipe is all about!
1–2 pounds (½–1 kg) assorted fresh tomatoes, sliced into wedges
½ cup (12 g) fresh basil, chopped
For the vinaigrette
1 tablespoon (15 ml) balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic
3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil
~ fresh cracked pepper to taste
- Place sliced tomatoes and basil onto a platter or in a large bowl.
- In a Magic Bullet or other mini-chopper, combine the balsamic and garlic, and then add in the olive oil. You can also just whisk by hand, and chop the garlic by hand.
- Pour the dressing over the tomato/basil mixture, and season with some fresh cracked pepper. Eat immediately and enjoy!
Variations—If you are allowing some dairy into your life, fresh mozzarella is absolutely sublime with this dish. If you want more “zing” with this recipe, add in some sliced-up red onions.
More Recipes You'll Love
Summertime tomato salad piles ripe tomato wedges with chopped basil and a garlic-balsamic vinaigrette - the definition of summer on a plate. It is the Friday-night ritual of garden tomatoes picked that same afternoon. Eat it immediately, because this salad waits for no one.
Pro Tips
- Use assorted heirlooms in different colors - the mix of sweetness and acidity across varieties is what makes the plate sing.
- Whisk the garlic and balsamic first, then stream in the olive oil; a mini-chopper works, but hand-whisking is fine.
- Dress it only when you are ready to eat - salted, dressed tomatoes turn watery within minutes.
- Sliced red onions add zing if you want more bite, per the variation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What tomatoes work best?
Whatever is ripe in the garden - the recipe's pride is 15+ varieties, with Cherokee purple as the story's star.
Can I add cheese?
Fresh mozzarella is the dairy variation the recipe calls absolutely sublime with this dish.
Is there a trick to the dressing?
Keep it simple - balsamic, garlic, olive oil, and cracked pepper. Nothing else is needed when the tomatoes are this good.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- Place sliced tomatoes and basil onto a platter or in a large bowl.
- In a Magic Bullet or other mini-chopper, combine the balsamic and garlic, and then add in the olive oil. You can also just whisk by hand, and chop the garlic by hand.
- Pour the dressing over the tomato/basil mixture, and season with some fresh cracked pepper. Eat immediately and enjoy!
