Fresh Heirloom Tomato Salad Recipe With Red Onion, Herbs & Vinaigrette Farm to Table Recipe Side Dishes Lunch Salads Vegetables Vegetarian Gluten-free Low Sodium Recipes

Heirloom tomatoes are overflowing in bins at farmers markets and in grocery stores. What makes an heirloom tomato special? According to information from Farmers' Almanac in this heirloom tomato pie casserole recipe, "Heirloom tomatoes are ... pollinated by insects or wind without human intervention. They come from seed that's been handed down for generations. Usually varieties from seed more than 40 to 50 years old, passed down through the generation of that plant, constitutes it to be an heirloom." Pretty impressive!

Not only are tomatoes loaded with health benefits, but they are wonderful in recipes and also eaten raw. This fresh heirloom tomato salad recipe is one of the best examples of tomato perfection we have found. This healthy, refreshing summer salad is the side dish to serve when those tomatoes are at their peak.

To make this low-sodium, low-calorie tomato salad, you will need the following healthy ingredients: fresh heirloom tomatoes, red onion, fresh herbs, olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, salt and black pepper. So not only are you getting the health benefits of tomatoes, but also the health benefits of onion, the health benefits of fresh herbs, the health benefits of garlic and the health benefits of olive oil.

Serve this tomato salad as a side dish with dinner or as a light, refreshing lunch or energizing snack. 

Fun Fact: Is a tomato a fruit or vegetable? According to Wandering Vine, "In 1893, the United States Supreme Court settled this thorny issue: the tomato is legally a vegetable. Maybe the issues facing the Supreme Court in the 1800’s were not as politically charged as they are today? Actually, the decision resolved a lawsuit around the 1887 tariff which applied to imported vegetables, but not to fruit. Undeterred by legal mumbo-jumbo, the botanists persist in classifying the tomato as a fruit, and the chaos continues."

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Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 2 pounds heirloom tomatoes, sliced
• 1 small red onion, sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs (basil, mint, oregano, dill, parsley, etc.)

Vinaigrette

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• salt and black pepper, to taste

Recipe Notes

• If you can't find heirloom tomatoes, you can make this recipe with regular tomatoes.

• If you like more vinaigrette on your salads, double the vinaigrette ingredients.

• Sprinkle with some crushed red pepper flakes for a little spice.

• Change things up by adding some sliced fresh mozzarella cheese.

Here's how to make it: 

1. Whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients in a bowl. 
2. Lay the sliced tomatoes on a serving plate or platter. Scatter the onions and fresh herbs on top.
3. Drizzle with the vinaigrette. Top with more salt and black pepper, if desired.
    

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. This recipe has been analyzed by HappyForks. However, any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

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