Name: FRESH GARDEN TOMATO SALAD
Prep time: 10 min
Ingredients: 2 pounds garden tomatoes (preferably heirloom, chopped - See NOTES); 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (approx.); 2 - 4 garlic cloves (finely minced); A few fresh basil leaves (torn or julienned); kosher or sea salt; Pepper

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Tomato Salad made with in-season tomatoes only because garden fresh is the only way to go. Simple yet incredibly delicious - especially with fresh crusty bread or tossed with toasted croutons.

I have to reiterate that this tomato salad should only be made with in-season tomatoes. Although I try to use plum tomatoes because they have less seeds and that's what my family uses, any garden fresh tomato - cherry reds, yellow, or orange, Roma, beefsteak, or a combination of whatever you have will do just fine.

Don’t have a garden tomatoes? Hit up your local farmer’s market. You’ll get great tomatoes there and also a bunch of other goodies you can use.

Get to know the vendors and strike up conversations on suggestions for how to use whatever you’re buying. I love going and I seem to learn something new every time I go.

You may wonder why on earth I’m posting a recipe for such a simple dish. Well, it's because I’m frequently asked how I make it.

Just because I grew up with this salad doesn’t mean everyone else has. So here it is folks. I’ll post guidelines for amounts, but they’re only guidelines. You can’t screw this up.

Chopped garlic and basil on top of chopped tomatoes.

You’ll need fresh chopped tomatoes along with a few cloves of garlic. If you love garlic like we do, you’ll use at least two cloves for every pound of tomatoes.

Toss in a few torn basil leaves and a few glugs of good extra virgin olive oil. Use the best you have since the olive oil is the sauce of this delicious tomato salad.

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Add a good pinch of salt and pepper and toss it all together. Now, let it sit for a few so the flavors can have a chance to mingle.

Again, use really good extra virgin olive oil here. When the olive oil is the sauce, you want only the best. This is true when making uncooked sauces like my Peruvian pesto, Italian pesto, or spinach pesto. It’s also true when making dressings like my orange, lemon, or balsamic vinaigrettes.

Tomato salad with toasted croutons on one side.

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This salad also makes a great topping for fish, steaks, chops, or chicken. It's awesome on top of a burger too.

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A round platter of tomato salad surrounded with croutons.

FRESH GARDEN TOMATO SALAD

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Tomato Salad made with in-season tomatoes only because garden fresh is the only way to go. Simple yet incredibly delicious - especially with fresh crusty bread or tossed with toasted croutons.

These amounts are simply guidelines. Recipe can be adjusted to your desired serving - halved, doubled, etc.

Prep Time: 10

Servings:

Author: Natalie Gregory

Ingredients

2 pounds garden tomatoes preferably heirloom, chopped - See NOTES
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil approx.
2 - 4 garlic cloves finely minced
A few fresh basil leaves torn or julienned
kosher or sea salt
Pepper

Instructions

Place all of the tomato salad ingredients into a large bowl and toss together. Allow to sit for at least 10 minutes to allow the flavors to marry. Taste and adjust salt as needed. This salad needs salt for it to taste good. Serve with fresh bread to soak up all the juices or toasted croutons for added crunch.

Notes

I use fresh garden plum tomatoes if I have them but any tomato will do. As long as it's fresh it will be delicious.

Suggestions for serving:

Serve as is - it’s that delicious. It’s like a chunky soup because as it sits, the salt draws out the juices from the tomatoes. Either soak up those juices with some good bread or drink it. It’s good for you.

Toasted Croutons:

14 - 16 ounce loaf of crusty bread - I buy day old ciabatta but you can buy what you like

¼ cup olive oil

Preheat oven 350. Slice bread into 1 inch cubes and place in a big bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss until it’s all coated. Transfer onto baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, toss, and continue to bake until golden brown. Set aside until you’re ready to assemble salad. These are good for any salad.

Crusty Bread:

Break off pieces of crusty bread and pile on the tomatoes. The juices get soaked up by the bread. So good.

Other:

Serve it on top of seafood, steak, pork chops, or chicken breasts.

Did you make this recipe? Tag @thegeneticchef and use #thegeneticchef and tell me all about it!