Simple Marinated Tomato Salad
On October 11, 2024
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Ripe tomato, zesty onion, and fresh basil, all in a rich honey-balsamic dressing, savor summer with my no-cook Simple Marinated Tomato Salad.
Simple Marinated Tomato Salad
Bring the garden to life in a bowl with this Marinated Tomato Salad. Ripe, juicy, vine and cherry tomatoes center a dish complemented by crisp red onions and herby basil. Married together in a zesty honey-balsamic dressing, every bite is infused with tangy sweetness. This refreshing salad is a breeze to prepare, using just a handful of ingredients. Plus, there’s no cooking required. It’s the ideal side dish for backyard cookouts, potlucks, or as a light lunch on a warm afternoon.
I’ll teach you everything you need to make this refreshing (and surprisingly filling) Marinated Tomato Salad, plus a few awesome ways to enhance the flavors. If you’re ready to be a salad hero, then let’s get started.
Ingredients for This Recipe
This Marinated Tomato Salad helps you create some truly sensational flavors with just a few simple ingredients. We’ll cover the marinade ingredients in a moment, but first, here’s the produce you’ll want on hand to make this salad:
- 4 cups tomatoes
- 1/4 cup red onion (sliced and soaked)
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves (rolled and sliced)
Honey Marinade
This honey-vinegar marinade is so much more than a dressing. It’s a rich marinade that transforms the texture of your tomatoes and enhances all the natural flavors of your dish the longer it settles. Make it with these easy ingredients, then prepare for marinade magic:
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper (fresh cracked)
Tomato Pro Tip
I do a mix of 3 cups vine tomatoes and 1 cup cherry tomatoes, but feel free to get creative. I like a little variety with my tomato salad, but maybe you prefer something more uniform. Make it all with one style tomato, change up the ratio, or use any variety you like for salad.
Soaking Onions
Soaking your sliced onions before adding them to your salad is a great way to tame them a bit if you prefer a milder onion. Simply place your sliced onions in a small bowl of cool water for 5-10 minutes in your fridge, then you can add them to your salad. You’ll still get that awesome crispy texture and sweet notes the onion brings, without the overpowering, pungent bite. This step is optional, but just like marinating, this step is a must-do if you want to wow your guests with your tomato salad.
How to Chiffonade Basil
You’re probably asking yourself what the heck chiffonade is right now, but don’t worry, it’s just a fancy way to say cutting into ribbons. And while it sounds and looks fancy, it’s actually really simple to achieve. All you need to do is stack up 4-5 fresh basil leaves, roll them up in a tight spiral, then slice them into roughly ⅛” strips. The slightly unraveled leaves crinkle from the stem veins, resulting in an herby, confetti-like basil for your salad. Plus, you get to tell your friend you know how to chiffonade, so you’ll feel like a true salad pro.
How Long to Marinate Tomato Salad
You can enjoy your Marinated Tomato Salad right away, but it’s even better if you let the flavors and textures develop before eating. I like to let my salad rest at room temperature for about an hour after adding the dressing so it can marinate. I find the tomatoes more firm and less watery this way, so they’re easier to eat. Plus, this gives your marinade plenty of time to work, meaning your salad is even more tangy, bright, and refreshing than before. So while your salad will taste good right after adding the dressing, I recommend making it ahead to get that next-level flavor and texture.
How to Make Homemade Tomato Salad
You’re now ready to create this mouthwatering Marinated Tomato Salad. Follow these simple steps, and you’ll have a dish that’s sure to impress:
- Soak onions. Make sure you’ve got a sharp knife (like my Dalstrong 8-inch chef’s knife). A sharp knife is safe, makes slicing easy, and you avoid a lot of those onion tears when you get a nice, clean cut. Slice the red onions thinly and submerge them in cold water. This brief bath mellows their sharpness, leaving behind a crisp, flavorful addition to your salad.
- Prepare tomatoes and basil. Next up, slice your tomatoes, aiming for uniform pieces that will marinate evenly. For the basil, roll and chop into thing ribbons. This releases the oils from the leaves and gives your salad an herby aroma.
- Make dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and honey. The combination creates a luscious mixture, coating every ingredient with tangy-sweet goodness.
- Drizzle dressing. Pour your dressing over the arranged tomatoes, basil, and red onions. You’ll notice the colors become more vibrant, which will only intensify the longer you allow your salad to marinate.
- Rest, serve, and enjoy. Allow the flavors to mingle and develop for around an hour. You can serve it right away, but with each passing minute, your salad will become more rich, sweet, and irresistible.
How to Store Leftover Salad
The flavors intensify with time, so this tomato salad is great to make a day ahead, or if you end up with leftovers. Simply place any remaining salad in a gallon zip-top bag or other airtight container, then store in your refrigerator. It will get more and more rich and tangy the longer it marinates, and you can enjoy it for 2-3 additional days. After that, your tomatoes will start to break down, and you’ll want to make a fresh one at that point.
More Versatile Salad Recipes
When you how much your family loves this Marinated Tomato Salad, you’ll be looking for other salads to add to your rotation. Whether you want more light, refreshing salads like this one, or something where you can add a protein, I’ve got an option for you in the Sides Section of your library. You can also find these succulent salads and all my BBQ recipes in the Hey Grill Hey App. For now, here are some tasty options for you to try next:
Simple Marinated Tomato Salad
Marinate on the flavor of this simple tomato salad recipe, then tell me about your experience in the comments. Feel free to give it a 5-star rating if you loved making it, and remember to share some photos of your pretty salads. Tag @heygrillhey on Instagram and Facebook so we can all get some salad inspiration.
If you need some help figuring out what to serve with your tomato salad, head over to my YouTube channel. I’ve got easy, how-to videos for all my most popular recipes, and even some awesome tutorials on all the BBQ basics. You’re sure to find something to help you on your journey becoming a backyard BBQ hero.
Simple Marinated Tomato Salad
Ingredients
- 4 cups tomatoes
- ¼ cup red onion sliced
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves
Honey Marinade
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Soak onions. Slice your onions, then place them in a small bowl with just enough water to cover everything. Place in your refrigerator for 5-10 minutes, so you can take the pungency out of the onions.¼ cup red onion
- Prepare basil and tomatoes. Grab a cutting board and sharp knife, and slice your tomatoes, cutting smaller cherry tomatoes in half. Next, chiffonade your basil. To do this, stack your basil leaves, then roll them into a tight spiral. Finally, chop into thin strips. Arrange your tomatoes on a serving platter, then sprinkle with basil strips. Remove onions from fridge, then sprinkle them on your tomatoes.4 cups tomatoes, ¼ cup fresh basil leaves
- Make dressing. Combine all the ingredients for your dressing in a medium-size bowl, then whisk to combine. You want to stir well, so your salt dissolves and everything is incorporated.¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, ¼ cup balsamic vinegar, 1 Tablespoon honey, 2 teaspoons Kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Drizzle dressing. Drizzle your dressing over your platter until everything is coated well.
- Rest, serve, and enjoy. You can serve your tomato salad right away, or allow it to rest for about an hour. This gives the flavors more time to develop, and it also gives your tomatoes a nice, firm texture.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
