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Tomato Olive Salad Recipe

A simple tomato olive salad made with a medley of fresh heirloom tomatoes, capers, black olives, garlic and fresh onion chives. All the classic Italian flavors of a long simmered puttanesca sauce but in a fresh, quick and easy summer salad.

Tomato Olive Salad with Capers, Garlic and Black Olives

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Tomato Olive Salad

Nothing screams hot summer days like a fresh heirloom tomato salad. And how can one not get romantic about a classic tomato cucumber basil salad or tomatoes and onion dressed with a simple vinegar and oil dressing?! Irresistible!

But so is this new summer favorite featuring bolder flavors from black olives, capers and garlic. Some people like to add a couple of stinky anchovies into the mix but I prefer to keep it pure vegetarian.

Olive Salad Ingredients

  • Heirloom tomatoes – because there is no sweeter, juicier, more flavorful or more beautiful tomato out there. Use a mix of colors for both visual drama and different aromas.
  • Black olives – i prefer them for their strong and pungent taste, you could use Kalamata for a milder flavor if you prefer.
  • Capers – brined and roughly chopped they add a deep salty and tangy flavor to the salad reminiscent of  puttanesca style dishes.
  • Garlic – a little bit goes a long way. Make sure to grate it into a paste, you don’t want to bite into a raw piece of garlic.
  • Fresh herbs – Italian parsley and onion chives brighten up and tame the pungent flavor of the garlic, don’t skip them.

Bowl of Fresh Heirloom Tomatoes for Puttanesca Salad

The Vinaigrette

A simple olive oil and red wine vinegar dressing mixed in with all the tomato juices is absolutely divine. The secret lies in allowing the salad a maceration period, about 10 minutes or so for the acid to break through and tomatoes to release their flavorful juices.

Recipe Tips

  • Chop up all the ingredients into smaller pieces and serve as a bruschetta topping.
  • Give it a Mediterranean flair with fresh dill, cucumber + crumbled feta (I love the Violife dairy free blocks).
  • Pairing – Serve with a slice of thin crust Italian pizza, focaccia, Italian roasted potatoes or alongside a creamy cucumber salad.
  • Refrigeration is not recommended as tomatoes become mealy when chilled and lose their magic.

Heirloom Tomato and Black Olive Salad

Tomato Black Olive Salad
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Tomato Olive Salad

A simple tomato olive salad made with a medley of fresh heirloom tomatoes, capers, black olives, garlic and fresh onion chives. All that classic Italian flavors of a long simmered puttanesca sauce but in a fresh, quick and easy summer salad.
Course Salads
Cuisine Italian
Keyword olive salad, tomato salad
Prep Time 10 minutes
Maceration period 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 78kcal
Author Florentina

Ingredients

  • 3-4 heirloom tomatoes mixed colors
  • 3 tbsp capers roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup black olives pitted & halved
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tsp red wine vinegar + more to taste
  • 2 cloves garlic -grated
  • 1/4 cup Italian flat leaf parsley -roughly chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh onion chives + blossoms -snipped

Instructions

  • Add the roughly chopped capers to a salad bowl together with the grated garlic. Whisk in the olive oil and red wine vinegar.
  • Slice the tomatoes into wedges and add them to the bowl with the vinaigrette. Mix in the black olives and chopped parsley. Gently toss to coat all over and adjust seasonings to your taste with more vinegar or sea salt.
  • Allow the salad to macerate for about 10 minutes for the flavors to marry. Serve garnished with fresh chives and chive blossoms.

Notes

  • chop everything up into smaller pieces and serve as a bruschetta topping.
  • maceration period - allow the salad to sit and macerate for a good 10 minutes before serving for all the flavors to marry. 
  • refrigeration is not recommended as tomatoes get mealy when cold, so this salad is best made fresh and enjoyed all at once. 

Nutrition

Calories: 78kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 436mg | Potassium: 258mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1192IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg

Tomato Recipes:

Cucumber Tomato Salad

Tomato Onion Salad

Tomato and Basil Salad with Chive Vinaigrette Recipe

Tomato Basil Salad

Filed Under: Appetizers, Gluten Free, Salads, Sides, Tomato, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

About Florentina

Hi, I'm Florentina, the voice behind the wholesome recipes you find in this journal. But I'm not alone, I'm really just channeling the Man in the Photo, one recipe at a time! Thank you for joining me in my quest for the art of simple, rustic living, trying to capture the raw beauty of organic food & life through the lens of my Iphone and camera.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. peter @feedyoursoultoo

    July 17, 2015 at 2:34 pm

    Puttanesca in a salad, very creative. This might get my father-in-law to eat a salad because he loves puttanesca.

    Reply
    • Florentina

      July 17, 2015 at 3:09 pm

      Absolutely ! This is how you do it on hot summer days when stirring up the sauce just isn’t a good idea 😉 Have a great weekend !

      Reply
  2. nagimaehashi

    July 17, 2015 at 11:20 pm

    Woah! Check out those colours, that freshness, that PLATE! This is awesome!! AND incredibly creative too. You seriously rock Florentina!! N x (PS Pinning of course. Splash of brightness to my boards!)

    Reply
    • Florentina

      July 18, 2015 at 10:17 am

      awww Nagi, thank you so much ! So glad someone is digging my crazy splash of colors in my dishes ! Tomatoes forever !!

      Reply
  3. sprinklesandsprouts

    July 18, 2015 at 10:19 am

    Those tomatoes look so beautiful! Such amazing produce!
    And this salad. Yummy. I love puttanesca, the olives and the capers, mixed with the anchovies. All those amazing strong flavours and the the sweetness of tomatoes.
    This recipe is inspired! Such a great way to lighten up a classic.
    Can’t wait to try this, pinning it right now!!

    Reply
  4. Katalina @ Peas and Peonies

    July 20, 2015 at 9:11 am

    I love love love this recipe, with all those bright and fresh colors, and the photos are mouth watering!

    Reply
    • Florentina

      July 21, 2015 at 3:18 pm

      Thanks Katalina, I hpe you give it a try, have a fab week !xo’s

      Reply
  5. Giuseppe

    October 14, 2017 at 11:10 pm

    5 stars
    Prego-Ricette italiane in italiano!

    Reply

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Ciao Florentina Channeling the Man in the Photo, one recipe at a time, mostly Italian and Vegetarian lifestyle! Please join my quest for the art of simple, rustic living, trying to capture the raw beauty of food & life through the lens of my Iphone - Florentina L.

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