Get goosebumps when you bite into this aromatic Tomato Basil Salad. Fresh heirloom tomatoes and shallots combine with a tart chive vinaigrette for the perfect lunch or side. Add the various basil leaves and blossoms for a simple, yet elegant, salad.
Tomato Basil Salad
This is the perfect summary dish because these basil blossoms just scream the perfect warm weather herb.There’s just something about their flavor that pairs with the summer air so flawlessly. Not to mention, the chives make for the best tomato basil salad dressing you’ll ever consume.
Don’t even get me worked up about heirloom tomatoes because they’re the romance of this entire story. Without them, this tomato salad would be lacking in too many ways to count, especially in flavor. If you fall for heirloom tomatoes like I have, you’ll want to try them on my Open Faced Tomato Avocado Sandwiches, Stuffed Tomatoes, or Tuscan Tomato Soup.
One more thing, please do me the biggest favor and keep these ingredients fresh. When you make this salad with anything but fresh ingredients, you’re doing it a disservice. It just won’t be the same; trust me on this one.
Tomato Basil Salad Ingredients:
- Heirloom Tomatoes
- Sweet or Genoese Basil
- Purple Basil
- Shallot
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Lemon
- Sea Salt
- Chives
- Chive + Basil Blossoms
Most of these ingredients are partial to summertime, which is why I call it the perfect epitome of summer. Many of them you could still get in other seasons, it just might be more difficult and not quite as flavorful as a ripe summer heirloom tomato.
How to Make Tomato Basil Salad:
- Combine – Shake together, in a small jar, the lemon juice, olive oil, chives, and sea salt.
- Arrange – Slice the heirloom tomatoes and add them to a bowl with the sliced shallot.
- Top – Drizzle with the dressing and garnish with various basil blossoms and leaves. Enjoy!
FAQ:
- How to store basil salad? – Honestly, don’t store it at all if you can help it. Fresh ingredients just aren’t the same the next day. Basil leaves wilt, especially with any added dressing and tomatoes tend to get mealy in a cold refrigerator. Eat it as soon as you make it to let those heirloom tomatoes and purple basil show off their splendor.
- What are the best tomatoes for salad? – I’m pretty sure I made this pretty clear…use heirloom tomatoes for the best salad ever. Of course, if you must, you can use other large tomatoes, but don’t do that to yourself.
- Best oils for tomato salad? – Olive oil is the best oil you can pair with a tomato. Honestly, there are times I don’t even add oil because these fresh heirloom tomatoes release the most divine juices and when combined with some acid and and a pinch of sea salt produce an amazing flavor.
- Can I add more ingredients? – Of course, cucumbers, capers, crunchy peppers, scallions, go wild if you want!
- What goes well with tomatoes and basil? – Both of these delectable ingredients go well with cucumbers, some vegan feta or “goat cheese” and of course these fresh vegan mozzarella balls i can’t make enough of.
- What to serve with tomato salad – Personally, I like to serve it next to a healthy, chilled Quinoa Salad, piled up high on garlic bruschetta, crusty Italian bread, tofu parmesan and olive oil mashed potatoes.
More Salad Recipes:
Basil Peach Salad
Tomato Onion Salad
Tomato Burrata Caprese Salad
Grilled Bruschetta Panzanella Salad
Orange Avocado Salad.
Tomato and Basil Salad with Chive Vinaigrette Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lb heirloom tomatoes (mixed sizes and colors)
- 5 sprigs sweet or Genoese basil
- 5 sprigs purple basil
- 1 shallot thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 lemon juiced
- 1/2 tsp sea salt + more to taste
- 1/2 bunch chives snipped
- 5 chives for garnish roughly chopped
- chive blossoms for garnish
- basil blossoms for garnish
Instructions
- In a small jar add the olive oil, lemon juice , snipped chives and sea salt. Shake together until combined. Taste and adjust seasonings with more sea salt and lemon juice until happy. You can also process the vinaigrette in a blender for a smooth texture.
- Cut the heirloom tomatoes into wedges and arrange in a medium serving bowl. Sprinkle with the sliced shallot and the basil leaves (reserve some for garnish). Drizzle with the chive vinaigrette all over and toss to coat just before serving.
- Adjust seasonings with some sea salt flakes and garnish with the reserved basil leaves and blossoms.
Notes
- How to store basil salad? - Honestly, don’t store it at all if you can help it. Basil leaves wilt, especially with any added dressing and tomatoes tend to get mealy in a cold refrigerator. Eat it as soon as you make it to let those heirloom tomatoes and purple basil show off their splendor.
- What are the best tomatoes for salad? - I’m pretty sure I made this pretty clear...use heirloom tomatoes for the best tomato salad ever. Of course, if you must, you can use other large tomatoes, but don’t do that to yourself.
- Best oils for tomato salad? - Olive oil is the best oil you can pair with a tomato. Honestly, there are times I don’t even add oil because these fresh heirloom tomatoes release the most divine juices and when combined with some acid and and a pinch of sea salt produce an amazing flavor.
- Can I add more ingredients? - Of course, cucumbers, capers, crunchy peppers, scallions, go wild if you want!
Nutrition
You’ll Also Love:
Cucumber Tomato Salad
Tomato Puttanesca Salad
Tomato Onion Salad
Peach Basil Salad with Blackberry Vinaigrette
