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With 15 minutes and five ingredients, Heirloom Tomato Salad lets peak-season tomatoes shine with garlic-steeped red wine vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, fresh basil, and flaky salt.
One of the things I love most about this season is the abundance of beautiful, ripe tomatoes bursting with flavor, and heirlooms practically levitate above all others! In this simple but elegant Heirloom Tomato Salad, their fragrant, sweet, and tangy flavors shine. Keep it simple with just one or two varieties or create a colorful medley if you can find an assortment.
I adapted this recipe from Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan – a cookbook that every home cook who enjoys Italian food should own. Hazan infuses vinegar with whole garlic and peels the tomatoes. I coarsely chop the garlic to speed the infusion and leave the skins on for ease and a gentle bite.
Table of Contents
Recipe at a Glance
- Hands-on: 15 minutes
- Total: 15 minutes
- Serves: 4
- Best for: peak-summer side, no-cook starter, cookout add-on
- Make-ahead: dress at the last minute; basil and flaky salt go on right before serving
Ingredients for Heirloom Tomato Salad
- Heirloom tomatoes: Choose heavy, fragrant tomatoes with vibrant color and slight give. A mix of red, orange, yellow, and green makes a pretty platter. I slice into thin wedges so the dressing clings.
- Red wine vinegar: Use one you’d happily taste on its own; cheap vinegar reads harsh here.
- Garlic: Two cloves, steeped in vinegar for 5 to 10 minutes, give a clean garlic note without raw bite.
- Extra-virgin olive oil: A fresh, balanced oil keeps the tomatoes front and center.
- Basil: Tear, don’t chop, so it stays tender and aromatic.
- Salt: Season the vinegar with fine sea salt, then finish the platter with flaky sea salt for texture.
Why This Recipe Works
- Garlic-steeped vinegar adds depth without raw sharpness.
- Room-temperature tomatoes taste sweeter and juicier than chilled.
- Tear-then-toss basil keeps it vivid and avoids bruising.
- Finish with flaky salt for pop and crunch without oversalting the dressing.
How to Make Heirloom Tomato Salad
Steep the vinegar: Stir chopped garlic and fine sea salt into red wine vinegar and let stand 5 to 10 minutes. The vinegar will smell garlicky but taste smooth.
Slice tomatoes, then dress and finish: Cut tomatoes into thin wedges and arrange on a large plate or platter. Blot any excess water on the board if tomatoes are especially juicy. Strain the vinegar through a fine-mesh strainer evenly over the tomatoes. Drizzle with olive oil. Scatter torn basil over the top and finish with flaky sea salt. Serve right away.
Pro Tips
- Serve at room temperature. Cold mutes tomato flavor. Slice and dress just before serving for the sweetest, juiciest result.
- Optional pre-salt for very juicy tomatoes. Lightly salt slices in a sieve 10 to 15 minutes, then pat dry and dress.
- Use a serrated knife. You’ll get clean cuts without crushing the flesh.
- Finish last. Add basil and flaky salt at the table so the herbs stay bright and the salt keeps its crunch.
Recipe Variations
- Cheese add-ons: torn burrata, fresh mozzarella, crumbled feta, or goat cheese.
- Vinegar swap: balsamic for sweeter, richer notes; Champagne vinegar for lighter, brighter acidity.
- Herb switch: fresh oregano or mint instead of basil.
- Cherry tomatoes: all-cherry or mixed with wedges for color and bite.
Make Ahead and Storage
- Make-ahead: You can steep the garlic in vinegar up to 2 hours ahead. Slice tomatoes up to 30 minutes ahead, keep at room temperature, and dress just before serving.
- Storage: Once dressed, this is best enjoyed immediately. Refrigerate leftovers up to 1 day; bring leftovers to room temperature and refresh with a pinch of flaky salt.
Serve With
This salad’s bright, juicy flavors make it an easy match for so many summer meals. Try it alongside:
- Crusty bread to soak up the dressing
- Grilled fish, chicken, or steak
- Simple Pasta Aglio e Olio
- Fresh mozzarella or burrata for a heartier plate
FAQ
You can, but it’s optional. Lightly salting sliced tomatoes in a sieve for 10 to 15 minutes draws off excess juice. Pat dry, then dress right before serving.
Red wine vinegar is classic and savory. Lemon is zestier and very bright. Balsamic is sweeter and richer. Choose based on what you are serving alongside.
No. Their skins add gentle texture, and the seeds carry flavor. If a tomato is very seedy, slice thinner and blot once.
Assemble at the last minute for best texture. You can steep the garlic and slice the tomatoes ahead; dress and garnish right before serving.
Basil is traditional. Mint or oregano are great twists. Burrata, mozzarella, feta, or goat cheese make it more substantial.
When I see a pile of funky-shaped, gloriously colored heirloom tomatoes at a farmers market or in the produce section, I know right away summer is in full swing and it’s time to make this recipe. A rare trifecta of simplicity, robust flavors and stunning appearance, it’s the perfect accompaniment for any summer meal.
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Heirloom Tomato Salad
Ingredients
- 2 large garlic cloves peeled and coarsely chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 pounds ripe heirloom tomatoes ideally a mix of red, orange and yellow tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or more to taste
- 12 fresh basil leaves torn into small pieces
- flaky sea salt such as Maldon, to taste
Instructions
- In a small bowl combine chopped garlic, salt and vinegar. Stir and let steep at room temperature 5 to 10 minutes (the longer it sits, the stronger the garlic scent and flavor will be).
- Meanwhile, cut tomatoes into thin wedges and arrange on a serving platter.
- Pour garlic-steeped vinegar through a fine-mesh strainer evenly over the tomatoes. Then drizzle olive oil evenly over tomatoes. Sprinkle salad with torn basil leaves and finish with desired amount of flaky salt. Serve immediately.
Notes
- For extra-juicy tomatoes, lightly salt slices in a sieve for 10 to 15 minutes, then dress just before serving.
- Best at room temperature; avoid refrigerating whole tomatoes before slicing.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
So stunning, Marissa! I’m eating all of the tomatoes I possibly can while they’re at their best. Love the simplicity of this delicious recipe. 🙂 ~Valentina
Thank you, Valentina! We are doing the same.
Oooo, meaty and flavourful heirloom tomatoes are one of the highlights of late summer to me. Beautiful salad – simple yet elegant and delicious!
Love this recipe! Perfect time of year here as the garden is exploding with tomato’s right in season!