simple heirloom tomato salad
Here is an easy-going recipe for a simple tomato salad with anchovies, basil, olives and avocado. It’s a healthy and simple side-dish to share with friends and family or to bring to a picnic or barbecue. It is paleo and dairy-free and ready in only 10 minutes!
A platter of garden fresh summer tomatoes, sliced and laden with toppings: basil, red onion, olive oil and anchovies, epitomizes the type of summer cooking my family enjoyed when I was a kid. It is recipes like this, that graced our table over and over, that are so internalized that I’ve overlooked them. Meaning, in my eyes, they don’t really require a recipe so I sometimes forget to share them. Like my pickled beets.
Don’t get me wrong, I have shared a couple tomato salads: there’s this one with a Thai basil vinaigrette or this one with green beans and goat cheese.
But this one today, with anchovies, is the most common way we had tomato salad. Thick slices of tomatoes are the base. We always got ours (along with sweet corn and peppers) from Mrs. Slack’s farm stand. Then next a scattering of finely chopped red onion.
And fresh basil of course! My mom always cut the basil with scissors. Do you do that?
Lots of pepper a little salt, olive oil and red wine vinegar. Then laying on top would go the olives and anchovies.
Yes anchovies.
When I shot these photos, I sent a screen shot to my sister by text. And she declared “More Anchovies!” Ha, and here I was worried that you all would be thinking, yummy except for the anchovies. Maybe you are. But, you know what, my sister is right! {Don’t tell her I said that.} This is how we did it in our house, and that’s why I wanted to share this recipe. So, it’s totally fine if you don’t love anchovies! You can leave them off, or maybe you can make this recipe instead.
Note that the addition of avocado is not a tradition in my family, but it’s one I’ve added on over the last several years. Mainly because my older daughter is in love with avocados, and asks me to buy them every week. (She eats them with a spoon!) They add a creamy element, where a lot of folks would expect to have mozzarella.
We never had mozzarella with our tomato salad when I was a kid- probably because you couldn’t get good Buffalo Mozzarella in The States back then. So I the avocado is a welcome creamy addition.
I like to splash on a bit of red wine vinegar too, this is something my mom always did and I love the bright acidity in contrast with the sweet tomatoes.
Don’t miss this Ultimate Guide to Tomatoes!
More Easy Summer Recipes You’ll Love
- Grilled Corn and Chickpea Salad
- Chopped Salad with Tomatoes, Olives and Tuna
- Zucchini Ribbon Salad with Feta and Hazelnuts
- Try my Grilled Zucchini or Grilled Carrots next time you fire up the grill.
If you make this recipe please come back and rate it and leave a review. I appreciate it so much!
Printsimple heirloom tomato salad
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
Description
Here is an easy-going recipe for a simple tomato salad with anchovies, basil, olives and avocado. It’s a healthy and simple side-dish to share with friends and family or to bring to a picnic or barbecue. It is paleo and dairy-free and ready in only 10 minutes!
Ingredients
- 3 pounds heirloom tomatoes
- 8 whole anchovies, optional
- 1 sliced avocado
- ½ cup torn basil leaves
- ¼ cup minced red onion
- 2 tablespoons best quality extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- pinch each kosher salt and pepper
- 12 olives, pitted if desired
Instructions
- Core and slice tomatoes and arrange on a large platter. Top with anchovies, avocado, basil and onion. Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Garnish with olives and serve.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Category: side salad
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 107 cals
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 6g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 4g
Keywords: Tomato Salad,Heirloom Tomato Recipe
This is my new favorite tomato salad recipe! The flavors were so amazing!!
★★★★★
Oh my gosh! That’s so great Lindsay. I am glad you like it. Have a great rest of your summer.
I just bought some heirloom tomatoes so this will be perfect! I love the colors of it and can’t wait to make it this week!
★★★★★
This is one of those salad that never gets old. The addition of chunks of avocado is amazing. Perfect salad for any summer table.
Your photos are so stunning as well. Thanks for sharing.
★★★★★
This is exactly how I like to eat fresh tomatoes!
★★★★★
I really loved how tasty this salad is! So flavorful!
★★★★★
The colors…the taste…everything about this salad is perfect!
★★★★★
I love that you added anchovies! This combination made such a fabulous summer salad!
★★★★★
Yum! Such a wonderful summer salad! I love how easily it comes together and all the color.
Thank you Tara. Summer ripe tomatoes are great all on their own, so it really doesn’t take much to do it.
This is such a beautiful salad — I am so excited to try it! I am crazy about avocados, basil, and tomatoes, so I think it will be a real treat!
This looks so colorful and vibrant!! Perfect summer can’t wait to try it out 🙂
That’s great to hear Sonia. Thanks so much!
What a gorgeous and colorful dish! This is wonderful to serve at a BBQ or cookout. Love the summer flavors on this plate!
Thanks so much Vicky! I think thats a great idea!
The perfect summer meal. I would need to add just a little cheese to mine though. 😉
I love the idea of adding cheese to make it a meal! Good thinking!
I saw some gorgeous heirloom tomatoes at the farmers market last week and will have to pick some up this weekend. What a yummy, healthy summer salad!
The local farms are starting to have them at market here, and will even more so in the next 10 days. Can’t wait!