This simple tomato salad recipe is studded with fresh Mediterranean flavors for a side salad or as a topping for chicken, fish, or pork.
Through every stage of my calling as a home cook, my love of tomatoes is one thing that’s never wavered. The other could very possibly be my love of anything and everything with a pucker. Yep. Pickles, capers, olives, and kisses included. I have several beloved tomato salad recipes on my site like my tomato and hearts of palm salad, dilled cucumber and tomato salad, and my burrata and tomato salad with avocado. This Mediterranean tomato salad is optimal at the height of summer’s tomato season, but it’s lightly brined, and bright with lemon goodness making grocery store tomatoes acceptable any time of year. It came together as many of my salads do, off the cuff with inspiration from mastering a few flavors that work together. It’s a stellar side dish to any summer meal, but I especially love it with these easy, juicy grilled pork chops.
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Why You’ll Love It
- The Mediterranean tomato and caper salad doubles as a salsa that can top the pork chops for a bright, zesty, flavorful accompaniment that you’ll want to spoon on everything all summer long
- It’s quick and easy to make, and there’s no cooking required!
- This tomato salad is versatile and easily adaptable and can be changed up depending on what ingredients you have on hand
Mediterranean Tomato Salad Ingredients List
- Tomatoes. I use medium size campari or cocktail tomatoes from the grocery store. They’re sweeter and smaller than the large cutting tomatoes used on sandwiches. Sweet cherry tomatoes would be perfection as well. And of course, summer’s freshest tomato harvest is the optimal choice.
- Red onion. Slice your onion into thin quarter moons so it doesn’t overpower each bite. This handheld mandoline is perfect for the job.
- Capers. Adding a bite of pickle power is classic Mediterranean. Capers are pickled flower buds that add a mild and savory pucker to every bite.
- Fresh parsley. I use flat-leaf parsley in this recipe and lots of it. The parsley adds the freshness that makes this salad a total flirt. Curly parsley would be tasty too, just chop it more fine.
- Garlic. I am a BIG fan of pressing garlic rather than mincing it to avoid those pungent bites of garlic bits. Pressing the garlic melds into the salad better. This is my all-time favorite garlic press, and it’s cheap too.
- The best olive oil, and lemon. If there’s one thing to splurge on IMHO, it’s olive oil. A good quality, fruity olive oil will totally make a simple salad like this one—and a cheap one will ruin it—so don’t wiimp out. A squeeze of fresh lemon gives this salad the acid to balance it all out.
- Other ingredients to add: Olives, chickpeas, avocado, herbs like mint, basil, or marjoram; cucumber, artichoke hearts, thinly sliced zucchini, grilled or pickled asparagus.
Recipe Variations
- Add kalamata or green olives, avocado, red bell pepper, sun-dried tomatoes
- Try a dash of red wine vinegar instead of the lemon juice.
- Salty hunks of feta cheese would be a super delicious addition to this tomato salad
How to Serve This Tomato Salad
This salad is like a chameleon, making everything it tops even more beautiful without taking over. Following are a few ideas for enjoying it:
- Enjoy by itself as a tangy side salad, or make it a meal and use it as a topping for a smattering of arugula or other greens. Add sliced chicken or canned tuna for more protein.
- Make this salad cheesy with chunks of feta cheese, and sliced mozzarella cheese balls, or serve it over grilled halloumi for more savvy Mediterranean-ness.
- Use it as a relish for grilled or baked fish, my favorite Greek marinade chicken, a salsa for grilled pork chops, and for sure alongside steak with chimichurri sauce.
- Top slices of toasted baguettes with olive oil and sea salt then add spoonfuls of the salad for an easy appetizer or snack.
- Turn this into the easiest pasta salad. Toss the tomato salad with cooked noodles and more olive oil and lemon juice for a crowd. Add kalamata or green olives for the forever win.
Storage
This Mediterranean tomato salad will keep in an airtight container stored in the refrigerator for about 2-3 days.
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Mediterranean Tomato Salad
Ingredients
- 2 pounds medium-sized tomatoes cut in half and then quartered (about 6 cups)
- 2 cups fresh Italian flat leaf parsley leaves roughly chopped
- ¾ cup sliced red onion
- ½ cup capers drained
- 2 cloves garlic pressed or minced
- ¼ cup good quality extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon juiced (about ¼ cup)
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, gently toss the tomatoes, parsley, red onion, capers and garlic. Drizzle the olive oil and lemon juice over the tomato mixture and season with kosher salt and black pepper. Toss to coat and taste for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if needed. Let the salad marinate for about 15 minutes for the flavors to meld. Serve or refrigerate for up to 2 days.
