Our Best Tomato Salad Recipes for Summer

By MyRecipes
July 24, 2018
Jennifer Causey
Tomatoes are arguably the most exciting produce item to shop for at the farmer's market during the summer months. There's an endless variety of colors, shapes, and sizes to be had. Assembling a simple salad with your market haul is the one of the easiest and most delicious (not to mention, beautiful) ways to enjoy to them all at once. Dress your tomato salad up with a simple vinaigrette and adorn it with fresh herbs and a sprinkling of cheese, and you're sure to have the most popular dish at every summer get-together. 
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The Ultimate Summer Tomato Salad

Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Styling: Rishon Hanners

Everything about this stunner of a salad screams summer. Visit your local farmers’ market, favorite roadside produce stand, or get your hands on a CSA to bring this seasonal salad to life with the freshest flavors possible. With a variety of vibrant flavors and textures—all tied together with an addictive Herbed Avocado-Tahini Dressing—this dish puts a standard salad to shame. You’ll be sure to turn heads with this beauty at your next family cook out or weekend block party; of course, it’s totally worth making all for yourself, too… because it’s just that good, and you deserve it.

The Ultimate Summer Tomato Salad Recipe

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Heirloom Tomato Salad with Chicken and Couscous

Photo: Kelsey Hansen; Food Styling Karen Ranken; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

Not only does this vibrant salad taste like summer on a plate, but it’s also a fantastic make-ahead recipe that doesn’t require heating up the kitchen. While this is certainly not a meal that will weigh you down, store-bought rotisserie chicken makes the tomato salad hearty enough to serve as a satisfying entree. Soaking the couscous is a genius trick that yields a perfect fluffy texture—no cooking necessary. Plus, the overnight soaking means your couscous will be chilled and ready to go when you’re ready to assemble the salad. Plan ahead to take advantage of this savvy meal prep move.

 Heirloom Tomato Salad with Chicken and Couscous Recipe

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Corn, Tomato, and Basil Salad

Photo: Jennifer Causey

While corn and tomatoes are at their peak later in the summer, you can enjoy this simple salad all season long. White miso--the kind that's lowest in sodium--adds a powerful umami punch to the mix, enhancing the meaty flavor that tomatoes and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese provide. Salting the tomatoes and letting them stand draws out their juices so they'll meld with the dressing when you combine all the components.

Corn, Tomato, and Basil Salad Recipe

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Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken with Tomato-Basil Salad

Photo: Alison Miksch; Styling: Heather Chadduck

This summery riff on saltimbocca is simplicity itself, with big flavor hits provided by prosciutto and heirloom tomatoes. Fragrant shallots, grated to a pulp, serve as a marinade for the chicken, yielding delicious results. Summer tomatoes have a beefiness and richness unlike those harvested any other time of year. They stand up well to robust chicken thighs and salty prosciutto. You can also try this recipe using a standard white fish such as cod or halibut and adjust the cooking time depending on the choice of protein.

Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken with Tomato-Basil Salad Recipe

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Sesame, Tomato, and Cucumber Salad

Jennifer Causey

Serve a slice of summer with a tomato and cucumber salad. The vinaigrette is made with salty soy sauce, but berfore serving, sprinkle a pinch of flaky sea salt to add texture to the fresh tomatoes.

Sesame, Tomato, and Cucumber Salad Recipe

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Tomato Salad with Crispy Potatoes and Creamy Feta

Photo: Erin Kunkel; Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

Jessica Koslow, the chef and owner of LA's Sqirl restaurant, couldn't stand tomatoes as a child. They gave her the creeps. But on her journey of becoming a pioneer of new-wave California cooking, she started to love them. In this recipe, she celebrates good summer tomatoes by pairing them with ultra-crunchy oven-crisped potatoes, an ingenious gluten-free twist on panzanella (bread and tomato salad). Make sure the potatoes get almost as crisp as croutons; if they're moist, let them bake longer.

Our suggested wine pairing: Presqu'ile 2012 Rosé Sparkling Wine (Santa Maria Valley; $65).

Tomato Salad with Crispy Potatoes and Creamy Feta Recipe

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Sun Gold Tomato Caprese Salad

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Claire Spollen

We use young heirloom Cherokee Purple tomatoes to balance the intense sweetness of Sun Golds with a little acid and umami depth, but other red cherry tomatoes will work well also.

Sun Gold Tomato Caprese Salad Recipe

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Tomato Salad with Herbed Ricotta and Balsamic Vinaigrette

Photo: Greg Dupree; Styling: Lindsey Lower

Sliced heirloom tomatoes are wow-worthy on their own--a simple vinaigrette and dollops of basil-flecked ricotta take them over the top. Serve with toasted baguette slices to sop up any tomato juices.

Tomato Salad with Herbed Ricotta and Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe

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Greek Tomato and Cucumber Salad with Farro

Caitlin Bensel

Whole-grain farro bulks up this hearty Mediterranean salad. If you like the crunch of fresh red onion but not the full pungency, give the slices a 30-second dip in ice water to tame the flavor; drain and toss in the salad.

Greek Tomato and Cucumber Salad with Farro Recipe

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Farro, Heirloom Tomato, and Peach Salad

Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

Nutty grains, peak-season produce, and sweet stone fruit make this pretty salad an ideal side for simple roasted chicken, steak, grilled shrimp, or sautéed salmon. Ricotta salata is a pressed, salted, and aged/dried version of ricotta. If you can't find it, substitute feta, however be aware feta will be a bit saltier. If heirloom tomatoes aren't available, use whatever looks best and is in season at the market.

Farro, Heirloom Tomato, and Peach Salad Recipe

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Tomato, Cucumber, and Basil Salad

Greg DuPree

Brandon Boudet, chef at Little Dom's, in Los Angeles, serves this salad in late summer and fall. You can cut up the vegetables a little ahead of time, but dress them fairly close to serving or they'll get soupy.

Tomato, Cucumber, and Basil Salad Recipe

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Shrimp-Tomato-Avocado Salad

Photo: Greg Dupree; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham

Turn tomatoes into a full meal with the addition of succulent shrimp and creamy avocado slices. The salad is adorned with fresh herbs that create a woodsy and fragrant taste that pairs well with the lemony dressing.

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Toasted Couscous and Tomato Salad

Greg DuPree

The couscous is toasted in oil to create a slightly nutty flavor and golden color. The natural sweetness of the tomatoes is released when they are roasted, while the Parmesan cheese brings in another hint of nuttiness and saltiness.

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Heirloom Tomato and Chicken Toss

Photo: Greg Dupree; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham

Serve this fresh summer salad with plenty of crusty bread to soak up the flavorful tomato juices.

Heirloom Tomato and Chicken Toss Recipe

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Tomato, Peach, and Corn Salad

Photo: Greg Dupree Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas 

The summer's favorite produce is compiled together to create this vibrant and beautiful salad. The salad is tossed in a sweet and savory honey vinaigrette and topped with feta for a stunning finish.

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Tomato and Cucumber Salad

Sweet peach dressing amps up the summery deliciousness in this simple salad.

Tomato and Cucumber Salad Recipe

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Caprese Tomato Salad

This Caprese salad includes all the classic ingredients that we love. Be sure to go all the way and to find the best tomatoes that are available to you.

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Heirloom Tomato Salad

This salad brings out the best aspect of buying fresh heirloom tomatoes when they are in season. It is simplistic and only highlights the tomatoes' natural sweetness and acidity.

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