This Marinated Tomato Salad is refreshing and tangy, and the perfect side dish to serve this summer. The juicy tomatoes with fresh herbs make this recipe a favorite in my house.
When warm weather comes, I just love a refreshing, simple salad that pairs amazing flavors with great texture. The juicy tomato pieces in this Marinated Tomato Salad are steeped in a mix of herbs, spices, garlic, and vinegar. Together, it makes a really tasty dish that will go well with any protein, vegetable, or pasta you decide to pair it with.
This recipe is also versatile and easy to make with substitutions and add-ins that best fit your preferences. I love this Marinated Tomato Salad with fresh herbs and tangy apple cider vinegar, but tweak the recipe and make it your own. You'll love serving this scrumptious dish at barbecues, summer dinners, and for lunch. I also give you an idea for how to rework the leftovers below. But first, let's talk about what you'll use to prepare it.
Video Tutorial
Main Ingredients
- Tomatoes. You can use any tomatoes you like as long as they are flavorful. You can cut them into slices, or cubes, or small pieces.
- Garlic. Just a hint of garlic will be enough here.
- Parsley. You can use dill instead.
- Mint. Dried mint will also work here.
- Olive Oil. Or any other kind of oil you like.
- Apple Cider Vinegar. Or red wine vinegar.
- Salt and Pepper. Season to taste.
- Red Pepper Flakes. For a little heat.
How to Make this Marinated Tomato Salad
1. Cut the tomatoes into bite-sized pieces or ¼ inch thick slices.
2. Arrange the tomatoes on a serving platter.
3. To make the marinade, whisk the garlic, parsley, mint, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes together in a small bowl.
4. Pour the marinade over the tomatoes, spreading it evenly. Allow it to marinate for 1-2 hours.
Variations to this recipe
- Use different herbs. You can substitute dill for parsley, or use dried or fresh herbs in this recipe. You can also add or sub your favorite herbs, like cilantro or chives.
- Add vegetables. For a variation on flavor, try diced onions, sliced cucumbers, or cold asparagus spears in this dish. Just cut them close to the same size as your tomatoes so each ingredient makes it on your fork for a balanced bite.
- Try different tomatoes. Experiment with your tomatoes, the more flavorful the better. Cherry, Roma, or heirloom are all varieties you might enjoy.
- Substitute another vinegar. I like this marinade with apple cider vinegar, but you can use the sweeter red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar if you prefer.
How to Store this
Store this Marinated Tomato Salad in a tightly-lidded container in the refrigerator. It will keep for 1 day. Because the tomatoes will soften over time, they can't be stored for long once cut and marinated. But here's what you can do with the leftovers...
What to do with Leftover Marinated Tomato Salad
The leftover salad makes a great pasta sauce! All you need to do is throw the leftover salad into a skillet and cook it for 15 minutes. Then add any pasta you like to it and serve. You can also add other seasonings and marinara sauce if you want to stretch it to feed your whole family.
Serving Suggestions
- With toasted bread. Some toasted, crusty French bread with a dash of olive oil and garlic clove is absolutely divine with this salad. Or scoop it with your favorite crackers.
- Atop pasta. You can serve this cold alongside your favorite pasta, such as this Easy Angel Hair Pasta, or as a sauce as we talked about above. Either way, this Marinated Tomato Salad goes great with pasta in any form.
- With protein. Chicken, tofu, fish, beef, or shrimp, this versatile salad tastes delicious with almost everything. Try it with Spinach Stuffed Flounder.
- With soup or stew. Balance this cold salad with a hot soup, like this Creamy Tortellini Soup or Ultimate Vegetable Stew (Video).
I hope that you and your family enjoy this amazing Marinated Tomato Salad as much as we do. It's refreshing, flavorful, and perfect for warm nights spent around the table with your favorite people.
More tasty salads to try:
Marinated Tomato Salad
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. tomatoes
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 tbsp. parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp. mint, finely chopped
- 1 ½ tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- ½ tsp. salt or to taste
- ⅓ tsp. pepper or to taste
- ⅛ tsp. red pepper flakes (optional) or to taste
Instructions
- Cut the tomatoes into bite-sized pieces or ¼ inch thick slices.
- Arrange the tomatoes on a serving platter.
- To make the marinade, whisk the garlic, parsley, mint, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes together in a small bowl.
- Pour the marinade over the tomatoes, spreading it evenly. Allow it to marinate for 1-2 hours.
I don't see red pepper flakes in the ingredients. What is the measurement for it?
Hi Carlene! Thanks for catching that! It's best to add red pepper flakes to taste (depending on how spicy you like it). I used about 1/8 tsp. in this recipe. Happy cooking!