Tomato basil salad is a delicious, refreshing and light salad made with season’s best fresh tomatoes, basil leaves and an excellent light & flavorful dressing. This is a very versatile recipe where you can throw in more vegetables or fruits to make it more interesting.
Sweet ripe tomatoes with fresh basil leaves is always a classic combination and in this salad too they come together wonderfully. The simple vinaigrette dressing is so good in this salad and there are also some sesame seeds for crunch!
Now do put your summer produce to best use and make a batch of this yummy tomato salad recipe with basil leaves. Do checkout the variations I have listed too. It is one of our favorite salads that is absolutely delicious.
Come summer, I think of various salad combinations in my head. I love big bowls of refreshing and healthy salads with summer produce as light lunch or brunch while my family likes them as quick snack too. Cucumber tomato salad is my all time favorite though.
Tomatoes are one of my absolute favorite fruit to eat as well as use while cooking. Most of the salad recipes I make have some tomatoes in them.
This is also a tomato cucumber salad with fresh basil leaves that add a wonderful flavor. Cucumber tomato and basil are three summer time delights and they are put to best use in this salad.
Today I am sharing a really easy to put together basil tomato salad recipe that I made recently with our bounty of fresh garden tomatoes.
This is a salad that I make all the time with various flavor combinations and each one of them is splendid.
As always, my salads are all about color. I try to add as many vegetables and fruits as possible to make them look vibrant as well as nutrient dense. We also love salads with various textures so I usually add some nuts or seeds for that.
Making a good salad is more of an art where should get creative and try various combinations. If you are new to make salads at home, this recipe is a good start. Do try this easy tomato basil salad recipe and enjoy!
About Tomato Cucumber And Basil Salad
This tomato basil salad is a refreshing, healthy and light summer salad made with season’s best ripe tomatoes and sweet Italian basil leaves, all tossed in a simple 6 ingredients dressing. I have also added some sliced cucumbers and red onions in this salad for some color pop.
This is really a simple and classic recipe of tomato salad that all of us know and love. Think of this as the classic caprese salad without cheese!
Whenever I have fresh ripe tomatoes, salad is the first thing I my mind. Yes, you need best of best tomatoes to make a good salad. While this is a super simple recipe, the quality of the produce is what matters here.
You can use any variety of tomatoes like cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, salad tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes but just make they are sweet, ripe and super fresh.
Next use Italian basil or sweet basil leaves in this salad. If they are unavailable you can go for regular ones but reduce the quantity a bit. I have added basil in both dressing as well as in the salad for maximum flavor. Tomatoes and basil is just a delicious combination that we love.
This fresh and delicious tomato basil salad is one of the best salad recipes you will try this summer. It is
Super simple to make
vegan, gluten, soy free
Ready in 10 minutes
lovely summer side dish
Made with summer’s bounty garden fresh tomatoes.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Tomatoes
You will need fresh ripe tomatoes for this salad. You can use variety really though. I have made this salad many times with cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes. This time I used gorgeous homegrown heirloom tomatoes fresh right off the plant.
You can cut the tomato in whichever way you like. You can cub, dice or cut into thin slices. If you are using cherry tomatoes, just halve them.
Fresh Basil Leaves
Any variety of basil will do, if unavailable you can parsley, chives too. Dried basil will work in a pinch, quantity given in the recipe.
I like to tear them roughly for best flavor, you can also do a chiffonade, that is roll few leaves tightly and then finely slice them into ribbons.
Red onion
I absolutely love adding red onions in this salad. They add a wonderful sharp taste and nice crunch to the salad and balances the sweet taste of the tomatoes. You can use thinly sliced green onions or white onions too.
Cucumbers
Use fresh salad cucumbers for that refreshing crunchy taste. English cucumbers also work very well. I would avoid the large variety cucumber or Indian cucumber meant for cooking in this recipe.
Salad Greens
I sometimes throw in a bunch of salad greens in this recipe but this I have not added them. You can add arugula or lettuce or even kale greens if you like.
Dressing Ingredients
Vinegar
A good vinegar adds so much flavor and taste to any salad if you ask me. Invest in some good vinegars with deep flavor and you are set for most of your summer salads. I usually add a dash of apple cider or good rice vinegar. You can also use red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar of course.
Olive oil
I have added a dash of cold pressed extra virgin olive oil in the dressing but it is optional only. You could easily leave out the oil to make a no oil tomato basil cucumber salad.
I just love the flavor and texture these finishing oils impart to any salad.
Peppercorns
Freshly ground black pepper is non negotiable in most of my tomato salad recipes. They add such a sharp yet subtle flavor and also healthy. If you prefer a mild flavor you can reduce the quantity or even use white peppercorns in this easy and delicious tomato basil cucumber salad recipe.
Sesame Seeds
I like to some type of seeds or nuts in my salad recipes. Nuts and seeds not only add the essential good fats, they also lend a wonderful crunch and texture to these salads. I like to rotate among sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, flax seeds, almonds etc.
Here I have used toasted white sesame seeds. You can add any seed you like.
Dijon Mustard
This is another ingredient I add in my salad often. A small quantity of dijon mustard makes any dressing super creamy and rich.
How To Make Cucumber Tomato Salad
Rinse and chop or thinly slice vegetables- tomatoes, cucumber and onions as desired. Measure 1 cup basil leaves and roughly tear them leaving a few whole for garnish. Also chop or mince the green chilies finely.
Add the dressing ingredients into a small mixing bowl – 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 2 teaspoons sugar, salt and pepper to taste, 3/4 cup torn basil leaves and 2 teaspoons white sesame seeds. Mix well.
Add the chopped vegetables a large salad bowl and pour the prepared dressing. Toss well. Taste and add more salt or pepper or vinegar. Toss gently again.
Serve summer tomato basil salad as side salad or light lunch or dinner.
Variations
Vegetables & fruits
Along with onion and crunchy cucumbers you can add chopped avocado, mango, strawberries etc. Just thinly slice the vegetables and add to the salad.
Red Wine Vinegar
Instead of cider vinegar you can use balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar or simply lemon juice too.
Cheese
You can add some cheese to this salad to make it more hearty. Add bite sized pieces of fresh mozzarella cheese to make a delightful caprese salad. You can also add crumbled goat cheese or feta cheese just before serving. You could make a lovely feta salad by adding various flavored feta cheese.
Instead of cheese you can also add a dollop of sour cream or even plain yogurt to make this salad creamy yet light.
Serving Suggestions
This juicy and delicious tomato basil salad bursts with flavor and goes wonderfully well with many dishes.
While I love this salad as light lunch, you can also serve this as side salad with any continental dish. It particularly goes well with roast dishes, pasta, grilled dishes etc.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is tomato salad vegan?
Yes, this salad is vegan, gluten free and can be easily made without oil too.
Can I make this salad oil free?
Yes, just leave out olive oil.
Can I make this salad ahead?
I would suggest to make and serve this salad immediately but you can make the dressing ahead and store for 3-4 days.
More Salad Recipes
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Recipe
Tomato Basil Salad
1 CUP = 250 ml
Ingredients
- 3 cups tomatoes chopped
- 3/4 cup cucumbers sliced or chopped
- 1/2 cup red onion thinly sliced
- 1 cup basil leaves divided OR 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
- 1 green chili finely chopped
For Dressing
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- salt to taste
- black pepper powdered, to taste
- 2 teaspoons sesame seeds optional
Instructions
- Rinse and chop or slice the vegetables- tomatoes, cucumber and onions as desired. Measure 1 cup basil leaves and roughly tear them leaving a few whole for garnish. Also chop or mince the green chilies finely.
- Add the dressing ingredients into a large bowl- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 2 teaspoons sugar, salt and pepper to taste, 3/4 cup torn basil leaves and 2 teaspoons white sesame seeds. Mix well.
- Add the chopped vegetables to the prepared dressing. Toss well. Taste and add more salt or pepper or vinegar.
- Serve tomato basil salad as side salad or light lunch or dinner.
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