The Best Marinated Tomato Salad Recipe

Say hello to my new favorite addiction. One of my friends asked me to make this and honestly, I had never heard of it. I grew up in the north, all we knew in summer were cream puffs, grilled corn, brats and beer. None of this fresh marinated tomato salad stuff like in the south.

Man was I missing out!

I’m absolutely in love! The fresh bite you get from the tomatoes, with the fresh herbs, the hint the strong onion, red wine vinaigrette and it’s over. Just pass me the jar! We love this marinated tomato salad on its own, but it also makes a great appetizer or topper to “all the things.” I’ll give you some ideas later. (wink)

Ingredients you’ll need to make this Easy Tomato Salad:

Fresh is best. When it comes to salad I always want to make sure that I’m using the freshest ripest produce I can. After all, in summer it’s bountiful so take advantage of it! All of the ingredients in this recipe are pantry staples or fresh produce. Here’s what you’ll need:

Tomatoes: I like to use cherry tomatoes for this recipe. A mixture of colors adds a fun interest to the eye and variety in flavor.
Red Onion: Finely diced red onion will add just the right amount of pungent tang to cut through the sweetness of the tomatoes. I use red onion because I find they are sweeter. If you don’t like onion, you could use shallots or green onion which are a little milder in flavor.
Garlic: Just a tad of minced garlic gives the perfect punch of flavor to take this marinated tomato salad over the top.
Herbs: Fresh herbs are key to this recipe. I use parsley and basil. If you don’t have fresh herbs on hand, dry herbs will do. However, just remember they are much stronger than fresh so you’ll need to halve the amounts.
Red Wine Vinegar: I like that red wine vinegar is a little “punchier” than other vinegars. But that you also get that slight hint of red wine at the end.
Olive Oil: Use a good extra virgin olive oil

How to make marinated tomato salad?

This tomato salad comes together very quickly but packs maximum flavor, which is what I love about it. It has quickly become our favorite summer salad or a great appetizer too.

Dice it up: Add tomatoes, onions and fresh herbs to a medium bowl. Toss to mix everything together.
Make Dressing: To a small bowl, red wine vinegar, olive oil and salt. Whisk together until smooth. Pour mixture over tomato mixture.
Marinate: Cover and store in the refrigerator. Let sit for at least 10 minutes for all the flavors to soak together. Better if overnight.

For This Recipe

How to store marinated tomato salad?

I find the best way to store this marinated tomato salad is in an air tight container in the refrigerator. It will last for 3-4 days until the tomatoes start to turn a little mushy and lose their “bite.”

Can I make in advance?

Yes! You can absolutely make this a day ahead of time. In fact, I find letting this salad sit for 24 hours is where the flavor is at it’s peak. Just keep in mind, the longer this salad sits the more the tomatoes will break down and lose their “bite.”

How to serve Marinated Tomato Salad?

This salad is delicious on it’s own. But it’s also super versatile and can be served in a variety of ways and on a variety of things. Here are some of our favorite ways to serve this tomato salad.

Scoop on top of grilled chicken or grilled salmon.
Serve on top of toasted bread like this fresh tomato bruschetta.
Mix it into a pasta salad like this caprese pasta salad.
Use it as a condiment for a burger or portobello sandwich.
Toss into a salad with quinoa
Eat straight out of the jar, because trust me, it’s that good!

Tips for the Best Marinated Tomato Salad:

I’m made this salad a handful of times and if you want the best possible outcome, here are a few tips and tricks I’ve found.

Always use ripe tomatoes. The best way to tell if tomatoes are ripe is to give them a touch. You want them to feel soft, not mushy. For cherry tomatoes I usually open the carton and test a few.
If the onions are too pungent, add them to a bowl of water to soak for 5 minutes. Remove them and pat dry with a paper towel. This will remove some of the strong onion taste.
Fresh herbs are better than dry herbs! They will brighten up the dish and leave a lighter flavor than dry.
Vinegar substitutes. If you don’t have red wine vinegar on hand, the best substitutes I’ve found are white wine vinegar, plain vinegar or balsamic vinegar.

Other Fresh Summer Salads you’ll love: