By Melissa Clark
Updated Oct. 12, 2023
- Total Time
- 40 minutes
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 30 minutes
- Rating
- 4(663)
- Notes
- Read community notes
This ebullient green salad is dressed with ripe, sweet tomatoes marinated in sherry vinegar and fresh basil. The garlicky croutons add loads of crunchy texture, giving this a bit more staying power. Serve this as is for a substantial salad course or side dish, or bulk it up with the likes of cubed tofu or shredded chicken, avocado, jammy eggs, tuna, chickpeas, cheese or nuts and seeds.
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Ingredients
Yield:4 to 6 servings
- 1cup diced ripe tomatoes (or quartered cherry or grape tomatoes)
- 5garlic cloves
- ¼cup chopped fresh basil
- 1tablespoon sherry vinegar, white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar, more to taste
- Fine sea salt
- 5ounces fresh baguette, ciabatta or crusty sourdough bread, torn into bite-size pieces (about 2 cups)
- ½cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more as needed
- 2quarts salad greens, such as mixed baby lettuces, mesclun, arugula or a combination
- ¼cup Parmesan shavings (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
323 calories; 27 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 19 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 15 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 6 grams protein; 261 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
In a large bowl, toss together tomatoes, 1 grated or minced garlic clove, basil, sherry vinegar and a pinch of salt. Set aside to marinate for at least 20 minutes (and up to 4 hours).
Step
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Meanwhile, heat the oven to 325 degrees. Spread bread out on a baking sheet and bake until pale golden, 8 to 12 minutes.
Step
3
Smash and peel remaining 4 garlic cloves. Put them in a pan along with ½ cup olive oil and place over medium-low heat. Cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until the garlic turns pale golden in spots and starts to soften, 5 to 7 minutes. (Lower the heat if the garlic starts to brown.)
Step
4
Add toasted bread and salt to the pan and fry until the bread is deeply golden and crunchy, 3 to 5 minutes. If the pan looks dry, add a little more oil. Transfer croutons to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle lightly with salt. Let cool.
Step
5
Just before serving, whisk 3 tablespoons olive oil into the tomato and basil mixture. Taste and add more salt, vinegar or oil, if needed; it should taste bright and balanced. Add the greens, Parmesan (if using) and croutons (along with the fried garlic, if you like) to the tomato mixture, tossing gently to combine. Serve immediately.
Ratings
4
out of 5
663
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Cooking Notes
WK
I do something similar with pasta. I marinate chopped tomatoes with just a little vinegar and olive oil. I then pile arugula on top of that and let it sit while the pasta cooks. After draining the cooked pasta, I dump it on top of the arugula and let it sit. The arugula wilts a bit. Then I toss it all together and add a bit of cheese -- parm, chopped up fresh mozzarella, etc...
Linda
I stole the tomato vinaigrette recipe and used it to season and top chickpeas or white beans for a cold bean salad on these hot days. I add leftovers from the refrigerator.
teri Fiddletown
In the midst of hot temps I am loath to turn the oven on. Why not just toast the bread in a skillet and then proceed with adding other ingredients and frying?
Dexter Ford
Or just make twice as much tomato/garlic/basil mix, and have a great bowl of bruschetta ready for the next day. Just way bigger croutons!
Angela dileo
Lovely salad. Another hit Melisa!Try seeding the tomatoes first- removing the goo that is the diluting destroyer of salad dressings. (With the stem pointing up, slice the tomatoes through the middle, run you finger into the groves to release the goo, but don’t squeeze- you will lose too much moisture.)
Jill Turner
For those loath to crank up the oven during the summer season (also tomato season), deploy the air fryer. It works great as long as the oil is cut back to almost nothing, which is also a plus. I usually drizzle olive oil in a mixing bowl, add seasoning, and then add the bread and toss it twice as long as it feels like I should. Then air fry at 300 for about 5 minutes.
David
Anyone who's *quartering* grape tomatoes has far more patience (and fine motor skills) than I'll ever have!
Marie
If you are outdoor grilling other components of a meal with this salad, grilling the bread as slices brushed with olive oil, or torn and in a grill pan or basket, puts all the heat of summer baking outside where it belongs and saves a step . This salad, sans lettuce, is just a version of the panzanella that I make in the summer. I always prep the tomatoes, veggies and dressing to marinate in the fridge for a bit and then toss in the toasted/ grilled bread just before serving
Judy
I'm with your mom! I love a next day wilty salad either alone or as a topper for fresh greens!
Zabe
I got as far as fresh, chopped tomatoes, white wine vinegar, fresh basil, and a pinch of salt before I started drinking it as if it were soup.
Gwen
The only adjustment I made was to leave out the four cloves of garlic from the salad. The two of us polished it off entirely. Delicious!
Tami
The oven dehydrates the bread, so it will soak up the lovely flavored oil.
Heather C.
It always bothers me when recipes that serve 6 call for 1 measly cup of end of summer ripe tomatoes.
Carol C
I don’t like vinegar so I use lemon and keep the tomato goo and seeds. The goo adds juice flavor and colour and the seeds, roughage…and no fiddling with the tomatoes!
Esther Simpson
Thank you Melissa.I made this salad last night for the two of us reducing the ingredients accordingly. It is a perfect tomato vinaigrette with arugula as my only greens.Such a perfect combo that I made it again tonight, and guess what?'Twas excellent again.A keeper for sure, and a salad I intend to use year round.
Jan
Makes quite a bit of dressing. Intense garlic.
Love this recipe! Even Flynn gave the thumbs up
Substitute fried bread for toasted bread w/ raw garlic rubbed on it
Seth
Didn’t have any of the vinegars listed so I subbed in balsamic, and it worked great. Also skipped the oven for the croutons, which received rave reviews for being tasty and chewy. A winner.
Andi
This was delicious. And pretty easy. Guests loved it. This will be a great go-to salad when you don't want to fuss too much. What really made it were the croutons -yum!
Suzanne
Served this excellent recipe with a little burrata on top...so good. Seed the tomatoes and let them dry a bit before marinating.
pegtails
This is a delicious salad! The crisped garlic paired with the fresh tomato/basil marinade was so good that we were picking the tomatoes out to snack on!
Ann B
I had so many end-of-season ripe tomatoes I chopped some and froze in small batches. Since they will turn into a dressing here I’m thinking it might be a good use for them, “wet” though they may be. Has anyone tried this?
PeggyP
How do you measure salad greens by the quart?
Gretchen
OK, so I cheated and used commercially prepared zesty croutons, since I did not have a baguette on hand. Saved a lot of time and it was still delicious!
Kati Koszegvari
Pickle back slaw
Suzie
Wonderful salad! I added fresh peppers from my garden and used garden tomatoes. It was outstanding.
Liz:
Best with cherry tomatoes & sweet baby spicy greens
Liz:
best with cherry tomatoes, lettuce & baby spicy greens
GLORIA YOUNG
I was confused about the amount of garlic. I love garlic, (grow my own), but 5 cloves seemed overwhelming. I just used one glove and it was great THANK YOU FOR THE RECIPE. SO EASY AND SO GOOD.
JudyS
I made this for family get together- tripled the recipe. Everyone loved it! Perfect for those last of the season CSA tomatoes and basil! I know I will be asked to make it again and again.
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