Why It Works
- Salting the tomatoes and tomatillos and letting them sit for just 15 minutes draws out excess liquid, enhancing their flavor and ensuring a salad that’s not soggy.
- Briefly soaking the shallots in vinegar softens them and mellows their sharp bite.
There’s a very specific kind of madness that takes hold of me every summer, and its root cause is tomatoes. It starts innocently enough: a quick trip to the farmers market, just to “see what looks good.” But before I know it, I’m on the subway, cradling a teetering pile of heirlooms. A golden one with tiger stripes? In the bag. A misshapen plum the color of my favorite lipstick? It has to be mine. Those cheerful Sungolds? Impossible to resist.
It doesn’t matter that I already have tomatoes at home—probably too many. Thank goodness for recipes like salmorejo and the simple, always satisfying panzanella salad that help me work through my reserves, but eventually, even I run out of ways to use the juicy, savory, slightly sweet fruit.
That’s why I was especially excited when my colleague Giovanna Vazquez from our Birmingham, Alabama, test kitchen developed this bright and inventive salad designed for peak-season tomatoes of all varieties. It gets an extra boost from the addition of raw tomatillos—not technically tomatoes, but close cousins whose vibrant tartness lifts the salad into a full-on celebration of summer. Since this salad works with any variety of ripe, juicy tomatoes, feel free to incorporate whichever ones call out to you at the market.
Serious Eats/ Morgan Glaze
Before the salad is assembled, both the tomatoes and the tomatillos are first salted and left to drain briefly (just 15 minutes, but you can let them hang out for an hour if you’re doing other things). This step intensifies their flavor and draws out excess moisture, which prevents that dreaded pool of tomato water that would dilute the vinaigrette.
Added to the mix with the tomatoes and tomatillos are fragrant shallots, which get their own special treatment before going into the bowl. Raw shallots can overwhelm the other ingredients in a salad with their sulfurous edge, but there’s an easy fix: Soak them briefly in vinegar before adding them to the dressing. That quick soak mellows their sulfurous flavor compounds while gently infusing them with vinegar, giving the finished salad a brighter bite.
The vinaigrette keeps things lively. White balsamic delivers brightness without the heaviness of regular dark balsamic, though any balsamic vinegar would work well here. Agave or honey rounds out the dressing with a touch of sweetness, oregano adds a hint of herbaceousness, and Dijon and garlic deliver a pleasant bite. It’s bold but balanced—the kind of vinaigrette that makes you want to eat salad every day.
To bring it all together, a scattering of torn, creamy burrata and roasted almonds add richness and a welcome contrast of silky and crunchy textures. While we love the simplicity of roasted almonds, smoked and candied almonds are fun alternatives. And since there is no reason to run away from a classic pairing, the salad is finished with fresh, grassy basil. This lively, colorful salad celebrates the fleeting stretch of summer when tomatoes are at their peak and you want to make the most of them.
This recipe was developed by Giovanna Vazquez; the headnote was written by Laila Ibrahim.
My Favorite Salad to Use Up Summer Tomatoes (and It’s Not Caprese)
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1 pound (454 g) mixed ripe tomatoes, cut into bite-size pieces (see notes)
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1/2 pound (227 g) tomatillos, husks removed and rinsed, or green tomatoes, halved and cut into 1/4-inch half moons (see notes)
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1 1/2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt, divided; for table salt use half as much by volume
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2 medium shallots (5 ounces; 142 g), thinly sliced (about 1/4 cup)
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3 tablespoons (45 ml) white balsamic vinegar
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1 tablespoon (15 ml) agave nectar or honey
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1 teaspoon dried oregano
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1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
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1 clove garlic, minced
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3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for serving
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6 tablespoons (90 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
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1 large ball of burrata (8 ounces; 226 g), room temperature, torn into large chunks
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1/2 cup roasted salted almonds (about 2 ounces; 56 g), chopped
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1/4 cup roughly torn fresh basil leaves
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Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon, for sprinkling (optional)
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Place chopped tomatoes and tomatillos in a colander set over a large bowl and season with 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Toss to coat. Set aside at room temperature to drain, tossing occasionally until tomatoes release their juices, a minimum of 15 minutes and up to 1 hour.
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Discard juice from bowl and transfer tomatoes to now-empty large bowl.
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In a separate bowl, combine shallots and vinegar, and let sit for 5 minutes, stirring halfway through. Pour shallots through a fine-mesh strainer set over a medium bowl (don’t discard vinegar). Transfer shallots to large bowl with tomatoes and set aside.
Serious Eats/ Morgan Glaze
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Add agave or honey, oregano, mustard, garlic, pepper, and remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt to bowl with vinegar; whisk until combined. Slowly whisk in olive oil until smooth and emulsified.
Serious Eats/ Morgan Glaze
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Add 1/4 cup of vinaigrette to bowl with tomatoes and shallots; toss to combine. Transfer to serving bowl or platter.
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Top with burrata, almonds, and basil. Drizzle remaining vinaigrette evenly over salad. Finish with freshly ground pepper and flaky sea salt, if desired. Serve immediately.
Serious Eats/ Morgan Glaze
Equipment
Colander, fine-mesh strainer
Notes
This salad is meant to celebrate peak tomato season and won’t be nearly as good if made with out-of-season tomatoes. Any ripe tomatoes will work in this salad.
Tomatillos have a sticky layer underneath their husks. To remove this layer, firmly rub tomatillos under running water after removing their husks.
Make-Ahead and Storage
The vinaigrette can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Whisk or shake well in a tightly sealed jar before use.
The salad is best when eaten right away, but it can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 hour or refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 day before serving. If refrigerating, bring to room temperature before serving and drain any excess liquid that has pooled.
