Juicy and colorful heirloom tomatoes are drizzled with a fresh and flavorful basil parsley oil in this easy tomato salad.
Here we are, at that happy time of year when we’re up to our necks in tomatoes; the beautiful ripe and flavorful kind that is, not the bland mealy specimens we see the rest of the year.
As with most produce, tomatoes taste infinitely better when grown locally and picked when ripe and in season, which is a good thing because that season is now and markets are filled with them.
Of all the tomatoes out there right now, heirlooms have to be my favorite. When they‘re at their peak, they hardly need any embellishment at all.
They’re lumpy and bumpy and a beautifully imperfect bunch of red, yellow, orange and green hues. They’re hefty and meaty, tender and juicy and make the best salads; all that’s needed is a touch of oil and salt to bring out their wonderfully complex and unique flavor.
A touch of homemade basil parsley oil elevates even the ripest bunch of heirloom tomatoes to a brand new level.
How to make basil oil:
All you need is a few good handfuls of fresh basil and parsley and a nice, fruity extra virgin oil. The basil and parsley is quickly blanched to set the color then blended with the oil to create a beautiful green sauce with loads of fresh flavor.
The bright green oil brings a hint of herbaceousness to the sweet tomatoes, while a pinch of flaky sea salt rounds out all the flavors. Once you make this heirloom tomato salad with basil parsley oil, you won’t want to be without it for long, it’s a summertime must and the perfect accompaniment to all your meals. So eat your fill of tomatoes while you can, because they won’t be here for long.
More tomato recipes to make:
Heirloom Tomato Salad
Juicy and colorful tomatoes are drizzled with a fresh and flavorful basil parsley oil in this easy and summery heirloom tomato salad.
Ingredients
- ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt
- ½ cup packed basil leaves
- ½ cup packed flat leaf parsley
- ¼ cup/60ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 lbs assorted heirloom tomatoes, cut into wedges
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- 2 Tablespoons chopped chives
Instructions
- Prepare an ice-water bath in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the parsley and basil; blanch for 30 seconds, then drain and transfer to the ice-water bath to cool.
- Drain well, and press out the excess moisture.
- Transfer the blanched herbs, oil and ¼ teaspoon of the salt to a mini food processor or small blender jar; pulse until smooth with a few small bits of herbs remaining.
- Use right away, or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
- Arrange the tomatoes on a large platter, drizzle with the basil parsley oil and top with chopped chives and remaining sea salt.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 118Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 187mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 2gSugar: 5gProtein: 2g
Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.
(Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Find out what that means for you here.)
Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
Jill Silverman Hough says
That is sooooo gorgeous! Love the food styling, the colors, the light--awesome!
Rust says
Oh, this sounds heavenly! I've got hundreds of little green cherry tomatoes on one of my plants and the big red heirloom tomatoes are just ripening. The basil is ready to go, too.