This Summer Tomato Salad with White Beans and mint, tossed in a sweet and tangy, herbaceous vinaigrette is so fresh and tasty. It's a no cook recipe that is perfect for a light summer dinner, easy picnic lunch or side salad at the barbecue. Despite its incredible simplicity, this salad has major flavor. If you are a tomato lover, you need to try this.
What is a Tomato Salad?
A tomato salad is exactly what it sounds like, it's a salad where tomatoes are the main character! There are so many kinds of tomato salads, because people love them. Especially at the height of tomato season, a salad starring these delicious fruits is a wondrous thing.
Most tomato salads are centered on ripe tomatoes, but they often include other veggies with more of a crunch factor like onions, cucumbers, or bell peppers. Many include fresh herbs, a punchy vinaigrette and some add fruits or even cheese. The sky is the limit with these summer salads, the only rule is that the star of the show is the tomato.
Why you'll love this Summer Tomato Salad
- Super fresh and delicious flavor that any tomato lover will adore
- Vegan, gluten-free and allergy friendly recipe
- Major Mediterranean vibes with tomatoes, herbs and garlicky vinaigrette
- Great way to use up the summer produce when your garden is bountiful
- More filling than a simple side salad thanks to the white beans
- Great for beach days, pool days or dinner on the deck
- Make ahead for the ultimate in marinating flavors
- Easy, quick and no cooking involved, perfect for days when it's too hot to cook
Tomatoes Tip
When choosing tomatoes, if not straight from the garden, I have a few tips. First, cherry tomatoes are usually the most flavorful all year round. In summer that is not as relevant since most tomatoes are fresh and tasty but I always go for the most colorful and fragrant. If you can buy tomatoes with the vine still attached, these will be the best, like Sugar Bombs, Flavor Bombs, Hiros, whatever brand you can find, or see at the Farmers market. I also like kumato and compari tomatoes better than large ones.
After purchasing be sure to store your tomatoes at room temp on the counter. Putting them in the fridge will make them mealy and destroy the flavor. Leaving them out will ripen any that needed extra time and they really look so gorgeous that seeing them there is a major mood lift.
Summer Tomato Salad with White Beans Ingredients
This salad recipe has a pretty short ingredient list that has a handful of seasonal items and pantry items. It's perfect for when your garden is really popping in July and August.
- Tomato: The freshest and most beautiful that you can find. Bonus points if they are garden fresh. I used a combination of kumato, vine ripe and cherry tomatoes.
- Cucumber: English cucumber is crunchy and hydrating, perfect for the summer vibe
- White Beans: Use cannelini beans, great northern or butter beans to make this salad a light meal
- Red Onion: Gives a little spicy bite
- Fresh Mint: This garden herb is plentiful in summer and tastes super fresh.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: The base of the tangy dressing, gives it that silky texture
- Red Wine Vinegar and Balsamic Vinegar: The combination is extra tasty, sweet and tangy.
- Pure Maple Syrup: To mellow the tanginess in the dressing and give it a little sweetness.
- Garlic: For the distinct flavor that pairs incredibly well with tomato
- Salt and Black Pepper: to spice up the dressing and make the flavor pop
Onion tip: To mellow out the onion flavor, you can soak the sliced onion in ice water for 10-15 minutes. This will take out some of the sharpness and make them more palatable to most people. I personally love onions and do not bother with this step but many people swear by it.
How to Make a Summer Tomato Salad
This salad recipe is super easy. Even a beginner cook can make this with success and ease and impress their friends or family.
- First make the dressing right in the bottom of a large salad bowl by whisking extra virgin olive oil, balsamic and red wine vinegars, pure maple syrup, garlic, salt and pepper. Then add the onions and beans to let them start marinating.
- Next add the tomatoes, a pinch of salt and pepper, the cucumbers and the mint. Toss until well combined.
Tips for Making the Best Tomato Salad
- Use a good sharp knife for cutting the tomatoes. A dull knife will damage the flesh and make them smushy and break down faster.
- Make sure all the produce is fresh. Remove any ugly spots from the tomatoes.
- Get herbaceous: add more herbs like parsley, basil, or dill that you have in your garden. You can never have too many fresh herbs in my opinion
- Add olives: Pitted Kalamata, Manzanilla or Castelvetrano would taste incredible here.
- Use whatever beans you like, substitute or add lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans for more filling fiber and plant-based protein.
- Get nutty: Add sliced almonds, chopped hazelnuts, pine nuts or pecans for some crunch
- Add roasted veggies like cauliflower, broccoli or zucchini to bulk it up and use up your garden harvest deliciously
FAQs
This recipe is meant to eat like a light summer meal with some crusty bread or grilled protein on the side. But it could be a lovely component of a mezzo or tapas with some other light Mediterranean dishes like hummus, cucumber yogurt sauce or chickpea tahini salad.
While I do not consume dairy, you can certainly add some crumbled feta or blue cheese, or even fresh mozzarella or burrata.
Yes! Tomatoes are packed with antioxidants, vitamins and hydration! They are low in calories and have fiber which is great for your body. With cucumbers, beans and heart healthy extra virgin olive oil, this salad is really packing in the nutrition.
Other Delicious Summer Salad Recipes
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Summer Tomato Salad with Beans
Ingredients
- 3 pounds mixed tomatoes cherry vine ripe or kumato
- 1 pinch salt
- 3-5 grinds black pepper
- 1 large english cucumber peeled, seeded and sliced
- ½ red onion sliced thin
- 15 oz can white beans rinsed and drained
- 4-5 mint leaves chopped small
- For the dressing:
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 clove garlic chopped
- ¼ tsp salt
- 4-5 grinds black pepper
Instructions
- Make the dressing in the bottom of a large salad bowl by adding extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, pure maple syrup, garlic, salt and paper and whisking until combined.
- Add the onions and white beans to the dressing and stir, to let marinate while you prepare the rest of the ingredients,
- To the salad bowl add the tomatoes, a pinch of salt and ground black pepper.
- Then add the cucumbers, and mint. Pour the dressing over the top and mix until well combined.
- Enjoy within 1-2 days for best taste and quality.
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