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    Home > Recipes > Vegan Salad Recipes

    Tomato and Onion Salad

    Published: Dec 8, 2022 · by Amanda · Leave a Comment

    With a handful of simple ingredients, this tomato and onion salad is a vibrant, fresh and flavourful side. It's easy as can be and is the perfect vegan salad for picnics, potlucks or any Summer get-together.

    Skip to Recipe
    Tomato and onion salad on a plate close up.
    Jump to:
    • Why This Salad Works
    • Ingredients & Substitutions
    • Step-by-Step Guide
    • Serving Suggestions & Variations
    • FAQs
    • Tomato and Onion Salad Recipe
    • Leave a Comment

    Why This Salad Works

    If you love the sweet zing of fresh tomatoes, this is the salad for you. Serve it with cashew ricotta on crusty bread or as a simple side with white pizza. Eat it straight from the bowl, it's that delicious.

    This tomato and onion salad is a little bit everything.

    • It's so simple to make
    • We make it with a handful of ingredients.
    • This salad is versatile. Add cucumber, avocado, feta, white beans or chickpeas for protein...
    • It's naturally gluten-free
    • It's a lovely homage to the sweet goodness of fresh tomatoes +
    • this tomato and onion salad is a little different to versions because we'll be lightly pickling the onions. Trust me, it's so good and takes no time.

    Ingredients & Substitutions

    Tomato salad ingredients in a grid with labels.

    Tomatoes. Go crazy! Today, I'm using a mix of small tomatoes but you can use fresh vine ripened, heirloom or cherry. Or a mixture! Around 4-5 vine-ripened tomatoes will get you to your 600g.

    Onions. So, here is where a little personal choice comes in. I have made this salad with both red onions and French shallots. The shallot is more delicate and has a slightly sweet, garlicky vibe. The red onion has a more robust in-your-face thing going on. We are not using a tonne, so either works. Use what you have.

    Garlic. Just a touch massaged into the tomatoes before the dressing goes on. I am building this salad a little like you would bruschetta.

    White wine vinegar. Because we are going for a lighter, fresh feel, we're using white wine vinegar. But if you only have red wine vinegar, use that.

    Bon Appetite suggests when choosing a vinegar to think about what kind of wine you'd want to be paired with your dish and choose the vinegar based on that. But if you only have one kind of vinegar on hand, use that.

    Salt. Always.

    Pepper. Optional but excellent.

    Olive oil. Use as good a quality oil as you can manage. Olive oil has slight fruity taste that goes perfectly with the tomatoes.

    Basil. Tomato and basil are made for each other. It's actually science - both basil and tomato contain a volatile compound called Linalool. It's destiny, baby! And chemistry.

    Pine nuts. Optional but buttery, crunchy and delicious. For a twist, you could add chopped smoked walnuts. They are so good.

    Step-by-Step Guide

    You'll find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

    Step 1. In a small bowl combine the onions and vinegar. Set them aside so the vinegar has time to take some of the astringent flavour out of the onions. We are soaking them to slightly pickle them and make them less in-your-face.

    Step 2. Chop the tomatoes in to different sizes - create texture by cutting halves, quarters and leaving smaller tomatoes whole.

    Go ahead and add the tomatoes to a large bowl and gently stir in the garlic.

    Two images with tomato salad being made.

    Step 4. After the onions and vinegar have been doing their thing for around 5 minutes or so, stir them into the tomatoes. Add the olive oil.

    Two images of tomato salad in a bowl with dressing.

    Step 5. Season well with the salt and some cracked pepper and add the finely sliced basil. If you are adding pine nuts (which I totally recommend), lightly toast them on a dry pan and add them just before serving. 

    And that's it! It's so pretty!

    An oval plate with tomatoes and pine nuts.

    Serving Suggestions & Variations

    This is a pretty versatile salad. Serve it

    • with crusty bread to mop up all those juices
    • as a side to any one of your favourite vegan burgers
    • with tofu feta
    • next to a big bowl of scrambled tofu for a fresh boost to your breakfast or brunch
    • tossed with chickpeas or white beans for protein

    FAQs

    What tomatoes are best for this salad?

    Any tomatoes will work with this salad. Heirloom tomatoes will make a spectacular centrepiece but a simple red cherry tomato will work too. Just make sure they're ripe.

    How do I tell if a tomato is ripe?

    You have to hold a tomato to know if it's ripe. Cooking is such a tactile business. Large and small tomatoes should be smooth without any pale spots or deep splits. Smaller tomatoes should be firm but not hard while larger tomatoes should should feel heavy. If in doubt, give it a whiff. If there is no smell, chances are the tomato isn't ready yet.

    Can you make this salad ahead?

    You can prep your ingredients ahead but don't add the dressing or the basil to the tomatoes until your are ready to serve. The salad will lose its texture if dressed too early and the basil will bruise from the acid. Serve tomatoes at room temperature for the best flavour.

    More fresh ideas.

    • Two slices of bread topped with a salad.
      Old School Vegan Chicken Salad
    • A large bowl of rainbow vegetable salad.
      Tasty Detox Salad with Orange Miso Dressing
    • A close up of a bowl, with Kale and Kitchen
      Kale Pesto with Cashew
    • A bowl of tofu feta on a grey background.
      Marinated Tofu Feta

    Want more plant-based goodness?

    Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Insta for all the latest news. If you like this recipe, please check out my cookbook "Great Vegan Meals for the Carnivorous Family" It's full of simple, carnivore-approved family recipes.

    An oval plate with tomatoes, onions and pine nuts.

    Tomato and Onion Salad Recipe

    With a handful of simple ingredients, this tomato and onion salad is a vibrant and flavourful side. With sweet tomatoes and lightly pickled onions, it's a perfect Summer side.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Salad | Side Dish
    Cuisine: Vegan
    Diet: Gluten Free | Vegan | Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 12 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 225kcal
    Author: Amanda Logan

    Ingredients 

    • 1 tablespoon French shallot or red onion, finely diced
    • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or lemon juice
    • 600 g small or cherry tomatoes or 4 large tomatoes
    • ½ teaspoon garlic minced
    • 3 tablespoon olive oil
    • ½ teaspoon salt salt flakes if you can
    • pepper optional
    • 2 tablespoon basil finely sliced
    • 3 tablespoon pine nuts optional

    Instructions

    • In a small bowl or jar, combine the onions and vinegar. Set them aside so the vinegar has time to take some of the astringent flavour out of the onions. We want the onions in the salad, just not dominating it. 
    • Meanwhile, chop your tomatoes into different bite size pieces. I generally leave the smaller tomatoes whole and cut the rest into halves and quarters. 
    • Add the minced garlic to the tomatoes and gently mix it through. Set aside while you finish prepare the other ingredients.
    • After around 5 minutes of soaking time, add the vinegar to the tomatoes and toss through. add the olive oil and stir well.
    • Season well with the salt and some cracked pepper (if you like) and add the finely sliced basil. If you are adding pine nuts (which I totally recommend), lightly toast them on a dry pan and add them just before serving. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 225kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Sodium: 313mg | Potassium: 407mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 808IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried This Recipe?I'd love to hear your feedback. Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below. Or you can tag @mygoodnesskitchen or hashtag #mygoodnesskitchen on Instagram.
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    Hello & Welcome! I’m Amanda ...and that's Scout with her eye on you. I'm a trained plant-based cook, long-time vegan, cookbook author and frazzled Mum (are you feeling me?). Oh, and I'm working towards my Masters in Nutrition. I'm here to help you create easy vegan meals that never skimp on flavour. It's vegan food but in a totally fuss-free way. Are you hungry? Me too! So let's cook. 

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