Sliced sun-ripened tomatoes are layered on a platter with balsamic pickled onions and finished with a sprinkle of almond parm. It’s a simple and delicious way to enjoy beautiful summer tomatoes! If you’d like to head straight to this vegan and grain free recipe, scroll down to the bottom of the post.
I did NOT like tomatoes as a kid. This sentiment extended into early adulthood until I was able to taste a recently harvested, sun-ripened tomato. My childhood memories of tomatoes consisted of the watery, mealy thing you pick off of sandwiches and burgers. You know what I’m talking about, right? Somehow, tomatoes became a mainstay ingredient on sandwiches regardless of the season. Which means importing tomatoes from who-knows-where that were picked well before the sun ripened them to perfection. And thus, we end up at flavorless watery slices present on menus throughout the world.
So, how did I come to love tomatoes? It all started with a lovely tomato at the farmers market, enjoyed during peak season. I can still feel the juices dripping down my chin, eyes opening wide in surprise and delight at the balanced sweet and tart taste. That particular summer I tried every single tomato I could get my hands on at the farmers market. I talked to the farmers, asking which were their favorites and why. And just like that, my opinion changed on tomatoes. They’re now something to look forward to each spring. And, I enjoy as much as possible before they make their way out of season.
In order to celebrate tomatoes even more this year, I decided to grow 5 different varieties. You can see them all in the photo above! In year’s past, the most varieties I’ve grown at one time is 3. So, this year tomato season feels extra exciting! I’m growing Black Krim (a medium/large Russian heirloom), Juliet (a roma type), Yellow Pear, Sweet Millions (a cherry variety), and Matt’s Wild Cherry (a small currant type). I decided to use some of each variety in a simple summer tomato salad and share it with you here!
The thing with produce at the peak of its season is that it doesn’t need much adornment. But, it felt odd to give you a recipe instructing you to slice tomatoes and season them with flaky sea salt! To give you something a little more elevated, I paired these garden fresh tomatoes with some balsamic pickled onions and a sprinkle of almond parm. Still simple and still delicious. I highly encourage you to seek out some local tomatoes so you can make this dish while they’re in season!
Produce Sources: the tomatoes are from my garden and the onion is from The Village Farm
Summer Tomato Salad with Balsamic Pickled Onions
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Sliced sun-ripened tomatoes are layered on a platter with balsamic pickled onions and finished with a sprinkle of almond parm. It’s a simple and delicious way to enjoy beautiful summer tomatoes!
Ingredients
- ripe tomatoes (feel free to use an assortment!)
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp maple syrup or honey
- 1 smashed garlic clove
- 1/4 of a sweet onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup blanched almonds
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- heaped 1/4 tsp fine grain sea salt
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- pinch of sugar
- flaky sea salt, optional
Instructions
Add the balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, and smashed garlic clove to a small sauce pan. Set it over medium heat. While the vinegar heats up, add the thinly sliced onion to a small bowl or jar. Once the vinegar starts to produce steam and you begin to see tiny bubbles just beginning to break the surface, carefully pour it over the onions. Let them pickle while you prepare the remaining components.
Add the blanched almonds, nutritional yeast, salt, lemon zest, and sugar to a blender. Pulse until the nuts are finely ground. Voila! Now you have almond parm.
To serve the salad, layer sliced tomatoes and the balsamic pickled onions on a plate or platter. Sprinkle the almond parm over the top. And if you like, add a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, too!
Once you compose the salad, it is best enjoyed the day it is made. The pickled onions and almond parm will keep up to 2 weeks in the fridge if you have extras.
Notes
- If you’re using larger tomato varieties, plan on 1 tomato for every 1-2 people.
- If you prefer, you can use regular Parmesan cheese in place of the almond parmesan in the recipe.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
