Marinated Tomatoes
Ripe, juicy tomatoes soak up olive oil, red wine vinegar, onion, garlic, & fresh herbs in Marinated Tomatoes, a zesty summer salad or a versatile side dish!
'Tis the season for homegrown tomatoes! Thanks to my father-in-law's bountiful garden, by this time every summer, we're positively swimming in big, juicy, deep red specimens of tomato perfection.
We eat 'em sliced, with salt and pepper. On bread with good mayo for a tomato sandwich. Caprese-style...drizzled with balsamic, layered with fresh mozzarella, and sprinkled with basil. Roasted. In gazpacho. On pizza. In marinara. In salads. But there can never be too many ways to enjoy garden fresh tomatoes, so why not add another recipe to the ol' repertoire?
Ingredients
Marinated Tomatoes are effortless to throw together with a handful of simple ingredients. What I love most about this recipe, though, is that not only does the pure, tomato flavor shine through, but it's actually enhanced by the vinegar, aromatics, and herbs.
- Tomatoes. Homegrown tomatoes have the BEST flavor, of course, but any type will work. See the "Types of Tomatoes" heading below for tips on how to slice 'em.
- Extra-virgin olive oil.
- Red wine vinegar. I recommend red wine vinegar for this recipe...it's zippy without being overpowering. However you could also experiment with white wine vinegar, sherry vinegar, champagne vinegar, balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar...each one will add a different flavor profile to the dish.
- Onion. My family likes onion (and I don't), but I'm happy to make a separate batch of Marinated Tomatoes for them, throwing in a couple tablespoons of finely minced red onion. They report the red onion adds a sweet sharpness to the dish. I'll take their word for it. 😉
- Garlic. On the other hand, I'm definitely a garlic gal, but I don't go overboard with this recipe. One large or two small cloves are plenty. I prefer to crush my garlic in a garlic press or very, very finely mince it.
- Herbs. You can also customize the herbs for your Marinated Tomatoes. I highly recommend finely minced fresh herbs if you've got access to them -- I typically use parsley and basil. But you can also use dried herbs. Just remember that since dried herbs are stronger and more concentrated, you'll only need about ⅓ the amount as compared to fresh herbs.
- Salt + pepper. Don't leave 'em out!
Types of Tomatoes
Another nice thing about this dish is that it's totally customizable.
I happen to have lots of giant, beefsteak-sized tomatoes right now, so I cut them into thick slices, lay them in a shallow dish, and pour the marinade over the top. The large surface area of the slices allows them to really soak up the deliciousness.
If your tomatoes are smaller, however, you could choose to cut them into wedges.
Tiny little cherry or grape tomatoes could be halved.
Marinating Them
How long you choose to marinate the tomatoes is up to you.
My preference is to marinate them in the fridge for 12 to 24 hours for lotsa' flavor, then bring them back to room temperature before serving.
Alternatively, if you have less time, you can marinate them on the countertop for just two or three hours. The infusion of flavor into the tomatoes will be less intense, but they'll still be delicious.
How to Enjoy Them
These Marinated Tomatoes are scrumptious on their own as a salad. Be sure to serve with crusty French bread to sop up all those magical juices!
Or you can chop the tomatoes into smaller pieces and use as a topping for bruschetta. A few shavings of fresh Parmesan on top = HEAVEN.
Even if you don't have a garden, the tomatoes at the grocery store are much redder and more flavorful this time of year. So take advantage of the bounty! Marinated Tomatoes is an easy, versatile recipe for enjoying one of summer's simple pleasures.♥
More Garden-Fresh Summer Sides
- Corn, Tomato, & Avocado Salad
- Creamy German Cucumber Salad
- Baked Parmesan Zucchini Rounds
- Southern Squash Casserole
Marinated Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 3 extra-large tomatoes, about 2 pounds
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
- 1 large clove, or two small cloves garlic, finely minced or crushed
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley, plus additional for garnish
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh basil, plus additional for garnish
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cut the tomatoes into ½-inch thick slices and arrange in a single layer in a large, shallow dish. Measure the oil, vinegar, onion, garlic, parsley, basil, salt, and pepper in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake vigorously to combine and evenly pour over the tomatoes in the dish. Cover and marinate for 2 to 3 hours on the counter, or 12 to 24 hours in the refrigerator. Bring chilled tomatoes to room temperature before serving. Transfer tomatoes to serving dishes, spoon juices over the tops, and garnish with additional chopped fresh herbs, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Adapted from Epicurious.
Post originally published on July 11, 2017.
Simply awesome! Also, I appreciate the note regarding fresh vs dried spices.
These were soooo....good! Everybody loved them! I followed the recipe, exactly as written. I used fresh herbs from my garden and added a little snipped chives, as well! My own heirlooms are not quite ready, but I did use 1 of my tomatoes and filled in the rest with ripe.....“Farm Stand” tomatoes, up the street My husband likes peeled tomatoes, so I boiled water, dropped them in a few seconds and peeled and ice water bathed them, first. I didn’t have overnight time, so I left them out on my counter, covered, all afternoon, and chilled before serving! Delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
You're very welcome, Robin...I'm happy everyone enjoyed it so much! 🙂
I did have a little leftover for this morning! Still wonderful...!!
I literally...”drank” all the liquid, after I ate the tomatoes! LOL!
Ha ha...I mean, it would be a shame to waste it! 😉
Great, simple and a quick go to recipe for a quick side dish to a meal. Especialy, this time of year, if you garden, (I do;) I, also, use lemon instead of vinegar, goes well with garlic and basil, and sprinkle a little cheese on top, my favoriyte is feta or goat cheese, but grated pecorino or parmesan or mozzarella is good too.
Great, simple and a quick go to recipe for a quick side dish to a meal. Especialy, this time of year, if you garden, (I do;) I, also, use lemon instead of vinegar, goes well with garlic and basil, and sprinkle a little cheese on top, my favoriyte is feta or goat cheese, but grated pecorino or parmesan or mozzarella is good too.
I’ve been making this recipe for many years. The only difference is I use grape tomatoes halved and feta cheese either crumbled or cubed. The sauce is exactly the same and delicious. Every time I take it to a covered dish function it is gone.
This was a huge hit and we'll be making it all summer. Thank you for the recipe.
This sounds amazing! I have a friend that slow roasts Roma tomatoes and uses in tomato sauce. Do you think this marinade could take the roasting flavor to a new level?
I'm not sure how well marinated tomatoes would roast, Sandy? Let me know if you give it a try!
I have always love tomatoes, not just for my salads but just to eat them. As i kid i will always ask for a tomato just as is can not wait to try this at home
Hope you enjoy, Keyanna!
I made these and took them to a potluck yesterday. They were a huge hit! Everyone was like "oh, so fancy!", even though they really aren't, but they did look beautiful! Simple ingredients, prep time was like 10 minutes. Easiest "fancy" dish I've ever prepared! I'm still harvesting tomatoes here in western wa state, we are having a mild early fall. I used a combo of my beef and grape tomatoes. Followed the recipe and the proportions were right on. I used fresh parsley, basil and rosemary. I let them marinate at room temp for a couple hours. They tasted good at that point, but just a but sharp. By the time I served them at the potluck they had marinated in the fridge for about 24 hours and were amazingly good. The extra time let the sweetness of the tomatoes come out and balance the acid, and all the flavors had gotten so happy with each other! Topped them with some grated parmigiano reggiano and served with crusty bread. Soooo good! Thanks so much for this recipe. Sorry I've gone on so long, just very pleased to have found this fantastic way to enjoy our tomatoes! Next time balsamic, that is my favorite vinegar!
(Btw Samantha I'm a transplanted Texan. Hubby retired from the Navy. College football? Horns for me and Aggies for him. NFL? Cowboys for both of us!)
I'm so happy these were a hit, Penny Sue...and I'm jealous you're still harvesting tomatoes!
(P.S. My dad retired from the Navy! Aggies and Cowboys in our house...and Astros and Spurs. 😉 Also, I think some of your WA weather got confused and came to TX! Ha.)
Made these today, had a small cucumber so I sliced it up and added to tomotoes. Was delicious.
You weren't kidding! The marinated tomatoes were to die for. This is the first time I ever left any comments but I felt compelled to comment. Your recipe was for four to six. How about two? My husband and I ate the whole dish ourselves. Spoke to a friend of mine and shared the magic. Thank you so much. This recipe will be added to my must make pages.
Yay, Joan! I'm very happy to hear y'all enjoyed this so much. I'm looking forward to making it again in the next few months with homegrown tomatoes! 🙂
Sounds delicious but I would never chill tomatoes, it ruins the flavor.
Usually I agree. But for some reason, chilling works in this recipe! 🙂
I make quite often. I use red wine vinegar and balsamic vinegar. I sprinkle dried Italian seasoning, s, p, garlic powder and some crumbled blue cheese or feta. Yum!
Yum, Kathy...now I'm craving these tomatoes for breakfast! 😉
Have made these several times when having company for dinner. Everyone loved them. Always like something I can make ahead. Very easy to put together.
I'm glad you enjoy this recipe so much, Beverly! 🙂
This is in my ass kicking folder these are the bomb !! I make them all the time .. thankyou thank you
Thank you for sharing. Looks so good! I love tomatoes but the ones in my backyard are not ripe yet. As soon as they are I'll be making this recipe!
Question- is there a reason you suggest bringing tomatoes to room temp before serving? Or is it a preference? I like cold tomatoes but don't want to serve them cold if it will negatively impact the flavor. Thanks!
Thanks for this recipe, I was looking for salad recipes and came through this one on Pinterest. making it right now!
Camila
Hope it was a hit, Camila! 🙂
I have been searching for a simple summer tomato recipe like this. Reminds me of my father and his wonderful homegrown garden delights. YUM!!!!
Love this!! Can't wait for my tomatoes to ripen so I can try! Pinned and sharing!