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
Adapted from Epicurious.
Post originally published on July 11, 2017.
Bridget Ridal
Amazing recipe! Unfortunately made too much. How long does this keep? Have you ever used leftovers for a pasta sauce?
Samantha Skaggs
Hi Bridget! I think these tomatoes remain tasty for up to several days, but they will soften and break down the longer they sit in the fridge. I've chopped up leftovers and tossed them into green salads or pasta salads before. Unfortunately, I've never used the leftovers in pasta sauce, but I don't see why you couldn't try!
Heather
I think if you roasted the tomato’s in the oven then add them to the sauce after cutting them up. We make homemade spaghetti sauce a lot and all the dry products are in it. I wouldn’t add the drippings in or your sauce could get oily. I’m gonna try this myself!!! Great idea. Thanks
R M Roberts
Delicious and Easy. I marinated my Tomatoes for 24 hours, and the 2nd time I did the dish I used a Red Wine Vinegar dressing with Pecans. It worked out great, Everyone wanted the recipe, and I gave it to them.
Deb Mancini
Forgot to add the rating.
Deb Mancini
This recipe was delicious. Followed the recipe as written. Definitely will be making this alot. I did add balsamic glaze and shredded mozzarella before serving. Absolutely a keeper. Thank you for the recipe.
Sarah Pecoreno
Made these for me and my hubby because we had a ton of tomatoes that had to go. I followed the recipe, including the onions, but I did not have fresh basil so I doubled up on the fresh parsley. HUGE HIT!!! we even used them last night on top of our garden salad and the juice acted as a light, perfect dressing. Will definitely be making this again!
Beth
What qualifies as a “good” mayo? I’m never sure what to buy!
Samantha Skaggs
Ha ha, well...I think it's probably a matter of personal preference at the end of the day. But I have always thought that Hellman's or Duke's taste the best! 😉
Bailey
Yummy. Just like my 87 year old moms!
DP
Can these be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for a few days before eating or will the flavors be too strong?
Samantha Skaggs
I probably wouldn't worry about the flavors becoming too strong as much as I'd worry about the tomatoes starting to break down. So if I were to make them ahead of time, I'd probably plan on enjoying them within about 24 hours. 🙂
Emilia
This dressing is so simple and flavorful I keep it on hand at all times. It’s an amazing dressing for Greek Salad and I also add fresh Basil and Feta Cheese to my tomatoes for an little extra something.
beryl cumming
Great tasty toms, will do again
Joe Lindsey
My wife loves this, easy to make, really good summer salad.
Kari
I want to thank you for sharing such a fantasic tomato recipe.
Goes wonderfully with so many main dishes. Hubby & I love
it & it will be my go to recipe for all tomato and salad type
dishes.
Geri Rein
We can't get enough of these delicious tomatoes!! I have grandchildren that request that I make them every time we go there to visit! I am making a quadruple batch for a catered meal this week!
Sara
Very nice and tasty recipe thanks for sharing
Sharon McCloskey
Simply awesome! Also, I appreciate the note regarding fresh vs dried spices.
Robin
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!
Samantha at Five Heart Home
You're very welcome, Robin...I'm happy everyone enjoyed it so much! 🙂
Robin
I did have a little leftover for this morning! Still wonderful...!!
I literally...”drank” all the liquid, after I ate the tomatoes! LOL!
Samantha at Five Heart Home
Ha ha...I mean, it would be a shame to waste it! 😉