Shockingly Simple Tomato Basil Salad

Name: Shockingly Simple Tomato Basil Salad
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 3 medium tomatoes; 1 clove of garlic; 2 tbsp chopped basil; 1 tablespoon high quality olive oil, such as Red Island (not sponsored, just obsessed); 1-2 teaspoons sherry vinegar; flaky sea salt, to taste

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A simple tomato basil salad gets taken to the next level with a splash of sherry vinegar. It’s fresh, easy, and the perfect quick, healthy side dish.

Close up of someone serving tomato salad onto a slice of toasted bread.

Top view of tomato salad on a white plate.

This tomato basil salad is the quintessential summer dish: fresh and light but super flavourful.

It's simple to make, super-satisfying, and coincidentally vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free, making it the perfect dish when catering to a group of eaters with specific dietary requirements.

Where you might typically expect to see balsamic vinegar, this dish uses sherry vinegar instead for a soft, rich flavour that helps blend the sharpness of the garlic with the freshness of the tomatoes.

If you’ve ever found yourself craving a quick lunch that still tastes gourmet, this is it. Eat it atop some toasted bread, with an extra drizzle of olive oil — heaven!

The beauty of this salad is that despite its simplicity, the flavour really sings. It’s the perfect dinner party side dish or easy edition to any dinner that could use a bit more nutrients.

Hero ingredient: Sherry vinegar

Close up of tomato salad, showing chopped basil and garlic on top of tomato slices.

Tomato basil salad is no new concept, but adding sherry vinegar to this one is what makes it so special.

As you might guess, sherry vinegar is made from a base of sherry wine which is then fermented to create vinegar. Much like balsamic vinegar, sherry vinegar has a protected designation. Its production is monitored and controlled in line with the Denominación de Origen which maintains specific standards of geographical and quality.

Per the guidelines laid out by the designation, all sherry vinegar is produced in Spain in a specific region known as the “sherry triangle”. Demarcated by the cities Jerez de la Frontera, Sanlúcar de Barrameda, and El Puerto de Santa María, this area in Cádiz famously produces the fortified wine we know as sherry.

Complete the meal

Side view of tomato salad on a plate with toasted bread in the background.

This tomato salad is complex enough in flavour that it’s enjoyable alone. If you’d like to turn it into a proper meal, serve it alongside Italian dishes like pasta or eggplant parmigiana.

For a quick and satisfying lunch, eat it with some crusty oil-drizzled bread. Add extra substance with a few bocconcini, and you’ll be transported straight to the Mediterranean.

Common Questions

Can I make this without garlic?

You can indeed! If you don't want the garlic flavour, simply omit the garlic from this recipe. If you DO want the garlic flavour, but not the actual garlic, omit the garlic and swap the olive oil for garlic-infused olive oil instead. Hint: using garlic-infused oil instead of diced garlic will also make this FODMAP friendly.

Can I make this in advance?

This dish is best enjoyed straight away. If you'd like to prep a bit beforehand, you can pre-chop the garlic and basil, then store them in a small airtight container in the fridge. However, we think this one is best fresh and (thankfully) it's easy enough to whip up in mere minutes.

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