Fresh Cherry Tomato Salad with Basil and Red Wine Vinaigrette Recipe
A fresh and vibrant Cherry Tomato Salad featuring quartered cherry tomatoes tossed in a flavorful vinaigrette made with garlic, olive oil, basil, red wine vinegar, Italian seasoning, and a hint of sweetness. This chilled salad is perfect as a side dish, for potlucks, or as a topping for pasta and greens.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
For the Cherry Tomato Salad
- 4 cups quartered cherry tomatoes
For the Vinaigrette
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar or 1 teaspoon honey
- ½ teaspoon salt, more or less to taste
To Garnish (Optional)
- Additional chopped fresh basil to taste
Instructions
- Prepare Tomatoes: Place 4 cups of quartered cherry tomatoes into a large bowl and set aside to prepare the vinaigrette.
- Make Vinaigrette: In a small mixing bowl, combine 2 finely minced garlic cloves, ¼ cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar (or honey), and ½ teaspoon salt. Whisk vigorously until all ingredients are fully incorporated and the sugar is dissolved.
- Toss Salad: Pour the prepared vinaigrette evenly over the tomatoes. Gently fold the vinaigrette into the tomatoes using a silicone spatula until all tomatoes are completely coated with vinaigrette.
- Chill: Cover the bowl tightly with a lid or plastic wrap, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow flavors to meld and the salad to chill thoroughly.
- Garnish and Serve: Immediately before serving, remove the bowl from the refrigerator and uncover. Sprinkle additional chopped fresh basil over the salad as a garnish if desired, and serve chilled alongside your favorite accompaniments.
Notes
- If cherry tomatoes are unavailable, you can substitute with grape tomatoes, plum tomatoes, campari tomatoes, or very small regular tomatoes.
- To make this recipe vegan, ensure the sugar used is 100% vegan-friendly or replace it with maple syrup or agave syrup.
- For an added-sugar-free version, substitute the sugar with natural sugar alternatives such as Swerve, monkfruit, or allulose.
- Serving suggestions include serving as a side dish with proteins, at potlucks, mixed in pasta salad, as a topping for mixed greens salads, or on toasted French bread slices.
