Food Recipes Salads Green Salads Green Salad with Heirloom Tomato Vinaigrette 5.0 (1) 1 Review A luscious vinaigrette made from the juice of heirloom tomatoes, Dijon, shallot, and honey turns a bowl of leafy greens into a something special. By Rebekah Peppler Rebekah Peppler Rebekah Peppler is a Paris-based freelance writer who specializes in recipes and lifestyle writing on cooking, eating, and drinking the French way. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on August 5, 2024 Tested by Jasmine Smith Tested by Jasmine Smith Jasmine Smith is a recipe developer and tester at Dotdash Meredith Corporation. In addition to her work in test kitchens, Jasmine is a freelance culinary producer for a variety of food festivals. Meet the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Christopher Testani / FOOD STYLING by CHELSEA ZIMMER / PROP STYLING by CLAIRE SPOLLEN Active Time: 15 mins Total Time: 20 mins Servings: 6 Highlighting the best of tomato season, this simple salad is dressed with a vinaigrette infused with freshly squeezed juice from beautiful heirloom tomatoes. Heirloom tomatoes are prized for their various colors and ripe sweetness; their juice mellows the mustard’s piquancy and the sharpness of the shallots in the salad. (You can also use other in-season tomato varieties, like plum or cherry.) Hosting and feeling stressed by time? Make the vinaigrette a day or two in advance. Then, morning of, deploy a trick beloved by both professional meal-preppers and hosts: Add the prepared vinaigrette to the bottom of your salad bowl, pile washed and dried salad greens atop without tossing, cover everything with a damp towel, then store it in the fridge until ready to serve. Toss the salad just before you’re ready to eat. Frequently Asked Questions What should I serve with this salad? This salad pairs perfectly with roast chicken. Make sure to also set a baguette or two on the table so that nary a drop of roast chicken drippings or vinaigrette goes to waste. What leafy green is best for this salad? Personalize this salad with your favorite head of leafy greens, such as butter lettuce, red leaf, or Little Gem, for a genuine crowd-pleaser. Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen If you’re making this salad outside of tomato season, add extra honey to the vinaigrette to taste to help make up for the tomatoes’ natural sweetness. Make ahead The vinaigrette can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Ingredients 1 large shallot, thinly sliced into rings (about 1/2 cup) 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, divided 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided 1 pound ripe heirloom tomatoes (2 to 3 medium tomatoes), halved crosswise 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon honey 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 large head leafy greens (such as butter lettuce), torn (about 8 loosely packed cups) Flaky sea salt Directions Stir together shallot and vinegar in a small bowl. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper; let stand 15 minutes. Meanwhile, place a fine wire-mesh strainer over a medium bowl. Squeeze tomato halves into strainer, pressing on solids to extract about 1/2 cup tomato juice; set juice aside. Discard tomato halves. Transfer shallot to a large bowl using a slotted spoon. Add shallot-infused vinegar, mustard, and honey to bowl with tomato juice, and whisk to combine. Gradually add olive oil in a thin, steady stream, whisking constantly until thickened and well combined. Whisk in remaining 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt and remaining 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Transfer 1/3 cup vinaigrette to large bowl with shallot. Add greens, and toss to coat. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt; serve immediately with remaining vinaigrette on the side. This recipe is adapted with permission from Le Sud: Recipes from Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur by Rebekah Peppler, © 2024. Published by Chronicle Books. Photographs © Joann Pai. Rate It Print