Easy Mediterranean Cherry Tomato Salad

When my friend introduced me to this cherry tomato salad, it became one of my favorite salads. It is refreshing, nourishing, and simple to make. The salad requires just several ingredients and approximately 7-10 minutes of your time.

How to make this tomato salad?

To make this cherry tomato salad, you will need 

• 3 cups cherry tomatoes
• 3-4 oz feta cheese
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro
• 1/2 cup pine nuts
• 3-4 cloves fresh garlic (dressing)
• 1/2 tsp salt (optional) 
• 2 tbsp olive oil (dressing)
• 1 lemon, juice and zest (dressing)
• 1/4 small pomegranate (optional topping)

Preparation is as easy as the list of the ingredients. Cut/chop all the ingredients except for pine nuts. Mix it well and add olive oil+lemon juice+pressed garlic as a dressing.

As far as kitchen tools are concerned, you will need 

• cutting board
• chef knife
• garlic press
• parmesan cheese grater (for lemon zest)
• lemon press 
• mixing/salad bowl
• tongs

How to serve this tomato salad?

The salad goes well with any protein dish: lamb, beef, chicken, salmon, and even vegan protein. I think it can be a great healthy side dish for any occasion.

How to buy good tomatoes?

Since the main ingredient of the salad is tomatoes, it is essential to choose good ones. 

When buying tomatoes, make sure to inspect the fruit. Stay away from tomatoes with soft dark spots and blemishes. That’s an indicator that the fruit is not fresh and most likely was stored not in desired conditions. 

In most cases, when touching a tomato, make sure it is firm but can bounce back when you gently squeeze it. Heirloom tomatoes, my favorite ones, are quite the opposite though. The softer they are, the juicier and sweeter they are. By the way, you can use mini heirloom tomatoes in this recipe.

Smell the tomato around the stem. If it has a woodsy sweet scent – get it! Most groceries, unfortunately, sell tomatoes that have no scent at all and, in addition, they taste like plastic. If you have a farmers market nearby, get tomatoes there instead.

The season is an important factor when it comes to buying tomatoes as well. In California, the season starts mid-May and continues until late October. The best-tasting tomatoes will be during this period.

And lastly, don’t store tomatoes in the fridge as they lose their flavor. If you do groceries once a week and want to have perfectly ripe tomatoes almost every day, make a habit of buying tomatoes at different stages of ripening: soft for immediate consumption and greener tomatoes for later. Keep green tomatoes in the kitchen in a fruit basket, and they will be ready in a few days.

What’s the best feta to use in salads?

Honestly, it is totally up to you. There are no strict rules on what feta cheese to choose. It is all about your taste preference, budget, store availability. 

However, if you still have no idea what to get, pick anything from these three categories:

• Crumbled Feta. It is convenient feta cheese as it is ready to be served in salads. No cutting is required. Taste-wise, though, it is drier than the feta that comes in brine. 

If you choose to get crumbled feta, check out these brands “Frigo”, “President”, “Odyssey”, “Athenos”, “Mt. Vikos”.

• Feta in brine. This one is my favorite feta since it is soft and moist. On top of that, it tastes fresher than feta crumbles, and it lasts longer. 

If you choose to get feta in brine, look for such brands as “Belfiore”, “Odyssey”, “Aphrodite”, “Dodoni”.

• Feta in olive oil with spices. What I love about feta in oil is that there are spices.  And the cheese is super creamy and fragrant. There is one drawback – extra calories. 

If you decide to go with feta in oil, you can make it your own or get it from “Meredith Dairy”.

Is this tomato salad vegan?

No, but you can make it vegan by substituting regular feta cheese with vegan feta.  I will be honest here – I have never tried this salad with vegan cheese, so if you get a chance to make it, share your experience below in the comments. 

Here are some brands that sell vegan feta cheese: “Violife Feta”, “Treeline”, “Follow You Heart”, “Kourellas”, “The Big Vegan”, “Esti”.

Tomato nutrition data

Alright, let’s go back to our tomatoes again. Did you know that tomatoes are a nutritious low in calorie fruit? Check what 1 cup of tomatoes offers us.

Macronutrient	Amount	Micronutrient	Amount	Micronutrient Daily Recommendation (adults)
Energy	50 kcal	Calcium	16.7 milligrams	1,000 milligrams
Fat	0 grams	Magnesium	18 milligrams	310-420 milligrams
Total Carbohydrate	8.4 grams	Vitamin C	41 milligrams	75-90 milligrams
Fiber	3 grams	Folate	15 micrograms	400 micrograms
Protein	1.26 grams	Choline	14.9 milligrams	425-550 milligrams
		Lycopene	6230 micrograms	N/A
		Lutein	141 micrograms	N/A
		Potassium	395 milligrams	2600-3400 milligrams

What are the benefits of tomatoes?

Tomatoes are a good source of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that protects our cells from free radicals. Lycopene plays an essential role in lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease, certain cancers and other diseases.

Another benefit of tomatoes is potassium. It is the most abundant micronutrient in the body, and low levels of it are associated with such health risks as hypertension, kidney stones, and even type 2 diabetes. 

If you are pregnant or planning to get pregnant, you may consider adding tomatoes to your diet since it is a good way to get folate. This vitamin is crucial for the development of the spinal cord and brain. Remember to consult with your doctor as it is not a piece of medical advice.

How do I store this tomato salad?

Just like any other food, fresh meals are the best. So if you can, eat this salad the same day when it is cooked. 

If you are making a batch of it, it is a good idea to keep the dressing in a separate jar. Add it when you serve the salad otherwise the acid from the dressing will negatively affect the taste and texture of the salad. 

Keeping the salad in the fridge for about 3-5 days is safe.

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