I love, love, LOVE tomatoes. Growing up, I looked forward to gorging myself on the tomatoes from my Mom’s garden every summer. I will full-on confess that I did not enjoy working in the garden, but man — did I love eating what it produced, especially those juicy, sweet tomatoes. One of my favorite summer dishes featuring sweet cherry tomatoes is this amazing salad from the Barefoot Contessa.
I regularly watch Ina, aka the Barefoot Contessa, on Food Network, although I’m not actually sure she is barefoot when she cooks. 🙂 FYI — I am. It’s one of my secret (well, not anymore) desires to be invited to her home in the Hampton’s. To stay in what I imagine would be a luxurious guest bedroom and cook in her gorgeous kitchen with her. Perhaps, we’d enjoy our lunch in her lush garden or cruise in her cute little convertible to enjoy lunch at the beach instead.
She would ask me, “How easy was that?” and I’d respond, “Super easy, Ina.”
And her tomato feta salad is super easy and super delicious. It’s the perfect combination of sweet and salty that I adore. It’s an ideal summer dish because it goes with everything from a humble burger or bratwurst to an elegant piece of fish, steak or chicken. With the 4th of July this weekend, I know everyone is looking forward to celebrating the holiday with good food, friends and family and lots of colorful fireworks. This salad will definitely win you rave reviews and possibly outshine those fireworks.
Tomato Feta Salad
Ingredients
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes halved
- 3/4 cup red onion, diced
- 2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons fresh basil chopped
- 2 Tablespoons fresh Italian parsley
- 3/4 pound feta cheese cubed
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the white wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, basil and parsley until thoroughly combined.
- Add the cherry tomatoes and red onion. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Gently stir in the feta cubes.
- Serve immediately. (The salad tastes best at room temperature, so make it as close to serving as possible)
- Refrigerate any leftovers. They will keep for a day but it tastes best freshly made.
Notes
A Few 4th of July Worthy Dishes
I handpicked some of my favorite picnic/BBQ dishes that will have everyone singing your praises and asking for the recipe.
Orange Creamsicle Dip
This dip packs a big punch with a few simple, key ingredients. You can make it within five minutes and have a delicious dip to nosh on all afternoon.
Strawberry Limeade Cooler
This is a refreshing, kid-friendly beverage for a hot summer’s day. Just a quick whirl in the blender and you’ll be sipping this sweet and tangy drink. You can also make it adult-only by swapping out some (or all) of the sparkling water with vodka.
Turkey Bacon Burger with Onion Strings
I am not a huge hamburger fan but oddly enough, I love a good turkey burger. Weird, I know. This bad boy is stuffed full of chopped bacon than topped with cheddar cheese (you could also put inside too!) and a mound of fried onion strings. Perfection!
Fruit Salad with Citrus Honey Dressing
This salad is both beautiful and easy to make, which make it a big win-win in my book. Choose a few of your favorite fruits that complement each other and toss it with a light, sweet dressing.
For more great recipes, peruse my recipe index. Have a wonderful 4th of July everyone!
Tanya