This Heirloom Tomato Caesar Salad is the perfect thing to make with ripe, in-season summer tomatoes! Served with an easy, homemade vegetarian Caesar dressing, this salad is bursting with savory flavors.
I love the heirloom variety of any type of vegetable! Why? Because it’s so fun to eat a typical vegetable but in a different, vibrant color. Maybe this is just me, but it’s so exciting to eat a tomato that’s yellow! Or a carrot that’s purple! Or a multicolored cob of corn! (Yes, I get very excited about vegetables, but look at where you are! Veggies are my life! ;) )
But one thing we can all agree on is that caesar salads rock. That dressing is just so good, and it pairs so well with almost anything. So obviously, we’re going to pair it with in-season heirlooms!
This recipe is as simple as making the dressing, cutting up tomatoes and salting them, and adding a few garnishes. Sometimes I feel funny posting these types of recipes because they’re barely recipes. But regardless, I hope you love this salad! Enjoy!!
If you love Caesar Salads, then you will LOVE my Vegan Kale Caesar Salad, this Spring Asparagus Caesar Salad, or this Green Goddess Radicchio Salad! (The last is not a Caesar, but it has similar bold flavors!)
Heirloom Tomato Caesar Salad
Ingredients
Vegetarian Caesar Dressing
- 1 Clove Garlic
- Juice from 1 Lemon
- 1 Cup Mayonnaise
- 1 1/2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
- 1 Tbsp Capers in Brine
- 1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/2 Tsp Salt
- 1/2 Tsp Fresh-Cracked Black Pepper
Heirloom Tomato Caesar Salad
- 4-5 Heirloom Tomatoes
- 1/4 Tsp Salt
- 2 Tbsp Capers in Brine
- 1/3 Cup Fresh Parsley chopped
- 1/4 Tsp Maldon Salt for finishing, optional
Instructions
The Tomatoes
- First, slice your heirloom tomatoes into slices about 1/4 – 1/2" thick. It doesn't have to be exact.
- Place the slices on a baking sheet lined with a clean towel or paper towels. Sprinkle each slice with a pinch of salt, turning them around so you can get both sides of each tomato slice.
- Let the tomatoes rest while you're preparing the rest of this recipe.
Vegetarian Caesar Dressing
- Now, prep the dressing. Add the garlic clove by itself to the food processor, and process on high until the garlic is finely chopped. Then, add in the juice from 1 lemon and stir it around so that the garlic is coated. Let this sit in the food processor for 5 minutes (this helps take the raw bite out of the garlic).
- Then, add all of the other dressing ingredients, and process on high until smooth and creamy. When done, set aside.
Putting It All Together
- Taking another clean towel or paper towel, pat the tomato slices dry, removing any moisture that the salt brought out.
- Then, arrange the tomatoes on your serving dish.
- Drizzle as much dressing on the salad as you'd like, then top with capers, chopped parsley, and a sprinkle of maldon salt (if you'd like).
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Even if you don’t like capers, DON’T skip them in the dressing recipe!! They provide a very-much needed flavor to the caesar. However, you can omit them as a garnish if you’d like.
- Use capers in brine for this recipe, not dried ones. When adding them to the salad dressing, drain out most of the brine from your tablespoon (a little is okay).
Nutrition
Heirloom Tomato Caesar Salad FAQs
How long will this Heirloom Tomato Caesar Salad last?
This salad will last about 1-2 days in the refrigerator! Since the prep for this salad is primarily just cutting up tomatoes and salting them, it’s best to make it right before serving!
Can I make this salad ahead of time?
You can definitely make the salad dressing ahead of time! The vegetarian caesar dressing will last for about 5-6 days in the fridge. However, I recommend cutting up the tomatoes right before serving, since their water content is so delicate!
Are tomatoes good in Caesar salad?
Yes! The sweetness of tomatoes contrasts so nicely with the tangy, deeply savory caesar dressing.
Are heirloom tomatoes healthier than regular tomatoes?
Not necessarily! Different types of tomatoes might have very slight nutritional differences. However, on the whole, they’re more or less the same nutritionally.
Do heirloom tomatoes taste different than regular tomatoes?
Yes, many of them have slight differences in taste. Oh My Veggies has a great guide to the different heirloom tomatoes here!
P.S.
For more plant-forward recipes, dinner parties, and New England lifestyle inspiration, be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok! If you make a recipe, please tag me in the photo and use the hashtag #wellandfull so I can see! I love seeing your creations!
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