A perfect summer salad. Like many salads made throughout the summer, this strawberry and tomato salad is a great example of how quickly and easily you can make a delicious meal when using the best in-season, fresh vegetables and fruits. With just a handful of ingredients, this strawberry and tomato salad has an amazing combination of flavours.
The strawberries in peak season are so sweet and juicy, they are perfect with fresh basil and mozzarella. The dressing is even simpler, just balsamic vinegar and good extra virgin olive oil. It takes 10 minutes to prepare which is even better.
I would say this is a perfect BBQ side in summer and it’s definitely more interesting than your standard ‘lettuce, cucumber and tomato’ salad you often get. The key is buying the best tomatoes you can and the best strawberries. If they are out of season where you are or they aren’t juicy and ripe, they will majorly lack flavour sadly.
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Why You'll Love This Salad
- It's simple and fresh, making the best of good quality ingredients.
- Celebrate summer produce at its peak with juicy tomatoes and sweet strawberries.
- Make something different to the classic tomato & cucumber salad and add a delicious twist to BBQs and alfresco suppers.
Ingredients
Full recipe can be found in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, just scroll down!
Tomatoes - use the juiciest, ripest tomatoes you can find. I like very large cherry tomatoes, as I find they find match the size of the strawberries too.
Strawberries - if you can find local strawberries, these will be the most delicious but anything ripe and delicious will work well.
Basil - I like fresh basil here as I think it's a classic combination with tomatoes but matches the strawberries well too.
Mozzarella - fresh mozzarella adds a creamy element to this salad.
Substitutions and Variations
Basil - you could also use fresh mint instead for a more floral note in this salad. A handful of rocket (or arugula) would be peppery and add a nice edge.
Other fruits - this would also be great with watermelon or grapes, instead of strawberries or even alongside them.
Mozzarella - other creamy, tangy cheeses would work well to balance out the sweetness from the strawberry and tomato. Try with burrata, feta, goat's cheese, or even a sheep's cheese like manchego. Use a vegetable peeler to create shavings of cheese.
Cooking Tips
Salting the Tomatoes - this draws out excess moisture from the tomatoes and softens them. Trust us, salting the tomatoes and setting them aside for 10 minutes makes the tomatoes so delicious.
Room Temperature - Make sure the strawberries and tomatoes are room temperature too when serving as this makes the flavours even better and removes the fridge chill.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes these two fruits pair well together, they are both sweet but with different flavour profiles that complement each other so well. You need to try it to see but it really is so good.
Whilst both strawberries and tomatoes are sweet, they are a different kind of sweet. This salad is so delicious as the strawberries are sweet and the tomatoes are a little sharper, paired with creamy mozzarella and basil. The trick is to season the salad well for the best flavour.
Yes, you can definitely make this without the basil a few hours in advance before serving but I wouldn't make it more in advance than that as you don't want the strawberries to turn mushy. Just make it a few hours in advance and place in the fridge. 30 minutes before serving, remove from the fridge to lose the fridge chill and bring to room temperature. Add the basil at this point as it has a better texture this way.
Any leftovers should be transferred to an airtight container and placed in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Other recipes you might like
If you like this strawberry and tomato combination, try this Peach Caprese Salad with Mozzarella, Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini and Chimichurri or Simple Tahini Salad Dressing with Parmesan and Lemon.
Made this recipe and loved it?
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Strawberry and Tomato Salad
Ingredients
- 400 g strawberries
- 400 g cherry tomatoes
- 1 ball of mozzarella
- Small bunch of fresh basil
- Maldon salt and pepper
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Halve the tomatoes, salt well and set aside.
- Trim the tops of the strawberries and cut in half (I kept the tops on as I think it looks pretty but definitely not as practical to eat). Then tear the mozzarella and pick the basil leaves. Drain any liquid off the tomatoes and add to large bowl.
- Add the strawberries, mozzarella and basil, season really well with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and then serve.
