Tomato and Bread Salad is a very simple salad that’s all about highlighting seasonal tomatoes.

Picking the Tomatoes

This salad is all about the tomatoes, so ideally you make this when tomatoes are in season where you live. If you have a garden, or access to homegrown tomatoes, those would be ideal. Alternatively, try your local farmer’s market and look for heirloom tomatoes, perfectly imperfect, the antithesis of the round and uniformly red ones you find at the grocery store year round. There are red ones, oh yes, but there are also pink ones and deep dark purple ones and orange and yellow ones, too.

I should make clear that there are a variety of different tomatoes that are considered to be heirloom (or in the UK, heritage), including Brandywine, Beefsteak, and Black Cherry among others.

Bread or No Bread?

Even though this is called Tomato and Bread Salad, you can do without the bread. If it’s not obvious already, this is a tomato-forward experience, and the gluten-free should not avoid this recipe thinking that the bread-less version will be a sub par experience. It is simply be a different, equally delicious one.

However, if you are using bread, find a good loaf of crusty white bread.

Other Ingredients

Beyond the tomatoes and bread, you’ll need fresh basil, olive oil, and salt. Because this recipe is so simple, you’ll want to use the best versions you can find.

If you eat cheese, this is delicious with either parmesan cheese or fresh mozzarella. If you eat meat, crumbled bacon adds some texture, salt, and crunch.

Making the Salad

If you’re using the bread, start by slicing it into cubes that are about an inch and a half or so in size.

Then pop the cubes in the oven to toast them.

If you are including the bacon in this recipe, you can cook it in the oven at the same time.

While the bread (and optionally, bacon) are cooking, make the dressing by combining the garlic, olive oil, and salt in a small jar.

Next, julienne the basil. Julienne, just means to cut into long thin strips.

Now, you’ll get those lovely tomatoes chopped.

If you’re using cheese, grate that. If you’re using the bacon, drain it and crumble it.

Now we’re ready for the assembly. Put the tomatoes, bread, and basil in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over and stir gently. Add in the cheese and bacon if using. Give it a taste and and in more olive oil or salt if you think it needs it.

At this point, you might just decide to eat the salad right out of the serving bowl.

Eating Together Made Easy

The base salad is 100% plant-based, but if you’re a dairy and or/meat eater, you can vary the recipe by adding thickly grated parmesan (or fresh mozzarella), and/or crumbled bacon. You can add these ingredients at the end, or serve them in separate containers at the table.

Print Recipe RATE RECIPE

Tomato and Bread Salad

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

This Tomato and Bread Salad makes a delicious side or light main. This salad is so simple, it’s all about using the best heirloom tomatoes, fresh basil, and olive oil you can get your hands on. 

Servings 4 side salads

Calories

Author Sylvia Eastman

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Ingredients

1x2x3x

• ▢ 4 cups chopped tomatoes
• ▢ 1/4 cup fresh basil, julienned
• ▢ 3 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 1 clove garlic, crushed
• ▢ salt {to taste}

Optional

• ▢ 2 cups crusty white bread, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• ▢ 1/2 cup grated parmesan, or fresh mozzarella or bocconcini
• ▢ 4 slices bacon

Instructions

• If you are using the bread, place the cubes on a baking sheet and toast them for 12-15 minutes at 350F.
• If you are using the bacon, you can cook it in the oven at the same time as the bread. Drain and crumble or slice it before adding to the salad.
• In a small jar, combine the garlic, olive oil, and salt
• In a large bowl, combine the chopped tomatoes, the bread {if using} and the basil. Pour the garlic and olive oil mixture over top and then stir everything together gently.

  If you’re adding in the cheese and/or bacon, add them now.

  Taste and add extra olive oil or salt if needed.

Video

Notes

Use the Best Ingredients You Can Find

For the tomatoes, you are looking for juicy, substantial, imperfect tomatoes, not those pale, perfectly round supermarket ones. They should feel heavy in the hand. In North America these are likely to be heirloom tomatoes, in the UK they are called heritage and include Brandywine, Beefsteak, and Black Cherry among others.

Use fresh basil and the best olive oil you can afford.

Gluten-Free Version

You can simply omit the bread from this salad if you are gluten-free. It will still be delicious.

Courses, Cuisines, and Keywords

Course

Appetizer

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main

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Salad

Cuisine

Mediterranean

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North American

Keywords

bread salad

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dinner salad

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heirloom tomatoes

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tomato and bread salad

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tomato salad

Got Extra Tomatoes?

Another one of life’s simple pleasures, at least in my book, is a toasted tomato sandwich. You don’t need a recipe for that, but if you’re vegan, here’s a 3 minute recipe to make egg-free mayo perfect for said sandwich.

Not Tomato Season But Hankering for Something Tomatoey?

How about 3-ingredient Sundried Tomato Hummus?