5-Minute Tomato Salad w. Goat Cheese, Red Onions & Balsamic Glaze

I know, I know, autumn is almost upon us—the cool, clear mornings remind me of that. And yet...we've still got pretty hot weather here during the days. I feel like I'm food limbo, vacillating between summer and fall food. I'm okay with that because I love food from every season!

Truth be told, I make this ridiculously easy tomato salad year-round, but it's best in summertime or early fall when delicious tomatoes are plentiful. It's perfect for outdoor parties and barbecues because when the cheese warms up a bit it gets extra creamy—the perfect balance to the juicy tomatoes, crisp onions, and sweet balsamic syrup.

This recipe is easily adapted to make more or less salad. Sometimes I just take a tomato and make up a plate of this for myself as a light, low-calorie lunch. If you're serving it as a side dish, assume about half a tomato per person.

Now, with such a simple dish, it's important to use great quality ingredients. Get ripe tomatoes, good cheese, and a nice bottle of balsamic glaze—or make my homemade version, available in my post for Grilled Zucchini with Goat Cheese and Honey Balsamic Syrup.

Ingredients
serves about 6

• 3 large, vine-ripened tomatoes 
• about 1/4 red onion, sliced paper-thin (I use a mandoline)
• 4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
• balsamic glaze
• freshly-ground salt and pepper

Slice the tomatoes and arrange on a large plate or platter. Scatter the paper-thin slices of onion over the tomatoes, then top with the crumbled goat cheese. Drizzle the balsamic glaze over the entire salad. Top with a bit of salt and a generous amount of pepper.

 

I think this nutritious salad is quite elegant (despite the fact that it is so easy to put together) and I usually eat it with a knife and fork. However, when I recently served it at a barbecue, some people were picking up the tomato slices and folding them, taco-style, to eat them! Just goes to show how versatile this salad really is.

Are you still eating summer yummies, or are you ready to chow down on fall foods?

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