Thanksgiving Cherry Tomato Salad – An Easy Side Dish Recipe

Cherry tomato salad is a light, refreshing, and festive side dish that is perfect for your Thanksgiving table. Although typically served in the summer months, this recipe has been adapted to include warm flavors that pair perfectly with your holiday dinner.

Multi-colored cherry tomatoes are sliced in half and drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and a thick balsamic glaze. Then fresh herbs are sprinkled over top of the dish to give the tomatoes the same earthy flavors that are found in many of your Thanksgiving recipes.

It is a great way to lighten up a meal that is often rich and filling. The fresh tomatoes provide a nice balance to other heavier side dishes such as mashed potatoes and dressing.

Best of all it is a versatile dish that can be customized to include your favorite herbs, spices and other salad ingredients. For instance, if you want to keep the flavor light and refreshing stick to the classic combination of tomato and basil that is also found in this Tomato Basil Bread recipe.

Take it one step further and throw in a few mini Mozzarella balls and you just created a quick and easy caprese salad. However, if sticking with Thanksgiving flavors you will want to use one or a combination of these spices that are commonly used in other Thanksgiving dishes.

How To Season Thanksgiving Cherry Tomato Salad

Sage: Sage is a classic Thanksgiving herb that is the primary season for turkey and dressing. It also provides a nice nice earthy contrast to the sweetness of the tomatoes.

Thyme: Thyme also has a strong, earthy flavor that pairs well with many Thanksgiving dishes. It is often added to roasted vegetables, including roasted tomatoes.

Rosemary: Rosemary has a piney, woody flavor that adds a distinct flavor to the tomatoes.

Parsley: Parsley is a versatile herb that can be used as a garnish or added to dishes for a mild and subtle flavor. The green color gives a nice visual contrast to the colors in the cherry tomato salad.

You can use fresh or dried herbs at Thanksgiving. Fresh herbs have a more intense flavor, but dried herbs are more convenient and readily available this time of the year. As a general guideline, if you are using dried herbs, use 1/3 of the amount that you would use of fresh herbs.

What Type of Cherry Tomatoes To Use

When it comes to picking out which tomatoes to use in your salad, there are several options. Although you could stick with one single variety, for best flavor and visual appeal use a combination of tomatoes.

• Sungold cherry tomatoes are known for their sweet and intense flavor and their golden color when ripe. They are very juicy, so they add a lot of moisture to a salad.

• Sweet Million cherry tomatoes are another sweet variety that come in a variety of colors, including red, orange, yellow, and green.

• Tumbler cherry tomatoes are a bit more tart than Sungold or Sweet Million tomatoes, but they still have a delicious flavor. They are also very firm, so they hold their shape well in a salad.

• Campari tomatoes are a bit larger than cherry tomato varieties, but are still round and firm. If you want a bit more texture in your cherry tomato salad, use 1 pound of Campari tomatoes and 1 pint of cherry tomatoes.

• Grape tomatoes can also be used in place of cherry tomatoes. They are similar in size, although grape tomatoes have a more oblong shape. They have a meatier texture but are still nice and juicy.

• Tiger Blush tomatoes are a great all purpose tomato. They are slightly larger than both standard cherry and grape tomatoes and have more of a sweet tropical flavor. For more information read this article on Tiger Blush Tomatoes.

When choosing cherry tomatoes for a salad, it is important to select ones that are ripe and flavorful. Avoid tomatoes that are bruised or have soft spots. It is also a good idea to mix and match different varieties of cherry tomatoes to create a colorful and flavorful salad.

Option To Roast The Tomatoes Before Serving

For a more flavorful salad, roast the cherry tomatoes before adding them to the salad. To do this, toss the tomatoes with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Then put them in a baking dish or on a sheet pan and roast them in a preheated oven set to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. It will take approximately 20-25 minutes until they begin to soften and slightly blister.

Remove them from the oven and prepare the salad as instructed in the recipe below.

Ways To Serve Cherry Tomato Salad

There are a variety of ways that you can serve cherry tomato salad at Thanksgiving. Depending on how your family celebrates the holiday will determine which one best fits your needs.

• Serve the salad as a light and refreshing side dish option. The sweet flavor of the tomatoes will provide a nice contrast to heavier side dishes such as mashed potatoes and dressing.
• Use the tomatoes as an appetizer that you can serve with crackers or Tomato Bread. It is a great way to gather the family around the kitchen while the Thanksgiving dinner is being prepared.
• Serve the tomato salad as an alternative to a green salad at the beginning of the meal.
• Add a bowl of the tomatoes to a charcuterie board. It will add a nice pop of color when served with meat, cheese, crackers and nuts.

Cherry Tomato Salad Recipe

* Complete recipe instructions including specific measurements, cook temperatures and times are located in a printable recipe card at the bottom of this article. However, be sure to read the entire article for helpful tips and tricks when making this recipe.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pints (24 ounces or 4 cups) cherry tomatoes*
• ¼ cup fresh diced herbs (thyme, basil, oregano, dill, etc..)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze
• ½ teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Optional Ingredients

• ½ cup chopped red onion, optional
• 1 cup mini Mozzarella balls, optional

*You can substitute 1 pint of the cherry tomatoes with 1 pound of heirloom tomatoes, sliced in bite size wedges.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Wash the tomatoes and remove any stems. Then slice the tomatoes in half from top to bottom with a serrated knife. Place the tomato halves in a large shallow bowl.
2. Add the diced onions and mini mozzarella balls (if using) and toss gently to coat.
3. Drizzle the olive oil over the salad and gently toss to coat.
4. Drizzle the balsamic reduction over the top of the salad and sprinkle the fresh herbs over top. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Serve immediately.

Other possible salad additions:

• 1/2 ripe avocado
• 1/2 English cucumber
• sliced pecans, walnuts, almonds

ENJOY!

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