This 5-ingredient Cherry Tomato Salad recipe is one of my go-to BBQ side dishes - quick, easy and perfect for potlucks or easy weeknight dinners. Ready in 10 minutes!
I found this Cherry Tomato Salad recipe in an old Cooking Light magazine from years ago. (Remember those?) It was one of those side dish suggestions buried in the sidebar of an actual recipe. I can't even remember why it caught my eye, but thank goodness it did because I've been making it ever since.
Don't get me wrong, I love our Tomato, Mozzarella and Grilled Corn Salad when warm weather hits, but this simple Cherry Tomato Salad, made with juicy tomatoes, salty feta, sweet onion, and lightly dressed in oil and vinegar is peak summer flavor. Simple, balanced and absolutely swoon-worthy.
Five Star Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
"One word. Delicious!! Made exactly as written. So so good."
- Cheryl
Jump to:
Why You'll love this Cherry Tomato Salad
- It's easy. Just chop, toss and serve. Bonus: it tastes fantastic at room temperature, making it perfect for potlucks.
- It's beautiful. Use any tomatoes you have on hand, but a mix of colorful cherry tomatoes makes this salad pop.
- It's incredibly versatile. It's a tasty side dish for everything from humble burgers and brats to fancy steaks and salmon. You'll make it again and again and again.
Ingredients & Substitutions
This recipe gets a ton of flavor from a handful of simple ingredients.
Ingredient Notes
- Tomatoes: Cherry or grape tomatoes are your best bet here - they’re sweet, juicy, and pack a flavor punch in every bite. Go for a mix of colors if you can; it makes the salad look extra gorgeous. Got heirloom tomatoes? Those work, too. Just scoop out some of the seeds if they’re super juicy.
- Feta cheese: I usually grab a block of feta packed in brine because it’s creamier and has way flavor than the pre-crumbled cheese. But if crumbles are what you’ve got, they’ll totally work.
- Sweet onion: Look for Vidalia, Walla Walla, or any variety labeled “sweet.” Their milder bite plays nicely with the juicy tomatoes. No sweet onions? Use red or white instead. Just soak the chopped onion in ice water for about 15 minutes to take the edge off.
- White wine vinegar: It’s light and tangy without stealing the show. Don’t have any on hand? Rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar are great stand-ins.
Instructions
This salad goes from garden to table in just two steps and about 10 minutes!
- Add tomatoes and onion to a large bowl. Whisk together oil and vinegar, drizzle over tomatoes and stir to coat.
- Stir feta cheese into tomato salad. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.
tips for making tomato salad
- I love this salad because it doesn't need time for the flavors to meld; you can make it and eat it right away. Unfortunately, it doesn't keep well as leftovers, so try to make the amount you will eat in one sitting.
- Not serving a crowd? This recipe is easy to scale for just a few! Our recipe card makes it easy to do the math for you. Simply click the 0.5 button to halve the recipe.
More Summer Side Dishes
Looking for more inspo? We have even more side dish recipes in our archives.
Made this? Loved it? Tell us everything!
Leave a quick star rating and comment below so we can trade tips and cheer each other on.
Who knows? Your twist might become someone else's new favorite!
Recipe
Cherry Tomato Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 cups halved grape tomatoes
- ⅔ cup diced sweet onion
- 2 ½ teaspoons white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place tomatoes and onion in a bowl. Whisk together vinegar and oil and pour over tomato and onions. Stir to combine.6 cups halved grape tomatoes, ⅔ cup diced sweet onion, 2 ½ teaspoons white wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Sprinkle with feta cheese and gently fold into tomato mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley, if desired. Serve immediately or allow to sit for up to one hour.½ cup crumbled feta cheese, Kosher salt, Freshly ground black pepper
Notes
- This recipe is barely adapted from an old Cooking Light magazine issue.
- I prefer sweet onions in this recipe, but if you don't have one, feel free to use a regular yellow, white or even red onion that has been soaked in ice water for 15 minutes, drained and blotted dry to reduce its sharpness.
- Block feta cheese that you crumble yourself is my favorite because it has more flavor than the pre-crumbled variety but the crumbled version works great, too.
- Multi-colored cherry tomatoes are gorgeous in this recipe but you can really use any type of tomato you have on hand. If using beefsteak or similar variety, core and remove some of the seeds before adding to the salad so it doesn't get too runny.
- Make this recipe just before serving as the vinegar will start to break down the tomatoes and make them mushy if made too far in advance. Leftovers do not keep well so try to make the amount you will eat.
- Out of white wine vinegar? Use rice or apple cider vinegar instead!
VIDEO
Nutrition
Nutrition info not guaranteed to be accurate.
Cheryl says
One word. Delicious!! Made exactly as written. Served over brown rice. So so good.
kristy @ the wicked noodle says
I just love this easy salad! And it's gorgeous, too!
Kellie says
This salad looks so yummy. My cherry tomatoes are just starting to turn red so I plan to make this soon. Thank you for sharing
It's truly the best with fresh from the garden tomatoes. Enjoy!
Georgia @ The Comfort of Cooking says
These are the kind of simple, fresh, flavorful dishes I LIVE for in the summer! Lovely recipe, Anna!
I'm with you, Georgia. Bring on the bounty of summer!
Julia says
I love tomatoes in the summer! I have been waiting for this time of year because they just don't taste as good the rest of the year. My farmers market opens this weekend and I can't wait to buy some tomatoes and make this salad. It looks delicious.
Nothing beats those summer tomatoes!