There are times when a tomato is so very, very good that it needs nothing else. You can eat it whole, in the style of a juicy peach, with the dribbles running off your chin. There are also times when tomatoes are small and beautifully coloured and sweet and easy and are mini explosions of flavour.
But in the reality of our kitchens, tomatoes are also often dull and watery and lack-lustre and wishy-washy and DISAPPOINTING – really not tasting of very much at all. My go-to method for finding the flavour in less than exciting tomatoes is to slow roast them in the oven and I’ve written all about it here.
This Roasted Tomato, Feta and Olive Salad is a delicious way to combine roasted and fresh tomatoes into a salad that is easy and impressive in equal measures. And with the salty feta and those black olives ... sensational. It's a dish that will keep well in the fridge too but do return it to room temperature before serving.
How to make this Roasted Tomato Salad
There are no precise quantities here - it's more of a guide than a recipe. Gauge your amounts on how many people you are serving and adjust the ratios to suit your taste. This is relaxed cooking ...
- Roast a few tomatoes.
- Combine with a few sliced fresh tomatoes, choosing your colours and sizes to suit what you have and what you enjoy.
- Arrange on a plate (I think it works better than in a bowl because you can really appreciate the prettiness that you have created).
- Sprinkle with a little crumbled Feta, some finely chopped red onion (again, just a little) and a few Kalamata olives, stones removed by pressing down on the olive with the flat part of a knife blade
- Garnish with some fresh chopped basil.
And if you'd like to make this salad your own ...
Replace the Feta with goat's cheese or some creamy Buffalo mozzarella if you'd prefer, skip the olives if they're not your thing and swap the basil for parsley if it suits. This is your salad after all.
Roasted Tomato, Feta and Olive Salad
In this Roasted Tomato, Feta and Olive Salad, I've used a mixture of fresh and roasted tomatoes. Throw in the salty feta and those black olives ... sensational.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 4
- Category: Salads
- Method: Oven roasted
- Cuisine: Western
Ingredients
- a selection of tomatoes, some fresh, some roasted - smaller, roasted tomatoes work better in salads as they keep their shape
- a little Feta cheese - a little goes a long way
- a few Kalamata olives, stones removed by pressing down on the olive with the flat part of a knife blade
- a little red onion, finely chopped - just the tiniest amount works well, you don't want the dominant flavour to be onion
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
- a little basil or parsley, to garnish
Instructions
- Arrange the tomatoes on your serving plate and add the Feta, olives and red onion.
- Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Garnish with a little chopped basil or parsley.
Notes
No precise quantities here - it's more of a guide than a recipe. Gauge your amounts on how many people you are serving and adjust the ratios to suit your taste. Replace the Feta with goat's cheese or some creamy Buffalo mozzarella if you'd prefer, skip the olives if they're not your thing and swap the parsley for basil if it suits. This is relaxed cooking ...
Keywords: summer, tasty, fresh, BBQ
