Ina Garten Heirloom Tomato & Blue Cheese Salad

Ina Garten heirloom tomato & blue cheese salad, a no cook dinner, skips every step you'd expect. She steeps ripe tomatoes in vinegar, then scatters Roquefort and torn basil on top. This easy salad becomes a family dinner with a rotisserie chicken on the side.

The five-minute vinegar soak is what separates this from plain sliced tomatoes, because the acid brings out sweetness. Use tomatoes at their peak, and serve everything at room temperature so the flavors open up.

Source: Go-To Dinners (2022)

Ina Garten Heirloom Tomato and Blue Cheese Salad

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Course: SaladCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking timeminutes

Calories

330

kcal

A two-step assembled salad where vine-ripe tomatoes soak briefly in red wine vinegar before getting topped with crumbled Roquefort, fresh basil, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds heirloom tomatoes, cores removed
  

• 1 pint heirloom cherry tomatoes
  

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  

• Good red wine vinegar
  

• 8 ounces good Roquefort, such as Société
  

• Fresh basil leaves, torn or julienned
  

• Good olive oil

Directions

• Prep the tomatoes: Slice the large tomatoes and arrange them on a platter. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half through the stem and arrange with the tomatoes. Sprinkle generously with salt and drizzle with vinegar. Set aside for 5 minutes.
• Add cheese and serve: Cut the cheese in slices and break into rough pieces, distributing the cheese over the tomatoes. Sprinkle with the basil leaves and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve at room temperature.

Tools for this recipe

• Victorinox Fibrox 8-inch chef's knife, Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 3 lb. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use a different blue cheese instead of Roquefort?

You can swap Roquefort for Gorgonzola dolce, Stilton, or any crumbly blue cheese you enjoy. Roquefort has a specific sharpness from sheep’s milk that cuts through the sweet tomatoes, so pick something with similar punch. A mild blue cheese will get lost against the vinegar and olive oil.

How do I store leftover heirloom tomato and blue cheese salad?

This salad doesn’t hold up well overnight. The tomatoes release liquid once they sit in salt and vinegar, so you’ll have a watery mess by morning. Make only what you plan to eat in one sitting.

Can I make this salad ahead of time?

You can slice the tomatoes and crumble the cheese up to an hour before serving, but keep them separate. Add the vinegar and assemble no more than 10 minutes before eating, because the tomatoes release too much liquid if they sit longer.

Do I need any special equipment for this salad?

Just a sharp knife and a platter. A serrated knife works best for slicing heirloom tomatoes without crushing them. Lay everything in a single layer so each slice gets its share of vinegar and cheese.

What’s the biggest mistake people make with this salad?

Using underripe or cold tomatoes. This recipe has only 7 ingredients and no cooking, so every one of them matters. Buy heirloom tomatoes at their peak and bring them to room temperature before slicing.