Tomatensalat (Tomato Salad)
Submitted by sinnamon
Tomatensalat is a classic German tomato salad: ripe tomatoes marinated in a tangy vinegar and herb dressing with basil, thyme, and a splash of Worcestershire. Chilled for an hour, then served over crisp lettuce. Pairs with schnitzel or bratwurst.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
60 minREADY
80 minGermans take their tomato salad seriously, and this one shows why. No fussy garnishes, no overcomplicated dressings. Just ripe tomatoes doing what they do best when you treat them right.
Chopped tomatoes and diced onion soak in a bold vinaigrette spiked with vinegar, a touch of sugar to balance the acid, dried basil, thyme, and a surprising splash of Worcestershire that adds a deep, savory backbone.
An hour in the fridge and everything melds together into a bright, tangy side dish that belongs next to schnitzel, bratwurst, or honestly just a chunk of good bread.
Kitchen Tips
- Use the ripest, most flavorful tomatoes you can get your hands on. This salad has nowhere to hide, so peak-season tomatoes make all the difference
- Red wine vinegar gives the most traditional flavor, but rice vinegar works if you want something a little softer and less sharp
- The tablespoon of sugar is not negotiable. It balances the vinegar and coaxes out the natural sweetness of the tomatoes
- Serve on lettuce leaves as directed for a proper German presentation. The cold, crisp lettuce against the marinated tomatoes is a textural treat
Ingredients
Directions
Blend all ingredients together and chill for 1 hour before serving.
Serve on lettuce leaves.
Comments
Vegetable oil? Yuck! Use XVOO. Vinegar? What kind? There is only 8 million kinds of vinegar out there. This is supposed to be a recipe, not a guessing game.
Thanks for your comment, it should be any kind of vegetable oil such as olive oil or canola oil, and it should be wine vinegar or rice vinegar, hopefully this helps you make this recipe.
Thank you for the info. I figured on white wine or champagne vinegar. Although I think I nice aged balsamic could work here too. When I was in Germany, I seem to remember this recipe included cucumber and feta, so I'm gonna add that in today too.
Yes, I agree with you, aged balsamic vinegar will definitely add extra deliciousness, and we always do the same thing when we make salad. Cucumber and feta should be working well in this recipe, it sounds like a Mediterranean style salad, enjoy it!