Tomato Salad with Deconstructed Pesto
This simple salad is the perfect way to show off fresh, juicy tomatoes! You don't even need to make or buy pesto. Just scatter basil, pine nuts and Parmesan cheese on top and drizzle with olive oil (and balsamic, if you want). It's the perfect summer salad!
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 199kcal
Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium garlic clove, peeled
- 3 tablespoons pine nuts
- 1-2 lbs. fresh heirloom tomatoes
- flaky sea salt
- red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar or balsamic glaze see notes for details
- ¼ cup lightly packed fresh basil large leaves torn or chopped
- 1 oz. Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a small skillet, add the olive oil and garlic. Turn heat to medium and let cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is golden on all sides, about 6-7 minutes. Let cool. Discard garlic (or save for another use) and pour the oil into a small glass cup or bowl. Wipe the skillet out.
- Add the pine nuts to the skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring and tossing occasionally, until they're golden brown and smell like popcorn, about 4-5 minutes. Pour into a bowl and let cool.
- Core the tomatoes (meaning, cut out the dark brown stem spot on top). Using a serrated knife, slice the tomatoes from top to bottom into 1/4" thick slices. Arrange them, overlapping slightly, on a platter.
- Sprinkle with the salt, then drizzle with the garlic oil and any vinegar, if using. Scatter on the basil and pine nuts. Use a vegetable peeler to slice off shavings of Parmesan onto the salad. Drizzle with just a little more oil and vinegar, if you like. Serve immediately.
Notes
To make a balsamic glaze: bring 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar and 1/2 cup sugar or honey to a boil in a small saucepan. Turn the heat down slightly and let it strongly simmer for 5 minutes. Give it a quick whisk and pour into a glass cup or bowl and let cool completely. It will thicken as it cools (if the glass is tempered, you can put it in the fridge to speed along the cooling process).
If you don't want to make the garlic oil, you can just drizzle the salad with plain extra virgin olive oil (use the good stuff!).
You can make the balsamic glaze up to 2 weeks in advance and keep it in the fridge. Bring to room temperature.
You can make the garlic oil up to one week in advance. Store at room temperature.
Nutrition
Calories: 199kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 410mg | Potassium: 328mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1081IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 101mg | Iron: 1mg