Summer Cherry Tomato Salad with Dates + Mint
This juicy cherry tomato salad takes a trip around the Mediterranean, with fresh mint and jammy Medjool dates…it’s so simple but absolutely bursting with flavour. Takes just 10 minutes to throw together, including the garlic vinaigrette!
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At a certain point in the summer, my body composition is like 80% tomatoes. Of course I eat them year round…but a summer tomato salad is proof that the universe loves us.
So I wanted to give you a salad that puts juicy cherry tomatoes (the only ones I grow!) on centre stage…with my own little spin on it, of course. Because if you’ve never eaten tomatoes and dates together…you’re in for a treat.
The rich caramel-like flavour and texture of Medjool dates enhances the jamminess of the tomatoes without overpowering them. And the shallot and mint add much needed sharpness and herbaceousness that honestly, tastes like so much more than a 4 ingredient salad should!
It’s super versatile too: eat it with some chickpea tuna sandwiches to elevate a quick lunch. Or, make a little no cook dinner board with some tofu ricotta, good sourdough bread and my marinated white bean salad.
(You may have noticed that this dietitian is gently encouraging your bean consumption ha ha!)
Looking for more flavour-forward plant-based recipes? You might fall in love with my cookbook, Plant Magic!
How to make this ridiculously simple cherry tomato salad
I’m gonna give it to you straight: a simple recipe is actually harder to write than a more complicated one. There’s literally no room to hide. Case in point: I tested this 4 ingredient salad with 3 different dressings. And it was my garlic vinaigrette that made the whole thing come alive.
This salad is so delicious, it will be good even if your tomatoes aren’t perfect. The most important ingredient? It’s the dates. You want them to be soft and jammy. If they’re dried out, it won’t be as nice. So Medjool dates are usually the best, although…super fresh Deglet Noor dates are often incredible. And usually more affordable (Costco!).
More easy summer salads:
- Summer Watermelon Salad with Crumbled Vegan Tofu
- Fresh Sliced Fennel, Cucumber and Peach Salad
- Fresh Blueberry Kale Salad with Almonds
- Spinach Blueberry Strawberry Salad with Balsamic Dressing
- Fresh Peach Arugula Salad with Vinaigrette
Summer Cherry Tomato Salad with Dates + Mint
Ingredients
- 3 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
- ¼ cup thinly sliced shallots , about one small shallot
- ⅓ cup fresh mint leaves, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup Medjool dates, thinly sliced
- 1 batch garlic vinaigrette
Instructions
- Toss all of the ingredients, minus the dressing, together in a salad bowl.
- Add the dressing right before serving, and toss again.
Notes
