Tomato Mint Salad with Creamy Dressing in Ceramic Bowl on Table

This tomato salad and I have a long history…and it began in Calgary.

I was in Calgary last year for work, and having a late supper at the restaurant in the hotel. Charcut is a Calgary institution, but not one known for feeding vegetarians. So I ordered this tomato salad with tahini vinaigrette which turned out to be ONE OF THE GREATEST THINGS I’VE EVER EATEN.

Like, lick the plate clean while no one is watching kind of good.

So I had it on my list to recreate it, but by the time I got to it, it was way past tomato season and I tried to make a cauliflower version and while it was good…it was no tomato salad. So the recipe attempt has been sitting in my files, waiting for summer.

Thank god it’s summer.

Tahini is such a wonderful ingredient, and this will help you use up that jar that is sitting in your fridge. Tahini is a great source of calcium, and creates creamy textures that you thought you needed dairy for.

This is maybe a perfect summer salad: it takes ten minutes to prep, without cooking. It embodies the sweet, juicy vibes of fresh summer produce with a bit of cooling mint and a creamy savoury tahini vinaigrette. I hope you love it.

I will be eating this on repeat – and bringing it to BBQs – for the next 8 weeks.

 

Tomato Mint Salad with Creamy Dressing in Ceramic Bowl on Table

Tomato Salad with Dates, Mint and Lemon Tahini Vinaigrette

6 Servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
The perfect summer salad: juicy tomatoes paired with cooling mint and just a hint of sweetness, layered with a fresh and creamy lemon tahini vinaigrette. Great as a side, or perfect as a main when served with either roasted or cooked chickpeas.
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Ingredients

Tomato Salad

  • 3 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/3 cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
  • 1/3 cup fresh mint, sliced into thin ribbons
  • 1/4 cup Medjool dates, diced

Lemon Tahini Vinaigrette

  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp tahini
  • 1 tsp honey or maple syrup
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 clove garlic, crushed or grated on a microplane

Equipment

  • immersion blender

Instructions 

  • If you wish, you can gently toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes or until fragrant...but it's not necessary!
  • In a large salad bowl, combine tomatoes, mint and dates. Set aside.
  • For a creamier, more emulsified dressing, blend the lemon juice, olive oil, tahini, honey, salt and garlic in a large wide-mouthed cup using an immersion blender. Or, you can simply whisk the ingredients together in a small bowl.
  • Divide the salad amongst plates, and drizzle with tahini dressing

Notes

The dressing recipe makes more than you need, so enjoy extras as a dip or on grain bowls. 
Also, if the tomatoes are very juicy, it can dilute the dressing, so you can reduce the oil in the dressing by 1-2 tbsp (15-30ml) depending on how much water the tomatoes release when you toss them in the bowl.
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Course: Salad
Author: Desiree Nielsen, RD

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