Tomato Salad with Dates, Mint and Lemon Tahini Vinaigrette
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.
Equipment
- immersion blender
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
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.