Ina Garten’s Heavenly Heirloom Tomato & Blue Cheese Salad Recipe

This vibrant heirloom tomato & blue cheese salad bursts with summer’s most delectable flavors.

Ripe, multicolored tomatoes dance alongside pungent blue cheese, creating a symphony of taste and texture.

Each carefully selected ingredient promises a delightful culinary experience that celebrates fresh, seasonal produce.

Garden-grown tomatoes deliver intense, sweet notes that perfectly complement the sharp, creamy cheese.

Mediterranean-inspired elements transform this simple dish into a gourmet sensation that feels both elegant and approachable.

Crisp, juicy tomatoes provide a stunning canvas for the bold blue cheese’s complex profile.

Minimal preparation ensures maximum enjoyment, allowing the ingredients’ natural qualities to shine brilliantly: dive in and savor every unforgettable bite.

Ending This Salad on a High Note

Seasonal garden magic sparkles through Ina Garten’s heirloom tomato masterpiece.

Fresh ingredients dance across ceramic platters, celebrating summer’s richest colors.

Mediterranean flavors whisper sophisticated simplicity with each carefully arranged slice.

Blue cheese crumbles create delicate texture against ruby-red tomato landscapes.

Basil leaves add fragrant sophistication to this elegant salad composition.

Passionate cooks, share this recipe’s Mediterranean charm – snap gorgeous photos, tag culinary friends, and spread deliciousness across social networks.

Why Ina’s Heirloom Tomato Salad Is Summer in a Bowl

• Burst with Fresh Seasonal Flavor: Heirloom tomatoes deliver an incredible, vibrant taste that captures summer's essence, offering a rainbow of colors and rich, sweet-tangy profiles that elevate this simple salad.
• Effortless Gourmet Experience: This recipe transforms basic ingredients into a restaurant-quality dish with minimal preparation, allowing home cooks to create an impressive side that looks sophisticated yet requires minimal culinary skills.
• Celebrate Texture Symphony: The combination of juicy sliced heirloom tomatoes, halved cherry tomatoes, creamy Roquefort cheese, and delicate basil creates a stunning textural contrast that makes every bite interesting and delightful.
• Quick Summer Entertaining Solution: Perfect for impromptu gatherings, backyard barbecues, or elegant dinner parties, this salad comes together in just 10 minutes and showcases fresh, seasonal produce with an elegant French-inspired twist.

All the Fixings for Tomato & Blue Cheese Salad

• Large Heirloom Tomatoes: Sweet and colorful tomatoes with unique varieties and rich flavor, best when ripe and firm.
• Cherry Tomatoes: Small, sweet tomatoes that add bright color and burst of freshness to the salad.

• Roquefort Cheese: Sharp and tangy blue cheese with creamy texture, provides bold flavor contrast to tomatoes.
• Fresh Basil Leaves: Aromatic herb with peppery and sweet notes that complements tomatoes perfectly.

• Kosher Salt: Enhances the natural flavors of tomatoes and helps draw out their juices.
• Red Wine Vinegar: Adds bright acidity and helps balance the richness of the cheese.
• Olive Oil: High-quality oil that adds smooth richness and helps blend all the salad components.
• Black Pepper: Provides subtle heat and completes the seasoning of the salad.

Tossing Together a Hearty Tomato Salad

Step 1: Prepare Colorful Tomato Canvas

Gather a mix of vibrant heirloom tomatoes – large beefsteak varieties

• small cherry tomatoes
• uniquely colored heritage types

Wash tomatoes gently under cool water and pat dry with soft paper towels.

Step 2: Craft Tomato Landscape

Slice large heirloom tomatoes into beautiful quarter-inch thick rounds

Carefully halve cherry tomatoes through their stem line

Arrange slices artfully on a spacious serving platter, creating a colorful mosaic.

Step 3: Awaken Flavor Profiles

Sprinkle kosher salt generously across tomato surfaces

Splash red wine vinegar over tomato arrangement

Allow mixture to rest for 5 minutes, letting flavors dance and mingle.

Step 4: Introduce Creamy Accents

Crumble tangy Roquefort cheese across tomato landscape

Tear fresh basil leaves into delicate fragments

Scatter herb pieces with gentle, spontaneous movement.

Step 5: Elevate With Golden Drizzle

Stream extra virgin olive oil across salad

Add final whisper of freshly ground black pepper

Ensure every tomato slice receives loving attention.

Step 6: Serve With Passion

Present salad at relaxed room temperature

Invite guests to dive into this summer celebration

Enjoy immediately for maximum flavor explosion.

Tips for Ripe, Juicy Tomatoes

• Select Vibrant Tomatoes: Pick heirloom tomatoes that are deeply colored, firm yet slightly soft, and burst with sweet, rich flavor. Different colors create a stunning visual appeal on the plate.
• Allow Flavor Infusion: Give the tomatoes a few minutes to rest after adding vinegar, letting them soak up the tangy notes and develop deeper, more complex taste profiles.
• Embrace Room Temperature Serving: Letting the salad sit at room temperature helps the ingredients' natural flavors shine, making each bite more delicious and aromatic.
• Invest in Premium Ingredients: Splurge on top-quality olive oil, aged red wine vinegar, and authentic Roquefort cheese. These elements transform a simple salad into a gourmet experience.
• Gently Tear Fresh Basil: Rip basil leaves by hand to preserve their delicate structure and release those incredible herbal aromatics that complement the tomatoes perfectly.

Best Way to Store Fresh Tomato Salads

• Cool-Down Method: Let salad reach room temperature naturally before storing. Prevents condensation and maintains texture integrity.
• Airtight Container Technique: Select a glass or hard plastic container with a secure, tight-fitting lid. Ensures minimal air exposure and preserves delicate tomato and cheese components.
• Consumption Window: Enjoy refrigerated salad within 24-36 hours for optimal freshness. Discard if ingredients show signs of wilting, discoloration, or unusual odor.

Ways to Tweak This Summer Favorite

• Summer Garden Medley: Replace Roquefort with creamy goat cheese and add thin slices of cucumber for extra freshness and crunch.
• Mediterranean Herb Fusion: Swap red wine vinegar with balsamic vinegar and incorporate fresh oregano and thyme alongside the basil for a robust Mediterranean flavor profile.
• Spicy Southwestern Salad: Mix in diced jalapeños, sprinkle crumbled queso fresco instead of blue cheese, and drizzle with lime juice for a zesty southwestern kick.
• Rustic Italian Plate: Introduce torn mozzarella, add a handful of pitted Kalamata olives, and finish with a sprinkle of dried oregano for an authentic Italian countryside feel.

Ina Garten Heirloom Tomato & Blue Cheese Salad Recipe

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4.8 from 9 reviews

• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x

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Description

Summer’s freshest salad brings Ina Garten’s blue cheese and heirloom tomato magic to your table. Kaleidoscopic tomato slices drizzled with tangy blue cheese dressing create an irresistible Mediterranean-inspired dish you cannot wait to savor.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Main Ingredients:

• 2 pounds (907 grams) heirloom tomatoes, cores removed
• 1 pint (473 milliliters) heirloom cherry tomatoes
• 8 ounces (226 grams) good Roquefort, such as Société

Seasonings and Herbs:

• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Fresh basil leaves, torn or julienned

Liquids and Dressing:

• Good red wine vinegar
• Good olive oil

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Instructions

1. Meticulously slice large heirloom tomatoes into elegant, uniform rounds, artfully positioning them across a spacious serving platter to create an appealing visual foundation.
2. Carefully halve cherry tomatoes through their stem, ensuring each piece maintains its structural integrity, then delicately nestle these vibrant gems alongside the larger tomato slices.
3. Liberally dust the tomato arrangement with kosher salt (approximately or 2.5 grams), allowing the crystals to enhance the natural sweetness of the tomatoes, then gracefully stream red wine vinegar (or 30 milliliters) over the surface.
4. Allow the salad to rest for precisely 5 minutes, permitting the salt and vinegar to gently coax out the tomatoes’ inherent flavors and create a subtle marinating effect.
5. Skillfully slice and crumble Roquefort cheese (or 56 grams), distributing the creamy, tangy morsels evenly across the tomato landscape.
6. Delicately tear or julienne fresh basil leaves, scattering them with a light touch to provide an aromatic herbaceous layer to the composition.
7. Conclude by drizzling extra virgin olive oil (or 15 milliliters) across the salad, and if desired, introduce a final whisper of salt and freshly ground black pepper to elevate the dish’s complexity.
8. Serve at ambient temperature to maximize the tomatoes’ sweetness and the cheese’s nuanced flavors, allowing each ingredient to shine in its purest form.

Notes

• Grab sun-ripened tomatoes bursting with vibrant colors and deep flavor, ensuring your salad sings with fresh garden goodness.
• Allow vinegar to mingle with tomato slices for a magical 5-minute flavor transformation that deepens every single bite.
• Bring ingredients to room temperature before serving, letting each component whisper its delicious secrets without being masked by cold.
• Splurge on premium ingredients like extra-virgin olive oil, aged red wine vinegar, and creamy Roquefort – because spectacular salads start with exceptional components.
• Gently tear basil leaves by hand, releasing their intoxicating aroma and maintaining their delicate, rustic appearance for a restaurant-worthy presentation.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
• Method: None
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 of 4 servings
• Calories: 376
• Sugar: 9.5g
• Sodium: 402mg
• Fat: 30.8g
• Saturated Fat: 12.15g
• Carbohydrates: 15.1g
• Fiber: 3.1g
• Protein: 12.7g
• Cholesterol: 21mg