Tomato Goat Cheese Salad

This simple recipe for a rustic tomato goat cheese salad uses sweet heirloom tomatoes, creamy goat cheese, a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and olive oil with a scattering of fresh basil for the perfect summer side dish.

Why this recipe works

This crazy-delicious side dish calls for six ingredients (and I am counting the fresh ground pepper!), is ready in 10 short minutes and goes with pretty much anything you are serving up for supper. (Hi there, you perfect grilled steak, you!)

The key to this flavorful salad is the tomatoes. This is the recipe that gets me to spring for the slightly more expensive heirloom tomatoes, because they are what takes this dish from good to great. (And hey, a little cheese makes every recipe that much better, right? Looking at you, honey cheese pizza!)

What are heirloom tomatoes?

Heirloom tomatoes are varieties of tomato that have been consistently passed down through generations of tomato plants just the way they are, as opposed to regular tomatoes which are hybrids of various different strands.  Hybrid tomatoes are perfectly fine, and they tend to look prettier and last longer than their heirloom cousins, but they can’t match the incredible flavor of an heirloom.

Heirloom tomatoes are frequently weird shapes, and they are more expensive, but (have I mentioned this?) they taste AMAZING.  

They have a rich, juicy flavor that is hard to describe until you have taken your first bite of an heirloom tomato, and while you can find them here and there in supermarkets, your best bet is to look for them at your local farmer’s market in the midst of local tomato season.

Ingredients you need

Ingredient notes and substitutions

• Tomatoes: Try for heirloom tomatoes! Any color, size or shape will work. My second choice is always cherry tomatoes, which hold their sweet flavor all year long – cut them in halves for easier eating.
• Goat Cheese: Look for this creamy, tangy cheese in the specialty cheese section of your supermarket – it comes in all different varieties from plain to herbed…even to honey. You can also use feta cheese, or go Caprese-style with some cubed fresh mozzarella.
• Basil: Look for basil in the produce section of your supermarket – if you can find it with the roots still attached that is best. Basil is best used on the same day you buy (or pick) it. You can also use fresh oregano, thyme or even mint.
• Balsamic Vinegar: Balsamic vinegar is a dark, super concentrated, almost syrupy sweet Italian vinegar.  It’s best in small amounts because the flavor is so wonderfully intense.  Look for it next to all the other vinegars in your supermarket.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities and nutritional information.

How to make this recipe

STEP 1: Cut the stem out of the top of the tomatoes with a paring knife and arrange them any way you like, either on individual plates or a platter.

STEP 2: Tear off little chunks of goat cheese and drop them on top. Drizzle on a little balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

STEP 3: Grind some fresh pepper on top and scatter on some basil leaves (if they are small you can use them whole, otherwise give them a rough chop). And…you’re done!

Equipment we used for this recipe

These are some of my favorite kitchen tools! These are Amazon affiliate links, which means I get a little something if you buy through my links at no extra cost to you. (Which helps pay for all that bacon I keep buying! 😄) And I only share things I use and love. I’m so grateful for your support!

• Measuring Spoons: These handy magnetic spoons are not on a ring, so you can just pick the one you need.
• Cutting Board: These sturdy, dishwasher-safe cutting boards come in all different sizes.
• Paring Knife: This all-purpose knife is perfect for cutting out the tomato stems.

Recipe FAQs

I served this up alongside some steak that we made with our perfect grilled steak method, but honestly? I could happily eat this all by it’s heavenly self.

What to do with leftover ingredients

Have some leftovers? Join our No Ingredient Left Behind Club with these recipe ideas!

• Tomatoes: SO MANY IDEAS. Make this pasta with Brie cheese and tomatoes, or this recipe for the best tomato sauce on the planet.
• Goat Cheese: Try this simple Goat Cheese Pasta for a lovely easy dinner, or whip up these fun Goat Cheese Truffles for a fun appetizer.
• Basil: This Tortellini with Basil Cream Sauce is heaven. So is this Strawberry Basil Margarita! 🍹

Happy tomato season!

What to serve with this recipe

This is the perfect side dish for everything from Rum Steak to Shrimp Cooked in Beer. We love a glass of cool Strawberry Lemonade on the side, and for dessert? Let’s have some Blueberry Molasses Cake!

Other tomato recipes we love!

We want to know what you think! 🤔

If you try this recipe, we would love to hear how it came out for you! I’d be super grateful if you could leave a star rating (you pick how many stars! 🌟 ) and your thoughts in the Comments section below the recipe.

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Tomato Goat Cheese Salad

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This simple recipe for a rustic tomato goat cheese salad uses sweet heirloom tomatoes, creamy goat cheese, a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and a scattering of fresh basil for the perfect summer side dish.

• Author: Kate Morgan Jackson
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 10 minutes
• Yield: 4
• Category: Salad
• Method: No cooking
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 4 large tomatoes, ideally heirlooms!
• 4 ounces goat cheese
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Fresh ground pepper
• Fresh basil leaves for garnish

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Instructions

1. Cut the stem out of the tomato with a paring knife and slice the tomato into nice big slices.  Lay the tomato slices on a platter or on individual plates.
2. Scatter torn bits of the goat cheese over the tomatoes.  Drizzle with a few drops of vinegar (not too much as you don’t want to overwhelm the magical tomato taste) and a little olive oil.
3. Grind some fresh pepper on top, sprinkle on some little basil leaves and serve!

Notes

• • Tomatoes: Try for heirloom tomatoes! Any color, size or shape will work. My second choice is always cherry tomatoes, which hold their sweet flavor all year long – cut them in halves for easier eating.

• • Goat Cheese: Look for this creamy, tangy cheese in the specialty cheese section of your supermarket – it comes in all different varieties from plain to herbed…even to honey. You can also use feta cheese, or go Caprese-style with some cubed fresh mozzarella.

• • Basil: Look for basil in the produce section of your supermarket – if you can find it with the roots still attached that is best. Basil is best used on the same day you buy (or pick) it. You can also use fresh oregano, thyme or even mint.

• • Balsamic Vinegar: Balsamic vinegar is a dark, super concentrated, almost syrupy sweet Italian vinegar.  It’s best in small amounts because the flavor is so wonderfully intense.  Look for it next to all the other vinegars in your supermarket.