Summer tomatoes are at their finest right now, so you should really make this Vegetarian, Low Carb, & Whole30 Quick Tomato Salad with fresh herbs, cucumbers, and avocado! It’s made with fresh heirloom tomatoes, cucumber & avocado, then it’s tossed with thinly sliced shallots, fresh basil, and thyme.
Just when you think it can’t get any better, it’s drizzled in the best and easiest herby balsamic vinaigrette. I like to serve it with grilled chicken for a complete meal or leave it as-is for a vegetarian side dish.
Farmers Market Weekends
The sun was shining yesterday when I opened my eyes, and I could already smell the coffee my husband was brewing. I love Saturday mornings that start like that, don’t you?
One of my favorite things to do on a summer Saturday is wake up early, grab a cup of coffee, and head right to the Farmer’s Market! If you get there early enough, it’s still cool out and the vendors have their very best produce out for the choosing.
I try to let my boys help choose some of the produce that we’ll take home, and they’re way more likely to eat something I make if they’ve been part of the process.
Farmers Markets with Kids:
The Farmer’s Market is a fun opportunity to teach kids about where food comes from. Farmers are actual people who live near us, and it’s cool to see them start to understand that. It’s also fun to teach them about the different produce available each season.
I like giving each kid a job at the market.
My 3 year old loves cucumbers, so he (very carefully and painstakingly to the point where I was like, “COME ON, KID!”) touched every single cucumber on the table before he finally chose two to take with us. “These will be good for your tomato salad,” he said. Haha!
My oldest cares a little less about these things, so he was quick to pick out some heirloom tomatoes based solely on their color. If he liked the color, we got them. If he didn’t, he passed. I don’t think there’s such a thing as a bad summer tomato, so that worked just find for me!
We got a few other things, too… fresh peaches from the orchard just 20 minutes away, some herbs, shallots, and more. Goodness, I love living close to farmland!
The Fastest Tomato Salad Recipe
Once we got home, I was in full-on tomato salad mode. This easy tomato salad is probably the simplest summer dish you could ever make!
Sliced tomatoes are totally the star of this dish. Everything else is just there to help them shine!
- Here, I just slice a few tomatoes, an avocado, a cucumber and herbs, tossed everything with a quick balsamic vinaigrette, and bam, it’s a show-stopper.
But one of the really great things about making this quick tomato salad is that you can customize it with whatever you have on hand. Pretty much any produce you have in the kitchen will pair beautifully!
Recipe variations & ideas
- Add thinly sliced zucchini or summer squash
- Add fresh sliced peaches
- Add mozzarella pearls or crumbled feta (not Whole30, but it is low carb!)
- Top it with grilled chicken for a complete meal
I really can’t think of anything in the world that can beat summer tomatoes. They’re juicy, sweet, unbelievably fresh and flavorful, and I simply cannot get enough of them! I LOVE to take those beautiful tomatoes and eat them simply sliced with a little salt, or make something really special out of them!
If you like summer tomatoes as much as I do, check out my Whole30 Bruschetta Salmon recipe!
Notes
- For extra flavor: Just before serving, sprinkle the entire salad with flakey sea salt. The tiny bit of salty crunch is an amazing surprise!
- To prepare in advance: You could prepare this whole salad in advance, letting the vegetables marinate in the vinaigrette. Just wait until just before you serve it to slice and add the avocado. You don’t want it to get brown and mushy!
If you like this recipe, check out some of my other healthy salad recipes:
- Asian Salad Bowls with Sautéed Shrimp (Whole30)
- Chicken Salad in Collard Wraps (Whole30, Low Carb)
- Mediterranean Salad with Tuna and Creamy Lemon Dressing (Whole30)
Do you like this recipe? Comment below to let me know! And be sure to tag me on Instagram if you make it – @cookathomemom!
Herby Quick Tomato Salad with Avocado and Cucumber
Ingredients
- 2 cups mixed heirloom tomatoes
- 2 small cucumbers
- 1 shallot
- 2 avocados
- 8-10 basil leaves
- 1 teaspoons fresh thyme
Easy Whole30 Balsamic Vinaigrette
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1-2 cloves garlic depending on your tastes
- 1 teaspoons compliant mustard
Instructions
Make the Vinaigrette
- Whisk all the ingredients but the oil together in a bowl. Slowly drizzle the oil in, a few tablespoons at a time, continuing to whisk, until combined.
Make the Salad
- Wash and slice all the vegetables and herbs, except for the avocados. Mix everything together in a bowl. Wait until just before serving to slice and add the avocado. Toss with as much of the balsamic vinaigrette as you'd like (I use about half of what this recipe makes), and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Notes
- Just before serving, sprinkle the entire salad with flakey sea salt. The tiny bit of salty crunch is an amazing surprise!
- You could prepare this whole salad in advance, letting the vegetables marinate in the vinaigrette. Just wait until just before you serve it to slice and add the avocado. You don’t want it to get brown and mushy!
