- Ina Garten’s Heirloom Tomato and Blue Cheese salad is a no-cook, five-ingredient summer dish.
- Juicy tomatoes, Roquefort cheese and basil make for a flavorful, cooling combo.
- The salad would be the perfect side with a simple dinner of chicken or more summer veggies.
You know it’s hot when the queen of the kitchen, Ina Garten, suggests we turn off—or at least minimize our time at—the stove. Garten shared her favorite summer menu in a recent post to her Substack, which included a delicious-sounding tomato salad that seems like the perfect way to cool off on a hot summer day. And as promised, it’s simple, with only five ingredients aside from salt, pepper and olive oil, and it doesn’t require a single minute of cooking.
Garten’s Heirloom Tomato and Blue Cheese salad recipe begins by slicing two pounds of heirloom tomatoes and arranging them on a plate. While I love heirloom tomatoes, I’d bet any good, large slicing tomato would also work quite well. Next, she sprinkles salt over the sliced tomatoes and follows that with a drizzle of red wine vinegar. Garten recommends letting the tomatoes sit for at least five minutes before proceeding, which should help the salt penetrate the tomatoes and draw out some of their moisture.
Next, she slices and breaks pieces of Roquefort cheese to scatter over the top, followed by basil leaves and a drizzle of olive oil. After a bit of additional salt and black pepper, the dish is ready to be enjoyed.
Of course the “no-cook” nature of the dish makes it appealing, but it’s the combination of ingredients and their flavors that truly make it a winner. The tomatoes, to start, are at their ripe, juicy peak during the warm summer months, making them the star of the dish. They’re packed with lycopene and vitamin A, which have powerful anti-inflammatory properties that protect against conditions such as heart disease and cancer.
The olive oil adds richness to cut the vinegar and acidity of the tomatoes, and it even provides healthy fats that supply energy and promote heart health. The Roquefort is a flavorful cheese that ties the dish together. Since it’s so creamy and bursting with savory flavor, it would even make a big impact if you needed to lower the amount in the recipe—whether that’s to make this salad a bit more budget-friendly or cut down on sodium.
Turn the dish into a meal by serving alongside a rotisserie chicken, a simple grilled kebab or a yummy pork chop. Or try it with one of our favorite low-lift fish recipes for an extra boost of summertime flavor. Serve with slices of sourdough or good crusty bread, and you’ve got the perfect summer meal.
