This Tomato Salad with Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette is a vibrant celebration of one of my favorite ingredients, the tomato. Sitting atop a mound of textural couscous is a haphazard mess of yellow, orange and red dressed in a fragrant, fruity vinaigrette. Finished with a scattering of chopped oregano, tarragon and mint, this salad is freshness incarnate. These bold, scrumptsh flavors are sure to keep the fork-to-mouth motion in full effect until the last morsel is consumed.
I should also mention that the types of tomatoes used aren’t particularly important. Can’t find yellow cherry tomatoes? Go with all red. Orange tomatoes not available in your local market? Pick up a roma, beefsteak or plum tomato. Simply use the recipe below as a general guideline. You’ll definitely want to make sure all of your tomatoes are ripe. This salad is best consumed during the summer months when tomatoes are in season. Continue reading for the recipe plus giveaway details.
Mooney Farms has graciously provided me with two Bella Sun Luci prize packs to give away to Kitchen Konfidence readers. In this salad, the julienne cut sun-dried tomatoes provide a delicious contrast in flavor and texture while the olive oil-packed halves work perfectly in the vinaigrette. Prize pack includes:
Bella Sun Luci Sun Dried Tomato Halves in Olive Oil & Herbs
Bella Sun Luci Julienne Cut Sun Dried Tomatoes in Olive Oil & Herbs
Bella Sun Luci Sun Dried Tomato Pesto
Bella Sun Luci Sun Dried Tomato Bruschetta
Bella Sun Luci Premium Sun Dried Tomato Halves
Bella Sun Luci Premium Julienne Cut Sun Dried Tomatoes
Bella Sun Luci Premium Julienne Cut with Italian Basil
Bella Sun Luci Premium Julienne Cut with Zesty Peppers
I’m giving you several ways to enter to win:
1. Share your favorite tomato recipe in the comments below.
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I just entered to win a Sun-Dried Tomato Prize Pack in the @k_konfidence @BellaSunLuci Giveaway http://bit.ly/LYwQXc
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I will be collecting entries until 11:59pm on June 17, 2012. Winners will be selected at random and announced shortly after. For US residents only. Good luck! Continue on for the recipe.
- For the salad:
- 3/4 cup couscous
- Kosher salt
- Olive oil
- 1 cup Israeli couscous
- 1 cup yellow cherry tomatoes, halved
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 orange tomato, cut into thin wedges
- 3/4 cup red cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup sliced sun-dried tomatoes (I used the julienne-cut ones shown above)
- 2 tablespoons roughly chopped oregano
- 2 tablespoons roughly chopped tarragon
- 3 tablespoons roughly chopped mint
- For the vinaigrette:
- 2 sun-dried tomato halves packed in oil, minced (also shown above)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Bring a kettle of water to a boil.
- Place 3/4 cup couscous in a small bowl with a pinch of salt and a drizzle of olive oil. Pour 2/3 cup boiling water over the couscous, stirring to combine. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside.
- Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add a pinch of salt and 1 cup of Israeli couscous. Simmer until al dente (soft on the outside, some bite left on the inside, about 16 – 18 minutes). Drain the Israel couscous then rinse under cold running water. Let dry then add to a large bowl. Fluff regular couscous with a fork then add to the same bowl.
- Spread yellow cherry tomatoes out on a baking sheet and drizzle with a little olive oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper then roast for 12 -13 minutes. The tomatoes will start to collapse and turn golden brown. Set aside to cool.
- To the bowl with the couscous, add roasted yellow tomatoes, orange tomato wedges, halved red cherry tomatoes, sliced sun-dried tomatoes, oregano, tarragon and mint.
- Prepare the vinaigrette by placing minced sun-dried tomatoes, both vinegars, garlic and olive oil in a mason jar. Season with a pinch of kosher salt and several turns of black pepper. Lid the jar and shake until well-combined.
- Spoon some of the vinaigrette over the salad then gently toss to combine. I didn’t use all of the vinaigrette. Season to taste with additional kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
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My favorite recipe is thick slices of tomato spread on a platter, with sliced fresh mozzerella, torn or whole basil leaves, salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Serve with good bread for dipping in the juices. YUM!
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My favorite tomato recipe is my fresh tomato pasta:
Fresh Tomato Pasta
Original Recipe
Ingredients
8 ounces whole-wheat rotini or other pasta
5 medium-sized, perfectly ripe tomatoes
1 clove garlic, grated to a paste
handful of basil (about 1/4 cup), chopped—I used a mix of purple and lemon
1–2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
S&P to taste
freshly grated parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
Dice the tomatoes into 1/4-inch chunks, and place them in a large non-reactive bowl. Grate the garlic clove over the tomatoes using a fine grater. Add the chopped basil, olive oil, salt and pepper to the bowl. Toss gently, and let sit at room temperature for 2 hours (or as long as you can). During this time, try not to pluck too many tomato bites from the bowl.
Cook the pasta until it is just undercooked. Drain, and return to the pot. Spoon some of the juice from the bottom of the tomato bowl into the pot with the pasta. Simmer briefly until liquid is absorbed and pasta is done. Toss the pasta with the tomatoes, and top with parmesan cheese. Eat it all, because the refrigerator is not kind to the flavor of tomatoes overnight.
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Wow, what a great giveaway! My favorite tomato recipe is probably this pancetta-wrapped cod with marinated tomatoes…so good! http://cupcakemuffin.blogspot.com/2010/09/pancetta-wrapped-cod-with-marinated.html
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my favorite recipe is my grandmother’s pizza sauce. it is a secret recipe so i can;t share, but… let’s say that garlic and oregano are involved.
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…and subscribed to the Kitchen Konfidence RSS Feed. Love sun dried tomatoes!
i love a good BLT sammy!
What a perfect salad! That looks just simply amazing
I don’t really have a specific recipte, I adlib. Lots of fresh tomatoes, onions, garlic and fresh herbs for pasta sauce
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Salsa – Tomatillos, cilantro, green onions, jalapeno, white onions. yum!
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I like Tomato Basil Pizza. I hope it’s OK, I found this recipe online
http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Fresh-Tomato-Basil-Pizza
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This tomato salad is beautiful! What a great giveaway. My favorite way to use tomatoes is in a classic Bolognese sauce!
My fav “recipe” is spanish pan con tomate- rub toast with garlic, squish tomato on it, add olive oil and salt!
Im so lame im not on twitter- if i was i would tweet! (maybe this counts as another entry?
Brandon don’t enter me cuz I’m a Canuck, but I just wanted to stop by and say how much I love this dish.
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I will have to say homemade no-rules chili!
Beans, Ground Beef, Tomatoes, Chili powder, Green Peppers, Onions
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1. Share your favorite tomato recipe in the comments below.
soup..potatoes,celery,onions salt pepper,parsly,and a smile on my face
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I love a sliced tomato salad – salt, pepper, minced garlic, parsley, basil, EVOO and wine vinegar, served with thick slices of crusty Italian bread.
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Pasta with Sun-dried Tomatoes
Ingredients
1/2 pound fusilli (spirals) pasta
Kosher salt
Olive oil
1 pound ripe tomatoes, medium-diced
3/4 cup good black olives, such as kalamata, pitted and diced
1 pound fresh mozzarella, medium-diced
6 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
For the dressing:
5 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
6 tablespoons good olive oil
1 garlic clove, diced
1 teaspoon capers, drained
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 cup packed basil leaves, julienned
Directions
Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water with a splash of oil to keep it from sticking together. Boil for 12 minutes, or according to the directions on the package. Drain well and allow to cool. Place the pasta in a bowl and add the tomatoes, olives, mozzarella, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes.
For the dressing, combine the sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, capers, salt, and pepper in a food processor until almost smooth.
Pour the dressing over the pasta, sprinkle with the Parmesan and basil, and toss well.
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my best friends sauce
I love just doing a baked tomato gratin with summer tomatoes. Or, my all-time favorite, sliced garden tomatoes on cheaaaap white bread with mayo and salt and pepper!
My favorite tomato recipe is a BLT (I’m not a very adventuous chef!)
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My favorite summer salsa.
(This isn’t exact- I don’t measure this). About 4-5 tomatoes, diced. Pinch of sugar, salt, pepper, 1/3 of a bunch of cilantro, finely chopped, 1 seeded finely chopped jalapeno, 1 finely diced spanish onion, juice of 1 lime. Mix together a couple of hours before stirring.
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During the summer months I use lots of tomatoes from my garden. This is one of my favorite ways to use them:
any type/size fresh tomatoes you have on hand
cucumbers
fresh peppers, any color or size desired
onion, red, yellow and/or white
fresh parsley, oregano,
salt & pepper to taste
italian salad dressing
cut up veggies into large pieces. toss with the rest of ingredients. Chill to let flavors blend. Serve as a side sidh or as a topping for a green salad.
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My favorite tomato recipe is this summer pasta recipe from NYT’s Recipes for Health series: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/22/health/nutrition/22recipehealth.html
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My favorite thing is to slice a baguette, put a pesto or olive tapanade on the slices along with sundried tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella. Put it on under the broiler for a few mins and it is DELISH! Easy appetizer for any get together. Good hot and at room temp.
my favorite tomato recipe is panzanella in the summer time with perfectly ripe tomatoes.
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I love sliced tomatoes layered with sliced fresh mozzarella and basil topped with Good Season’s Dressing.
My favorite tomato recipe is equal parts tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet bell peppers and onions drizzle with Zesty Italians Dressing.
We like stewed tomatoes
can of tomatoes
little oil
a touch of sugar
bring to boil then simmer for 5 mins or so
serve with toast
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My favorite tomato recipe is to just slice and put slices of fresh mozzarella between. Sprinkle chopped basil on top and drizzle with olive oil.
My favorite tomato recipe is eating them warm right off the vine just like an apple. BEST!
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My favorite recipe with tomatoes is a fresh pizza. I buy pizza dough and put tomato sauce, fresh sliced tomatoes and fresh mozzarella cheese on top then sprinkle it with fresh basil and oregano. I put a light coating of olive oil and bake the pizza on a tray. It comes out soft and delicious.
Tomatoes and noodles.. Simple and used for meatless meals. boil 1 to 2 c. macaroni. Drain. Use 1 to 2 tabsp. cooking oil . ( My grandmother used lard.) in a large frying pan. 1 c. large canned diced tomatoes . heat. add cooked noddles and heat thoroughly. Serve with canned tuna.
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Here’s a link to one of my favorite tomato recipes – http://allrecipes.com/recipe/green-tomato-relish/
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My favorite tomato recipe is chili. Here is the one my wife always makes. I am sure she is okay with me sharing it,. It isn’t a family secret or anything. I am pretty certain she just found it on the web somewhere.
Ingredients
2 pounds ground beef
2 onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons dried oregano
4 (14.5 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans with liquid
Directions
Combine ground beef, onion, and garlic in large stockpot. Cook and stir over medium heat until beef is brown. Drain.
Stir in chili powder, salt, oregano, tomatoes, and tomato sauce; break up tomatoes while stirring. Heat to boiling, reduce heat to simmer, and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.
Stir in beans. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes; stir occasionally.
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My favorite recipe is pasta with sundried tomatoes
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My favorite Tomatoe recipe is fresh diced tomatoes tossed with vinnegrett and Bowtie Pasta!
So simple and good!
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I like to put sun-dried tomatoes and spinach on naan bread for a quick and easy pizza.
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One of my favorite tomato recipes is one I found on the Kraft website: Creamy Tomato Basil Pasta with Chicken http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/creamy-tomato-basil-pasta-chicken-115510.aspx
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I love spreading pesto on pizza crust, then topping with sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts and olives. Yummy!
Not really a recipe, but a putting together. Caprese salad—-grape tomatoes, mini mozzarella balls, basil and a drizzle of olive oil, dash of pepper.
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My favorite tomato receipe is one sliced tomato, 2 slices of bread, a little mayo, salt and pepper, put the tomato between the bread, with mayo
, salt and pepper and enjoy a good tomato sandwich. I grew up with tomato sandwiches and there’s nothing better especially with a glass or sweet tea.
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My “go to” tomato recipe when in a hurry but very hungry is to quickly sauté in olive oil—onions ,garlic, sun dried tomatoes, capers, black olives and a can of minced tomatoes-or use fresh minced tomatoes. Add cooked linguini to above sauce, toss and eat—yum!
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My favorite tomato recipe is What I call..
“Smothered Pork Chops”
4-6 boneless pork chops
1 large can crushed tomatoes in juice.
Fry pork chops til brown on both sides then add the can of tomatoes ( juice and all)
cook on med heat until pork chops are tender.
You can also add a side dish of cook ziti , add the tomatoes and top with cheese.
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Throw some chopped tomatoes, fresh basil, and fresh garlic in a bowl with a cup of olive oil. Let marinate for several hours. Serve over pasta or use for bruschetta. SO DELICIOUS!
I love sundried tomatoes on pizza with chevre
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Love all the uses of tomato in this salad! So many layers of flavor.
This is my one of favorite recipe, i was searching for this since long, thanks for sharing on your blog
Hi, do you think I can use oregano and basil instead of oregano tarragon and mint?
will it be good still?
Sure! It will taste different, but still good
You could also try adding flat leaf parsley if you have it. Enjoy!
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