Tomato Vinaigrette Is An Easy Dressing Every Southerner Will Love

(1)

This easy tomato vinaigrette tastes very fresh and is incredibly gorgeous on a summer salad.

Southern Living Tomato Vinaigrette in the jar to serve
Photo:

Stacy Allen, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle

Active Time:
5 mins
Total Time:
5 mins
Servings:
8

The main ingredient in this easy tomato vinaigrette is a single raw tomato—so make sure it’s a good one! This dressing tastes supremely fresh and has a gorgeous color for a pretty presentation, too.

The garlic is a dominant flavor, but the fresh tomato and bright vinegar balance the vinaigrette nicely. Whip up a batch to serve immediately or store in frozen cubes for a flavorful dressing on demand.

Learn how to make tomato vinaigrette. It's just another wonderful way to enjoy summer's tomato season.

Tomato Vinaigrette Ingredients

This tomato vinaigrette recipe calls for just a handful of ingredients, most of which you'll have on hand. Just get yourself a good tomato, and this will come together in minutes. Here's what you need:

  • Olive oil: Use your best olive oil here. The flavor really shines, so this is a great place to use a nicer oil.
  • White wine vinegar: The slightly less assertive bite of white wine vinegar is balanced nicely. If you use distilled vinegar, you may need more syrup to balance the vinaigrette.
  • Pure maple syrup: This sweetener will blend into the vinaigrette better than a granulated sugar, and it won't freeze up the way honey might.
  • Kosher salt and black pepper: For seasoning.
  • Red tomato: Make sure it's as fresh and flavorful as possible, whether that means it comes from your backyard, a farmers' market or a roadside stand.
  • Garlic clove: This single clove will provide a lot of flavor. If you really love garlic, double it. If you want slightly less, use half a clove.
Southern Living Tomato Vinaigrette Ingredients

Stacy Allen, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle

How To Make Tomato Vinaigrette

Grab a blender or food processor, and make tomato vinaigrette dressing with just two simple steps and five minutes of prep time.

  • Step 1. Add ingredients to blender: First, combine the olive oil, vinegar, maple syrup, salt, pepper, tomato, and garlic in a food processor or blender.
  • Step 2. Blend until smooth: Then process on high until smooth. Adjust salt to taste. Use the dressing immediately or store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

What Is the Best Tomato to Use for Tomato Vinaigrette?

Play around with types of tomato colors and flavors in this recipe: heirloom, sungold, or any other variety you like.

However, because this tomato vinaigrette recipe derives its flavor from a raw tomato, it’s important that the tomato is a good one. This doesn’t necessarily mean the tomato has to be in season (though that would be ideal). If it’s not in season, look for a nice bright red tomato on the vine; these are available all year-round at conventional grocery stores.

How Long Does Tomato Vinaigrette Last?

Tomato vinaigrette can be made and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days, or in the freezer for up to three months. Try blending up a batch and freezing in silicone cubes to thaw and use as needed.

Our Best Tips for Tomato Vinaigrette

The Southern Living Test Kitchen passed along these tips so you can bet your first batch of tomato vinaigrette will be a good one:

  • Change appliances: If you don’t have a blender or food processor—or don’t want to drag it out—this recipe is perfect for the immersion blender.
  • Everything in: Be sure to scoop up all the seeds and tomato pulp that fall away when you core and chop your tomato; throw all of these parts into the blender.

Ways To Serve Tomato Vinaigrette

This creamy tomato-forward vinaigrette would be especially tasty with a BLT salad: a deconstructed take on the classic sandwich, with bacon, lettuce, blue cheese, tomatoes, and your tomato vinaigrette. But use it in place of your standard go-to dressing for a summer-fresh upgrade when the tomatoes are good.

Southern Living Tomato Vinaigrette on a salad to serve

Stacy Allen, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle

More Great Salad Dressing Recipes

If you need a few more salad dressing or vinaigrettes for dinner, try one of these favorites:

Editorial contributions by Alesandra Dubin.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup olive oil

  • 1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar

  • 2 tsp. pure maple syrup

  • 3/4 tsp. kosher salt

  • 1/8 tsp. black pepper

  • 1 (5 oz.) fresh red tomato, cored and roughly chopped (about 3/4 cup)

  • 1 small garlic clove, chopped (about 1 tsp.)

Directions

  1. Add ingredients to blender:

    Combine olive oil, vinegar, maple syrup, salt, pepper, tomato, and garlic in a food processor or blender.

    Southern Living Tomato Vinaigrette combining the dressing ingredients in the blender

    Stacy Allen, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle

  2. Blend vinaigrette:

    Process on high until smooth. Adjust salt to taste. Use immediately or store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 5 days.

    Southern Living Tomato Vinaigrette after blending the dressing

    Stacy Allen, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle

Additional reporting by Alesandra Dubin

Related Articles