Skip the Mozzarella This Summer—This Low-Effort Summer Tomato Salad Rivals Caprese!
While there’s certainly nothing wrong with classic Caprese salad, it’s really fun to change things up occasionally with a summer tomato salad that isn’t quite so…expected.
Juicy summer tomatoes practically beg for cheese, but if you’re feeling a little mozzarella-ed out, something like a Burrata Tomato Salad or a Tomato Goat Cheese Salad is an extra delicious way to switch things up!
This summer tomato and goat cheese pairing is one I first experienced back in my restaurant days. One late-August evening, we served a gorgeous stacked salad with sliced heirloom tomatoes, crispy panko-crusted goat cheese medallions, & a drizzle of thyme-infused honey. The combination of flavors & textures truly blew my mind. Even now, more than ten years later, I still think of it!
This particular tomato salad with goat cheese is a riff on that restaurant dish, but lazy girl-style. 💁🏻♀️ It has all the same flavors & textures—juicy summer tomatoes, creamy fresh goat cheese, crispy garlicky breadcrumbs, & a drizzle of honeyed balsamic vinegar—but prep & assembly is a lot simpler. (After all, no one wants to be breading & frying goat cheese on a hot summer night! 🥵)
Best of all, this goat cheese tomato salad is so easy to make but feels so impressive to serve—just like it came from a restaurant! Trust me, you’ll be making it until the summer tomatoes run out!
Maximum Flavor, Minimal Effort
3 foolproof secrets to low-fuss, flavor-packed dinners, learned from years working in restaurants.
Key Salad Ingredients
You need…
- Heirloom tomatoes – I like to use a combination of larger heirloom tomatoes & bite-sized cherry heirloom tomatoes for a pretty presentation. I highly encourage you to make this salad in the summer when tomatoes are at their peak!
- Goat cheese – Use your fave! Plain goat cheese works great but you could also use an herbed goat cheese to take the flavors up a notch. Buy the goat cheese in logs & crumble it yourself.
Tools for the Best Tomato Salads
Zwilling 5-Inch Serrated Knife
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Zwilling Madura Plus Non-Stick Fry Pan
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Buy Now → How to Make Tomato Salad with Goat Cheese
With a big harvest of summer tomatoes & a few simple ingredients, you can whip up a beautiful tomato and goat cheese salad in a matter of 15 minutes or less!
Serving Suggestions
This stunner of a salad pairs beautifully with summery mains like my favorite Super Simple Lemon Herb Chicken or some showstopper Stuffed Pork Chops. You can also keep things simple, and serve it alongside some Grilled Italian Sausage or a Perfect Grilled Steak.
I can’t wait for you to try this Heirloom Tomato Goat Cheese Salad! If you do give it a try, be sure to let us know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo and tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. We LOVE seeing your PWWB creations! ♡ Happy cooking!
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15-Minute Heirloom Tomato Goat Cheese Salad
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: serves 4-6 1x
- Category: Appetizer Recipes, Side Dish Recipes
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Juicy, peak-season tomatoes don’t need much to shine – but a few thoughtful additions make them extra-special. So if you’re craving a summer tomato salad that’s not Caprese, this Tomato Goat Cheese Salad is the perfect way to switch things up!
Heirloom tomatoes paired with creamy tangy goat cheese, a light honey balsamic, and plenty of crispy garlic breadcrumbs for crunch.
It’s simple but layered, fresh but satisfying, and exactly the kind of effortless summer dish you’ll want to make on repeat while tomatoes are at their best.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds heirloom tomatoes (see Recipe Notes)
- kosher salt
- 2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
- balsamic honey (below)
- 1 batch crispy garlic breadcrumbs
for the balsamic honey:
- 3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar (see Recipe Notes)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (from about 8–10 sprigs)
Instructions
Method Overview:
Slice and salt the tomatoes to draw out excess moisture. Whisk together the balsamic honey. Arrange the tomatoes on a platter, top with crumbled goat cheese, and drizzle with the balsamic honey. Finish with crispy garlic breadcrumbs and serve immediately.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
- Slice and season the tomatoes: Slice larger tomatoes into planks or wedges, and halve or quarter smaller ones if needed. Arrange the sliced tomatoes in a single layer on a paper towel-lined plate or small baking sheet. Season with ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Top with another layer of paper towel, gently pressing so it comes into contact with the tomatoes. Set aside for 10-15 minutes to draw out excess moisture.
- Prepare the honey balsamic: In a small bowl, combine the white balsamic vinegar, honey, and fresh thyme leaves. Whisk to combine. Set aside. (This is also a great time to prepare the crispy garlic breadcrumbs.)
- Assemble the tomato goat cheese salad: Pat the tomatoes dry to remove any excess moisture, then arrange on a large plate or serving platter. Sprinkle the crumbled goat cheese over top. Drizzle the balsamic honey over the tomatoes and cheese, then finish with a generous sprinkling of crispy garlic breadcrumbs.
- Serve immediately with an extra drizzle of olive oil, fresh thyme leaves, or a few cracks of black pepper as desired. Enjoy!
Equipment
Zwilling 5-Inch Serrated Knife
Buy Now →Zwilling Madura Plus Non-Stick Fry Pan
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Buy Now → Notes
- Heirloom tomatoes: I like to use a mix of larger heirloom tomatoes and smaller cherry or grape varieties for the best flavor and presentation. There are no strict rules here – just grab whatever looks best at the farmer’s market!
- White balsamic vinegar is lighter in both color, texture, and flavor than traditional balsamic – think drizzly and tangy vs syrupy and caramelly. I like to use it here to keep the colors of the heirloom tomatoes vibrant and fresh – its acidity is also a nice contrast against rich and creamy goat cheese. That said, you can definitely substitute regular balsamic – just note the flavor will be slightly deeper and the color darker.
Portions and Serving Suggestions:
- Portions: As written, this recipe yields a large tomato goat cheese salad, suitable for feeding a crowd of 4-6 as an appetizer/side dish or 2-3 as a light lunch or dinner. You can easily halve or double the recipe to feed a smaller or larger crowd, as needed.
- Serving suggestions: This is the perfect light, fresh tomato salad for any of your favorite summery main dishes. I often pair it with my Super Simple Grilled Lemon Herb Chicken or Seriously Perfect Grilled Steak for an easy summer dinner, but it also holds its own at a summer dinner party alongside Tuscan-Inspired Grilled Spatchcock Chicken or Stuffed Pork Chops with Prosciutto and Asiago. You can’t go wrong!
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This salad is delicious and nutritious! I made this for a potluck and it was a hit! Hopefully more people will come across this recipe and make it.
So happy you enjoyed this salad, and that it was a hit at your potluck! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review! 🙂
Made this recently & we loved it! I shared the recipe with my sister-in-law as well!! Very refreshing & yes, it gave us a break from the Caprese sale we’re so used to. Beautiful & simple to make in no time. My husband couldn’t stop talking about it & has been bugging me to make it again, so I made it tonight! 🙂 This time, I used grape tomatoes as the heirlooms in our market weren’t all that ripe. Thank you!!
It’s such a good switch-up from caprese, right?! Happy to hear this salad was a hit for you, Gina!! 🙂