Steakhouse Tomato Salad
on Jul 27, 2020, Updated Aug 22, 2024
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One of the classic steakhouse sides is a tomato salad of some sort. Like this recipe, the best ones are super simple, and really focus on perfect, ripe tomatoes.
This simple tomato and onion salad recipe is exactly what you want to make when tomatoes are ripe and in season. It takes its cue from the tomato salads served at steakhouses across the country, clean and straightforward, perfect for cozying up to a perfectly grilled steak.
I’ve written about the world of Peter Luger’s Steakhouse before. They have been the New Yorker’s New York Steakhouse for many decades, and they are famous for — other than their steaks — their tomato salad. It’s basically sliced tomatoes, sliced onions, and their special sauce. As a kid, this was my first dive into a pure tomato salad, with onions as the co-star, and it taught me that with good tomatoes and a red onion, you are on your way to greatness.
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In this salad recipe, the tomatoes are cubed and the onions are thinly sliced, and then they are drizzled and tossed with a vinaigrette and seasoned with kosher salt and a generous amount of cracked or ground black pepper. Serve it with Grilled Marinated New York Strip Steak, Grilled Ribeye Steaks, Grilled Filet Mignons, or Ribeye Steak with Thyme-Garlic Butter. Or, if you’re not in a steak frame of mind, it’s also great with Barbecued Chicken and Grilled Salmon.
What's In This Post?
One of the classic steakhouse sides is a tomato salad of some sort. And the best ones are super simple, and really focus on perfect, ripe tomatoes.
Steakhouse Tomato Salad Ingredients
- Tomatoes – If your tomatoes aren’t perfectly ripe…just don’t make this salad. Make tomato sauce, or if tomatoes are not in season, just wait until they are. I’m sorry to be the bearer of this information, if you are not a ripe tomato devotee, but it’s just true.
- Red onion – A great contrast to those ripe tomatoes.
- Vinaigrette – A simple, classic vinaigrette recipe is easy to make, and the salad is even faster to make if you have the vinaigrette already made or decide blah, I’m using a good bottled vinaigrette (they exist, but you have to put in the work to find them).
How to Make Steakhouse Tomato Salad
- Cut the onions and tomatoes: Slice the onion in half, then thinly slice the halves (either direction is fine, just different looks). Cut the tomatoes into 1-inch pieces.
- Toss the salad and serve: In a large bowl, toss the onions and tomatoes with the vinaigrette. Serve at room temperature.
Tips
- Never put your tomatoes in the fridge unless they are threatening to turn to mush and you are planning to cook them anyway. Cold changes the texture of tomatoes, making them mealy and saps their flavor.
- You can hold the salad for a couple of hours before serving, but again, keep it at room temperature.
What to Serve With Steakhouse Tomato Salad
More Tomato Salad Recipes
- Tomato and Mozzarella Caprese Salad
- Greek Tomato and Cucumber Salad
- Cherry Tomato Salad
- Tomato, Red Onion, Watercress, Feta, and Olive Salad
- Summer Corn, Tomato, and Bacon Salad
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Steakhouse Tomato Salad
Ingredients
- 1 large red onion
- 4 large ripe tomatoes (about 2 pounds)
- ½ cup Classic Vinaigrette (aka Salad Dressing)
Instructions
- Slice the onion in half, then thinly slice the halves (either direction is fine, just different looks).
- Core the tomatoes and cut them into 1-inch pieces.
- In a large bowl, toss the onions and tomatoes with the vinaigrette. Serve at room temperature.
Notes
- If your tomatoes aren’t perfectly ripe…just don’t make this salad. Make tomato sauce, or if tomatoes are not in season, just wait until they are.
- Also, never put your tomatoes in the fridge unless they are threatening to turn to mush and you are planning to cook them anyway. Cold changes the texture of tomatoes, making them mealy and sapping their flavor.
- You can hold the salad for a couple of hours before serving, but again, keep it at room temperature.
