Magic Tomato SaladThe “magic” in this version is a sweet, tangy, garlicky dressing that makes ordinary ripe tomatoes incredibly flavorful. Several versions of this recipe circulate online; one popular version combines tomatoes, bell pepper, dill and parsley with olive oil, red-wine vinegar, garlic, paprika and a little sugar.
Ingredients
For the salad
- 800–900 g ripe tomatoes, chopped or cut into wedges
- 1 red or yellow bell pepper, finely chopped
- A handful of fresh dill
- A handful of fresh parsley
For the dressing
- 50 ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 25 ml red-wine vinegar
- 30 ml water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 teaspoons sugar
- ½ tablespoon sweet paprika
- 5 garlic cloves, finely minced
Optional: chili or cayenne for heat.
👩🍳 How to make it
- Wash and cut the tomatoes and place them in a large bowl.
- Finely chop the bell pepper, dill and parsley.
- Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, water, salt, sugar, paprika and garlic.
- Pour the dressing over the tomatoes and bell pepper.
- Toss gently so you don’t crush the tomatoes.
- Add the fresh herbs.
- Let the salad rest for about 30 minutes before serving. This gives the tomatoes time to absorb the dressing and allows the flavors to develop.
Tip: Use very ripe, flavorful tomatoes—the better the tomatoes, the better this salad will be. For extra richness, add crumbled feta; for heat, add fresh chili.
