Tomato salads are popular all year round as they are refreshing and not heavy on the stomach. We have 3 easy recipes for you.
Tomato salads are a nice accompaniment to hearty dishes or for a barbecue all year round. But is it actually he althy and what is the best way to prepare it? Above all: Which tomatoes are particularly suitable?
What are the benefits of tomatoes for our he alth?
Tomatoes have good properties that have a beneficial effect on human he alth. A particularly valuable ingredient is the so-called lycopene, which belongs to the carotenoids. It neutralizes free radicals and is scientifically recognized when it comes to inhibiting various types of cancer. It also protects the skin against cell changes that can occur as a result of UV radiation.
At the same time, it is beneficial for heart he alth because it avoids deposits of harmful substances and thus prevents cardiovascular diseases.
Important: In order to let the substance lycopene work optimally in the body, the tomatoes should be heated beforehand, which is not necessarily ideal for every tomato salad. Furthermore, the tomato salad should be provided with a good oil in order to optimally absorb the ingredients.
Other ingredients also include vitamins. To be mentioned here would be:
- High amounts of vitamin C
- B vitamins to improve concentration
- Iron as an energy supplier
- Folic acid against hardening of the arteries
- Tomatoes have a general immune system strengthening effect
Which tomatoes are good for a tomato salad?
The beefsteak tomato is not used in most tomato salads due to its large appearance. Smaller varieties such as stick or cherry tomatoes are therefore suitable. Cherry and vine tomatoes are also very good in a salad. The advantage: Most of them only have to be cut up once or twice.
Since the salad is also a feast for the eyes, the shape is crucial. If you are preparing a mozzarella and tomato salad, you should primarily use a round shape so that it looks right.
To perfect the taste experience, it is best to choose theolder, proven varieties because they have a stronger aroma. The varieties Rio Grande, Anna Russian, or Tigarella are particularly noteworthy because they taste very intense. In newer breeds, the color plays a major role in addition to the aroma, because the fruit is now available in colors such as violet, yellow, orange, pink or flamed.
Recipe for classic tomato salad
The classic tomato salad, which many should already know from their grandmothers, is very easy to prepare. The ingredient list:
- 500 g tomatoes
- 3 pcs. Onions
- a dash of oil
- some herb vinegar
- 1 bunch of parsley for decoration
- for seasoning: sea s alt, pepper
The tomatoes are first cut into cubes or slices and placed in a bowl with the diced onions, vinegar and oil. Then add s alt and pepper to taste. After a certain time, some juice forms, after which the salad simply has to be mixed again. It is served with some parsley for decoration.
Greek Tomato Salad Recipe
A Greek tomato salad is characterized above all by the use of feta cheese and olives. It is prepared as follows:
- 500 g tomatoes
- 4 spring onions
- 10 olives
- 250 g feta cheese
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 level teaspoon mustard
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- for seasoning: s alt and pepper
Tomatoes, olives and feta cheese are cut into cubes, while the spring onions are cut into rings. Vinegar, oil and mustard are mixed with water and sugar to make a salad dressing and seasoned with s alt and pepper. Then the prepared vegetables are added. The salad is briefly mixed and left for at least two hours.
Lukewarm Tomato Salad
The warm tomato salad listed here is primarily something for gourmets:
- 250 g cherry tomatoes
- 12 olives
- 1 handful of arugula
- 1/2 red onion
- 1 tbsp capers
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 Lemon
- Crystal S alt
- black pepper
- 12 basil leaves
- 1 sprig of oregano
First wash and halve the cherry tomatoes. Then pit the olives and cut them in half. Half an onion, on the other hand, is finely diced, and the basil leaves are chopped, as are the oregano leaves. These ingredients are put together in a bowlgiven, along with the capers.
The lemon juice is squeezed out of the lemon and s alt and pepper are added. Everything is mixed well and then heated in a fat-free pan for about half a minute over low heat.
Finally add basil and rocket, which are carefully folded in.