Heirloom Tomato Salad With Goat Cheese and Arugula

By
Miri Rotkovitz
Miri Rotkovitz
Miri Rotkovitz
Registered dietician, teacher, and award-winning cookbook author who has been exploring Jewish cuisine for almost 20 years.
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Updated on 06/18/21
Heirloom tomato, goat cheese, and arugula salad
Miri Rotkovitz
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 10 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
262 Calories
20g Fat
14g Carbs
8g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 262
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 20g 26%
Saturated Fat 6g 30%
Cholesterol 13mg 4%
Sodium 153mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 14g 5%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Total Sugars 11g
Protein 8g
Vitamin C 37mg 183%
Calcium 124mg 10%
Iron 2mg 10%
Potassium 690mg 15%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Heirloom tomatoes come in a staggering array of colors, sizes, and flavor profiles. You can make this lovely composed salad with large or small tomatoes (or both!)—the fun is in the interplay between lush summer tomatoes, the creamy tang of goat cheese, and the peppery bite of arugula.  

Ingredients

For the Salad:

  • 2 pounds heirloom tomatoes (at least 2 different varieties)

  • 5 ounces baby arugula

  • 4 ounces chèvre cheese

For the Vinaigrette:

  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

  • 2 teaspoons honey

  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil, from about 16 leaves

Steps to Make It

  1. Slice large tomatoes into 1/4 inch thick rounds. Halve or quarter cherry, grape, or other small tomatoes. Divide the tomatoes among four plates, arranging them to show off the contrast in their colors.

  2. Top each plate of tomatoes with a handful of arugula, allowing a border of tomatoes to show around the edge of the plates. 

  3. Divide the goat cheese evenly among the salads, crumbling it over the arugula and tomatoes.

  4. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, and basil.

  5. Drizzle each salad with vinaigrette, allowing about 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of dressing per salad.

  6. Serve immediately. Enjoy.

Tip

  • If you can't find heirloom tomatoes, beefsteak or cherry tomatoes would work nicely too. Just make sure your tomatoes truly ripe and fragrant.

Make It A Meal

Turn your farmer's market haul into a deliciously casual meal that's perfect for picnics. Serve the salad with cold soup, panini, and iced tea, sangria, or white wine, if you'd like. Pick up some fresh baguette or ciabatta, whip up a batch of pea and walnut pesto, and roast your favorite veggies (zucchini, portobello mushrooms, and red bell peppers are ideal) to make sandwiches. Pair with chilled carrot, apple, and celery soup. For dessert, offer fresh fruit salad, or if you're feeling fancy, flourless chocolate-orange cupcakes with beet frosting.