Tomato, Olive and Onion Salad
Tomato, Olive and Onion Salad
Insalata di pomodoro, olive e cipolle: tomato wedges, green olives and thin onion marinated in olive oil and basil, served cold.
Prep: 10 minutes (plus 1 hour marinating) · Cook: 0 minutes
What Is Tomato, Olive and Onion Salad?
A simple Italian marinated salad — insalata di pomodoro, olive e cipolle — where tomato wedges, pitted green olives and thin-sliced onion soak in olive oil, basil and salt for an hour before serving cold.
Why Make Tomato, Olive and Onion Salad?
- Six ingredients and a refrigerator
- The hour's marinade is the actual recipe
- Olives season the tomatoes as they sit
- A natural beside grilled anything
- Scales up for a crowd in seconds
Unico Products Used in This Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 tomatoes (cored, cut into small wedges)
- 115 g green olives (pitted (4 oz))
- 1 onion (thinly sliced)
- 3/4 tsp dried basil
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 3/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Core the tomatoes and cut into small wedges.
- Add the olives, onion, basil, olive oil and salt.
- Toss well.
- Refrigerate and marinate at least 1 hour.
- Serve cold.
Cooking Tips
- Use firm, ripe tomatoes that hold their wedge
- Slice the onion paper thin so it mellows in the marinade
- Don't shortcut the hour — the resting is the cooking
- Spoon the marinade juices over at serving
- Day-old leftovers are a great bruschetta topping
Frequently Asked Questions About Tomato, Olive and Onion Salad
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1. Why marinate the salad?
The hour in oil and salt softens the onion, seasons the tomatoes and marries the flavours — it's essential, not optional.
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2. Can I use black olives?
Yes — black olives give a mellower version; green keep it sharp.
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3. Fresh basil instead of dried?
Absolutely — a small handful of torn fresh leaves, added just before serving.
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4. How long does it keep?
Up to 2 days refrigerated; the tomatoes soften but the flavour deepens.
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5. What do I serve it with?
Grilled meats or fish, or with bread as part of an antipasto spread.
Cooking Guides & Tips
- Green vs Black Olives: What's the Difference? Why some olives are green and others black, how their flavour differs, and which to use for snacking, salads, sauces and pizza.
- A Guide to Olive Varieties: Manzanilla, Queen, Kalamata and Ripe A quick guide to the most common olive varieties — Manzanilla, Queen, Kalamata and ripe black olives — and how to use each.
- What Is Muffuletta Olive Salad and How to Use It What muffuletta olive salad is — the briny New Orleans sandwich relish of olives and pickled vegetables — and how to use it well beyond the sandwich.
Tomato, Olive and Onion Salad Made Simple
Tomato, Olive and Onion Salad is the marinated side that makes itself while you cook everything else. Unico green olives and olive oil do the seasoning.