Lebanese Tomato Salad

Lebanese Tomato Salad with garlic, sumac and parsley. This refreshing and easy salad recipe is the ideal side with many meat dishes.

This Lebanese tomato salad with bell pepper, garlic, sumac, and parsley is bursting with flavor and could not be any simpler to make.
The tomatoes are ripe and juicy, and they soak up all the sweet and tangy flavors from the dressing.

I like to have this salad as a side dish with grilled chicken, lamb chops and many other grilled or baked meat dishes.

what type of tomatoes are good for salad?

I find tomatoes-on-the-vine like Campari tomatoes to be ideal for salads. They are a bit larger than cherry tomatoes, juicy, sweet and have a distinctly beautiful deep red color.

Furthermore, they incorporate well with all kinds of dressings, especially vinegar or lemon juice, and hold their beautiful shape when cut into quarters.

This salad is so very versatile that you can literary use any type of tomatoes you have at hand. I used Campari tomatoes; however, cherry, Roma, Heirloom or any kind of tomatoes you like can work too.

Ingredients:

Tomatoes: the star of the show and main ingredient for this salad. Use round, firm but ripe tomatoes.

Red Bell Peppers: You will need a medium size pepper to make the dressing. Choose one that is firm and feels heavy in the hand. Bell peppers are sweet, crunchy and packed with vitamin C. I often slice them up and offer them as a snack for my kids.

Garlic: 4 to 5 cloves are needed. You can use less or more depending on your liking.

Parsley: chopped Italian flat or curly parsley work well with this salad. You will only need a handful.

Paprika: I used a tablespoon of smoked paprika. It adds depth and sweetness to to the salad.

Sumac: an essential ingredient in Lebanese cuisine used in marinades, dressings, dry rubs and as a condiment.

Olive oil: Use good quality extra virgin olive oil for this salad.

Here are some great salads for your to try;

Lebanese Tabbouleh
Cucumber Salad
Fig Salad
Lentil Salad
Potato Salad

what is sumac

Sumac is a popular spice used in many Middle Eastern dishes. It is a spice made of the dried and ground berry of sumac flower that has a distinctive tangy taste and a pleasant reddish/velvety color.

You can find sumac in supermarkets and specialty Middle-eastern stores.

how to make tomato salad

Step 1:

Start by cutting the tomatoes into quarters and place them in a mixing bowl. Set aside.

Step 2:

Next, cut the pepper into four parts, discard the stem and seeds. Place the cut bell pepper in a food processor with the garlic and process until they form a paste. Transfer to a bowl and then add paprika, sumac, salt, pepper and olive oil. Mix well.

Step 3:

Pour the dressing over the cut tomatoes and mix to cover from all sides. Mix in the chopped parsley and let chill for 30 minutes for the flavors to blend.

Step 4:

Last, transfer the salad into a serving bowl and enjoy!