Feeling Summery? Try This Roasted Tomato Salad

Fresh tomatoes are one of my favorite things about summer. Yes, you can pick them up year-round at your local grocery store, but there’s nothing like the taste of a perfectly ripe, in-season tomato. In Maryland, tomato season runs from late May to early November, so you still have plenty of time to enjoy them in your salads, pastas and other dishes.   

Much like roasting garlic, roasting is a simple way to transform tomatoes into the sweetest, juiciest morsels. Slow-roasting them at a low temperature, about 225 degrees Fahrenheit for 90 minutes to two hours, is the ideal way to cook tomatoes if you have time. This recipe is perfect for busy nights when having two hours to get dinner on the table is merely a pipe dream.

Roasting the tomatoes at a higher temperature, just until they burst, will give you a more than acceptable substitute for slow roasting. You’ll have tomatoes that are soft, exceptionally juicy and rich. Finish the dish with a quick toss with balsamic or sherry vinegar, a sprinkling of feta and fresh herbs. They’re a perfect side for chicken or burgers fresh off the grill.

Roasted Tomato Salad

Serves four.

2 pints grape tomatoes, rinsed and patted dry

2 large cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic or sherry vinegar

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or basil

2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese

Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place tomatoes and garlic in a medium bowl. Add olive oil and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Toss until well-mixed and tomatoes are evenly coated in the oil.

Spread tomatoes and oil onto a baking sheet in one even layer. Place the baking sheet in the oven and roast until tomatoes burst and soften, 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove the tomatoes from the oven and place the tomatoes and oil in a medium bowl. Add the vinegar, oregano and feta. Toss until well-mixed and serve.