Salade de Tomates à l'Échalote (French Tomato and Shallot Salad)
Thick slices of ripe tomato tossed with fine shallot, tarragon and chives in a sharp vinaigrette. Simple, but only worth making in summer.
Made with Basic vinaigrette. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time15 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £0.35 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Cut the larger tomatoes into thick slices or wedges and halve the small ones. Remove the tough cores.
- 2
Lay the tomatoes on a large platter and scatter over the flaky salt. Leave for 10 minutes so they release some juice.
10 min - 3
Mix the shallots into your ready made basic vinaigrette (see the base recipe) and leave for 5 minutes to soften their bite.
5 min - 4
Spoon the shallot dressing over the tomatoes, letting the juices run into the dressing.
- 5
Scatter over the chives and tarragon and serve at room temperature with crusty bread to mop up the juices.
Tips
- Never keep tomatoes in the fridge before using them. Cold dulls their flavour and makes them mealy.
- Salt the tomatoes first. It draws out the juices and seasons them from within.
- Use a mix of colours and sizes. Heritage tomatoes look beautiful and taste different from each other.
Storing and freezing
Best eaten within 1 hour. Keeps 1 day in the fridge in a covered box, but the tomatoes soften.
Questions
Can I use out of season tomatoes?
Pale, hard tomatoes will be disappointing. Use cherry tomatoes or vine tomatoes instead, and add a pinch of salt and a little more vinegar to bring out their flavour.
What can I use instead of tarragon?
Use basil, flat leaf parsley or chervil. Tarragon gives a gentle aniseed note that is typically French, but any soft herb works.
Is this salad low carb?
Yes, it uses only tomatoes, herbs, shallots, oil and vinegar. It is also vegan, gluten free, dairy free, egg free and nut free.
More made with basic vinaigrette
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
