Tomato and Tomatillo Salad

There’s a very specific kind of madness that takes hold of me every summer, and its root cause is tomatoes. It starts innocently enough: a quick trip to the farmers market, just to "see what looks good." But before I know it, I'm on the subway, cradling a teetering pile of heirlooms. A golden one with tiger stripes? In the bag. A misshapen plum the color of my favorite lipstick? It has to be mine. Those cheerful Sungolds? Impossible to resist.

It doesn’t matter that I already have tomatoes at home—probably too many. Thank goodness for recipes like salmorejo and the simple, always satisfying panzanella salad that help me work through my reserves, but eventually, even I run out of ways to use the juicy, savory, slightly sweet fruit. 

That’s why I was especially excited when my colleague Giovanna Vazquez from our Birmingham, Alabama, test kitchen developed this bright and inventive salad designed for peak-season tomatoes of all varieties. It gets an extra boost from the addition of raw tomatillos—not technically tomatoes, but close cousins whose vibrant tartness lifts the salad into a full-on celebration of summer. Since this salad works with any variety of ripe, juicy tomatoes, feel free to incorporate whichever ones call out to you at the market.

Before the salad is assembled, both the tomatoes and the tomatillos are first salted and left to drain briefly (just 15 minutes, but you can let them hang out for an hour if you're doing other things). This step intensifies their flavor and draws out excess moisture, which prevents that dreaded pool of tomato water that would dilute the vinaigrette. 

Added to the mix with the tomatoes and tomatillos are fragrant shallots, which get their own special treatment before going into the bowl. Raw shallots can overwhelm the other ingredients in a salad with their sulfurous edge, but there's an easy fix: Soak them briefly in vinegar before adding them to the dressing. That quick soak mellows their sulfurous flavor compounds while gently infusing them with vinegar, giving the finished salad a brighter bite.

The vinaigrette keeps things lively. White balsamic delivers brightness without the heaviness of regular dark balsamic, though any balsamic vinegar would work well here. Agave or honey rounds out the dressing with a touch of sweetness, oregano adds a hint of herbaceousness, and Dijon and garlic deliver a pleasant bite. It's bold but balanced—the kind of vinaigrette that makes you want to eat salad every day. 

To bring it all together, a scattering of torn, creamy burrata and roasted almonds add richness and a welcome contrast of silky and crunchy textures. While we love the simplicity of roasted almonds, smoked and candied almonds are fun alternatives. And since there is no reason to run away from a classic pairing, the salad is finished with fresh, grassy basil. This lively, colorful salad celebrates the fleeting stretch of summer when tomatoes are at their peak and you want to make the most of them.