Roasted Cherry Tomatoes Salad
This roasted cherry tomatoes salad is my go-to summer salad: a bowl of crisp lettuce, red orach, radishes, scallions and steamed peas, topped with warm pan-roasted cherry tomatoes and a simple lemon-olive oil dressing. It comes together in minutes and works either as a light main dish or as a side. The roasted tomatoes are the part that makes the difference, turning a plain bowl of greens into something with real flavor.
I’m crazy about salads, but I’ll admit I rarely make them myself because I don’t love chopping. Usually my boyfriend does all the prep and I just mix everything together and make the dressing. This one I made on my own, though, and there really wasn’t much work to it. I call it a summer salad because it’s what I reach for most during the warm months, but the truth is you can make it any time of the year.
What goes into this salad
Everything here is fresh and simple. You’ll need lettuce and red orach leaves as the base, a bunch of sliced radishes, chopped parsley and scallions, steamed peas, and the star of the bowl, cherry tomatoes. Red orach is the deep-red leafy green that gives the salad its color and a mild, slightly earthy flavor; if you can’t find it, you can lean on extra lettuce or another tender leaf. For the peas, fresh or frozen both work well steamed, and canned peas are a fine shortcut when you’re short on time. Pick cherry tomatoes that are firm and unblemished, since they hold their shape better when roasted.
How to roast the cherry tomatoes
The tomatoes can be roasted in the oven, but I prefer doing them in a skillet on the stove because they cook much faster. Place them in a skillet, pour a little olive oil over them, and cover with a lid so the steam helps soften them. They’ll be ready in about 5 minutes. You’re looking for tomatoes that have gone glossy and moist, with skins just starting to split. That brief heat concentrates their sweetness and brings out a deeper, jammy flavor that you don’t get from raw tomatoes, which is exactly why they lift the whole bowl.
Tips for getting it right
- Rinse and dry all the greens well. Wet leaves dilute the dressing and make the salad watery.
- Make the dressing separately by whisking the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper, and only add it right before serving so the leaves stay crisp.
- Keep the roasted tomatoes off to the side and spoon them on top at the end. Mixing them in too early makes everything soggy.
- Taste before serving and adjust the lemon and salt. A salad this simple lives or dies by its seasoning.
What to serve it with
As a light main, this salad is lovely next to something warm and a little more substantial. It pairs nicely with basic stuffed portobello mushrooms or a scoop of vegetarian Serbian rice pilaf for an easy summer meal. If you’re building a bigger spread of fresh dishes, it sits well alongside a spinach salad or a grilled smoked tofu and tomato salad.
Make-ahead and storage
This salad is at its best fresh, but you can prep the components ahead. Wash and chop the greens, slice the radishes and scallions, and steam the peas a few hours in advance, then keep everything in the fridge in separate containers. Store the dressing on its own and toss only at the last minute. The roasted tomatoes keep for a day or two in a covered container and can be served at room temperature. If you like this kind of light, veggie-forward bowl, you might also enjoy my spring detox salad or a creamy cauliflower salad.
If you make this roasted cherry tomatoes salad, I’d love to know how the tomatoes turned out for you. Leave a rating and drop a comment below with any tweaks you tried, especially if you swapped in your own favorite summer greens.
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Roasted Cherry Tomatoes Salad
Ingredients
- 15 lettuce leaves
- 6-7 red orach leaves
- 1 bunch radishes sliced
- 6 cherry tomatoes
- parsley chopped
- 4 scallions
- ½ cup peas steamed
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 lemon juiced
Instructions
- Rinse all veggies very well. Cut the salad and red orach leaves and put them in a bowl. Slice the radishes and chop the parsley and scallions.
- The cherry tomatoes can be either roasted in the oven or the stove. I prefer roasting them in a skillet on the stove as they cook a lot faster. So, all you have to do is place them in a skillet, pour some olive oil on them and cover with a transparent lid. They’ll be ready in about 5 minutes. Check if they’re moist.
- If you have fresh or frozen peas you can use a steamer and steam it for 15 minutes, or you can use canned peas.
- Make the dressing: Mix the olive oil, lemon’s juice, salt, and pepper.
- Mix all ingredients together, except the cherry tomatoes and dressing. Add dressing only right before serving.
- Put the roasted cherry tomatoes on top.
- Serve!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Every ingredient is plant-based: lettuce, red orach, radishes, cherry tomatoes, parsley, scallions, steamed peas, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. There is no dairy, egg or honey, so it works for both vegan and vegetarian diets.
Yes. It can be served as a light main or as a side. The steamed peas and the warm roasted tomatoes add enough substance to make it a satisfying summer lunch, and you can pair it with something warm like stuffed mushrooms or a rice pilaf to round it out.
Red orach is a deep-red leafy green with a mild, slightly earthy taste that gives this salad its color. If you can’t find it, simply use more lettuce or another tender salad leaf. The flavor will be a little lighter but the salad still works well.
You can roast them in the oven or, faster, in a skillet on the stove. Place the tomatoes in a skillet, pour a little olive oil over them, cover with a lid, and cook for about 5 minutes until they look glossy, moist and just starting to split. The brief heat concentrates their sweetness.
Yes. Fresh or frozen peas can be steamed for about 15 minutes, and canned peas work as a quick shortcut with no cooking needed. Drain canned peas well before adding them so they don’t water down the salad.
Add the dressing only right before serving. Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper together separately and toss it through at the last minute so the greens stay crisp rather than wilting.
Cherry tomatoes are my favorite during the summer, when I can’t be bothered to cook something too complex. This salad is just perfect! Thank you for sharing, Ruxandra!
You’re welcome! Glad you liked it!