I've thrown together a lot of tomato salads in my life. A lot. But, I don't think I've ever posted one here. I suppose they just seemed like a lot of the other tomato salads out there...But(!) I made a tomato salad over the weekend that is a bit offbeat, in a good way. And I thought it was worth sharing. I think the magic happened when I decided to roast half of the tomatoes. The salad became a mix of beautiful heirlooms in shades of greens, reds, yellows, and orange, tossed with their roasted, caramelized counterparts. The roasted tomatoes brought depth to the salad well worth the bit of extra time and effort.

Tomato Salad RecipeTomato Salad RecipeTomato Salad Recipe

Beyond that, I found myself pulling from ingredients around the kitchen. Capers, quickly pan-fried, added a mustardy pop. Crunch came from toasted almonds, and creamy fresh mozzarella delivered just the right amount of decadence. Beyond that, fresh herbs added a bright finishing accent. But don't let my version influence you too much. You can take the basic premise (a tomato salad made with a mix of ripe and roasted in-season tomatoes) in unlimited different directions. Try different nuts, herbs, and vinaigrettes. It's easy to prep nearly everything ahead of time here, and I have to tell you, this salad served on slabs of garlic-rubbed bread? Best lunch I had all week.