Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1 – Prepare Tomatoes

• Wash and dry all tomatoes. Remove the stalk from the larger tomato varieties and make thin rounds, around half a centimeter (⅛ th inch thick). 
• Lay tomato rounds onto a large plate or platter. 
• Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and add them to the platter. 

Step 2 – Add salad garnishes

• Sprinkle the thinly sliced red onion over the tomatoes on the platter 

NOTE: If you prefer a less intense onion flavor, submerge the sliced red onion into iced water for 5 minutes, then pat dry before use. 

• Cut the pink radishes into rounds and lay them around the platter. 
• Sprinkle a few caper around the platter, reserve the juice for the salad dressing. 

Step 3 – Prepare Salad Dressing

• Crush and mince a garlic clove. Add the minced clove to a small bowl with the freshly squeezed lemon juice, jerez sherry vinegar, and caper juice. 
• Mix well and slowly add olive oil, a little at a time until the ingredients are combined. 
• Season to taste ith some salt and freshly cracked black pepper. 

Step 4 – Drizzle Dressing and Serve

• • Right before serving, drizzle with dressing, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

Cooking tips:

• For ease, wash and prepare all ingredients before making the salad.
• This salad is great for warm days as no cooking is required. It’s best to make the salad right before you intend to serve it so it stays as fresh as possible. 
• Some tomato varieties have a high water content. Remove some of the liquid by placing the sliced tomatoes on a paper kitchen towel.

Quick and Easy Spanish Tomato Salad

The origin of Spanish tomato salad (commonly referred to as “ensalada de tomate”) is deeply rooted in Spain’s Mediterranean culinary tradition. Tomatoes, originally from the Americas, were introduced to Europe in the 16th century after the Columbian Exchange. Initially met with suspicion, they became a staple in Spanish cuisine by the 18th century.

Spain, particularly Andalusia, was among the first European regions to embrace tomatoes due to its warm climate and diverse culinary influences (especially Moorish and Mediterranean). 

Nowadays in Spain, there are plenty of options when it comes to tomatoes, with a range of flavors from juicy ripe red and sweet, to deep purples and black with a dense, almost meaty texture.

Best Tomatoes to Use

Spain is home to a remarkable diversity of tomato varieties, thanks to its rich agricultural heritage and varied regional climates. There are over 30 traditional or heirloom varieties that are well-known and cultivated across the country, and many more local strains that may not be widely cataloged but are cherished in specific regions. 

We suggest using a few different varieties of tomato in your salad. It adds color and a variety of textures and flavors. 

Key Tomato Varieties in Spain

Here are some of the most famous and distinctive types:

🍅 Tomate Raf (Raf Tomato)

• From Almería (Andalusia)
• Known for its irregular shape and sweet, low-acid flavor
• Grown under controlled irrigation with saline water

🍅 Corazón de Buey (Oxheart)

• Grown in many areas
• Large, heart-shaped, fleshy with few seeds
• Similar to Italian “cuore di bue”

🍅 Tomate Negro de Santiago

• From Galicia
• Dark reddish-brown, intensely flavorful

🍅 Tomate Moruno (Moorish Tomato)

• Dense and flavorful, traditional in southern Spain

🍅 Tomate de Muchamiel

• From Alicante (Valencia region)
• Juicy, sweet, often used in salads

🍅 Tomate Rosa de Barbastro (Pink Tomato)

• From Aragón
• Large, pinkish, very sweet and tender flesh
• Highly prized for fresh eating

🍅 Tomàquet de Penjar (Hanging Tomato)

• From Catalonia and Valencia
• Small, durable, and traditionally used for “pa amb tomàquet” (bread with tomato)
• Hung and stored for winter use

Is this Recipe Healthy?

Spanish-style tomato salad is a very healthy recipe, especially when viewed through the lens of Mediterranean and plant-based diets. Here’s why:

✅Only ~38 kcal per serving

✅High in vitamins A, C, and K, potassium, and fiber

✅Rich in antioxidants like lycopene (from tomatoes), quercetin (from onion), and sulfur compounds (from garlic)

✅This is a low-calorie, nutrient-rich salad, great as a side dish.

✅Full of antioxidants (from tomatoes, radish, and onion), and healthy fats from olive oil.

✅Tomatoes and radishes are over 90% water — great for hydration

✅Promotes heart health and helps absorb fat-soluble nutrients like vitamin A and lycopene

✅Provides anti-inflammatory benefits

More Spanish Tapas Recipes:

• Pan-Fried Prawns with Garlic, Lemon & Chili
• Gambas al Pil Pil Garlic Prawns with Chili
• Seafood Pipirrana Salad
• Chicken Meatballs with Almond Sauce
• Mushrooms Stuffed with Chorizo

Nutrition Facts

(Per Serving)

📝 Notes:

• % Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
• This is a low-calorie, nutrient-rich salad, great as a side dish.
• Full of antioxidants (from tomatoes, radish, and onion), and healthy fats from olive oil.

Love this recipe?

Leave us a comment and tell us your favorite Spanish recipe!