This is the ultimate tomato salad—it’s loaded with sweet summer tomatoes, fried okra, and corn, then everything gets topped off with a fresh balsamic vinaigrette and homemade chive aioli. It’s packed with fresh produce and is the perfect side dish for any summer grill out or gathering!

The Ultimate Tomato Salad

You might be surprised, but Birmingham, Alabama is one of the best food cities in the South and is a major reason why I grew up wanting to cook. It’s food scene has grown a lot over the years (recently receiving recognition on the Michelin Guide), but one of the dishes I come back to year after year is the tomato salad at Hot & Hot Fish Club.

Nearly every chef has a moment where food takes on a new meaning, and for me, one of those moments was eating at Hot & Hot Fish club in the seventh grade. It was the first fancy restaurant that I remember going to with my family—the kind where waiters fold your napkins when you go to the bathroom and polish off the table when crumbs get everywhere—and I still remember ordering the chocolate souffle at the end of the meal. We had to place the order in advance to accommodate for baking time, and once it came out, I watched in fascination as the the waiter poured a silky smooth creme anglaise into the center of the cake. It was absolutely heavenly, and I couldn’t wait to learn exactly how I could recreate it at home.

Fast forward to today, and I still love Hot & Hot’s fusion of Southern food with French technique, and my family has a tradition to go every summer so we can taste their famous heirloom tomato salad. It features a stack of thickly sliced and seasoned heirloom tomatoes, crispy bacon, summer corn, fresh fried okra, and a creamy chive aioli. The recipe is published in the Hot & Hot Cookbook, but unfortunately, it’s the kind of recipe that takes a ton of ingredients and time to make.

My mom has long requested that I recreate this salad, so I set out to make a version that’s easy to make and just as flavorful as the original. The resulting dish is so good and perfectly preppable for any summer grill out or gathering—I truly think this is one of the best things I’ve made this year, and you just have to give it a try!

Ingredients and Ingredient Substitutions

There are four basic components to this recipe: the tomatoes, the vinaigrette, the dressing, and the toppings. It uses a ton of fresh produce, so I really recommend making this during late summer or early fall when all of the ingredients are at peak ripeness. Here’s a quick list of everything you’ll need, along with some common substitutions:

Cherry tomatoes and beefsteak heirloom tomatoes. Quality matters here, so don’t just pick up the first tomatoes you see. Try going to a local farmer’s market, garden, or grocery store to find what’s in season, otherwise your salad will taste flat. For this recipe, I like to use a mix of cherry tomatoes and beefsteak tomatoes for different textures and flavors.
Olive oil. A high-quality extra-virgin olive oil will smooth out the tomato’s acidity and add body to the balsamic vinaigrette.
Balsamic vinegar. This is the primary source of flavor and acid in the vinaigrette, so try to use a good-quality brand if you can afford it. Be careful to use balsamic vinegar and not balsamic glaze—the latter is much sweeter and will behave differently in the recipe.
Fresh chives and fresh basil. Before you ask, using fresh herbs makes a huge difference, and I would not substitute them!
Green onion. The original recipe uses green onion, so I kept it. Since you use such a small amount in the vinaigrette, however, you can easily substitute it with garlic or an equal amount of fresh chives.
Dijon mustard. To emulsify the vinaigrette and add sharpness.
Mayonnaise. The original recipe makes you whip up a homemade mayonnaise, but I find that using a high-quality pre-made brand is an easy shortcut that’s still super flavorful.
Crème fraîche. To add some acidity to the chive dressing. If you can’t find any where you live, simply substitute it with an equal amount of full-fat sour cream.
Lemon juice.
Fresh garlic.
Canned field peas. You can use any variety of canned pea or bean you prefer for this recipe, but I find that black-eyed peas, butter beans, and cannellini beans work the best.
Fried okra. Instead of making fried okra from scratch, I like to purchase a small side order from my local barbecue restaurant. If you can’t find them anywhere, you can opt for some toasted sourdough croutons or my favorite cornbread croutons instead. It won’t have quite as much flavor as the original but will be more like a delicious summer panzanella!
Corn. Silver Queen corn is my favorite variety, though yellow or bi-color corn are great as well.
Bacon. For this recipe, I like to use a thick-cut smoked bacon for maximum flavor and texture. If you feel like it, bacon can also be substituted for crispy prosciutto, pancetta, or guanciale.
Kosher salt and fresh black pepper.

How to Make Tomato Salad

For this recipe, I simplified each step as much as possible to minimize effort and maximize flavor. Despite this, there are still a few key tips and tricks you should keep in mind—here’s a quick step-by-step breakdown:

Make the chive dressing. Just whisk together the mayo, crème fraîche, and aromatics until smooth and store in the fridge until ready to serve.
Make the balsamic vinaigrette and marinate the tomatoes. You can make the vinaigrette by hand, but I prefer to use an immersion blender for the smoothest texture. Once blended, just toss the tomatoes with that vinaigrette until well combined and set aside.
Prepare the bacon and corn. While the tomatoes rest, cook up the bacon in a cast iron skillet until crisp, then sauté the corn kernels in the remaining fat until charred and cooked through.
Assemble, mix, and serve. Once cooled, add all of the toppings to the marinated tomatoes and toss until well combined, then serve with the chive dressing and enjoy!

Serving Suggestions

This tomato salad is the ultimate summer side, and while I could eat it all on it’s own, here are a few ways to elevate it even more:

Add grilled shrimp, chicken, or steak.
Top with homemade crab cakes or salmon.
Stir into pasta.
Serve with toasted sourdough or cornbread croutons.
Add avocado, mozzarella, roasted red peppers, or other toppings.
Serve with potato salad and deviled eggs at a summer grill out.

Storage & Make-Ahead Instructions

Make-Ahead Instructions. The chive dressing can be prepared up to two days in advance, and the balsamic vinaigrette can be made up to 5 days ahead of time. I do not recommend slicing the tomatoes or vegetables in advance, as they will oxidize and lose flavor.
Storage instructions. If stored in an airtight container, leftover tomato salad will last for 2-3 days in the fridge. If you have leftovers, I recommend storing the fried okra and chive dressing separately from the salad to maintain their texture and flavor.

If you give this recipe a try, I would love to see how it turned out—be sure to tag me @gourmae.cafe on Instagram, and leave any questions you have in the comments. Happy cooking!

Tomato Salad with Chive Aioli

This is the ultimate tomato salad—it's loaded with sweet summer tomatoes, fried okra, and corn, then everything gets topped off with a fresh balsamic vinaigrette and homemade chive aioli. It's packed with fresh produce and is the perfect side dish for any summer grill out or gathering!

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Course: Salad

Prep Time: 1

Servings:

Author: Mae Martin

Ingredients

For the tomato salad

1 pound (450g) cherry tomatoes, halved
1 pound (about 2 medium or 450g) beefsteak heirloom tomatoes, roughly chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 cup (260g) canned field peas, rinsed and drained I prefer black-eyed peas, butter beans, or cannellini beans
1 to 1 ½ cups fried okra, chopped into bite-sized pieces can substitute with sourdough croutons
2 ears yellow or Silver Queen corn, kernels cut from the cob
3 slices thick-cut applewood-smoked bacon can substitute with ⅔ cup crumbled bacon bites
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

For the chive dressing

½ cup good-quality mayonnaise, such as Duke's or Hellman's
2 tablespoons crème fraîche or full-fat sour cream
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 ½ tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
1 small garlic clove, peeled and grated (about ¼ teaspoon)
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly black pepper, to taste

For the balsamic vinaigrette

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon finely chopped green onion, can substitute with 1 tablespoon fresh chives or 1 small garlic clove
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Make the chive dressing. Stir together the mayo, crème fraîche, lemon juice, chives, garlic, salt, and pepper until smooth. Taste and adjust for seasoning, then cover and chill for at least 20 mins or up to 2 days.
Make the balsamic vinaigrette. To a small blender, add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, chives, green onions, and Dijon mustard with a pinch of kosher salt and pepper. Blend until smooth, then taste to adjust for seasoning. Use immediately or store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Add the chopped cherry tomatoes and beefsteak tomatoes to a large bowl. Add black pepper and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, then pour over half of the balsamic vinaigrette. Stir until evenly combined, then cover and set aside to marinate at room temperature while you prepare the other ingredients.
Prepare the toppings. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon to the pan and cook until crisp, turning halfway through. Allow the bacon to drain on paper towels, then crumble and set aside.
Reserve 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat and add the corn kernels to the same pan. Add a pinch of salt and cook for 5-8 minutes, stirring often until lightly charred and brown. Scrape the corn into a bowl and set aside to cool.
Alternatively, you can cook the bacon and corn in the oven. Preheat the oven to 400℉, then toss the corn kernels in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Evenly space the bacon slices onto one baking sheet, then add the corn kernels to the other baking sheet. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until the bacon is crisp and the corn is golden brown. Set aside to cool.
Assemble. To the bowl of marinated tomatoes, add the drained peas, fried okra, crumbled bacon, and cooled corn. Fold in the fresh chopped basil. Taste and adjust for seasoning, adding more salt, pepper, or balsamic vinaigrette if needed. Remove the chive dressing from the fridge and dollop over the salad as desired.
Serve the salad immediately with more balsamic vinaigrette and chive dressing.
Leftover salad will last up to 2-3 days in the fridge if stored in an airtight container. If not serving on the same day, store the salad separate from the chive dressing and fried okra to maintain their texture and flavor.

The Ultimate Tomato Salad with Chive Aioli