Tomato Salad

This German-style tomato salad takes a different approach than the Italian caprese you might be used to. Chopped tomatoes and diced onion sit in a bold dressing of vinegar, oil, sugar, and Worcestershire sauce, chilling for an hour so the flavors meld and the tomatoes release their juices into the dressing.

The Worcestershire sauce is what makes this distinctly German rather than Mediterranean. It adds a fermented, umami depth that vinegar and oil alone can’t achieve. Combined with the sugar (which balances the vinegar’s bite), it creates a sweet-tangy-savory dressing that coats the tomatoes rather than just pooling around them.

Salt draws moisture out of the tomatoes during that hour in the fridge, and those tomato juices mix with the dressing to create a flavorful liquid at the bottom of the bowl. Don’t drain it. That liquid is the best part, soaked up by the lettuce leaves underneath.

Chef Tips

• Use ripe, in-season tomatoes for this. Out-of-season tomatoes are watery and bland, and no amount of dressing will fix that.
• Dice the onion fine. Large onion chunks overpower the tomatoes. Fine dice distributes the sharp, pungent bite evenly.
• Chill for the full hour. The resting time softens the raw onion, develops the herb flavors, and lets the tomato juices blend into the dressing.
• Serve on whole lettuce leaves like cups, not shredded. The leaves catch the dressing and juices.

Variations

• Add sliced cucumbers for extra crunch and freshness.
• Swap dried basil for fresh torn basil leaves added right before serving for a brighter flavor.
• Use red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar for a slightly different tang.