This simple tomato salad recipe combines sweet tomatoes, creamy feta cheese, and fragrant fresh herbs for an easy side dish you’ll make all summer long!

For a 10ish-minute recipe, this tomato feta salad packs layers upon layers of sunny Mediterranean flavor. Two whole cups of chopped parsley and dill brings freshness. Big hunks of feta cheese add a tangy, luxurious touch, raw red onion adds a satisfying bite, and a lively citrus dressing perks everything up.
Inspired by summer classics like Caprese and Mediterranean Cucumber and Tomato Salad, I keep things simple to give the juicy summer tomatoes center stage. But what makes this salad unique is a final sprinkling of sumac, a Mediterranean spice that adds sweet-tart notes. Feel free to use lemon zest if you don’t have any on-hand, though it’s well-worth seeking out!
Table of Contents
What You Need to Make Tomato Salad
The secret to making this tomato feta salad sing is using the best in-season ingredients:
- Tomatoes: Vine ripe, heirloom, Roma or a combination of the three can add color and flavor variety. Orange and yellow tomatoes tend to be less acidic. You could even throw in some halved cherry or grape tomatoes if you’d like.
- Onion and garlic: Bring the savory element.
- Fresh herbs: I used parsley and dill, but you could also throw in a bit of fresh mint or basil if you like.
- Seasoning: Kosher salt, black pepper, and a big dash of tangy sumac. Sumac is a spice that’s stocked in the typical Mediterranean pantry. You can leave it out, order it from our shop, or substitute with fresh lemon zest.
- Lemon and white wine vinegar: Add brightness while lightly marinating the tomatoes and onions.
- Extra virgin olive oil: A major flavor component of this dish. Use a smooth olive oil full of personality but not too bitter, like our Early Harvest Greek Extra Virgin olive oil.
How to Make Tomato Feta Salad
I make this tomato salad the same way many home-cooked meals are thrown together on a sunny day near the Mediterranean Sea. There’s no need to measure every last pinch, whisk the dressing separately, or really do much fussing. Simply grab a big bowl or platter and get started:
- Prep the ingredients, adding them to a large salad or mixing bowl as you go. Slice 6-7 ripe tomatoes into wedges. Halve and thinly slice 1 medium red onion into half-moons. Mince 3 garlic cloves. Chop enough parsley leaves and tender stems to make 1 packed cup, and enough fresh dill fronds for 1 cup (discard the stems, or save for vegetable broth). Give everything a good toss.
- Dress the salad. Add 2 1/2 teaspoons sumac, a good pinch of salt and pepper, 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar, and 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil. Squeeze in the juice of 1 lemon. Toss to combine, taste, and add more salt and pepper to your liking.
- Serve. Transfer to a serving platter or bowl. Top with large pieces of quality feta cheese. Enjoy!
How to Select and Store Tomatoes
If you’re making this salad within a few days of buying tomatoes, store them on your counter (not your fridge). The fridge tends to dull tomatoes’ delicate flavor. Here are a few handy tips for how to pick the best tomatoes:
- Look for tomatoes that are plump and heavy for their size. This is a good sign that they’ll be juicy.
- Heirloom varieties, however, can be multi-colored, ridged, and have deep grooves and that’s OK.
- The skin should be smooth without bruises or deep, open cracks.
- Give them a very gentle squeeze to confirm they’re still fairly firm but with some give.
- Smell the tomatoes where the stem was attached. It should be fragrant and should smell somewhat sweet and earthy.
What to Serve with Tomato Feta Salad
I could eat this for lunch all by myself, but sharing is a Mediterranean value so why not invite some friends over and have a party! I like to serve this salad on a big platter in the center of my table with crusty bread. The tomatoes release their juices, resulting in a flavorful, herbal liquid begging you to sop it up with good bread. I’m telling you it’s almost as good as the salad. Almost!
- Keep it simple and snacky by serving tomato feta salad with crusty bread from the store to capture all the juice—or better yet, make some freshly baked pita or focaccia.
- For the main course, the freshness and bold flavors of this tomato salad pair well with summery grilled meat and fish like grilled chicken thighs, Skewered Chicken Spiedini, or grilled salmon.
- For a vegetarian meal, serve tomato feta salad with your favorite grain. Try Spanakorizo (Greek spinach rice), Spanish rice and beans, or mujadara (lentils and rice with crispy onions).
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Tomato Salad with Feta and Fresh Herbs
Ingredients
- 6 to 7 medium ripe tomatoes, sliced into wedges (on-the-vine tomatoes or heirloom tomatoes preferred)
- 1 medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 packed cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
- 1 packed cup chopped fresh dill
- 2 1/2 teaspoons sumac
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Feta cheese, to your liking
Instructions
- Mix the salad. In a large salad or mixing bowl, gently toss together the tomatoes, onion, garlic, parsley, and dill.
- Dress the salad. Add the sumac and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the lemon juice, white wine vinegar, and extra virgin olive oil. Toss to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking.
- Serve. Transfer to a serving platter or bowl. Top with large pieces of quality feta cheese. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including the olive oil and sumac used in this recipe.
- Storage: Store leftovers in a tight-lid container in the fridge for 2 days, but this salad is best served fresh and eaten right away. (Tomatoes don’t like the fridge.)
- If you don’t have sumac: Order this versatile spice from our shop, leave it off, or grate in fresh lemon zest in its place.
Nutrition
* This post originally appeared on The Mediterranean Dish in 2016 and has been recently updated with new information and media for readers benefit.
So fresh and flavorful! Bible study pot luck hit!
Yess! Thanks, Felicia!
Absolutely delicious – the fresh herbs really make this dish!
I am from Canada and would have loved to receive your shop products. I understand you don’t ship to Canada?
Hi, Carolyn. I’m so sorry that we don’t ship to Canada at the moment. We’ve been researching it for a few years now and have yet to find a way that’s both efficient and economical. It is something we’re really hoping to do at some point, though, so we’ll keep working on it.
Hi,
Looks delicious. Can I substitute wine vinegar with something that’s not alcoholic.
Regards,
AM
Hi, Abdul! Devin here from The Mediterranean Dish team. Feel free to use fresh lemon juice. Happy cooking!
Delicious salad!!! Some good quality bread is a must to soak up that delicious dressing and juices from the tomatoes! I added some cucumber and mint as well. The video however doesn’t show the addition of garlic? Just wanted to make sure I should be adding it, thanks!
Hi, Effy! Yes… definitely add the garlic if that is something you enjoy!
Went really well with a za’atar rubbed lamb steak and mashed potato
Awesome recipe awesome website
Thanks so much, Jerry!
I would give this 5 stars. I had heirloom tomatoes so needed to manage the extra moisture but …..the flavors…..outstanding…..
So fresh and good! Just love your recipes so easy.
I can’t find the video that made the red onion have less of a bite. You soaked it in something just don’t remember.
Hi, Alice. You can soak onions in cold water or some vinegar to help tame them a bit.
I made this recipe a while back and it was so fresh and delicious. I remember you did something to take the bite out of the red onion just don’t remember what it was.
Hi, Alice. Just marinating them in the citrus dressing will help calm that bite :).
Does the type of parsley used matter (i.e. flat vs curly leaf, etc)?
Hi, Elizabeth. No, it doesn’t matter too much. We just find Italian, flat-leaf parsley a bit more flavorful.
This is sooo good! The only feta in my area has been cow milk but I found some when shopping elsewhere that was with sheep’s milk It is so much better!
I added cucumber because I had an english one I needed to use.
Thanks so much, Colleen!
Outstanding. I used a much smaller amount of parsley and fresh dill because the fresh parsley was just too strong. I made this as a side dish along your recipe of garlic parmesan baked flounder. I’m a single person so these recipes are easy for me to modify. Thanks‼️
So glad you enjoyed it, Barbara!
Decided to try another one of your salads, and it’s delicious! I used cherry tomatoes so I have the sweetness since they’re not in season right now. I absolutely love the fresh herbs in your salad recipes, and the shirazi salad is still my favorite.
Thanks, Meliss!