Posted on
by 
0 Comments
Sometimes you have one of those days when your body is very clearly telling you that vegetables would be a good idea. For me, this tomato salad with bell pepper was born after a photoshoot involving far too many cookies. And yes, obviously I had to taste them. Occupational hazard, right?
After all that sugar I was craving something fresh, crunchy and colorful. Enter this super easy tomato salad with bell pepper and pomegranate. It’s juicy, slightly sweet, wonderfully fresh and packed with vegetables. Plus, you can have it on the table in about 10 minutes.
Table of contents
Tip from Simone
Use tomatoes and bell peppers in different colors if you can. It makes this simple salad look instantly more exciting and gives you an easy way to add a good amount of vegetables to your meal. The pomegranate seeds add a delicious sweet-tart crunch.
It’s perfect as a side dish with dinner, but also delicious for lunch. Want to turn it into a more substantial meal? Add chickpeas, lentils, feta or some grilled chicken.
Recipe Ingredients
You only need a handful of ingredients for this tomato salad with bell pepper and pomegranate.
- Cherry tomatoes – I use about 150 grams of cherry tomatoes. Different colors look especially pretty, but regular red cherry tomatoes work just as well. You can also use larger tomatoes and chop them into bite-sized pieces.
- Bell pepper – any color will work. Red, orange and yellow peppers are a little sweeter, while green bell pepper has a slightly more bitter flavor. Using a mix is delicious too.
- Pomegranate seeds – these give the tomato salad a lovely fresh, sweet-tart flavor and a bit of crunch. No pomegranate? Try some finely chopped apple or a handful of berries instead.
- Basil – fresh basil works beautifully with the tomatoes. Flat-leaf parsley, mint or cilantro are good alternatives.
- Radish cress – this adds a little peppery kick. You can leave it out or replace it with another type of cress or some arugula.
- Sweet vinegar – use your favorite sweet vinegar for the dressing. Balsamic vinegar is a good alternative.
- Olive oil – use a good extra virgin olive oil as the dressing is very simple and you’ll definitely taste it.
- Salt and pepper – to bring all those fresh flavors together.
How To Make Tomato Salad with Bell Pepper
This salad really is simplicity itself. You chop all the ingredients into smaller parts, mix the ingredients for the dressing and combine the two. That’s all there is to it. I love eating this also with some salty feta. That is delicious and makes it instantly more filling.
I’ve noted this one as being for one person, but it obviously depends on wether you use this as a side dish or what you’re going to add.
More Vegetables, More Flavor
One of the easiest ways to eat more vegetables is to make sure they’re actually delicious. Sounds obvious, but a sad bowl of lettuce isn’t going to convince anyone.
This tomato salad with bell pepper is a great base for adding even more vegetables. Cucumber works really well here, as does finely sliced red onion, radish or some grilled zucchini. You could also serve the salad on a bed of arugula or baby spinach.
And because the tomatoes, bell pepper and pomegranate bring plenty of color to the table, it already feels a little more special than your average side salad.
Storing Tomato Salad with Pomegranate
This salad tastes best when freshly made. You can keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 1-2 days, although the tomatoes will become softer and release more liquid over time.
If you want to prepare the salad ahead, chop the tomatoes and bell pepper and store them separately in the fridge. Make the dressing and keep that in a small jar. Add the pomegranate, herbs and dressing just before serving.
Can you freeze tomato salad?
No, I wouldn’t recommend freezing this salad. Both tomatoes and bell peppers lose their crisp texture after freezing and thawing. Luckily, the salad takes only about 10 minutes to make fresh.
FAQ Tomato Salad
Yes, but for the best texture I recommend keeping the dressing separate. Prepare the vegetables a few hours ahead and add the dressing, basil and cress just before serving.
Finely chopped apple is a good option if you still want that sweet and crunchy element. You could also leave the pomegranate out altogether. The tomato salad with bell pepper is delicious without it too.
I prefer red, yellow or orange bell peppers as they are naturally sweet and work really well with the tomatoes and pomegranate. A combination of colors makes the salad extra pretty.
Add a source of protein such as chickpeas, lentils, feta, mozzarella, grilled chicken or fish. You can also serve the salad with some crusty bread or roasted potatoes.
The fresh flavors make this salad an easy side dish for grilled chicken, fish or meat. It also works really well as part of a barbecue or summer buffet.
More tomato salads
Grilled Courgette Salad with Feta and Tomatoes
Recipe card Tomato Salad with Bell Pepper
Tomato Salad with Bell Pepper
Ingredients
- 150 gr cherry tomatoes in various colours
- 75 gr bell pepper in small pieces, various colors if you have
- 75 gr pomegranate seeds
- basil
- radish cress
Dressing:
- 2 tbsp sweet vinegar
- 2 tbsp of olive oil
- pepper/salt
Instructions
- Cut the tomatoes in small pieces and the bell peppers too. Add to a bowl and mix with the pomegranate
- Add the basil and the radish cress
- Make the dressing by mixing the ingredients. taste if it needs anything else and eat straight away!
Nutrition Information per portion:
Disclaimer:
The nutritional values above are calculated per portion. The details are based on standard nutritional tables and do not constitute a professional nutritional advice.
