Stacked Tomato Salad
A philosophical salad, the Stacked Tomato Salad. Rich and herbaceous with a pop of sweet balsamic vinegar!
Sometimes the best, most flavorful things are the simplest.
This philosophy seems to cover, well, life in general. Legendary artist Hans Hofmann once said, The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.
I know many families have been hanging onto an economic life raft over the last decade. Yet through this, a bouquet of lovely realizations have blossomed.
How much does one really need to be happy? Is happiness dependent on your house, cars, wardrobe, or vacations? (I’m secretly tempted to scream YES to the last one, although I know it’s not true.)
The truth is, happiness is a state of mind.
I’ve traveled abroad enough to see first hand that billions of individuals world-wide, live an entire lifetime with much less than Americans, yet are completely satisfied.
I’ve met families that lived in utterly wretched conditions, but found true joy in faith and family.
Happiness is a choice we make everyday. I’d like to believe I had full-grasp of this before the economic crisis a few years back, but we all need a good sifting every now and again.
I make a point to give thanks on a daily basis for the things I have that truly matter… My sweet husband that supports me in whatever hair-brained project I take on. My precious children who, even on their worst days, are absolute gifts from above. My parents, wise and steadfast. Friends who know my heart beyond words and miles. These represent my new understanding of true prosperity.
Over the last few years I have been on a rampage to simplify my life. Taking on fewer, but more gratifying projects, less meaningless activities, less waste, even simpler meals.
This is not the first, and surely won’t be the last time I’ll ramble on about this. Yet I find it makes the things you hold on to, so much more precious!
Today I’m serving an elegant little Stacked Tomato Salad with a bare-bones mentality. No elaborate dressing or ostentatious ingredients… Just five simple items that do very well on their own, thank you!
Last summer when our heirloom tomatoes came in, I felt that the only way to improve their natural perfection, might be the addition of goat cheese. A drizzle of high-quality balsamic vinegar was the cherry on top.
Stacked Tomato Salad can be prepared in just moments. Make sure to purchase soft and silky chevre goat cheese and thick aged balsamic vinegar. I find it’s hard to get really good balsamic at our regular grocery stores.
I went to a specialty store to find what I was looking for, a syrupy vinegar aged 25 years. You can swirl the bottle and watch it coat the glass! This vinegar is sweet on it’s own, and so smooth I could literally drink it out of the bottle. Not at all harsh like some you find at the grocery. Good balsamic can act as a stand-alone dressing without the need of oil and seasoning.
Stacked Tomato Salad with a slather of goat cheese and herbs and a drizzle of good balsamic vinegar, is a real treat when tomatoes are in season.
Check out our recipe card below!
Stacked Tomato Salad
Ingredients
- 4 ripe medium-sized tomatoes
- 10 ounces soft goat cheese, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped herbs (thyme, chive, rosemary…)
- Good balsamic vinegar for drizzling
- Salt
Instructions
- Mix the fresh herbs into the goat cheese.
- Slice the tomatoes into 4 thick rounds. Sprinkle each tomato round with salt. Gently slather the layers of each tomato with the goat cheese mixture.
- Stack the rounds to reassemble the tomato. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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I am not a fan of goat cheese. Could you suggest another type. Your recipe looks easy and delicious.
Hi Marge!
You could go with ricotta cheese, or even cream cheese. Happy Cooking! :)
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These flavors are so great!! Perfect for summer too!
Looks too pretty to eat!! Great colors
I love that you kept the stems on. So so cute!
Hello!!! I saw your tomato at Foodista. I really like it. I also saw your other blogs and they sound great. Looking forward to more of your food blogs links in
Foodista.
Definetely I am trying this!
I love beets and this dish is a work of art!!
I love tomatoes and goat cheese! Such a beautiful presentation too! I love that you kept the stems in tack, almost too cute to eat!
What a fun post! I love the look of this salad. So beautiful!
This salad may be simple, but it presents so well! And I love your attitude on life, simplicity and happiness :)
Hmmm….I don't think it would surprise you now, if I said I love bleeders in food – stuff that "bleed" their gorgeous colours into stuff around them …. blueberries, plums, beets, saffron. Get the picture?
These are no less beautiful for all their simplicity – of course, I love the beet stack, just a bit more ;)
Wow, wow, WOW! Super cool stacks! I've never made a stack of food, but this looks like something I could very easily get down with! I am a little afraid of beets, but with the goat cheese thrown in there?? I am pretty sure I will woof it down! Also, I hear you on the simplicity front….I have also tried to make my life as 'simple' as possible. Makes for less complications and an ability to focus on the wonderful things!
great stack, I loe the last pic of the beet color running into the goat cheese… I agree really do we need all the material things, yes they are nice- but I don't need the debt lingering over my head…
sweetlife
This is gorgeous!
Love those roasted beets! Very artistic and colorful. Simplicity rules!
I would love to feature these in the Examiner and link back to you – with your permission.
I do adore beets with goat cheese – the stacking them is brilliant. I am totally doing that. This post really spoke to me. Over the years, I crave simplicity more and more and more. More things go out the door. Fewer things come in. Recipes are scaled down… life is appreciated. Gratitude is practiced.
The presentations are just too cute!
Wowzers. Never saw a towering salad before.
Beautiful…congrats on Top9!
I just got an idea! It could be nice to make it of small cherry tomatoes also. To serve at a brunch for example. Great post!
Sommer…I for one, not only agree but can also appreciate the message you are so creatively trying to pass along.
Everything looks so incredibly appetizing ;o)
Ciao for now and flavourful wishes,
Claudia
hi Sommer
those stacks are a stoke of genius! they are gorgeous! what a perfect summertime treat, with all that lovely goat cheese !
thanks so much for sharing
Dennus
Dear Sommer – Less is more and you've hit the nail on the head. Especially in the West where we tend to hoard to worldly possessions like our life depends on it – when it doesn't. I am right there with you!
The stacked veggies are a perfect example of less is more. Love your para on the balsamic vinegar. I have never gone and purchased a thick 25 year old aged one before but now I will.
Excellent post – you've put into words what most of us think about but don't often voice ;)
Hugs, Devaki @ weavethousandflavors
You are absolutely correct, it's the simple things in life that make me happiest, and this recipe makes me very happy! Thanks for sharing!
Gorgeous! And, a fabulous salad. Looks like our heirlooms reseeded themselves – fortunately. I'm hoping to have some Black Brandywines soon… Congrats on the top 9 too :-)
These are gorgeous, Sommer! I wish I loved goat cheese as much as you – I should give it another try with a good brand. We did just get some very lovely syrupy balsamic, though, which will be perfect on a version of this I am making for dinner tonight (with mozz, though ( : ). I would not have thought of stacking the beets like this, very creative and sounds delicious!
I think this is my first time to your site…it's lovely! Enjoyed your quotes and heartfelt expression about happiness. Both tomato and beet stacks are works of art and luv the use of goat cheese. Beautifully done.
Ohh that looks delicious!! I just made eggplant stacks last night. Yours look so fresh and tasty =) Glad I came across your site!!
This is an awesome idea! Gotta give it a try next time to surprise my parents-in-law!
Good God, woman, those are two mighty awesome stacks of goodness –bravo!!!
Thanks for stopping by, appreciate it.
Oh, and happiness is measured in how many truly extraordinary fresh tomatoes one consumes in a life. You know this, I am sure.
Congrats on making the top 9!
Looks great. My kids are super eaters and will taste anything but don't care for tomatos. This may change their mind.
Plan B
How creative is that…they also sound delicious:)
Wow, love the idea of stacking, it sure makes the presentation very nice.
These look really great!I think I might just try these out for dinner.
very creative with the beets–I love it's earthiness and pretty color
Hello! I just picked beets from my garden a few days ago and have been trying to figure out what to do with them – and then I read your email! Talk about timely! I am going to make the Beet Stack tonight! Love the quotes in this post.
THis is me bowing down to you, I am not worthy. I am so making both of these, thanks so much for the idea.
Wonderful presentation. Love it!
What a wonderful way to serve tomatoes or beets. The presentation is wonderful. I'll wager the execution is delicious. Have a great day. Blessings…Mary
Lovely stacked salads. Creatively presented.
Hey Sommer, this is simple, and I love all of the ingredients. Now I just need to be able to find some decent tomatoes or beets (smile)…
What great ideas! Who does't love goat cheese? I really like the use of beets. The presentation is so impressive!
These tomato stack salads look fun to eat and of course delicious! I would also like to try the beets this way, yum!
Very cool idea. We haven't gotten beets in our CSA share, but I was wondering what new stuff I might do with them. This will work well.
Jason
Wow! I love that! Simple, beautiful and delicious. These are the best kind of recipes in my opinion.
Those are so pretty they almost look like desserts! Love it :-)
beautiful and a great presentation for beets.
I think you could win a food contest with this!
great idea. I love the stacking and filling.