Name: Tomato and Onion Salad (Sicilian Style, Never Soggy)
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 3 cups medium-sized tomatoes (Campari, Roma, Heirloom, etc.) (cut into bite sized wedges); ½ red onion (thinly sliced); 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice; 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar; 2 tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped); 1 tablespoon fresh mint (chopped); 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; ½ teaspoon sea salt (plus more for salting tomatoes); ¼ teaspoon black pepper; ¼ teaspoon sumac (optional)

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A tomato and onion salad is a simple Sicilian dish made with fresh tomatoes, red onion, olive oil, and fresh herbs. This traditional recipe uses a key technique, salting the tomatoes, which keeps the salad from becoming watery!

Prep Time
15 Minutes

Total Time
15 Minutes

Servings
4 Side Salads

Tomato and red onion salad on a serving plate covered in an olive oil and herb dressing.

Why This Tomato and Onion Salad Works

Salting the tomatoes keeps the tomato and onion salad from becoming watery!
Marinating the red onions in lemon juice softens their flavor.
Bright colors make this salad a showstopper for a mezze platter or special occasions.

Quick Answers

How Do I Select the Perfect Tomato?

You will want to stick with a firm medium-sized tomato, preferably off the vine. My favorites are heirlooms, Campari, and Romas. What matters most is the firmness; if there is too much give, then the tomato will give off more water than you are expecting.

How to Keep Tomato Wedges from Being Soggy?

The Sicilian secret is to salt the wedges in a colander and let them sit for ten minutes. This simple step draws out excess water and keeps the firm texture and sweet flavor!

What do I serve a Tomato and Onion Salad with?

I usually serve my tomato onion salad when it is warm outside. It pairs well with lighter meals, such as lemon garlic pasta or focaccia bread topped with fruit and vegan cheeses. I also like to serve this salad on special occasions, particularly during the spring holidays and as part of a Mediterranean mezze.

Is This Like a Cava Tomato and Onion Salad?

This is a traditional Sicilian recipe and not a Cava copycat. The ingredients are similar, and you can create a Cava-style tomato relish; simply dice the tomato and onions into small pieces. I recommend a vegetable chopper for this; it’s fast and easy! Once you’re done, you can top your falafel, hummus, and Arab rice just like a Cava vegan bowl!

A picture of Ruth Grindeland the owner, recipe developer and content creator at Sinful Kitchen.

The Tomato and Red Onion Salad that Takes me Back to Sicily

This tomato and red onion salad (Insalata di Pomodori e Cipolle) takes me back to my first trip to Sicily. It was me and my backpack with a dedicated three weeks on the island.

I loved that meals were often a few simple, high-quality ingredients, made with love, and the result was better than anything I could have imagined. This tomato salad is one of the meals I ate over and over again. I still do, just now in Denver, Colorado.

With Love, Ruth

Key Tomato and Onion Salad Ingredient Notes

Fresh Herbs

Parsley and mint bring this tomato and onion salad alive! Which is why you want to use fresh parsley and mint, and never dried!

Fresh Tomatoes

For this tomato salad, you want to choose firm, medium to large. They must be strong enough to cut into wedges and retain their structure. I prefer vine-ripened tomatoes. I find they have the richest flavor!

Red Onion

Red onions can have a sharp flavor. In some cases, too sharp. To mellow out the onion, while keeping its flavor, we are going to soak it in lemon juice. Now, if red onion is not your thing, that’s okay, substitute it with your favorite onion. (My mom used to make this with green onions.)

How to Make tomato and Onion Salad (Sicilian Style)

Step One: Prepare the Tomatoes

Rinse and dry the tomatoes. Cut in half, then place the flat side down and cut into wedges (each tomato should give you 6 wedges). Cut the cores out of each wedge.
Place the tomatoes in a colander and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon sea salt. Let them sit for 10 minutes to draw out excess water. Pat them dry with a paper towel before adding to the salad.

Wedged tomatoes that have been salted and are in a colander.

Step Two: Marinate the Onions

Place thinly sliced onions in a small bowl.
Pour the lemon juice and let it sit for 10 minutes. Drain before adding to the salad.

Red onions cut into slivers and marinating in lemon juice.

Step Three: Assemble the Salad

In a large bowl, toss together the salted tomatoes, marinated onions, parsley, and mint.
Drizzle the tomato and onion salad with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. If you can wait, let the salad sit for five minutes before serving.

Tomato wedges that have been tossed with red onions in a bowl. The salad has been tossed with an olive oil, parsley, mint, and oregano dressing.

More Recipes to Try

Additions & Pairings

Additions

Cucumbers are a natural fit. Before adding them, I recommend scooping out the seeds to remove excess water. Then cut them into a similar size to the tomatoes. (If you want something with more Mediterranean flavors, try my Greek cucumber salad.)
Feta cheese crumbles give this salad another layer of flavor. I recommend the Follow Your Heart dairy-free feta crumbles. They are my favorite!
Kalamata olives can add a briny flavor that pairs perfectly with a Mediterranean salad! Just remember to remove the pits or buy kalamata olives pitted.

Close-up of the Sicilian tomato and onion salad on a long plate with wooden spoons.

Perfect Pairings

Serve this tomato and onion salad as part of a Mediterranean mezze.
Toast Turkish bread and cut it into thick cubes for a panzanella-style salad.
Use a variety of tomatoes and colors for the visual wows!

How to Store This Recipe

You can store this salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days. But it is important to note that, over time, the tomatoes will shed water, making this salad watery. For this reason, I recommend eating it within two hours of making it.

How Did It Go?

I hope you love this fresh tomato and onion salad ((Insalata di Pomodori e Cipolle) as much as I do! Before you go, please leave me a rating and let me know your thoughts on this recipe. Your feedback is valuable to other readers and me.

More Recipes Featuring Tomatoes….

Try Ciambotta, an Italian summer stew. Each vegetable is sautéed separately, allowing it to keep its texture and flavor. It’s extra work, and oh so worth it!
Want to cook the tomatoes without onions? Try air fryer tomatoes. It intensifies the flavor, and they are ready in a few minutes!