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A bright salad with cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and tiny pearls of mozzarella, tossed together with a zippy dressing.

Serves2 to 4

Makesabout 3 cups

Prep20 minutes

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Why You’ll Love Our Cherry Tomato Salad 

• It’s light and bright. Rather than a more traditional dressing emulsified with mustard, the dressing in this recipe uses just a small amount of honey to hold it together. This keeps the salad from becoming heavy and the bright flavor from becoming muted. 
• The cherry tomatoes are the star. All the components in the salad work around the tomatoes to ensure they shine. Moreover, the tomato’s juices blend with the dressing, carrying their flavor through every bite. 

There’s nothing quite like tomato season. Farm stands and farmers markets are overflowing with nearly every variety you can image, everyone that so patiently waited for the tomato plants they planted in the spring to bear fruit can finally reap what they sowed, and if you’re a New Jersey native like me, you’re spending at least half your day explaining that the best tomatoes do in fact come from New Jersey. Whether you have a tomato plant you’re trying to keep up with or just can’t pass up a pint at the store, this salad is the perfect way to use up that plethora of peak-season cherry tomatoes. 

This cherry tomato salad is simple, made in just one bowl, and puts the sweetness and flavor of peak-season tomatoes at the forefront. The dressing is flavorful on its own, yet isn’t overpowering and instead makes the tomatoes shine. With red onion, fresh basil, and plump little pearls of mozzarella, the salad is filling enough to have on its own as a light lunch (pro tip: adding a few handfuls of arugula makes it even better), but also makes the perfect side to any protein you choose. 

Straight from Our Recipe Tester

“The dressing brought so much flavor to this simple salad, and the mozzarella pearls were the perfect size for getting a little bit of everything in each bite. Since there are only a handful of ingredients, I recommend using the best cherry tomatoes and basil you can find; they really make the salad shine.” —Jan, June 2026

Why You Should Trust Me

With years of experience recipe testing and developing, many of my savory recipes focus on fresh, in-season produce and making the most of it. And as a born-and-raised Jersey girl, I know how to get the most out of my peak-season tomatoes. 

Key Ingredients in Cherry Tomato Salad 

• Cherry tomatoes: Take care to use the best cherry tomatoes you can get your hands on. Their sweetness in contrast with the zippy dressing is what makes the salad so delicious. 
• Mozzarella pearls: These little, bite-size balls of cheese are not only fun to eat, but are also similar in size to the halved tomatoes, ensuring you get the perfect ratio of ingredients in every bite. 
• Red onion: Provides texture and a slight sharpness that’s much welcome against the sweet tomatoes and milky cheese.
• Fresh basil: Classically paired with tomatoes, its sweet herbaceousness rounds out the salad. 
• Garlic: A little goes a long way here because it’s grated. If you prefer something more mild, you can either use a smaller clove or mince the garlic. 
• Red wine vinegar: Less sweet than balsamic, red wine vinegar’s acidity brings out more of the tomato’s sweetness without competing too much.
• Lemon juice: In combination with the vinegar, it gives the salad the bright kick it needs without becoming too acidic. 

How to Make Cherry Tomato Salad

1. Make the dressing. Whisk together grated garlic, red wine vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, honey, kosher salt, and black pepper in a large bowl. 
2. Add the tomatoes, onion, and mozzarella. Toss until the tomatoes begin to release their sweet juices and mix with the dressing. 
3. Finish with fresh basil. Toss some into the salad, and sprinkle some on top as a garnish. Finely chopped ensures you get some in every bite, but feel free to tear it into larger pieces if you prefer. 

Helpful Swaps

• Grape tomatoes work in a pinch and taste delicious here. 
• Shallot can be swapped for the red onion. 
• Cubed, fresh mozzarella can be used in place of mozzarella pearls. 

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips 

• The dressing can be made 1 day ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container. Shake or re-whisk before using. 
• Leftover salad can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days. The basil will wilt and the tomatoes will release more of their juices the longer it sits. 

What to Serve with Cherry Tomato Salad

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