Bean and Tomato Salad

The tomatoes are starting to come in fast and furious. We’re now harvesting daily.

With different varieties, there are different uses. In the grand scheme of things, they’re all interchangeable, but they all have characteristics that make them better at some things than others. The San Marzanos are perfect for sauce. The Principe Borghese are perfect for sun-drying. The Black Krim, Yellow, and Green Stripe are perfect for salads and sandwiches.

And they all combine well.

Tonight, we made a bean salad using a homemade sauce from the San Marzanos, mixed with beans, served over Black Krims, and topped with sun-dried Principe Borghese.

Bean and Tomato Salad

What a treat!

The concept for the bean recipe came from Bon Appetit.

Tomato and Bean Salad

  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • 1 can beans, drained and rinsed
  • 3 green onions, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • salt & pepper, to taste
  • thick sliced heirloom tomatoes
  • sun-dried tomatoes
  • grated parmigiano

Mix tomato sauce, beans, green onions, garlic, oregano, and red wine vinegar. Taste and add salt and pepper, as needed.

Arrange thick-sliced heirloom tomatoes on plate. Top with bean mixture. Sprinkle with parmigiano and top with sun-dried tomatoes.

For the sun-dried tomatoes…

Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Dried Tomatoes

Slice tomatoes in half and lay out cut-side up on a lined baking sheet. Lightly sprinkle with salt.

Place in a 225°F oven for 2 1/2 hours.

After 2 1/2 hours, remove from oven and flatten with a small spatula.

Return to oven for an addition 2 1/2 hours or until dried to your preference.

You can turn off the oven and leave them in overnight.

Store in refrigerator.

If you’re growing some smaller tomatoes, this is a great way to preserve them when they start coming in faster than you can eat them. The tomato flavor just explodes in your mouth.

Perfection.