Name: Tomato and Tomatillo Salad with Cilantro-Lime Dressing
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2 vine-ripened tomatoes; 2 small to medium tomatillos; 1 avocado, cubed or sliced (optional); 1 ounce cotija, crumbled (optional); cilantro for garnish; 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, lightly packed; juice of 2 limes (about 2 tablespoons); 1 tablespoon sherry or white wine vinegar; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard; 1/2 teaspoon agave nectar; 1/4 teaspoon sea salt and several grinds pepper

The “dog days of summer” have arrived, and this Fresh Tomato and Tomatillo Salad with Cilantro-Lime Dressing is a perfect way to use vine-ripened or heirloom tomatoes and tangy fresh tomatillos. Drizzled with a cilantro-lime dressing, and garnished with avocado and cotija, you’re going to love this quick and easy, fresh tasting salad recipe!

👩🏻‍🍳 Tamara Talks – Tomatillos and Tomatoes

Roasted tomatillo salsa verde and the fresh tomatillo salsa I grew up on are both awesome, but there’s a lot more to tomatillos than salsa! Recently, I have used them in a pork and tomatillo stew and fish in creamy tomatillo sauce. Both recipes rely on lots of other ingredients.

I wanted to do a recipe that showcases this ubiquitous Mexican fruit alongside the best of late summer tomatoes. This tomato and tomatillo salad, in its simplicity, does just that!

For this salad to shine, you will want to choose beautiful, vine-ripened tomatoes, and young, small tomatillos. “Grocery store” commercially available tomatoes probably won’t be impressive.

How to Choose Tomatillos

Tomatillos are typically green, but you will also find purple and yellow
Choose firm, smooth fruit without blemishes
The husks don’t need to be perfectly intact, but you’ll want to see just a hint of the fruit peeking out!
For this salad, choose smaller tomatillos.

How to Choose the Tomatoes

My best advice? Get out of the grocery store! 😂 That’s not fair… Some markets have lovely heirloom or vine-ripened tomatoes, but farmers’ markets are a great place to look. If you’re lucky, you may have vines in your own garden.
Choose ripe tomatoes with taut, shiny skins, and no bruising. Resist the urge to pinch or squeeze!
A ripe tomato should pass a sniff test – earthy and sweet.

Tomato and Tomatillo Salad

tomatillos
tomatoes
avocado (optional)
cotija (optional)
cilantro

Cilantro-Lime Dressing

cilantro
limes
sherry or white wine vinegar
dijon mustard
agave nectar
olive oil

Ingredients: tomatillos, tomatoes, cotija, cilantro lime juice, olive oil, vinegar...

Make the dressing – Add all ingredients to a food processor. Blend until smooth. Season and set aside.
Prepare the salad ingredients – Thin slice the tomatoes and tomatillos. Crumble the cotija if using. Cube or slice the avocado. Chop the cilantro.
Assemble the salad – Layer the tomatoes and tomatillos on an appropriate platter. Top with avocado if using, then garnish with crumbled cotija and chopped cilantro. Lastly, drizzle with the cilantro-lime dressing.

For purposes of this salad, the tomatillos should be very fresh. However, if you’re using them in a cooked preparation, you can freeze them in zip bags whole until ready to use. They can also be kept in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks in a paper bag.

Is this salad good leftover? Not really. It might be edible, but it’s amazing when it’s fresh!

What can I substitute for cotija? Cotija is a tangy, salty, crumbly cheese. Feta would be a decent substitute.

Make the dressing – Add all ingredients to a food processor. Blend until smooth. Season and set aside.
Prepare the salad ingredients – Thin slice the tomatoes and tomatillos. Crumble the cotija if using. Cube or slice the avocado. Chop the cilantro.
Assemble the salad – Layer the tomatoes and tomatillos on an appropriate platter. Top with avocado if using, then garnish with crumbled cotija and chopped cilantro. Lastly, drizzle with the cilantro-lime dressing.

Yield: 4 servings

Tomato and Tomatillo Salad with Cilantro-Lime Dressing

Tangy tomatillos and vine-ripened tomatoes topped with avocado and cotija and drizzled with a cilantro-lime dressing

Ingredients

Cilantro-Lime Dressing

1/2 cup cilantro leaves, lightly packed
juice of 2 limes (about 2 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon sherry or white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon agave nectar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt and several grinds pepper

Tomato and Tomatillo Salad

2 vine-ripened tomatoes
2 small to medium tomatillos
1 avocado, cubed or sliced (optional)
1 ounce cotija, crumbled (optional)
cilantro for garnish

Instructions

Make the dressing - Add all ingredients to a food processor. Blend until smooth. Season and set aside.
Prepare the salad ingredients - Thin slice the tomatoes and tomatillos. Crumble the cotija if using. Cube or slice the avocado. Chop the cilantro.
Assemble the salad - Layer the tomatoes and tomatillos on an appropriate platter. Top with avocado if using, then garnish with crumbled cotija and chopped cilantro. Lastly, drizzle with the cilantro-lime dressing.