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Tomato Salad with Peach and Basil Vinaigrette

posted by Liz Berg on July 18, 2013 (updated 7/27/24)

Made with three of my very favorite summer flavors, this Tomato Salad with Peach and Basil Vinaigrette will thrill your taste buds.

Take advantage of ripe, delicious seasonal produce and combine peaches, tomatoes, and basil for a beautiful Summer Salad Recipe.

Tomato salad with a peach vinaigrette on a round white plate

Table of Contents hide

1 Why You Must Make

2 Ingredient Notes

3 Recipe Tips

4 Frequently Asked Questions

5 You May Also Like:

6 Tomato Salad with Peach and Basil Vinaigrette

Why You Must Make

This is my kind of heaven on a plate. Ripe juicy tomato slices are drizzled with a light, sweet vinaigrette chock full of succulent chopped peaches and basil.
When some blogger friends and I decided to share a peaches and herb recipe, I thought of doing a peach quick bread with some added thyme, but then a recipe for peach vinaigrette from Southern Living appeared in my inbox. This Tomato Salad with Peach and Basil Vinaigrette was meant to be.
A Caprese Salad with Blueberries is another out-of-this-world summer salad!

Ingredient Notes

Kitchen Staples – Sugar, Salt, Freshly Ground Black Pepper, Garlic clove
Fresh Garden (or farmers’ market) Tomatoes – Peel and slice.
Champagne Vinegar – A lighter vinegar that’s excellent for salads.
Olive Oil – Extra Virgin Olive Oil is excellent for salad dressings.
Large Peach – Make sure it’s ripe and fragrant for the best flavor; peel and dice.
Fresh Basil – Chop right before using.

Tomatoes on a small white plate with a peach vinaigrette in the background.

Recipe Tips

I will make this Tomato Salad with Peach and Basil Vinaigrette again and again! It’s the epitome of summer on a plate. Here are a few pointers for making this delicious summer salad.

Be sure to use the best of the best when selecting your produce. I purchased these beefy tomatoes and Georgia peaches at our local produce stand. Grocery store tomatoes and canned peaches wouldn’t do justice to this summer salad recipe.
I tweaked the recipe a bit by replacing the white balsamic vinegar with champagne vinegar and the brown sugar with white. You can substitute back the original ingredients if you’d like.
With such a small amount of olive oil, the dressing had quite a tang, but it’s offset by the additional sugar and the sweet peach chunks.
Add some fresh mozzarella and you’ve got a meal. So perfect for a sultry July meal. And it’s gorgeous to boot.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Tomatoes a Fruit or a Vegetable?

Although the U.S. government classified tomatoes as a vegetable for trade purposes in 1893, it’s a fruit since it is the “sweet and fleshy” ripened ovary of plant that contains seeds and is edible.

What Other Foods is in the Nightshade Family with Tomatoes?

Eggplant, Potatoes, and Peppers are other popular foods in the nightshade family.

What Should You Look for When Picking Out a Fresh Tomato?

Check the exterior for cracks and bruises. It should be firm with a slight give and shiny skin. It should be heavy for its size and smell like a tomato when you inhale at the stem end.

What Should You Look for When Picking Out a Fresh Peach?

Look for fragrant fruit that gives slightly when gently squeezed. Avoid peaches with lots of green on the skin as they may have been picked too soon and may never ripen properly.

How Do You Encourage a Peach to Ripen?

If you place a peach in a paper bag with an apple, the etheleyne gas given off by the apple will speed up the ripening process.

What’s the Best Way to Remove the Skin of a Peach?

Cut a shallow X through the skin on the side opposite the stem. Carefully lower the peach into a pot of boiling water for about 30 seconds, then remove to a bowl of ice water. Once you can handle the peach, pull off the peel from where you cut the X.