Bloody Mary Tomato Salad

By Hetty Lui McKinnon

Updated Oct. 12, 2023

Bloody Mary Tomato Salad
James Ransom for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Maggie Ruggiero
Total Time
25 minutes
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Rating
4(585)
Comments
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A Bloody Mary is more than a hangover cure or acceptable brunch tipple; it is also an excellent example of precise and intentional ingredient pairings. There’s tart tomato, balanced with crisp celery, pepped up with piquant hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce and black pepper, then rounded out with lemon. These elements are the inspiration for a simple summer tomato salad, sans the vodka, of course. A brief pickle in lemon juice softens the celery and takes the bite out of the onions. This salad is vegan so rather than Worcestershire, which contains anchovies, soy sauce and balsamic vinegar are used to deliver that same umami and tang. (Vegetarians and vegans, remember this combination for other recipes that ask for Worcestershire!). Serve on its own, with bread to mop up the tasty juices, or toss it through pasta and serve as a salad. This salad will keep and will taste just as good (or even better) the next day.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

    For the Salad

    • 2celery stalks, thinly sliced
    • 1small red onion or shallot, thinly sliced
    • 1tablespoon lemon juice (from ½ small lemon)
    • ¼teaspoon granulated sugar
    • Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
    • 2pounds ripe tomatoes (any variety), cut into roughly 1 to 2-inch pieces
    • ½teaspoon black pepper
    • Handful of chopped parsley

    For the Dressing

    • 1tablespoon soy sauce
    • 1tablespoon balsamic vinegar
    • 1½ to 2teaspoons hot sauce, preferably Tabasco
    • 1clove garlic, grated
    • ½teaspoon celery salt
    • 2tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

121 calories; 7 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 13 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 8 grams sugars; 3 grams protein; 671 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place celery and red onion in a bowl, and add lemon juice, sugar and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Toss and leave to soften for 5 to 10 minutes while you prepare the rest of the salad.

  2. Step 2

    To make the dressing, combine the soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, hot sauce, garlic, celery salt and olive oil in a bowl and stir to combine.

  3. Step 3

    Tip the celery and red onions into a colander and allow to drain. Squeeze out any excess liquid.

  4. Step 4

    Place the tomatoes in a large bowl and add the celery and onion. Add the dressing, along with the black pepper; stir gently to combine. Taste and season with more salt, if needed. To serve, top with parsley.

Ratings

4 out of 5
585 user ratings
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Comments

Roz R

And try this: Make your favorite bloody mix and poach skinless, boneless chicken thighs in the mixture. Serve over pilaf or noodles....

nannerl

Horseradish? Best part of a Bloody Mary to me

Lynn

Made it this morning and couldn't stop tasting it. Will try to save some to mix with pasta.

Karen J

This is amazing. I added watermelon radishes and it was divine.

bex

I did make this and regret not making it more in the summer when I had endless tomatoes. It truly does taste like a bloody mary, love it. Would recommend and plan to make a lot more next summer.

Dizee Peters

Definitely add horseradish. Sweat the tomatoes before making the salad for less liquid in the bowl, which dilutes the dressing. This is a good base recipe to make your own - add cayenne to the celery and onions for a kick that does not overwhelm.

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