Name: Fresh Tomato Basil Dressing
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 1/2 - 3 cups fresh chopped tomatoes (preferably skinned and seeded); 3/4 cup fresh chopped basil; 2 cloves garlic (grated); 1/2 cup high quality extra virgin olive oil (enough to cover mixture); Sea salt and pepper to taste; Makes enough for about 1 lb pasta (1 lb of protein, or 2 cups quinoa (uncooked))

If you’re over-run with fresh tomatoes, you have to try my family’s Italian Fresh Tomato Basil Dressing. Every year when my dad’s garden overflows with ripe juicy tomatoes, I look forward to eating this one up. It’s super easy to make, packs a ton of flavor, and you can literally put it on anything. Pasta, chicken, fish, quinoa, rice, veggies, it tastes great on all of it. From my family to yours, enjoy!

Can I Use Any Tomatoes in this Fresh Tomato Basil Dressing?

I always use garden tomatoes in this dressing, but I think any fresh, ripe, in season tomatoes would be delicious. Stores that carry quality produce usually have beautiful, ripe tomatoes in August and September. I wouldn’t use out-of-season, unripe tomatoes and expect to get the same flavor.

Why Remove the Tomato Seeds and Skins?

The seeds/pulp add excess water, which dilutes the dressing. This will ultimately dilute the flavor. We are looking for maximum flavor! So, it’s important to remove that seedy pulp when making this dressing.

The skins can be tough to chew, so I remove them. You don’t have to remove them if they don’t bother you, or if you find it too time consuming. On ripe tomatoes the skins usually come off easily. If they are stubborn, you can make and “x” on the bottom of your tomatoes, blanch them, and then immediately put them in an ice bath. Then the skins will pull off from where you made your “x” on the bottom of the tomato. Poof! Bye bye skins!

Whats the Best Olive Oil to Use?

This is the time to break out the good stuff. Definitely extra virgin. The best extra virgin you feel comfortable buying. This is exactly where you use it.

Dressings are where we taste the olive oil the most. I use the best extra virgin olive oil I have on hand. We are literally eating the olive oil soaked with tomatoes, garlic, basil, salt, and pepper. We want it to be the smoothest, most delicious olive oil!

Olive oil comes from many regions all over the world. Like wine, much of it can be up to personal taste, like if you prefer olive oil from Italy, Spain, or California. Organic Extra virgin olive oils like, Napa Valley Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, is one of my faves for the price point. Olave Organic Extra Virgin Olive Olive is another when I catch it on sale. A little pricier, but delicious. Buy what you like, just make it a high quality extra virgin olive oil and you won’t go wrong! We want to savor every scrumptious bite!! 🙂