Don’t let summer pass by without making this tomato salad! #shorts

Don’t let summer pass you by without making this tomato salad!

This heirloom tomato salad captures everything I love about eating the Mediterranean way on one plate: seasonal, fresh, bold, and super simple. Summer heirloom tomatoes are truly the star ingredient here with a lemon-garlic dressing and a sprinkle of dukkah—a nutty Egyptian condiment that brings the perfect crunch!

One pantry ingredient you might not be familiar with is dukkah, a beloved spice blend from my childhood in Egypt. It’s a mix of warming spices like cumin and coriander, and seeds and nuts like hazelnuts and sesame. You could make this heirloom tomato salad recipe without the dukkah, but I highly recommend giving it a try!

Tomato Salad Ingredients:
▢2 garlic cloves, minced
▢1 lemon, juiced
▢1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
▢Kosher salt
▢Black pepper
▢1 jalapeno or ancho chili pepper seeded and thinly sliced (optional)
▢3 large heirloom tomatoes about 1 1/2 pounds, sliced into rounds (about 1/4-inch thick)
▢4 to 6 tablespoons Dukkah (homemade or store bought)
▢1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1. Make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Whisk well to combine. Add the jalapeno or ancho pepper, if using, and give it another whisk.
2. Dress and serve. Arrange the sliced tomatoes on a large plate. Drizzle with as much of the dressing as you like. Top with the dukkah and mint and serve.

Dukkah Recipe:
▢1/2 cup hazelnuts
▢3 tbsp almonds
▢4 tbsp white sesame seeds
▢3 tbsp shelled pistachios
▢1 tbsp fennel seeds
▢1 tsp ground cumin
▢1 tsp ground coriander
▢1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
▢kosher salt
1. Place the hazelnuts and almonds in a dry cast iron pan (do NOT add oil). Toast briefly over medium-high heat, tossing regularly, until the nuts gain some color (watch for nuts to turn a nice golden brown). Transfer to a side dish for now.
2. Place the sesame seeds in the same skillet and return to the heat. Toast over medium heat, tossing regularly, until the sesame seeds turn golden brown (this will be fairly quick so watch carefully).
3. Add the toasted nuts and sesame seeds to the bowl of a small food processor fitted with a blade. 4. Add the pistachios, fennel seeds, spices, and a generous dash of kosher salt. Pulse for a few seconds until you reach a nice coarse mixture (Do not over process the dukkah. The mixture should not be too fine. See photos and video for exact texture).
5. Transfer the dukkah to a bowl to serve. Add a small bowl of extra virgin olive oil and your favorite bread for dipping (I like pita bread or even Jerusalem bagel). You can also store the dukkah in a tight-lid jar for up to 2 weeks to use as a topping for salad, soup, chicken, meats, or roasted vegetables!

Growing up in Egypt, duka was always around. Earthy, crunchy, full of spice. I didn’t think much of it back then, but now I am totally obsessed. It’s this bold blend of toasted nuts, sesame seeds, coriander, cumin, beautiful spices. It’s seriously satisfying and very aromatic. I make a batch every single week now, and I keep it in the freezer to throw on everything from veggies and fish to, of course, these beautiful heirloom tomatoes. To turn it into a salad, I just make a zippy garlic, olive oil, and lemon dressing. And then I add my duka crunch to take it over the top. Really