This tomato tartare with feta is a fresh, no-cook French summer appetizer made with ripe tomatoes, shallot, garlic, green onions, olive oil, and red wine vinegar. Serve it well chilled on hot summer days.
This tomato tartare is fresh, bright, full of flavor, and exactly what you want to eat when it is too hot outside to even think about turning on the oven.
And I do mean too hot.
The kind of hot where your house already feels like an oven, your hair has surrendered, and dinner needs to happen without anyone asking you to sauté, roast, simmer, or "just quickly preheat" anything.
No. Absolutely not.
This is the summer recipe for those days.
Fresh tomatoes, feta, shallot, garlic, green onions, olive oil, and red wine vinegar. Simple ingredients, but together? They become this cold, juicy, savory little French appetizer that tastes like summer decided to behave for five minutes.
Jump to:
- The No-Cook Summer Recipe I Needed
- Not the Tartare He Was Expecting
- What Is Tomato Tartare?
- Why You'll Love This Tomato Tartare
- The Most Important Thing: Use the Right Tomatoes
- Don't Skip the Draining Step
- Dice the Tomatoes Very Small
- Can You Make Tomato Tartare Ahead of Time?
- How to Serve Tomato Tartare
- What to Serve with Tomato Tartare
- A Fresh French Summer Appetizer
- Tomato Tartare with Feta
The No-Cook Summer Recipe I Needed
A heat wave decided to come say hello this week.
Very rude.
I sincerely hope it was its final performance of the season because I have no desire to see it again in August. The house was already hot enough, so turning on the oven was simply not happening. I am French, not heroic.
Our house in France is literally medieval - well, part of it is, at least - so naturally, it does not have air conditioning. Like most French houses, it simply expects you to develop character during a heat wave. You sit there in front of a fan, being blasted with air that feels like it has just come out of a hair dryer, and tell yourself, "Well, this is still better than nothing." Barely. But still.
So I went looking for something cold, fresh, and full of flavor, and this tomato tartare was exactly it.
It is refreshing without being boring, light without feeling sad, and flavorful enough that you do not sit there thinking, "Well, I guess I am eating diced tomatoes now."
Because no. This is not just diced tomatoes.
This is diced tomatoes with ambition.
Not the Tartare He Was Expecting
This is where things got slightly dramatic.
My husband walked into the kitchen while I was making this, and for one beautiful second, he thought I was making steak tartare.
The joy in his eyes.
The hope.
The silent emotional commitment he had already made to that beef tartare.
And then I had to tell him.
"Sorry, mon chéri. It's tomato tartare."
A tragedy in three words.
There was a small moment of mourning. A little sadness. A little betrayal. Possibly a dramatic pause.
But then he tasted it, nicely chilled, full of feta, garlic, shallot, green onion, olive oil, and vinegar.
And suddenly, all was forgiven.
Was it beef tartare? No.
Was it delicious enough to make him forget his carnivorous disappointment? Absolutely.
What Is Tomato Tartare?
Tomato tartare is a fresh, no-cook tomato appetizer made with finely diced tomatoes and flavorful seasonings. It is usually served cold and shaped with a ring mold, just like a classic tartare presentation.
Except instead of raw beef, we are using beautiful summer tomatoes.
Please do not tell the French husbands until after they taste it.
This version is made with meaty tomatoes, feta, shallot, garlic, green onions, olive oil, and red wine vinegar. It is juicy, tangy, salty, fresh, and absolutely perfect as a light starter when the weather is hot.
Why You'll Love This Tomato Tartare
This recipe is ideal for summer because it is served cold and requires no cooking at all. Not one pan. Not one oven. Not even the emotional stress of standing near a hot stove.
It is also simple but not bland. The shallot brings a little sharpness, the garlic gives it character, the green onions make it fresh, the feta adds saltiness and creaminess, and the red wine vinegar wakes everything up.
The Most Important Thing: Use the Right Tomatoes
The key to a good tomato tartare is choosing the right tomatoes.
You do not want very watery tomatoes here. If the tomatoes are too juicy, your beautiful tartare will turn into tomato soup having an identity crisis.
In France, I would use a meaty tomato variety like cœur de bœuf. In the U.S., the easiest option is usually beefsteak tomatoes. They are large, fleshy, and much better suited for a tartare than watery supermarket tomatoes.
Firm heirloom tomatoes can also be wonderful, especially in summer, as long as they are ripe but not too soft or overly juicy. Brandywine tomatoes are another flavorful option, but they can be quite juicy, so make sure to drain them well.
If you cannot find good beefsteak or heirloom tomatoes, Roma tomatoes can work in a pinch because they are less watery, but they usually have a little less flavor.
I would avoid cherry or grape tomatoes for this recipe. They are delicious, but they have too much skin and the texture is not quite right for a tartare.
Don't Skip the Draining Step
Even with the right tomatoes, you need to drain them.
I know. It is a tiny bit annoying. But it matters.
Once the tomatoes are peeled and diced, salt them and let them drain in a colander for at least 20 minutes. This removes excess liquid and gives you a tartare that holds its shape beautifully instead of collapsing into a sad little puddle.
Dice the Tomatoes Very Small
For the best texture, cut the tomatoes into very small dice.
This is one of those little details that makes the whole recipe better. When the tomatoes are very finely diced, they absorb all the flavors from the shallot, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, feta, and green onions.
You get a better bite every time.
Large chunks will still taste good, of course, because tomatoes and feta are not exactly known for ruining anyone's day. But small dice make this feel much more like a real tartare.
Can You Make Tomato Tartare Ahead of Time?
Yes, but not too far ahead.
You can prepare it a little in advance and keep it chilled in the refrigerator until serving. In fact, letting it rest for at least 15 minutes helps the flavors come together beautifully.
However, tomatoes continue to release liquid as they sit, so I recommend draining the mixture again if needed before plating.
For the best texture, I would make this the same day you plan to serve it.
How to Serve Tomato Tartare
Tomato tartare is best served very cold.
Use a plating ring if you want that pretty restaurant-style look. Spoon the tomato mixture into the ring, press gently, then lift the ring carefully.
Top with finely sliced green onion, a little black pepper, and maybe a tiny drizzle of olive oil.
You can serve it as a French-style starter, a light lunch, or a refreshing side dish with grilled meat or fish.
What to Serve with Tomato Tartare
This tomato tartare makes a beautiful summer appetizer before a simple grilled dinner. It would be lovely before grilled chicken, fish, shrimp, steak, or anything coming from the barbecue.
You can also serve it with crusty bread, toasted sourdough, or little crostini.
And if the weather is truly awful and the house is too hot and everyone is complaining, just serve this with bread, a glass of something cold, and call it dinner.
A Fresh French Summer Appetizer
This tomato tartare is everything I want in a summer recipe: cold, fresh, flavorful, and pretty enough to feel special without requiring much effort.
It is the perfect appetizer for a hot day, especially when the idea of turning on the oven makes you feel personally attacked.
And yes, it may briefly disappoint someone who thinks it is steak tartare.
But only briefly.
One bite and all is forgiven.
Looking for more fresh French starters? Try my Endive Salad next. And if you have more beautiful summer tomatoes to use, my Tomatoes Provençal are perfect for the day you are emotionally ready to turn the oven back on.
You'll find the detailed recipe below, with all the ingredients, exact amounts, and step-by-step instructions. If you make this tomato tartare, I would love it if you could leave a star rating and a comment! It helps other readers find the recipe, and it makes my little French heart very happy.
Tomato Tartare with Feta
Ingredients
- 8 large meaty tomatoes, preferably a variety that is not too juicy, such as beefsteak tomatoes
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, pressed
- 4 green onions/scallions, white and green parts
- 100 g crumbled feta, about 3.5 oz
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Peel the tomatoes and cut them into very small dice, removing the parts that are too juicy. As you cut them, place the diced tomatoes in a colander set over a bowl and salt them to help them drain. Once all the tomatoes have been cut and salted, let them drain for at least 20 more minutes.
- Once all the tomatoes have drained, place them in a mixing bowl. Add the crumbled feta, finely chopped shallot, pressed garlic clove, olive oil, red wine vinegar, 3 of the 4 chopped green onions, and pepper. Mix and taste to adjust the seasoning if needed. Place in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes.
- Drain again if necessary. Use a plating ring to shape the tartare individually on each plate. Decorate with the last green onion, thinly sliced into rounds. Serve well chilled.
Notes
- Use ripe but firm, meaty tomatoes for the best texture. Beefsteak tomatoes are a good option in the U.S. Avoid very watery or overripe tomatoes.
- Draining the tomatoes is important. It helps remove excess liquid and keeps the tartare from becoming watery.
- Cut the tomatoes into very small dice so they absorb all the flavors and give the tartare the right texture.
- Taste before serving and adjust the seasoning if needed. Feta is already salty, so add salt carefully.
- Serve very cold, ideally right after plating. If the mixture releases more liquid while chilling, drain it again before serving.
One of my favorite appetizers by far! This recipe is sooo perfect for this summer!!