Aeolian Salad (Sicilian Tomato Salad)

Discover the fresh and invigorating flavours of the Sicilian Islands with this delicious Aeolian Salad; a splendid combination of tomatoes, olives, capers, basil, onion and anchovies. Quick, easy and utterly delicious.

Sicilian food is rustic and fresh and this Aeolian salad is just that. A quick and easy melding of colour, texture and of course, taste. The flavours of the Mediterranean are on full display with sweet, tart tomatoes alongside salty and soft Sicilian green olives and capers, umami anchovies and fragrant onion and basil. It's really as simple as that!

I love to serve this salad as part of a larger spread, usually alongside some leafy greens and another vegetable or salad dish. This salad pairs excellently with fish & seafood or any meat, and it's equally at home alongside a meat-free feast too. For me, it's the taste of summer on a plate! Discover just how simple this salad is to make at home.

What's Ahead?

What is an Aeolian salad?

The Aeolian Islands are a volcanic archipelago in the Tyrrhenian Sea, north of Sicily, Italy. Known for stunning landscapes, thermal springs, and volcanic activity.

The cuisine of the Aeolian Islands features fresh seafood, capers, local cheeses, sun-ripened vegetables, and traditional dishes like pasta with swordfish, and pane cunzatu (a type of Sicilian sandwich) and an array of salads, like this tomato salad.

Stuff You'll Need and How-To

For this no-cook, all arranged dish you'll need only a few easy to find ingredients, typical of Aeolian recipes.

• Tomatoes - find a ripe, juicy tomato - any size or colour is fine and cut them however you like.
• Anchovies - bring all their salty umami flavour to the salad and transport you directly to the Med.
• Capers - Nothing says Sicily and the Aeolian Islands like capers with their salty, tangy flavour.
• Green Olives - Any green olive is ok, but if you're all about authenticity, then hunt out any of the Sicilian varieties like Nocellara del Belice, Cerasuola, Biancolilla, and Tonda Iblea varieties are used in this salad.
• Red onion - a little acidity comes from the sweet red onion.
• Basil - all the fragrance comes from the ever-present basil leaves.
• Lemon & Red Vinegar - The sweet sharpness lifts the salad into a whole new level of freshness.

There's no cooking to do, all you need to do is arrange the salad on a large platter and dress with lemon juice, olive oil and vinegar. A last sprinkling of salt & pepper will seal the deal and you're ready to eat.

Smashing your olives

If your olives contain a stone, then just gently crush down on them with a large spoon to open them slightly and remove the stone. It looks pretty too!

Serving & Storage Suggestions

You can absolutely make this salad in advance - up to a day before if you like. The basil will wilt a little, but you can leave this out until you're ready to serve. Or, not care about a little wilted basil and leave it in. Store in the fridge, covered with plastic wrap.

Serve as part of a larger Italian or Mediterranean meal as a side dish. It plays well with pretty much any vegetable, meat or fish so it's the perfect salad to have up your sleeve to help fill up your table with tasty delights.

Ready to get started?

Simple salads are part of my everyday favourites and also dishes I serve for summery al fresco dinners with friends and family. This Aeolian Salad is quick and easy and doesn't sacrifice a single drop of flavour.

I love this salad so much, and it's one that I'll serve time and again - who doesn't love this combination!? Capers and Anchovies - could this salad treat be any tastier? Hope you enjoy the recipe.

More Italian recipes

If you liked my Aeolian Salad, I'm sure you'll love some more of my fresh and tasty Italian recipes.

• Bagna Cauda (Anchovy & Garlic Sauce)
• Nduja with Burrata
• Sicilian Spring Onion & Pancetta
• Blood Orange & Caper Salad
• Pasta with Pistachio Pesto
• Italian Lemon Cream with Maraschino Cherries
• Pinsa Romana
• Radicchio Salad with Pear, Walnut & Gorgonzola Dressing
• Pallotte – Cacio e Uova (Bread & Cheese Balls)
• Paccheri Pasta with Neapolitan Ragù
• Italian Ricotta Pie (Torta Di Ricotta)
• Peach & Burrata Salad
• Italian Porchetta

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