Eitan Bernath’s Tomato-Dressed Tomato Salad

Name: Eitan Bernath’s Tomato-Dressed Tomato Salad
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 serving(s)
Ingredients: For tomato dressing; 1 small red heirloom tomato (about 6 oz.); 1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil; Juice from 1 lemon (1/4 cup); 1 tsp. honey; 1 tsp. minced serrano chile; 1/2 tsp. sumac; Kosher salt and pepper; For lemon labneh; 1 c. labneh; Zest from 1 lemon plus 1 Tbsp. lemon juice; Kosher salt; For assembly; 1 1/2 lb. heirloom tomatoes in mixed sizes and colors, cut into large cubes; 1 small shallot, thinly sliced; 1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced

If you're the type of person who waits all year for summer tomatoes, this salad is for you.

By Kate MerkerPublished: Jul 19, 2026

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Colorful salad featuring a variety of tomatoes, and dressing on a white plate with fresh tomatoes nearby.

Mike Garten

Yields:

4 serving(s)

Total Time:

20 mins

Cal/Serv:

285

Instead of treating tomatoes as just one ingredient, celebrity chef and cookbook author Eitan Bernath builds the entire dish around them. Juicy heirloom and cherry tomatoes are tossed in a silky tomato dressing, then spooned over creamy labneh for a salad that's colorful, refreshing, and surprisingly satisfying.

The best part? It's as beautiful as it is delicious—and couldn't be easier to pull together. I'd be just as happy serving it as the first course at a summer dinner party as I would making it for dinner on a Tuesday. When tomato season is this good, this is exactly the kind of recipe I'll be making on repeat.

“I was inspired by a dish I had at Shmoné in New York City that piled tomatoes over gazpacho. I double down on tomatoes here too, using them in the salad and the dressing, then serving it all over creamy labneh.” —Eitan Bernath

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Ingredients

For tomato dressing
1 small red heirloom tomato (about 6 oz.)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice from 1 lemon (1/4 cup)
1 tsp. honey
1 tsp. minced serrano chile
1/2 tsp. sumac
Kosher salt and pepper
For lemon labneh
1 cup labneh
Zest from 1 lemon plus 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
Kosher salt
For assembly
1 1/2 lb. heirloom tomatoes in mixed sizes and colors, cut into large cubes
1 small shallot, thinly sliced
1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced

Directions

1. Step 1Make the tomato dressing: Grate the heirloom tomato on the large holes of a box grater into a medium bowl. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, serrano, and sumac and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Whisk until fully combined. Taste, then adjust seasoning to your liking.
2. Step 2Make the lemon labneh: In another medium bowl, whisk together the labneh, the lemon zest and juice, and 1 teaspoon salt until fully combined. Taste, then adjust seasoning to your liking. Transfer to your serving platter, spreading all over the bottom. Set aside.
3. Step 3Assemble the salad: Place tomatoes, shallot, and fennel in a large bowl and top with the tomato dressing. Gently toss with a pair of tongs until fully coated. Transfer the salad onto the prepared serving platter. Serve immediately.

Nutrition: About 285 calories, 24.5 g fat (9 g saturated), 40 mg cholesterol, 590 mg sodium, 16 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 9 g sugar (1.5 g added sugar), 5 g protein

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