Colorado Garden Salad with Herbs

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-01 · Updated 2026-04-01

A vibrant summer salad featuring heirloom tomatoes, fresh herbs from Denver's garden centers, and a zesty vinaigrette. This american-inspired salads ready in about 15 minutes pairs Heirloom tomatoes, Cucumber, Red onion into a side that holds its own next to almost any main — bright, balanced, and quick enough to slot into a weeknight plate. Each serving lands at about 120 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly next to roasted proteins, grain bowls, or weeknight mains. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 4 medium, diced Heirloom tomatoes
• 1 medium, sliced Cucumber
• 1 small, thinly sliced Red onion
• 1/4 cup, chopped Fresh basil
• 3 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp Honey
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Black pepper

Instructions

1. Step 1: In a large bowl, combine 4 diced heirloom tomatoes, 1 sliced cucumber, and 1 thinly sliced red onion.
2. Step 2: In a small jar, whisk together 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1 tsp honey, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper.
3. Step 3: Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss to coat. Let sit for 5 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
4. Step 4: Garnish with 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil before serving.