Strawberry, Cucumber, and Tomato Salad

In many of my salads, I pack as much flavor and texture as possible into the dressing, using it to bridge other ingredients or add layers of complexity to the dish. Not so with this salad! Here, I only need the simplest of vinaigrettes—vinegar, oil, and salt—to tie everything together. Why? Because I’m using two ingredients that are loaded with flavor: super-sweet, apricot-colored Sungold tomatoes and strawberries, which become even more intense with a turn on the grill. As with any strawberry-based dish, try to skip the supermarket and seek out locally grown strawberries in the late spring and early summer. There are hundreds of varieties grown in the U.S.; Tristar and Earliglow are two of my favorites, but I generally buy the smallest berries on offer, which will have the most intense flavor.

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Step 1

Prepare a hot grill or preheat a grill pan over high heat. In a medium bowl, toss 1½ cups of the strawberries with the oil and season with kosher salt and sugar. Grill the cut side of the strawberries until charred, about 1 minute (be careful not to overcook the strawberries; you want them to keep their structure). Transfer to a large bowl and add the raw strawberries, cucumbers, tomatoes, jalapeño, and herbs. Add the vinaigrette and toss well. Transfer to a serving bowl, drizzle with olive oil, season with flaky salt, and serve.

Step 2

The Takeaway Strawberries can really take the heat of a grill, but it’s vital to season them right before you throw them on, or they’ll become too wet to get a good sear. It can be tricky to grill smaller strawberries, so use a wire grill basket, which also prevents you from having to move the strawberries around with tongs, which can easily damage them.