Ensalada Chilena (Chilean Tomato and Onion Salad)

A recipe for Ensalada Chilena (Chilean Tomato and Onion Salad)! Tomatoes are tossed with thinly sliced onions and lightly seasoned for a quick and refreshing salad.

Ensalada Chilena (Ensalada a la Chilena) is a Chilean tomato and onion salad perfect for beating the summer heat. It is a particularly refreshing option to pair with grilled meat, fish, and other favorites.

The salad also comes together easily with just a few minutes and a handful of ingredients.

Start by soaking thinly sliced onions in boiling water for a few minutes before adding to the tomatoes. To finish, toss the mixture with oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper.

Serve immediately with a sprinkling of finely chopped cilantro, if desired.

A Few Tips

To take some of the bite out of the onions, they are soaked for about 10 minutes in just-boiled water. Once slightly softened, drain, rinse with cold water, and pat try to remove any excess moisture before tossing with the rest of the ingredients.

This recipe is best with in-season, ripe summer tomatoes. Many peel the tomatoes before slicing. When updating this recipe, I left the skin on and simply cut them into wedges. Sprinkle a pinch of salt over the tomatoes and toss lightly before adding everything else.

If you have any bread available, it is a wonderful for soaking up any leftover juice released from the tomatoes.

The cilantro is optional, but adds a bright contrast of color and flavor. Other optional ingredients I have come across include garlic or peppers/chilies for a bit of heat.

I tossed the salad lightly with some sunflower oil, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper. Some recipes use olive oil. Adjust the seasonings to taste.

Looking for more salad recipes?

Try my

• Farro Salad with Kale and Roasted Tomatoes
• Brezensalat (German Pretzel Salad)
• Shopska Salata (Bulgarian Salad)

This recipe was originally posted in June 2014 and updated in July 2024.

Ensalada Chilena (Chilean Tomato and Onion Salad) Recipe

Adapted from Eat Wine

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Ensalada Chilena (Chilean Tomato and Onion Salad)

A recipe for Ensalada Chilena (Chilean Tomato and Onion Salad)! Tomatoes are tossed with thinly sliced onions and lightly seasoned for a quick and refreshing salad.

Course Salad

Cuisine Chilean

Keyword Chile, Chilean, onion, salad, summer, tomato

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 0 minutes minutes

Resting Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4 Servings

Ingredients

• 1/2 yellow onion peeled and thinly sliced
• 4 large tomatoes cut into wedges
• Salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) sunflower oil
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro finely chopped, optional

Instructions

• Place the sliced onion in a heat-proof bowl.
• Bring a small pot of water to a boil.
• Pour the just boiled water over the onions in the bowl and set aside for 10 minutes, until slightly softened.
• Drain the onions, rinse thoroughly with cold water, and pat dry to remove any moisture.
• Place the tomato wedges in a large bowl. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and toss lightly.
• Add the onion slices, oil, vinegar, another pinch of salt, and a little freshly ground black pepper. Lightly toss and adjust seasonings to taste.
• Serve immediately with a sprinkling of finely chopped cilantro.