Get ready for a sensational flavor journey with this Fire and Ice Tomato Salad. With a spicy brine featuring a kick of cayenne, every bite of this pickled salad delivers the perfect heat. It’s the ultimate garden-fresh side dish that’s so good, you might just forget the main course!
Fire and Ice Tomato Salad is a classic Southern pickled dish perfect for a summer BBQ.
This recipe starts on the "fire" (stovetop) with a spicy, rolling brine. It then turns to "ice" in the fridge, where it stays completely hands-off. As it pickles overnight, the tomatoes, peppers, and onions soak up all that zesty heat.
The best part? This salad gets even more flavorful the longer it sits! Top it with fresh English cucumber just before serving for a cool, crisp finish.
This pickled zesty salad is the ultimate summer side dish. Its bright, chilled flavors make it a refreshing choice for hot afternoon cookouts. It pairs perfectly with grilled burgers, chicken, Chicken Salad Wraps, Zucchini Slaw, Pepperoni Pasta Salad, and so much more. You can even serve it as a zesty topping for a fresh twist on a classic backyard meal!
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🥘Ingredients
- vine ripened tomatoes- I like to peel the tomatoes, but this is optional; however I do think the salad is more palatable this way
- green pepper- choose a firm one that isn't overripe
- red onion- slice this in rings for aesthetic appeal
- distilled white vinegar- use 5% acidity to prevent bacteria growth
- sugar- helps to counteract the vinegar's bite
- celery seed, mustard seed, cayenne pepper, salt & pepper- seasonings for the brine
- water
- English cucumber *not pictured above--you may substitute Persian or mini cucumbers; add this right before serving
🔪Instructions
- Step 1: Arrange the prepped tomatoes, peppers, and onion in a glass baking dish.
- Step 2: Make the brine on the stove by combining the vinegar, water, and seasonings; immediately pour over the veggies. Chill for 24 hours.
Hint: You may choose to keep the tomatoes, peppers and onions separate from each other in the dish so guests can choose which items they want in their bowl.
🥣Substitutions
If you're not craving a spicy brine, simply omit the cayenne pepper.
You may choose to use a Vidalia onion for a slightly sweeter flavor.
🍽Equipment
- vegetable peeler
- cutting board
- santoku or chef's knife
- small saucepan with lid
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- stirring spoon
- 13x9 glass baking dish with lid (do not use a metal pan)
- salad prongs (if serving from glass baking dish)
- slotted spoon (if serving from bowl)
🍶Storage
Refrigerate leftovers and store in an airtight container. You can store this in a mason jar for optimal freshness, but please note this is not a shelf stable recipe.
Leftovers will last for up to 2 weeks--just know, the longer this sits, the more pickled it gets!
💭Top Tip
Pouring the brine into the dish while it is piping hot is the secret to deep flavor. The heat helps the tomatoes and onions soften just enough to soak up the zesty vinegar and spices. If you let the brine cool first, the vegetables won't "drink" in the seasoning as effectively. Trust the process—the "fire" is what makes the "ice" taste so good!
🗨️FAQ
The name comes from the contrast between the "fire" (the hot, spicy brine and ingredients like cayenne or jalapeños) and the "ice" (the chilled, crunchy vegetables like tomatoes and cucumbers).
If you aren't a fan of green peppers, try red, yellow, or orange bell peppers for a sweeter flavor and more color. For extra "fire," you can even substitute them with mild banana peppers or jalapeños.
Peeling is optional but recommended for larger tomatoes to help them soak up the brine better and create a smoother texture. If you use cherry or grape tomatoes, you can skip the peeling and just cut them in half.
🥄Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
🍴Pairing
These are my favorite summer dishes to serve with Fire and Ice Tomato Salad:
📋Recipe with step-by-step instructions
Fire and Ice Tomato Salad
Equipment
- 13x9 glass baking dish do not use metal
- medium saucepan
- vegetable peeler
- cutting board and chef's knife
Ingredients
- 6 large vine ripened tomatoes skinned, seeded, and cut into quarters
- 1 large green pepper seeded and sliced into strips
- 1 large red onion sliced into thin rings
- ¼ cup distilled white wine vinegar 5% acidity
- 4 ½ teaspoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon celery seed
- ½ teaspoon mustard seed
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ cup cold water
- 1 large English cucumber may substitute Persian or mini cucumber
Instructions
- Arrange the tomatoes, peppers and onion in a 13x9 glass baking dish.
- To make the brine, combine vinegar, sugar, celery seed, mustard seed, salt, cayenne, black pepper and water in a small saucepan with lid. Bring to a rolling boil; boil furiously for 1 minute.
- Immediately pour the hot brine over the fresh ingredients in the baking dish. Cool; then cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.
- Just before serving, slice the cucumber and arrange with the other ingredients.
Sally M. says
It's been a long time since I've had this fire and ice tomato salad. My mom used to make it for picnics. It was always a hit. I can't wait to try your recipe.
Kitchen Ready Betty says
It really is flavorful...I really like it with burgers. After you try it, please come back and tell me what you think!