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Tomato Cracker Salad

Tomato Cracker Salad just may be the best salad you’ve never heard of. It’s made using plum tomatoes, green onion and hard boiled egg with a sprinkling of cheddar cheese. Tossed with a seasoned mayonnaise dressing, it’s combined with crushed Saltine crackers just before serving. It’s certain to be the talk of your salads menu.

Tomato Cracker Salad

Easy Tomato Cracker Salad Recipe

Cracker salad has been on menus in the South for quite some time. While the origin is a bit blurry, my thought is it must have been a way to utilize simple ingredients in an unexpected way. Perhaps even in an attempt to make the most of vine-ripened summer tomatoes. We love a simple tomato cucumber salad and utilizing plum tomatoes to make a tomato tart so, it’s not a stretch at all for this salad to be embraced. It’s one I tried as a girl and liked but, after tweaking it a bit, I now love. How to make Southern Cracker Salad Recipe: (Scroll down for full printable recipe.)

  • Dressing – Whisk together mayonnaise, salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder and hot sauce to taste until fully combined.
  • Mix-ins – To the bowl add tomatoes, green onion, cheese and egg. Mix well with a large spatula or spoon.
  • Refrigerate – Chill for 2-4 hours.
  • Add Saltines – Just before serving, add crushed saltine crackers and mix well.
  • Serve immediately garnished with diced tomato and green onion.
Tomato Cracker Salad

How to Make the BEST Tomato Cracker Salad Recipe

  • Ingredients you’ll need to make homemade Tomato Cracker Salad: Saltine crackers, tomatoes, hard boiled eggs, shredded cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, salt, black pepper, granulated garlic, onion powder, few dashes hot sauce, green onions.
  • Kitchen tools you’ll need: Medium bowl, measuring cups and spoons, cheese grater, saucepan to boil the eggs, sharp knife and cutting board.
  • The most important thing to remember about making cracker salad is, the crushed crackers must be the very last thing added just before serving. Otherwise, they will become mushy.
  • Likewise, roughly crush the crackers don’t turn them into crumbs. We aren’t breading chicken here so, texture is a good thing.
  • Cheese isn’t typically an ingredient found in cracker salad but, it’s a mainstay in mine. I wouldn’t leave it out for any reason. Unless, you’re allergic.
  • I prefer to use plum tomatoes for this salad but, you may certainly use a vine ripened tomato variety of your choice.
  • To prepare in advance, whisk together the mayonnaise dressing and toss with the tomatoes, onion, cheese and egg, then chill in an airtight container. Toss with crushed crackers, just before serving.
  • While it may seem unconventional, I often set the sleeve of Saltine crackers into the fridge to chill as well. Either way, is fine.
  • While cracker salad is most often made with Saltines, you may use club or Ritz crackers, if preferred.
  • You may also enjoy this recipe for tomato relish from My Recipes.
Tomato Cracker Salad

Dishes to Serve with Tomato Cracker Salad

This salad is a stellar choice to serve with any of your favorite grilling or roasted entrees. A few of our favorites:

Tomato Cracker Salad in a serving bowl

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Helpful Kitchen Items:

Tomato Cracker Salad

Prep Time10 minutes
Chill time4 hours
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Southern
Keyword: southern-cracker-salad, tomato-cracker-salad, tomato-salad
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 446kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper adjust to taste
  • 1/2 tsp granulated garlic
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • few dashes hot sauce optional
  • 5 medium Roma tomatoes cubed
  • 2 large hard boiled eggs chopped
  • 1 small bunch green onion thinly sliced
  • 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar, colby or monterey jack cheese your preference
  • 40 saltine crackers roughly crushed

Instructions

  • In a medium size mixing bowl whisk together mayonnaise, salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder and hot sauce to taste. Whisk until fully combined.
  • To the bowl add tomatoes, green onion, cheese and egg. Mix well with a large spatula or spoon. (You may reserve a small amount of diced tomato and green onion for garnishing)
  • Chill for 2-4 hours. Just before serving, add crushed saltine crackers and mix well.
  • Serve immediately garnished with diced tomato and green onion, if desired.

Notes

  • This salad can be prepared and eaten without chilling, if preferred.
  • While it may seem unconventional, I often set the sleeve of Saltine crackers into the fridge to chill as well. Either way, is fine. Always add them just before serving. 
  • While cracker salad is most often made with Saltines, you may use club or Ritz crackers, if preferred. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 446kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 18g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 760mg | Potassium: 207mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 696IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 163mg | Iron: 2mg
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8 Comments

  1. I’ve recently tried a salad that has popped popcorn as an ingredient. It was the talk of the gathering. Do you think popcorn could be substituted for the crackers?

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