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.
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.
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.
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:
- Grilled Spice Rubbed Pork Tenderloin roasted to tender perfection.
- Juicy Baked Chicken Breasts come together in minutes in the oven.
- Buttery Baked Shrimp.
- BBQ Meatloaf Sliders for game day and quick meals.
- Chili Rubbed Skirt Steak melts in your mouth.
- Crockpot Chili with beef and beans.
- Oven Fried Chicken Tenders are coated with a panko and Parmesan breading.
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Helpful Kitchen Items:
Tomato Cracker Salad
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.
I was skeptical at first but my husband and I loved this recipe! So good! Thank you!
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, thanks!
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?
I haven’t tested it but it’s worth a try. Let us know if you try it!
Delicious!!!
Thank you, I’m so happy you loved this salad!
What’s in the seasoned mayonnaise and that goes on. The tomato saltine salad?
.
This recipe calls for regular mayonnaise. The seasonings for the salad are listed in the recipe.