This is a no-cook salad of diced heirloom tomatoes, cubed queso paraguay, sliced red onion, and fresh basil, dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. It comes together in 20 minutes and holds up well as a make-ahead component for lunches throughout the week. The cheese is mild and slightly tangy, the tomatoes do most of the flavor work, and the whole thing is genuinely simple.
The technique that matters
The one thing worth doing carefully here is salting the tomatoes before you combine everything. Dice them, toss with a pinch of the sea salt, and let them sit in a colander for five minutes. This draws out excess water so your dressing doesnโt get diluted into a puddle at the bottom of the bowl. The second technique is cutting the queso paraguay into even cubes โ roughly the same size as your tomato pieces. Uneven chunks mean some bites are all cheese and some have none. Consistent sizing keeps every forkful balanced. Beyond that, this salad genuinely does not require much skill; the ingredients carry it.
What can go wrong
- Watery dressing pooling at the bottom: Tomatoes release liquid fast, especially after salting. Skip the pre-salting drain and youโll end up with a soupy bowl. Drain the salted tomatoes before adding them to the mix.
- Red onion overwhelming everything: Raw red onion can be sharp enough to drown out the cheese and basil. Soak the sliced onion in cold water for 10 minutes, then pat dry before adding. It keeps the crunch but loses the harsh bite.
- Queso paraguay crumbling into dust: This cheese is soft and breaks apart easily if youโre rough with it. Cube it while cold and fold it in last, using a wide spoon rather than tongs. If it still crumbles, thatโs fine โ it just becomes more of a coating than distinct cubes.
- Basil turning black: Basil bruises and oxidizes quickly once chopped. Chop it right before serving or storing each portion, not at the start of a batch prep session. Whole leaves torn by hand hold their color longer than finely chopped pieces.
- Balsamic vinegar making the cheese taste sour: A full tablespoon of balsamic is correct for a freshly made bowl, but if youโre portioning this into containers for several days, hold the vinegar back and add it per serving. It intensifies as it sits and can make the cheese taste sharp by day two.
Keeping it fresh
Store the components separately if youโre prepping for the week โ tomatoes and onion together in one container, cheese in another, basil in a small zip bag with a dry paper towel. Combined and dressed, this salad is best within about four hours; the tomatoes keep softening and the cheese absorbs the balsamic. If you want to batch it fully assembled, skip the dressing entirely and add olive oil, balsamic, salt, and pepper at the table โ a pre-dressed salad goes limp fast. Assembled but undressed containers will keep in the fridge for up to two days. Beyond that, the tomatoes get mushy and the onion flavor takes over. Queso paraguay on its own keeps well for three to four days sealed in the fridge, so cube a larger batch at the start of the week and pull from it as needed.
Paraguayan Cheese and Tomato Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups heirloom tomatoes diced into bite-sized pieces, ideally organic
- 1 cup queso paraguay cubed
- 1 cup red onions thinly sliced
- ยผ cup fresh basil leaves chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil preferably cold-pressed
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ยฝ teaspoon ground black pepper freshly cracked
Instructions
- Prepare all the ingredients by dicing the heirloom tomatoes into bite-sized pieces, cubing the queso paraguay, and thinly slicing the red onions.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the diced tomatoes, cubed cheese, and sliced onions. Add the chopped basil leaves for an aromatic lift.
- Drizzle the extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar over the salad. Sprinkle with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
- Toss the ingredients gently to ensure they are evenly coated with the dressings and seasonings. Aim for an even and colorful mix.
- Allow the salad to sit for 10 minutes before serving, to let the flavors meld together for an enhanced taste.
Notes
Nutrition
Your questions, answered
What is queso paraguay and where can I find it?
Queso paraguay is a fresh, soft, mildly tangy cowโs milk cheese with a crumbly texture similar to a firm ricotta or a mild feta. You can find it at Latin American grocery stores; if itโs not available locally, feta or cotija are the closest substitutes in terms of saltiness and texture.
Can I use regular tomatoes instead of heirloom?
Yes, any ripe, in-season tomato works fine here. Heirloom varieties tend to have more sweetness and lower water content, but a good vine-ripened or Roma tomato will do the job โ just make sure theyโre actually ripe, because an underripe tomato will make the whole salad taste flat.
Does this salad work as a side dish with grilled meat?
It does, and itโs a natural pairing. The acidity from the tomatoes and balsamic cuts through fatty or charred meat well. Keep it undressed until youโre ready to serve so it doesnโt sit in its own liquid while the grill is going.
Is there a way to add more protein without changing the character of the salad?
Increasing the queso paraguay to 1.5 cups is the simplest move and keeps the dish consistent. Adding white beans is another option that doesnโt disrupt the flavor profile โ rinse and drain a half cup and fold them in with the cheese.
Can I make this the night before for lunch the next day?
Yes, but keep the dressing separate until youโre ready to eat. Pack the tomato, onion, and cheese together and bring the olive oil and balsamic in a small container on the side. The assembled undressed salad holds well overnight in the fridge; add the dressing and fresh basil just before eating.