Tomato Cracker Salad

When I first read this recipe, oddly enough I wasn’t shocked. I love saltine crackers and I love tomatoes. I could see that they might make an interesting salad. But I’m also the woman who makes toast sandwiches out of tomatoes and peanut butter. Tomatoes are just so versatile they can pop up anywhere, with almost anything as a partner. This salad surprised everyone this Thanksgiving and many loved it as much as I did.

Tomato Cracker Salad

It was so simple to make I forgot to take my usual cooking process pictures. I did that with quite a few dishes this year. The reason for that was we travelled to my sister’s house for a big family dinner and I had to toss together a few salads at the last minute. I’d chopped most of the ingredients and put them into baggies so they’d have been boring pictures anyway.

But I did get a good finished shot for those salads so I don’t feel bad posting without the usual string of pictures. I mean, there are 4 ingredients and none of them are complicated or confusing. I think you can handle this recipe with one hand tied behind your back! Teasing. But if you do try that, I’d like pictures. Heh.

I diced up about 12 Roma tomatoes the day before Thanksgiving. The recipe called for regular tomatoes and I doubled it, so I figured I needed a few more to account for using smaller tomatoes. Of course tomatoes fresh from the garden would be best, but this is winter Up North and we eat what we can get from the grocery store. I put my chopped tomatoes into a large zippered bag.

Into a smaller zippered bag went my thinly sliced green onions. There were about 1/4 cup.

Finally I added 1 1/2 cups of mayonnaise (I use Kraft) to a plastic container. Along with two sleeves of saltines, my salad was ready to prepare the next day right before our meal.

Oh my goodness we were all amazed by the flavors in this salad. So simple but tasty! I’d have never thought to add crackers to a salad but this really, really works! The little we had leftover tasted super yummy the next day still, in spite of the crackers no longer being crispy. I devoured it and wished I had more. Tomato cracker salad is definitely going to be served more often! I’m so glad I took the chance and tried it!

Tomato and Cracker Salad

Servings: 4-6 servings
Difficulty: easy
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Try this fun salad with fresh garden tomatoes and saltine crackers. Fast and delicious! Picture is of a double recipe.

4 medium sized tomatoes
1 sleeve saltine crackers; coarsely broken up
small bunch green onions; thinly sliced
3/4 cup mayonnaise
salt and black pepper to taste

In a mixing bowl add tomatoes, green onions and mayo. Stir gently to coat.

Right before serving stir in crackers.

Taste test for seasoning and add salt and black pepper to taste.

Tastes best when eaten immediately but I loved it even the next day when the crackers were no longer crispy.

Adapted from 4 Sons ‘R’ Us

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9 thoughts on “Tomato Cracker Salad”

Oh I almost forgot. I have a depression recipe for tomato and peanut butter soup. If you would like the recipe I will post it. It is another amazing who would of guessed good tasting dish.

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Audrey/Lady Melady says:

December 1, 2018 at 3:41 am | Reply

Yes please! I’m a huge soup fan and with those two ingredients I’d love to try it! Thanks!

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- trkingmomoe says:
  
  December 1, 2018 at 3:50 am | Reply
  
  Ok and I have what I need to do it. Watch for it this week end. It is cheap and simple. I spent 12 years in Pensacola in the Florida National Guard. I ate my share of mess hall food. That is how I know about this dish. You are up early today.
  
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  - Audrey/Lady Melady says:
    
    December 1, 2018 at 3:55 am | Reply
    
    I’m up late. My father in law was in the emergency room tonight and I was their taxi on glare ice. Oh my goodness I’d rather be in Florida! Thanks so much for your time this early in the morning!
    
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There is an interesting history behind this recipe. It was created by a Navel Chef at Pensacola Navel Air Station. I don’t remember just when or his name but it was mid twentieth century. He had an excess of hard tack which is crackers and tomatoes that was at the end of their shelf life. It became a favorite of sailors and can still be found served in area hash restaurants in Pensacola. There are variations of the recipe using hard boiled eggs, celery, bacon and salad greens but the basic recipe is crackers, tomatoes, mayonnaise and onion.

Thanks for sharing this special salad. It gave me a chance to explain that it is a regional dish with an interesting history. I am glad you enjoyed it. I always add the crackers just before I serve it because I like mine crunchy.
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Audrey/Lady Melady says:

December 1, 2018 at 3:29 am | Reply

Thanks so much for the back story! I do love to know but didn’t take the time. I did wonder who and why it was created, however. I can pass it on to family now! It’s still my new favorite salad. I can see me making myself a bowl occasionally.

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