This Old-School Saltine Salad Is As Vintage Southern As It Gets

If there's one thing the South is known for, it's taking the most ordinary of ingredients and transforming them into renowned dishes. While old recipes like fried green tomatoes and chicken and dumplings have garnered longstanding fame outside of the region, obscure meals like the tomato cracker salad should be next on your list of savory Southern recipes to try.

Much like tuna or macaroni salad, a tomato cracker salad features a mix of chopped ingredients combined with mayonnaise, rather than a variety of greens one would normally associate with such a dish. In what is essentially a deconstructed tomato sandwich, the salad is made up of crushed saltine crackers, diced tomatoes, mayo, salt, and pepper. While the origins of the dish are somewhat hazy, it has roots in Georgia and has spread all across the South, a testament to just how good saltine salads are. The chilled tomatoes give the dish a juicy, refreshing taste, with the salty crackers providing the perfect textural contrast.

The salad is best served right away, while the tomatoes are still plump and the crackers have not turned soggy from the mayo. Start by dicing the ripe fruits (Roma or beefsteak tomatoes are ideal for the job), then crush the crackers while they're still in their packaging. Mix the tomatoes with mayonnaise and fold in the crackers. Top off the salad with salt and pepper before gently tossing the ingredients and serving.

In its simplest state, a saltine salad only features crackers, tomatoes, and mayonnaise, but there are plenty of ingredients that can be added in to better fit your tastes. If you're at a loss for what to use, using common additions to tuna or potato salads is a good place to start. For a heftier meal, sometimes we like to add a hard-boiled egg or two into our tomato cracker salads. The diced eggs bring a nice protein boost to the dish, without completely throwing off its flavor. The buttery eggs fit seamlessly into the salad, making the refreshing meal a little heartier. 

If you like extra protein and want a bolder taste, add some bacon to the tomato cracker salad. The savory pork gives the dish a BLT-esque flavor (without the lettuce) and boosts the sweet tomatoes with a meaty flavor. You can opt for cut up strips of freshly cooked bacon, or keep the salad plant-based with vegan bacon bits. Green onions make the perfect topping to any creamy salad, and the saltine salad is no exception. The alliums boost the crunchiness of the crackers while imbuing the dish with a peppery bite. Herbs also amplify the salad's refreshing nature, with fresh parsley, dill, or tarragon complementing the earthy tomatoes. For an even bigger flavor boost, sprinkle in a dash of garlic powder or ground cayenne to accompany the salt and pepper.