Kachumbari (East African Tomato Salad)

Light, fresh, and with a hint of heat, vibrant kachumbari is a staple tomato salad in many East African countries including Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, to name a few. In its simplest form, the East African salad features ripe juicy tomatoes, crunchy raw onion, spicy fresh chiles, and a hint of acid from fresh lemon or lime juice. I first learned to make kachumabri in Kenya, where it’s often served alongside nyama choma (grilled meat) and ugali, or paired with hearty rice dishes like pilau. While it's often enjoyed as an accompanying salad, it’s also a popular topping for street food dishes, such as mayai pasua (halved hard boiled eggs), smokies (halved grilled sausage), or rolex, mutura (blood sausauge). It adds a burst of fresh flavor to the simplest of dishes. I often tell those unfamiliar with kachumbari to think of it as pico de gallo’s less oniony cousin. Similar to the salsa, the beauty of kachumbari is its versatility. Variations of the salad are infinite, with cucumber and/or avocado being the most common additions.

As with any tomato salad that relies on just a handful of fresh ingredients, the key to optimizing kachumbari’s flavor is not just in the quality of the produce you use, but also how the vegetables are prepared. This five-ingredient tomato salad is easy to assemble, but we use a couple of science-backed tricks in this recipe to build the most flavorful version possible. Read below for my tips and the full recipe.

Key Steps for the Most Flavorful Kachumbari

Start with fresh tomatoes, preferably plum. When I first learned to make kachumabri in Kenya years ago, I learned that plum tomatoes are the most widely available variety in the country, and it’s why I use them in my recipe here. The firm, not-too-watery texture of plum tomatoes works perfectly for this salad, but really any fresh, in-season tomato that you enjoy sliced up and served raw in a salad will work well here. I prefer the tomatoes diced into bite-size chunks, but you can also slice them into half-moon wedges if you prefer.

Briefly salt the tomatoes. We’ve written before about how even the best tomatoes can be vastly improve with salt. Salting facilitates osmosis, the process that draws liquids—in this case, tomato juice—from the interior of the tomato's cells through the cell walls to the surface of the tomato. More simply put, salting the tomatoes and letting them sit for just 15 minutes causes them to release their juices, which results in a final salad that's less watery and more intensely flavored than when made without salting them. Of course you can skip this step if pressed for time—just be sure to serve the salad immediately after tossing for best results.

Soak and rinse the onions. The combination of fresh onions paired with sweet tomatoes is this salad’s defining flavor profile. But to tone down the sharp flavor of the onion so it doesn't overwhelm the tomato, I recommend briefly soaking and rinsing the onion slices in warm water before adding to the salad. Make sure the water is warm to the touch—tap water that’s about 110℉ should be fine—as Kenji points out in his onion prep guide. The speed of chemical and physical reactions increase with temperature, so using warm water causes onions to release their volatile compounds faster than if using cold water. It only takes about one minute to rid even the most pungent onions of their kick. But make sure to not let onions sit in water for more than 5 minutes long after slicing: They'll actually start to get more pungent as they rest.

Add peppy flavor. Fresh serrano chile adds just the right hint of heat here. You can dial in the heat level to your liking by either leaving the seeds and veins in or removing them before slicing for a less spicy version. I prefer a spicier serrano chile, but milder jalapeño will work just as well. Chopped cilantro and a few tablespoons of lime or lemon juice brighten the flavor even more.

Bulk up the salad with your favorite fresh additions. My recipe below is a classic version of kachumbari, but feel free to experiment with additional ingredients like avocado, and/or cucumber, or any other salad ingredients you love. I just recommend not overdoing it; the simplicity of this dish is what makes it so wonderful and makes it a perfect addition to any summer meal.