How to Make Tomato and Mozzarella Caprese Salad
on Aug 12, 2018, Updated Jul 16, 2024
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Caprese Salad is one of the defining no-cook dishes of summer.
The simplest thing you can do to a perfect tomato is to slice it and eat it, maybe with a sprinkle of salt. And when you have a brilliant August or September tomato, that may well be enough. But if you want to layer those tomatoes with some light, creamy mozzarella and fragrant basil, then suddenly you have Caprese salad, which can be served as an appetizer, a side dish, or maybe a meal in itself.
This easy layered salad takes less than 10 minutes to pull together. And this simple dish pretty much defines what late summer is all about…making a meal without turning on the stove and highlighting the best produce of the moment.
In the heat of summer, we all are looking for delicious no-cook recipes that can please a crowd. I like serving this colorful Caprese salad alongside a cooling Shrimp Orzo Salad or an easy Grilled Strip Steak. It’s also perfect for a picnic or a summer potluck!
And if you’re looking for other ways to put ripe tomatoes and mozzarella and basil to use, also check out Caprese-style garlic bread and Tomato Mozzarella Pasta Salad.
Table of Contents
Make the most of your summer tomatoes! Fast and easy, Tomato and Mozzarella Caprese Salad is the poster child for summer “cooking”.
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What is Caprese Salad?
We, unsurprisingly, have the Italians to thank for the beautiful simplicity of this salad! Caprese salad is named after Capri, an island in Italy where it originated. The essential ingredients are tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil. The colors of the salad mimic those of the Italian flag: red, white, and green. It is dressed in typical Caprese-style: very simply, with olive oil and/or balsamic vinegar.
The Best Tomatoes for Caprese Salad with Mozzarella
As for which kind of tomatoes…red, yellow, orange, striped, smooth, lumpy, heirloom, all are fair game. If you live near a farmers market, there is that moment when the tables are piled high with all kinds of crazy-looking tomatoes with funny names: Green Zebra, Brandywine, Lillian’s Yellow Heirloom, Mortgage Lifter, Black Crim, Purple Calabash, just to name a few. Grab them all.
Caprese Salad Ingredients
- Tomatoes – Make sure they are very ripe. I like to use bigger heirloom or beefsteak tomatoes rather than the smaller varieties so that the slices end up the same size as the cheese.
- Mozzarella – It is very important to use fresh, high-quality mozzarella. If you can buy the mozz from a cheese store where it is made, you may be able to purchase it still warm, having never seen the inside of a refrigerator. This is a whole other level of mozzarella pleasure. Only use commercially made block mozzarella if you cannot find fresh (or just make a sliced tomato and basil salad!).
- Fresh basil leaves – The fragrant flavor and scent of basil brings out all the best in the tomatoes.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – If you’re looking for a reason to break out a bottle of super high-quality, flavorful olive oil, this is your moment.
- Balsamic vinegar – Balsamic vinegar is unlike any vinegar, so don’t sub it out. It is deeply sweet and lightly tart and absolutely delicious when paired with a good olive oil.
How to Make Caprese Salad (Insalata Caprese)
- Slice: Slice a couple of gorgeous ripe (but not too soft) tomatoes, not too thin. And then find the best fresh mozzarella you can, and slice that up.
- Chiffonade the basil: Stack up a bunch of fresh basil leaves one on top of the other. Roll them up fairly tightly, then cut the rolled up leaves crosswise into thin slices, which will unfurl into skinny ribbons.
- Arrange: Alternate slices of tomatoes and mozzarella on a plate, fanning them so you can see the gorgeous red-and-white pattern. Sprinkle the basil on top.
- Season: Drizzle some olive oil (the best you have) over the whole thing. Sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Sometimes, it’s nice to lightly sprinkle the Caprese with good balsamic vinegar as well, which adds a much more sweetly intense note. I usually stick to olive oil, but sometimes I add on the balsamic — it’s a mood thing.
Kitchen Smarts
Your tomatoes should NEVER be refrigerated (unless you absolutely see them turning to mush and need to get another day or two out of them, but that’s a total last resort). So, in a perfect world, your mozzarella caprese salad will consist of room-temperature ingredients that have never been chilled at all.
Variations
- This simple Caprese-style salad is incredible on its own, but it also invites some variation. Try swapping out the sliced mozzarella for buffalo mozzarella, burrata, or even dollops of ricotta.
- This salad would be great with a light drizzle of chili oil over the whole thing for a little heat or just a sprinkling of red pepper flakes.
- Serve this Caprese salad along with some crostini or toasted bread so you can soak up the tomato juices, olive oil, and balsamic. You can also make a bruschetta-style toast topped with the tomatoes and mozzarella.
What to Serve With Tomato and Mozzarella Caprese Salad
More Ripe Tomato Recipes
- Tomato, Mozzarella, and Basil Salad
- Bruschetta with Herbed Whipped Ricotta and Heirloom Tomatoes
- Tomato Panzanella
- Steakhouse Tomato Salad
Explore more No-Cook Recipes for Summer!
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Tomato and Mozzarella Caprese Salad
Ingredients
- 4 ripe tomatoes (any color)
- 1 pound fresh mozzarella
- 4 to 6 fresh basil leaves
- Good extra-virgin olive oil (for drizzling)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)
- Good balsamic vinegar (to taste, optional)
Instructions
- Alternate slices of tomatoes and mozzarella on a plate, overlapping them so you can see some of each of the slices — you might have the right amount to alternate every other one, but it doesn't matter. It depends upon the size and thickness of your slices of both the tomatoes and the mozzarella.
- Stack up the basil leaves one on top of the other. Roll them up fairly tightly, then cut the rolled up leaves crosswise into thin slices, as thin as you like. Sprinkle those over the tomatoes and mozzarella.
- Drizzle the olive oil over the top — don't be shy with it. Sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. If you like, sprinkle the plate lightly with the balsamic vinegar as well.
Notes
- This simple Caprese-style salad is incredible on its own, but it also invites some variation. Try swapping out the sliced mozzarella for buffalo mozzarella, burrata, or even dollops of ricotta.
- This salad would be great with a light drizzle of chili oil over the whole thing for a little heat, or just a sprinkling of red pepper flakes.
- Serve this Caprese along with some crostini or toasted bread so you can soak up the tomato juices, olive oil, and balsamic. You can also make a bruschetta-style toast topped with the tomatoes and mozzarella.
Love it! Perfect for tomatoes fresh from the garden season!