Caprese salad, a classic Italian dish, is a sensational mix of flavours and colours. With its vibrant red tomatoes, creamy buffalo mozzarella, fragrant basil leaves, and drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, it’s an easy yet elegant dish that is perfect for any occasion. The beauty of this salad is its simplicity, with only a few good quality ingredients that are bursting with Mediterranean flavours!

The first time I had Caprese Salad was in the town of Corniglia in the Cinque Terre in Italy. After walking around the 5 towns of the Cinque Terre we stopped in this hillside town at a little café and I had the best salad of my life. I don’t know what they do with their tomatoes there but they are the best tomatoes I have ever tasted. Since that day, this salad has always been a regular at my house.

Make sure you make this recipe when tomatoes are in season at their best. Under ripe tomatoes are no good in this salad, you need them to be juicy and sweet and so ripe that they are almost but not quite over ripe.

If you love making the most of ripe summer tomatoes, my Panzanella and Valencian Tomato Salad are other favourites that let really good produce do all the heavy lifting.

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe tomatoes, preferably vine-ripened
• 1 ball of buffalo mozzarella
• 1 small handful of fresh basil leaves
• 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil
• Sea salt

Tips for the Perfect Caprese Salad:

1. Quality Ingredients: Use the freshest and highest-quality ingredients you can find. Look for ripe, juicy tomatoes, creamy buffalo mozzarella, extra virgin olive oil and fragrant fresh basil.
2. Presentation: Arrange the salad in an appealing manner on a large platter to showcase its vibrant colours.
3. Seasoning: Use high-quality sea salt and season generously (tomatoes love salt)!

Caprese salad is a timeless classic that captures the essence of Mediterranean cuisine. With its simplicity and vibrant flavours, it’s a crowd-pleaser for any season. Whether you’re hosting a summer barbecue or looking for a quick and elegant appetiser, this Caprese salad fits beautifully alongside dishes like my Grilled Chicken with Sauce Vierge or Grilled Lamb Cutlets with Herb Sauce.

Caprese Salad

Delightful Caprese Salad Recipe: Fresh, Easy, and Irresistible.

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Appetizer, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Buffalo Mozzarella, Caprese Salad, Fresh Mozzarella, Italian Salad, Tomato, Tomato Mozzarella Salad

Prep Time: 3 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 43kcal

Equipment

• 1 sharp knife
• 1 Chopping Board

Ingredients

• 2 ripe tomatoes preferably vine-ripened
• 1 ball of buffalo mozzarella
• 1 small handful of fresh basil leaves
• 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil
• Sea salt

Instructions

• Slice the Tomatoes: Start by washing and drying the tomatoes. Slice them into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Arrange the tomato slices on a serving platter, slightly overlapping each other.
  
• Prepare the Mozzarella: Slice the fresh mozzarella into rounds of the same thickness as the tomatoes.
  
• Layer the Salad: Place a mozzarella slice on top of each tomato slice. If your mozzarella is larger than your tomato slices, you can trim it to fit. The goal is to have each tomato slice topped with mozzarella.
• Add Fresh Basil: Wash and pat dry the fresh basil leaves. Place a basil leaf on top of each mozzarella slice.
  
• Season and Drizzle: Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil evenly over the salad and season with a generous pinch of salt
• Serve Immediately: Caprese salad is best served immediately to enjoy the freshness of the ingredients.

Nutrition

Calories: 43kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 0.2mg | Sodium: 4mg | Potassium: 146mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 525IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 0.2mg