Caprese Salad is a simple fresh tomato salad recipe made with fresh tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella with balsamic vinegar and olive oil for a quick and easy side dish all summer long. During the summer we end up eating a lot of different foods that use fresh tomatoes. We have been eating salsa and tomatoes on burgers. But, my ultimate favorite, tomatoes and fresh mozzarella with basil a lot this summer.
During the summer we love grilled meat and cold side dishes. I don't like heating up the kitchen unless it for cooking sweet corn. This is why we live on Caprese salad also know as our fresh tomato, mozzarella, and basil salad.
Caprese Salad Ingredients
This salad is so easy to make it is a simple fresh tomato salad made with just five ingredients.
Here is the ingredient list you need for this salad.
- Tomatoes - Cherry tomatoes are my go-to for this salad now but I will use whatever tomatoes I have on hand to make this Caprese salad.
- Fresh Mozzarella Cheese - The pearl fresh mozzarella also makes this salad so much easier to make every night.
- Basil
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper
How to Make Fresh Tomato, Mozzarella, and Basil Salad
This is another one of those, a little of this and a little of that recipes. I give measurements for each of the ingredients, but feel free to change according to your preferences.
Start with cutting up the tomatoes in bite-size pieces or in half if you are using cherry tomatoes. Next, get ready to cut up some basil.
I planted two basil plants in the back flower beds. I just go pluck several leaves whenever I am ready to use them. By the way, most herbs are organic because they keep pests away naturally with their strong smells. So, if you don’t grow your own herbs and can only find organic and are a bit anti-organic like I am due to the higher prices, know it is a marketing ploy in most cases. Herbs grow organically without the need for pesticides to keep bugs from eating them away since they smell so strongly.
It makes a pretty little dish with little to now work.
I try to have fresh mozzarella balls of cheese in the fridge at all times. Luckily, right now Aldi’s sells them. This one came from the fresh cheese case in Kroger (by the deli meats.) When I can find the pearl fresh mozzarella I will buy that instead just to make the salad even easier to make. If I don't have the pearl fresh mozzarella, I cut the ball up into bite-size pieces.
Simply toss the mozzarella cheese on top of the tomatoes and basil. Then grab a bottle of my balsamic vinegar and dose the bowl. Usually, you will need about a fourth of a cup.
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๐ Recipe
Caprese Salad - Fresh Tomatoes, Basil, and Mozzarella
Ingredients
- 16 ounces cherry tomatoes cut in half or two cups of diced tomatoes
- 1, 8- ounce ball of fresh mozzarella diced or fresh mozzarella pearls
- 4-5 basil leaves sliced
- ยผ cup of balsamic vinegar
- Salt and Pepper
Instructions
- Mix tomatoes, cheese, and basil together.
- Add balsamic vinegar one tablespoon at a time. Stir into tomato mixture. If more is not needed to coat everything, don't add it.
- Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate till ready to serve.
Nutrition
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Lana
YUM! That looks really really good! Wish my tomatoes would have done better this year. Thank goodness for grocery stores!
Cris Goode
Looks awesome. I love fresh basil... and fresh tomatoes... and balsamic vinegar... Oh and mozzarella... Hmmm wonder if I'd like this? Lol
Gooseberry Patch
Oh yeah, can't go wrong with those ingredients...one of our summertime favorites.
Thanks for linking up today and if you haven't already, hop over to http://www.gooseberrypatch.com and share this recipe. We'd love to include it in an upcoming cookbook! ๐
Brittany
Yum! I can't wait for some fresh tomatoes this summer!