A simple combination of juicy ripe tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and sweet basil dressed in olive oil and a balsamic glaze tastes as beautiful as it looks. The caprese salad is a classic for good reason. It is fresh and flavorful and although it is typically served with italian cuisine, it really pairs well with a wide variety of dishes.
A caprese salad can be served on a warm summer day or a chilly winter evening and is a great addition to both a brunch table or dinner party spread. With just a few simple ingredients and only a few minutes to assemble, this salad should definitely be on your menu soon.
Let’s get it started…
To assemble this salad, all you need are some good quality ripe tomatoes (vine ripened or heirloom work great!), a small bunch of fresh sweet basil, a ball of fresh mozzarella, some extra virgin olive oil, a good thick balsamic glaze and some salt and black pepper.
A caprese salad can be assembled in many different ways. Classically, tomatoes should be chosen that are a similar size to the mozzarella ball so all of the slices are uniform in size, but this is only a suggestion! You definitely don’t have to stick to full sized tomatoes or even mozzarella. If you can find some bocconcini or baby mozzarella balls they look super cute paired with cocktail tomatoes.
I also love using colorful tomatoes too. Have fun with it! The ingredients are so simple that it leaves plenty of room for some artistic expression.
Slice your tomatoes and mozzarella and arrange them on a plate or in a bowl. Add some fresh sweet basil, either whole leaves or thinly sliced, and then drizzle some olive oil over everything. Sprinkle some salt and black pepper over the salad and then top everything off with a balsamic glaze…
If you are not familiar with a balsamic glaze, it is the result of slowly reducing balsamic vinegar down to a sweet, syrupy glaze that is truly fabulous. We drizzle balsamic glaze over salads, bruschetta, pizza, garlic bread and even ice cream (trust me, it works). It adds an indulgent sweetness that is addictively delicious.
You will love it!
Whether you are looking for a side to serve with some pasta or need something fresh for a light lunch, make yourself a caprese salad and add some extra balsamic glaze… you’ll be glad that you did…
Caprese Salad
Ingredients
- vine ripened or heirloom tomatoes
- fresh mozzarella
- fresh sweet basil leaves
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt and black pepper
- balsamic glaze
Instructions
- Slice the tomatoes and mozzarella uniformly and arrange the slices on a plate
- Add the basil leaves, whole or thinly sliced
- Drizzle with olive oil
- Sprinkle with salt and black pepper
- Drizzle with balsamic glaze
- Enjoy!
