Last Updated on March 14, 2022 by Kathryn Donangelo
This Easy Caprese Salad makes a beautiful appetizer and takes minutes to assemble. Made with deliciously flavorful and fresh ingredients!
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Easy Caprese Salad is always one of our go-to salads when craving something fresh, flavorful and light. This simple and elegant salad is layered with fresh tomatoes, creamy mozzarella cheese and fresh basil leaves. The light drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar blends perfectly together on top of the salad.
I first made this Caprese recipe last Fall as a fun side project I was working on for Rocket Farms based out of Half Moon Bay, California. Rocket Farms is the largest grower of indoor flowers, fresh cut herbs and potted edibles in the country and I used their incredibly fresh basil and herbs that you’ve probably seen at most grocery stores.
I helped create multiple recipes using their fresh herbs and the recipes and photos are used for their new packaging and website. It was such an amazing experience and the project was so fun to work on. You can find all of their herb products here!
Anyways, back to this caprese! You can serve this salad with just about any meal! It goes great with any chicken, beef or pork dish. You can also serve it with a pasta dish as well.
This Easy Caprese Salad takes 5 minutes to whip up and can be eaten as a meal. Simply add baby shrimp, prawns or prosciutto on top for protein! Keep reading below on other ingredients to add to this salad.
CAPRESE SALAD INGREDIENTS
- Fresh tomatoes: fresh is always best because the fresher the tomatoes, the sweeter they will be naturally. You could use heirloom tomatoes, Roma tomatoes, cherry tomatoes or tomatoes on the vine.
- Fresh mozzarella cheese: you want to be sure to use fresh, soft and spongy like mozzarella cheese. The fresh mozzarella cheese that you want to use is usually packed in water.
- Fresh basil leaves: it’s important to use fresh basil leaves, not dried. The delicate leaves make this salad vibrant, sweet and slightly peppery in taste.
- Balsamic vinegar: I prefer using balsamic vinegar over red wine vinegar because it’s sweeter and pairs perfectly with the ingredients. You could also use a balsamic reduction or buy a premed reduction.
- Extra virgin olive oil: good quality olive oil is important because you can really taste the fruitless of the olive oil in this salad. It’s one of the finishing touches and I don’t recommend using any other oil.
- Salt + pepper: to taste. I love using Himalayan or sea salt.
HOW TO MAKE CAPRESE SALAD
RECIPE VARIATIONS
There are so many different variations you can use for this recipe. I love adding different ingredients to my caprese salads sometimes if I’m in the mood for something different other than the original recipe! Try my Melon Caprese Salad and my Tomato Prosciutto Caprese.
Some other different variations you could use add to your caprese are:
- Sliced avocado
- Fresh peaches (when in season)
- Sliced grapefruit
- Fresh Strawberries (when in season)
- Sliced red onions
- Sliced cucumbers
- Balsamic vinegar reduction
- Pesto
LOOKING FOR OTHER SALAD RECIPES? TRY THESE!
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Easy Caprese Salad
Ingredients
- 2 large tomatoes; sliced
- 8 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese; sliced into 1/4 inch slices
- 7-10 fresh basil leaves
- 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- salt + ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Arrange the sliced tomatoes, mozzarella cheese slices and basil on a serving platter. Drizzle the extra virgin olive oil and vinegar on top. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Enjoy!
Notes
Thank you so much for sharing this super easy and tasty caprese salad~This is our new favorite, we’ll make it again for sure! Highly Recommended!
SO happy to hear that! Thanks so much for your comment and for trying my recipe:)
This basil in my garden has been growing like crazy, so I’m so glad I found this recipe! Delicious!
Oh this recipe is perfect for that basil! I’m sure it will be even more delicious since it’s from your garden!
This is definitely a party salad. Simple and yet so perfect with all the delicious combinations. This is so colorful too.
Thank you, I agree- it’s such a colorful salad!
Hands down one of my favorite summer time recipes…so easy and fresh! Look at those gorgeous colors…cannot wait for my garden tomatoes to come in so I can make this ^_^
Thank you so much!!
What a perfect salad to make and use up my tomatoes. Love the addition of vinegar on top as well! So perfect!
The vinegar makes the tomatoes extra tasty and flavorful! Thank you 🙂
This is a perfect summer salad! This is also good fo picnics too!
SO perfect for picnics, thank you!
Color full and perfect summer salad! Loved your pictures too… We have garden-fresh tomatoes and I love to add those in salads.
Thank you Uma! I hope you can try this recipe with your garden fresh tomatoes!
What a great appetizer and yummy salad for summer. I love the way it makes use of such tasty vegetables and flavors.
Thank you so much!
Many thanks for sharing this recipe. I love mozzarella and tomato salad. So I will definitely try your version.
I’m so glad! I hope you LOVE this recipe!
Tried this salad for lunch. The flavors were simple but prominent. Loved the recipe. This goes on my top pinned salad list. Making it again for sure.
YAY that is amazing!! So happy you tried this recipe- thank you!