Caprese Cherry Tomato Salad with Mozzarella
The Caprese Salad originates from Capri, an Italian island off the coast of Naples. In fact, Caprese means “from Capri” and so “Insalata Caprese” literally means “the salad from Capri”. Though it originates from Capri this is a classic Italian appetizer, salad, and side that is popular throughout the whole Italian peninsula.
Why You’ll Like It
- Nutritious – This salad with mozzarella cheese and tomatoes is a balanced and nutritious meal having:
- ✔️ Nutritious carbs from fresh tomatoes and basil (Vitamin C, Vitamin K, potassium, folate and lycopene)
- ✔️ Proteins from the Buffalo Mozzarella
- ✔️ Healthy fats
What You Need
You only need some ingredients to do this recipe!
- Tomatoes. Unlike the traditional recipe, we do make an exception and choose the cherry tomatoes over large tomato slices. In this case, I suggest Pachino, Cherry, or Date tomatoes. But feel free to choose the larger ripe and crunchy “Cuore di Bue” tomatoes.
- Mozzarella. Finest quality mozzarella di bufala or fior di latte
- Basil. A handful of fresh basil leaves
- Spices. Dried oregano. Salt & Pepper
- Olive oil. A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (finest quality)
Choosing the right ingredients is important in most Italian classic recipes. Avoid a mozzarella that loses too much milk, and tomatoes that are too ripe, and choose low-quality oils.
How to Make the Best Tomato Mozzarella Caprese Salad
Making this salad is easy peasy!
STEP 1 – PREPARE THE TOMATOES AND MOZZARELLA
- Wash and dry up everything. If you’re not choosing cherry tomatoes cut pieces of 6-7 mm with an appropriate knife
- Place on a wooden board and cover lightly with salt.
- Cut the mozzarella into 6 – 7 mm pieces and dry with a cotton cloth to absorb the water
STEP 2 – PREPARE THE HERBS AND SPICES
- In a dish or plate, alternate tomatoes and mozzarella and add some basil leaves.
- Sprinkle the dried oregano and optionally some pepper. Add a few other basil leaves and a drizzle of olive oil
- Serve and taste immediately. Enjoy!
Serving Cherry Tomato Caprese
This Italian starter can quickly become a meal by serving it next to the Parmesan Chicken or even as a topping on our Focaccia Barese or Neapolitan Pizza Dough Recipe.
If you want to serve it as an entree, slice some cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and drizzle olive oil and spices on a platter. Finally don’t forget to decorate with a handful of basil leaves. I feel that for platters the cherry tomatoes and mozzarella balls work better as can be eaten in a single byte especially if your guests are eating standing.
This recipe also features the famous Tricolori: red, white, and green are the colors of the Italian flag.
Health Info
- Calories: 264.6
- Sugar: 2.7
- Sodium: 499.2
- Fat: 23.9
- Carbohydrates: 4.4
- Fiber: 1.5
- Protein: 9
More Easy Italian Recipes:
Italian Caprese Tomato Salad with Mozzarella
Description
Ingredients
- 400 g (2½ cups) cherry tomatoes or 1-2 tomatoes cuor di bue
- 200 g buffalo mozzarella (1 medium-sized ball or 3 small balls)
- 1 handful basil fresh
- 1 tsp oregano dried
- 3 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- salt
- pepper
Instructions
- Wash and dry up everything.
- If you're not choosing cherry tomatoes cut pieces of 6-7 mm with an appropriate knife.
- Place on a wooden board and cover lightly with salt.
- Cut the mozzarlella into 6 – 7 mm pieces and dry with a cotton cloth to absorb the water.
- In a dish or plate, alternate tomatoes and mozzarella adding some basil leaves every now and then.
- Sprinkle the dried oregano and optionally some pepper.
- Add a few other basil leaves and a drizzle of olive oil
- Serve and taste immediately. Enjoy!
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