Serve the Caprese salad as a side salad or as a main entree with toasted Crostini. 

WHAT IS A CAPRESE SALAD?

The authentic Caprese Salad originates from Italy and officially first went on a menu in Hotel Quisisana. The salad is made with sliced fresh tomatoes, freshly sliced mozzarella cheese, fresh basil then drizzled with oil and a balsamic glaze. We love to add garlic and seasoning to the oil for added flavor.

CAPRESE SALAD INGREDIENTS-

These ingredients make up a traditional Caprese salad recipe.

Tomatoes– The tomatoes are the key ingredient in the recipe and you want to make sure the tomatoes are fresh and ripe.Mozzarella cheese– You can either use a log of cheese or bocconcini which are small mozzarella cheese balls.Basil– Fresh basil is a must, don’t substitute for dried basil.Balsamic glaze– We used our homemade balsamic glaze, which is just a balsamic vinegar and sugar reduction.Oil– Your favorite olive oil will work. Some like extra-light yet others prefer extra-virgin, we find that a classic olive oil is the best with the remaining flavors.Season– Season with salt, pepper and we add garlic and Italian seasoning to ours.Red onion– We added red onion to our salad but that is totally optional.Romaine– You can serve the salad in mini romaine leaves as boats or just clice the romaine and add it to the salad.

HOW TO MAKE A CAPRESE SALAD-

Just a few ingredients and a few minutes of your time are all you need for this salad recipe.

Cut tomatoes- If using heirloom or a large tomato, you want to slice it thinly or cube the tomatoes. We used cherry tomatoes and just halved the tomatoes.Cheese– Thinly slice or cube the mozzarella cheese. We just kept our cheese balls whole.Romaine– Use mini romaine as a bed to serve the salad in, totally optional.Make dressing– In a bowl, combine the olive oil, minced garlic, and Italian seasoning.Assemble salad– Add all of the ingredients to a bowl. Drizzle the oil mixture over the ingredients and drizzle balsamic glaze over the salad.Romaine boats– If serving in the romaine lettuce, just add your mixed salad to the salad leaves and drizzle with balsamic glaze.

OTHER SALAD RECIPES-

Classic salad recipes are great not only as a side dish but may be enjoyed as a meal for lunch or dinner. 

Tomato Cheese SaladChicken Salad Over Mixed GreensCabbage Cucumber Tomato SaladQuinoa Spinach SaladGreek Salad Recipe