Caprese Salad

 

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• It takes barely any time to put together.
• The tomatoes stay fresh and juicy.
• Soft mozzarella makes it creamy without needing any dressing.
• Basil adds loads of flavour with almost no effort.
• It works as a starter, side dish, or light lunch.
• There is very little prep and absolutely no cooking.

Ingredients

This serves about 4 people as a side.

• 4 large ripe tomatoes
• 250g fresh mozzarella
• 1 generous handful fresh basil leaves
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• Flaky sea salt, to taste
• Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

 

A Few Ingredient Notes

Use the best tomatoes you can get.

That sounds obvious, but there is nowhere for mediocre tomatoes to hide in a salad this simple.

They should be ripe, juicy, and firm enough that you can slice them without everything collapsing.

For the mozzarella, fresh mozzarella packed in liquid works best.

Drain it well before slicing so the plate does not become watery.

The basil should stay whole rather than being chopped.

I like those proper leafy pieces sitting between the tomato and mozzarella.

 

 

Instructions

1. Slice the tomatoes

• Cut the tomatoes into fairly thick rounds.
• Aim for slices around 1cm thick.
• Set them on a plate while you prepare the mozzarella.

Do not slice them paper-thin.

You want each piece to hold its shape and still feel substantial.

2. Slice the mozzarella

• Drain the mozzarella well.
• Pat it lightly with kitchen paper.
• Slice it into thick rounds roughly the same size as the tomato slices.

A little variation is fine.

Caprese looks better slightly relaxed anyway.

3. Arrange the salad

• Place alternating slices of tomato and mozzarella around a large plate.
• Overlap them slightly.
• Tuck basil leaves between the layers and scatter a few over the top.

I do not try to make every slice line up perfectly.

It should look generous, not measured with a ruler.

4. Season everything

• Drizzle the olive oil generously over the tomatoes and mozzarella.
• Sprinkle over the dried oregano.
• Add flaky salt.
• Finish with plenty of freshly cracked black pepper.

Let it sit for about 5 minutes before serving.

That gives the salt a chance to pull a little juice from the tomatoes, which mixes with the olive oil at the bottom of the plate.

That bit is excellent for dragging bread through.

 

How to Make a Really Good Caprese Salad

There are no complicated tricks here.

The ingredients just need to taste good.

Take the tomatoes out of the fridge before making the salad.

Cold tomatoes barely taste of anything.

Room-temperature tomatoes are sweeter and much more fragrant.

The same goes for the mozzarella.

Let it lose some of that fridge chill before serving and the texture becomes softer and creamier.

And season the tomatoes properly.

A tomato without enough salt can make the whole salad taste strangely flat.

Do You Need Balsamic?

No.

Balsamic is delicious with tomatoes and mozzarella, but a traditional-style Caprese does not need it.

I prefer olive oil, salt, black pepper, oregano, and basil for this version.

It keeps the flavour clean and lets the tomatoes stay at the centre of things.

If you love balsamic, you can absolutely drizzle a little over your own plate.

I just would not drown the whole salad in it.

What to Serve With Caprese Salad

This works with almost anything Mediterranean or Italian-inspired.

Try it with:

• Grilled chicken
• Steak
• Pasta
• Garlic bread
• Focaccia
• Grilled fish
• Roasted vegetables
• Antipasti

I especially like serving it beside warm bread.

The tomato juices and olive oil left at the bottom deserve to be eaten too.

Can You Make It Ahead?

A little bit ahead, yes.

You can slice the tomatoes and mozzarella an hour or two before serving.

Keep them separately covered in the fridge.

Then arrange and season everything shortly before eating.

I would not assemble it hours in advance.

The salt pulls moisture from the tomatoes and eventually makes the mozzarella watery.

Fresh is definitely better here.

Storage

Leftover Caprese salad can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day.

It will release more liquid as it sits.

That is normal.

I would not expect it to look quite as fresh the next day, but it still tastes good.

You can also chop leftovers and spoon them onto toast.

That solves the slightly messy texture problem nicely.

Q&A

What tomatoes are best for Caprese salad?

Any ripe, flavourful slicing tomato works.

Beefsteak, heirloom, or vine tomatoes are all good choices.

Can I use cherry tomatoes?

Yes.

Halve them and tear the mozzarella into pieces for a more casual version.

What mozzarella should I use?

Fresh mozzarella is best.

Buffalo mozzarella is especially creamy if you can find it.

Can I add balsamic glaze?

You can.

It is not necessary for this version, but a small drizzle works if you like a sweeter, sharper finish.

Do I need dried oregano?

No, but I like a light sprinkle.

It gives the salad a little more Mediterranean flavour without overpowering the basil.

Can I use dried basil?

I would not.

Fresh basil is one of the main flavours here, so dried basil changes the whole feel of the salad.

Final Thoughts

Caprese salad is one of those recipes where doing less really does give you more.

Ripe tomato, soft mozzarella, fresh basil, olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper are enough when everything is fresh.

I like the way the tomato juices start mixing with the olive oil after a few minutes on the plate.

The mozzarella picks up a little salt and pepper, the basil softens slightly, and suddenly something incredibly simple tastes like a proper starter.

It is fresh, easy, and exactly the sort of thing I want next to grilled food or a big bowl of pasta.

And if there is bread nearby, that olive oil and tomato juice at the bottom is absolutely not going to waste.