Caprese Salad Recipe

There’s nothing quite as classic as a colorful Caprese salad. The mixture of fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil leaves is so flavorful and filling.

It’s hard to believe something so simple tastes so good, but it does. 

Much of that is due to the bright, zesty balsamic glaze. It takes already delicious ingredients and dials them up a notch. 

Caprese salads are classic Mediterranean fare. They’re perfect for brunch or a light dinner.

You can enjoy it by itself or as a delightful side dish for pasta, pizza, and more. 

Caprese Salad Ingredients 

Unlike some salads, Caprese salads don’t have a ton of ingredients. In fact, their simplicity is part of their appeal. You only need a few things: 

• Tomatoes – People often use cherry tomatoes for Caprese skewers and sometimes even salads. However, this salad works best with large tomatoes cut into thick slices. 

• Mozzarella – If you have access to small mozzarella balls, those work well. You can also just thickly slice mozzarella. Either will work fine. 

• Basil leaves – Be sure to get fresh basil leaves. The dried stuff won’t work here. You need the actual leaves, not just the flavor. 

• Extra virgin olive oil – Some people don’t add olive oil to their Caprese salads. They stick strictly to the balsamic glaze. But it tastes best with both. 

• Balsamic glaze – A simple mixture of brown sugar and balsamic vinegar. (See instructions for making it on the recipe card below.) 

How to Make Caprese Salad 

Like most salads, the Caprese salad is a breeze to make. Here’s what to do: 

1. Make the balsamic glaze. Before starting on the salad, whip up some fresh balsamic glaze. (Unless you already have some stored in the fridge.) 

Heat the brown sugar and balsamic vinegar over medium heat. Once the sugar dissolves, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the mixture reduces by half. 

2. Arrange the salad ingredients. Alternately place the tomato slices, mozzarella, and basil leaves on a large platter. Let the ingredients overlap slightly. 

3. Finish topping the salad. Finally, drizzle the salad with olive oil and the balsamic glaze. Season it with salt and pepper, and voila! 

At this point, you can serve the salad right away or refrigerate it for up to an hour. (It tastes best chilled.) Either way, enjoy! 

Recipe Variations 

Want to try something new with your Caprese salad? These variations can help: 

• Vary the tomatoes. As mentioned above, some people prefer small cherry tomatoes in their salad. If you want to go that route, that’s perfectly okay! You can even experiment with multiple tomato types in a single salad. 

• Marinate the mozzarella. Want to add even more flavor to the salad? Marinate the mozzarella balls ahead of time. Here’s a recipe that’ll show you how. 

• Dial up the seasonings. Once the salad is ready, add a dash of cayenne pepper for heat or Italian seasoning for flavor. You can use other dried herbs from your spice rack, too. 

• No basil? No problem. Basil is the typical herb for Caprese salads. However, you can try fresh oregano or mint instead. 

• Use burrata instead of mozzarella. Burrata is simply mozzarella with extra cream. It takes the salad up a notch, making it slightly more decadent. 

• Make it fruity. Try a mixture of peaches and tomatoes. Or add some of your favorite sliced summer fruits. 

What to Serve With Caprese Salad 

Caprese salads are Mediterranean in origin. Therefore, they taste great with most Mediterranean and Italian dishes. Try pairing yours with any of the following: 

• Sourdough bread
• Grilled chicken
• Lemon spaghetti
• Shrimp scampi
• Pizza
• Pasta Fagioli