How to Make Caprese Salad

Caprese salad traditionally has 4 ingredients, tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, basil and olive oil. This simple salad is bold in flavor yet has a softness from the mozzarella and a freshness form the basil and tomatoes. A little salt and pepper also goes a long way for the recipe.

Ingredients for My Caprese Salad

Tomatoes

Fresh tomatoes! You can use Cherry, Roma, Beefsteak… Any type of tomatoes works. Cut them in medium-large bites.

Mozzarella Cheese

Fresh Mozzarella is best but if you don’t have any you can use regular it just isn’t quiet the same but is still good. You can either buy the slices or the pearls. For this salad I use a high quality regular mozzarella because its what I had on hand. I cut it into cubes the same size as my tomatoes.

Fresh Basil

I grow fresh basil in my garden and I advise everyone to grow basil. Its easy and so rewarding! If you don’t have a basil in your garden you can buy fresh leaves at your local grocery store or ask a friend who has a garden if they could spare a few basil leaves. This recipe will not work at all with dried basil.

Balsamic Vinegar

Although not a traditional ingredient I don’t ever make Caprese without a little balsamic. It adds a sweet, bold flavor that complements the other ingredients beautifully.

Olive/Avocado Oil

Traditionally you would drizzle olive oil on caprese salad but I was out so I used Avocado oil and it did not disappoint. You don’t need a lot just a little drizzle.

Garlic

Fresh garlic is another non traditional ingredients that I just can’t seem to live without! I love fresh garlic on just about everything. The garlic is bold flavor and some people don’t love it, if you are one of those people feel free to leave it out.

Salt and Pepper

Adding a little salt and pepper goes a long way.

How to Make Caprese Salad

Caprese salad is easy to assemble. Traditionally sliced tomatoes and sliced cheese with full leaves of basil, drizzle some olive oil and you are done! I personally like everything cut a little smaller so I can easily have all the ingredients in one bite.

Cut or slice your tomatoes the way you want, cut or slice the mozzarella the same way at the tomatoes. Cut or keep your leaves whole depending on your preference. Add minced garlic, salt and pepper, olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Add more….

Here I added butter lettuce and avocado to my Caprese Salad to go along with my Honey Balsamic Salmon. I may seem like you are ruining a good caprese salad by adding more ingredients but I like to think of it more as elevating my everyday salad with some caprese.

In my cooking I also encourage creativity and experimenting, its how we learn and grow to be a better cook. So add ingredients you think will make your meal complete and worry about tradition later.