Caprese Salad Recipe

This classic Caprese Salad Recipe is an easy and vibrant Italian salad with just a handful of fresh ingredients, including juicy ripe tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and fresh basil

Perfect as a side dish and ready in just 15 minutes!

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Caprese Salad Recipe Ingredients

• Tomatoes - Traditionally, this salad uses red tomatoes because the colors are meant to mimic the colors of the Italian flag. Beefsteak and Heirloom's work well. They should be ripe but still firm.
• Fresh Mozzarella Cheese - Look for the large size, sold in the refrigerator section, in a container, and packed in a light brine or whey to maintain moisture.
• Fresh Basil Leaves - Only fresh basil works for this salad! If you have a basil plant, that's even better because you can use the leaves fresh off the stem!
• Balsamic Glaze - We love a drizzle of thick balsamic glaze over our salad. It adds a terrific punch of flavor. You can make your own by reducing regular balsamic or purchase it at the grocery store. (See below for instructions on how to make your own glaze - it's easy!).
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Every ingredient counts in this simple salad, so use the best you have on hand.
• Sea Salt - or kosher salt
• Black Pepper - This recipe screams out for freshly ground pepper. Take your pepper mill and grind it right over the top of this salad! If you need a new pepper mill, we recommend this OXO Good Grips.
• Pesto Sauce - Used in the Individual Stacked Caprese Salad only, see recipe below in this post. We use our homemade pesto sauce for a great flavor.

(See the recipe card at the bottom for exact quantities of each ingredient)

How to make a traditional Caprese Salad

This salad is super simple to put together once you've prepped the ingredients.

• Remove the mozzarella from the container and pat it dry with paper towels
• Pluck the large basil leaves from the stems
• Slice the mozzarella and tomatoes into rounds that are about ¼" thick
• On a large platter, arrange the slices, alternating between the mozzarella and tomatoes
• Tuck whole basil leaves between the slices, and a few in the center
• Drizzle the salad with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic glaze
• Generously sprinkle with sea salt, grind fresh black pepper all over the salad, and serve

How to make a balsamic glaze reduction:

• To make ½ cup balsamic glaze, place 2 cups of balsamic vinegar in a small heavy saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the vinegar begins to boil.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the balsamic is reduced to a syrup-like consistency and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. This will take about 20-30 minutes.
• Let cool before using. We like to store ours in a plastic squeeze bottle.
• Store at room temperature.

Individual Caprese Stacks

Individual Caprese Stacks make a great appetizer!

• Instead of serving on a platter, stack a few pieces individually on a plate and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic. Add a spoonful of Pesto sauce over the stack for even more flavor!

Make-Ahead Tips:

• Prep the tomatoes and mozzarella, arrange on a platter, and refrigerate up to 4 hours ahead of serving time.
• Once ready to serve, add the basil leaves, olive oil, balsamic, salt, and pepper.

Other simple salads with fresh ingredients:

• Want an appetizer version of this recipe? Try our Mini Caprese Skewers
• Tomato Burrata Salad
• Citrus Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette
• Asian Cucumber Salad
• Tricolore Salad with Oranges

Great Mains to pair with this traditional Caprese Salad

• Garlic Herb Roast Beef
• Grilled Salmon on a Cedar Plank
• Pan Seared Pork Chops
• Chimichurri Steak
• Smoked Ribs
• Perfect Air Fryer Pork Chops

Did you enjoy our Caprese Salad Recipe? We would love to hear from you in our comments below. Please feel free to comment on this or any other recipe on our blog. Your feedback helps us to develop more recipes for you to enjoy!