Caprese Salad

Caprese salad is one of the most popular, craved and loved salad out there! How can you not love it. Garden tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and fresh basil. Add some sea salt and any other additional salts you desire and its perfecto.

We have restaurant here in southern California that is rather popular, Roma Cucina. Even on a Tuesday night  the line to get in was out the door. One of my favorite things to order there is their cypress salad. It’s so simple, but so delicious and bursting with flavor.

Since it is such a simple salad with so few ingredients it really all is about having the very best ingredients. Here are some tips and some of my favorites.

Fresh Mozzarella for LIFE people.

FRESH mozzarella. ALWAYS fresh. You can find it by the specialty cheese. Sometimes it is by the regular cheese, but typically look at the specialty cheese section by the deli meats. The difference is fresh mozzarella is softer and usually stored in a little bit of liquid. You can find it in plastic containers or vacuum sealed.

There are a few different types of fresh mozzarella and all are acceptable.

1. fresh mozzarella pearls. They’re smaller than normal mozzarella balls. They are what is picture above.
2. mozzarella balls. These are larger balls of mozzarella. I like to usually cut them in half when making this salad to make them go father.
3. Sliced mozzarella log. Dice up the log in to cubs and toss it with the other ingredients.

Fresh Basil

Dont even think about dried basil. I suggest purchasing a whole plant or if you are near a trader joes they carry a large pack of fresh basil! (as pictured below!) its full of big beautiful basil leave and its priced totally reasonable.

Ripe Tomatoes and Sea Salt

Of course you need to use the best tomatoes. I recommend tomatoes from the garden, or vine ripened. Also use a delicious sea salt!

Toss the ingredients in a little bit of olive oil, sea salt and maybe even some garlic salt. Serve it up chilled and it will be devoured instantly! It’s the best side, appetizer or meal all by itself.

5 from 1 vote

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Caprese Salad

Prep Time

10 mins

 

Caprese salad with fresh mozzarella

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: basil, caprese, mozzarella

Servings: 6

Calories: 56 kcal

Author: Desarae

Ingredients

• 1 pint of cherry sized tomatoes can use a couple of varieties
  
• 10-15 basil leaves
• 2 container of Fresh Mozzarella fresh cherry sized fresh mozzarella balls
  
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt
• 1/2 sea salt
• more salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Halve cherry tomatoes
   
2. Mince basil
   
3. Drain mozzarella
   
4. In a bowl mix all ingredients together
   
5. Allow salad to sit and flavors to marry. Stir occasionally.
6. Refrigerate if not serving within 15 min.