(original photographer: Roz Corieri Paige) .
This recipe for Caprese Salad with Grape Tomatoes, Mozzarella & Basil has been wildly popular on the web ever since I shared it in 2009. The reason? It’s simply delicious and oh so simple to make!
The best time to make this colorful Italian salad is during the summer months when tomatoes are at their peak of flavor. When I first shared my recipe I was I just SO excited and jazzed! That summer was just perfect with the right amount of rain and warm weather with sunny days after the rains that contributed to a bountiful crop of tomatoes! I was harvesting tomatoes by the bucket-fulls.
.
So I’ve made one of my all-time favorite Italian dishes: Caprese Salad with Grape Tomatoes, Mozzarella & Basil. Normally, I slice up nice some Roma tomatoes (or any tomato, really!), then slice up some fresh imported Mozzarella cheese, and finally, stack those with large basil leaves. I drizzle them with high-quality Extra Virgin First Pressed Italian Olive Oil and sprinkle them with Italian sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
.
But with this bumper crop of grape tomatoes coming in, I chose to make a Caprese salad instead. This salad uses all of the same ingredients, just in smaller pieces. You can eat it by the fork or the spoonful! I also pass around fresh Italian bread to serve along with the salad for guests to spoon some salad on top and eat or to mop up the flavored olive oil! Mmmmm, just pure and simple heaven!
.
(original photographer: Roz Corieri Paige)
Roz's Caprese Salad with Grape Tomatoes, Mozzarella & Basil
This is an exceptionally delicious and easy summer salad to prepare whether for yourself, family, and/or guests. They will rave about this and thank you for sharing it with them!
Ingredients
- 4 - 5 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced in halves
- 1 lb. fresh imported Italian mozzarella, cut into 1/4 - 1/2" cubes
- 1/4 cup extra virgin, first pressed Italian olive oil
- 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar (or red wine vinegar for a more mild flavor)
- 10 - 15 large fresh basil leaves (to taste)
- Italian or Kosher sea salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Fresh Italian bread
Instructions
- Toss together the tomatoes, mozzarella, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar.
- Tear the basil into large pieces and toss into the salad.
- Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Serve immediately (can be refrigerated to serve a little bit later too).
- Serve with fresh, crusty Italian bread
If you enjoy delicious tomato recipes, click on this link for more tomato recipes: more tomato recipes here on La Bella Vita Cucina!
It’s our pleasure to share these time-tested family recipes with ‘amore’ from our cucina and acreage to you.
Do you enjoy La Bella Vita Cucina? We’d love to have you as part of our little community!
.
My grandma used to serve this with home made bread. Wonderfully illustrated, I can taste it from here 😉
Fabulous! I love this salad and add just a touch of balsamic. Also, when Romas are not available, sweet 100 cherry tomatoes. Lucky you with your early crop of tomatoes. We in the great white north must wait until the end of August.
Oh, and tune in tomorrow. I have a post about Sorbetto di limone e basilico.
So pretty and perfect for a BBQ or potluck!
Hey RedKathy, First, I enjoy following you on [email protected] Your grandmother was way ahead all of us, huh, when it comes to pure delicious simlicity!
Hi Mr. & Mrs. Dusty up in Minnesota! I agree,Sweet100′ cherries are great too. I’ve got them planted and they are so wonderful this year. As I said before, being from Iowa originally, it is always a thrill to have veggies so early down here than what we are used to. I’ll check out your blog for your sorbetto recipe!
Kerstin, YES, and SO EASY! I hope you try it!
Yum – this sounds wonderful!! Visiting from SITS. I might make this tonight – we are having company and it is the perfect summer day for a salad like this!
Stopping by from SITS to share the blog ♥ !
So simple, but so delicious. I love everything FRESH!
Have a great Saturday!
Can you please let me know how many servings this is? I want to make it this weekend. Thanks!!
Jax, I’d say that it would serve 4 – 6 people nicely, all depending how much everyone likes to eat! It will go fast! Thanks for stopping by and for asking! If you make it, I hope you’ll stop back and let me know how you liked it. Roz
Great recipe. Thank you. Beautiful picture, too, and we won’t steal it. 🙂
Thanks “C”! I appreciate your visit and your kindness!
Roz