A fresh Caprese Salad recipe is the easiest way to show off peak summer cherry tomatoes (the sweetest!) or regular tomatoes. My food science trick keeps it from ever going watery.
Caprese Salad Recipe Ingredients
The combination of cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil leaves and good olive oil are all that’s needed.
Here is what goes into this caprese salad recipe with cherry tomatoes.
- Cherry tomatoes: halved, for sweet bursts and color. You can use all cherry tomatoes or 1/2 roma tomatoes for a variety of textures and sizes – I think it’s really pretty with a combination!
- Fresh mozzarella: torn into rough pieces so it catches the oil.
- Mini bocconcini: left whole, or use more fresh mozzarella.
- Fresh basil leaves: torn, not chopped, to keep them green.
- Extra virgin olive oil: use your best bottle here.
- Kosher salt and black pepper: divided between the tomatoes and the finish.
Full recipe quantities listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the article.
Variations and Substitutions
This classic caprese is easy to riff on. Here are my favorite swaps.
- Add burrata: swap the cheese for torn burrata for a creamy caprese salad with burrata.
- Drizzle balsamic: I keep mine classic, but a balsamic glaze or balsamic reduction is lovely on top.
- Make it fruity: try my Strawberry Caprese Salad, Peach Caprese or Watermelon Caprese.
- Turn it into panzanella: add toasted bread like my Grilled Panzanella for a heartier salad.
Grab These Tools
You need almost no equipment for this no-cook salad.
- Sharp knife: for clean, even tomato slices.
- Cutting board: ideally one with a juice groove.
- Wide shallow bowl: to salt and lightly brine the tomatoes.
- Serving platter: a flat one shows off the layers.
How to Make Caprese Salad: An Easy Guide
This cherry tomato caprese comes together in about 15 minutes of hands-on work.
Bring Everything to Room Temperature
Pull the tomatoes and cheese out 30 minutes ahead. Cold mutes the aroma in tomatoes and makes mozzarella squeaky. Room temperature wakes up all the flavor.
Tear the Mozzarella
Tear the fresh mozzarella into rough, uneven pieces. The ragged edges catch oil better than clean knife cuts. Leave the bocconcini whole.
Salt the Tomatoes
Add the sliced tomatoes to a wide bowl. Sprinkle with 1 tsp salt and toss gently. This starts the light brine that becomes your dressing.
Layer It Casually
Scatter tomatoes across a platter, then the torn mozzarella and most of the basil. Alternate as you go for a bit of everything. Do not toss it.
Dress and Serve
Just before serving, drizzle with olive oil, the remaining 1/2 tsp salt and the pepper. Scatter the rest of the basil on top. Serve right away.
5 Common Mistakes to Avoid
Here are the most frequent mix-ups to avoid when making a caprese salad recipe:
- Using cold ingredients: straight from the fridge, tomatoes taste flat and mozzarella turns rubbery.
- Skipping the salt step: salting the tomatoes first builds the brine that flavors everything.
- Dressing too early: oil and salt added ahead pull out too much water and make it watery.
- Chopping the basil: a knife bruises and blackens it, so tear the leaves by hand.
- Buying the wrong mozzarella: shrink-wrapped block cheese is for pizza, not a fresh mozzarella salad.
Make Ahead and Storage
Caprese salad is best fresh, but you can prep ahead.
Storing Leftovers
- Fridge: keep leftovers in an airtight container up to 1 day.
- Drain first: pour off extra liquid so the cheese does not get soggy.
How to Prep Ahead
- Slice early: cut the tomatoes and tear the cheese a few hours ahead.
- Wait to dress: add the oil, salt and basil only just before serving.
Freezing
- Skip the freezer: tomatoes and fresh mozzarella turn mushy once thawed.
What to Serve with Caprese Salad
This salad pairs with almost any summer main. Here is what I put alongside it.
Grilled Mains
- Grilled chicken: my Balsamic Chicken and Grilled Chicken Thighs are easy go-tos.
- Steak: a Flat Iron Steak turns it into a full plate.
- Seafood: it is great next to my Shrimp Pasta.
Bread and More
- Garlic bread: my Homemade Garlic Bread soaks up the tomato juices.
- Pizza night: serve it with Flatbread Pizza for an easy dinner.
- More veg: my Grilled Eggplant rounds out a meatless spread.
Tips for the Best Classic Caprese
A few small things take this from good to the best.
- Buy the ripest tomatoes: a true classic caprese lives and dies by the tomatoes. Thankfully, you can get good cherry tomatoes year round.
- Use extra virgin olive oil: the good, peppery kind, since it is a main flavor.
- Tear, do not slice, the cheese: torn mozzarella holds the oil and salt better.
- Salt in layers: some on the tomatoes, a little more right at the end.
- Finish with flaky salt: a pinch before serving adds a nice crunch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Just skimming through? Here are some quick answers to the commonly-asked questions.
Caprese salad is pronounced kah-PRAY-zeh, or kah-PRAY-zay salad. The name comes from the island of Capri in Italy. It feels easy to say once you have done it a couple of times out loud.
The dressing on a caprese salad is simply extra virgin olive oil and salt. The salted tomatoes release juice that mixes with the oil. Some people add balsamic glaze, but the classic version skips it.
Balsamic glaze and balsamic vinegar are both optional here. A balsamic reduction is thicker and sweeter, so it clings to the tomatoes. I keep my classic caprese without it, but a light drizzle is lovely.
Yes, caprese salad with burrata is creamy and rich. Swap the fresh mozzarella for torn burrata, and add it just before serving. The soft center spills out into the tomato juice and olive oil.
All cherry tomatoes work beautifully in this salad. A caprese salad with cherry tomatoes and no romas is perfect when large tomatoes are out of season. Halve them so they release their juice and mix with the oil.
Caprese salad is best served at room temperature, not cold. Cold mutes the tomato aroma and makes the mozzarella squeaky. Pull everything out about 30 minutes before you plan to eat.
Fresh mozzarella cheese is best for caprese salad. Use the soft kind packed in water, or mini mozzarella balls. Skip low-moisture block mozzarella, which is meant for pizza, not a fresh salad.
Caprese salad calories depend on how much cheese and olive oil you use. A side portion is roughly 200 to 300 calories. It is naturally gluten free and vegetarian, with no added sugar.
Other Caprese Salads You’ll Love
- Caprese Pasta Salad
- Grilled Panzanella with Buratta
- Strawberry Caprese Salad
- Fresh Peach Caprese Salad
- Watermelon Caprese Salad
Authentic Caprese Salad
Video
Ingredients
- ½ lb roma tomatoes sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella torn into rough pieces
- 8 oz mini bocconcini or more fresh mozzarella
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt divided
- ⅓ cup fresh basil leaves torn
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Pull the tomatoes and cheese out of the fridge 30 minutes ahead. Cold mutes the aroma in tomatoes and turns mozzarella squeaky.
- Tear the fresh mozzarella into rough, uneven pieces. The ragged edges catch oil better than clean knife cuts. Leave the bocconcini whole.
- Add the roma slices and cherry tomato halves to a wide shallow bowl. Sprinkle with 1 tsp of the salt and toss gently. This starts a light brine that becomes the dressing.
- Scatter some tomatoes across a serving platter, then some torn mozzarella and bocconcini, and most of the basil. Alternate casually as you go. Do not toss it.
- Just before serving, drizzle with the olive oil and add the remaining 1/2 tsp salt and the pepper. Scatter the rest of the basil on top. Serve right away.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
