I love this Caprese salad recipe made with ripe tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and fresh basil. It’s one of my all-time favorite salads!
I know I’m not the only one who gets weak at the knees at the sight of juicy tomatoes and fresh mozzarella. This salad, or Insalata Caprese as it’s known in Italy, is a classic summer dish that never disappoints.
This easy Caprese salad is my go-to all summer long. The sweet tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and fresh basil come together perfectly. If you’ve ever wondered how to make Caprese salad the Italian way, this is it. Just a few high-quality ingredients and a drizzle of good olive oil are all you need. For more like this, see our bruschetta or antipasto salad!
Key Ingredients
- Tomatoes: I wait until summer when tomatoes are at their best before making this Caprese salad. Look for ones that are smooth-skinned, heavy for their size, and smell sweet and earthy. If your tomatoes don’t smell like anything, put them back (they won’t have much flavor). You can use a mix of sizes and varieties. I love combining large heirloom tomatoes with cherry tomatoes, as shown in our photos.
- Mozzarella: Fresh mozzarella is ideal, but if you can find burrata, it’s even more decadent thanks to its creamy center. When using burrata, I keep it whole until we’re ready to serve. Then, I pierce the middle and let the creamy inside spill over the tomatoes and basil.
- Basil: Fresh basil adds both color and flavor. Tear the larger leaves and keep the smaller ones whole for a beautiful presentation.
- Salt and Olive Oil: Use sea salt flakes, such as Maldon, and a high-quality extra-virgin olive oil. It blends with the tomato juices to create a rich, naturally flavored dressing that ties everything together.
Find the full recipe with measurements below.
My Tips for the Best Caprese Salad
Tip 1: Salt the tomatoes. This is the secret to the best Caprese salad! Sprinkle salt over your sliced tomatoes and let them sit for about 10 minutes. The salt draws out their juices, which deepens the flavor and mixes with olive oil to create a simple, perfect dressing. (We use the same trick when making our Greek salad!)
Tip 2: Layer the salad. I like to think of Caprese as a layered salad and build it right on my serving platter. Make a layer of tomato slices. Sprinkle them with salt, a little pepper, and add a drizzle of olive oil. Then, tuck in fresh basil leaves and pieces of mozzarella pulled into small chunks. Repeat the layers until you’ve used everything. The salad turns out gorgeous, and you know that every bite will be delicious.
Serving Suggestions
I’m happy to polish off an entire plate of Caprese salad without help from others or other dishes. That said, a few slices of homemade focaccia or grilled bread rubbed with garlic (like we do when making tomato bruschetta) is lovely. You can also add some protein. Try our Caprese chicken salad or add our garlicky shrimp scampi.
More Summer Salads
- Perfect Panzanella Salad
- Cherry Tomato Salad with Feta
- Fresh Peach Burrata Salad
- Chopped Cucumber Tomato Salad
Easy Caprese Salad
- PREP
- TOTAL
I’m planting my flag and calling Caprese salad the most iconic summer salad! It’s simple to make, calls for the freshest in-season ingredients, and tastes incredible. Salting the tomatoes really makes this salt delicious, so don’t skip that step.
You Will Need
1 pound ripe tomatoes (450g)
4 to 5 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese or burrata
Handful fresh basil leaves
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
Directions
1Prepare the tomatoes: Slice the tomatoes into thin rounds. For a more rustic look, leave some as full circles and cut others into half-moons. If you’re using smaller tomatoes (like cherry or grape), cut them in half or thirds.
2Prepare the cheese: Tear the mozzarella into smaller chunks. If you’re using burrata, keep it whole and break it open just before serving, allowing the creamy center to spill over the salad.
3Prepare the basil: Pick the basil leaves from their stems. Leave small leaves whole, and tear larger ones in half or into quarters.
4Layer the salad: Arrange half of the tomato slices on a serving plate. Season lightly with salt and pepper, then drizzle with olive oil. Tuck some basil leaves and mozzarella pieces among the tomatoes. Repeat with the remaining tomatoes, seasoning again with salt and pepper, and layering in more basil and mozzarella.
5Let it rest: Allow the salad to sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes. The salt will draw out the tomato juices, blending with the olive oil to make a naturally delicious dressing.
6Serve: Serve at room temperature, and don’t forget to soak up those flavorful juices with crusty bread. They’re too good to waste!
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Storing: Caprese salad is best served within an hour or two after making. More than that and the tomatoes will lose some of their texture.
- Tomatoes: We love using a mixture of sizes, colors, and varieties of tomato. Choose smooth skinned, heavy tomatoes that smell sweet and earthy.
- Burrata: Burrata cheese is an excellent substitute to fresh mozzarella and has an almost molten middle of cream. If using burrata, layer the seasoned tomatoes and basil first, then place a ball of burrata right on top of the salad. When it is pierced, the creamy inside will fall over the salad.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.
This is so easy to make and very delicious.
Great recipe for a hot summer day. Presaltjng tomatoes and letting the juices to come out for 10 minutes is a great tip.
I figured I’d try your recipe for caprese salad because your recipes are always SO good. But — I’ve never really *loved* caprese salad, even with really good tomatoes. I’m going to follow your technique exactly. Maybe I’m not using enough salt. But I have a question for next time (which will be soon, since I have a lot of mozzarella and tomatoes on hand). What do you think about garlic? Could I steep a garlic clove in some EVOO for a bit, so there’s a little yummy garlickiness involved? Or could I smash and mash up a clove of garlic with a little salt, and stir that into the EVOO?
Hi Chris, Thanks for your kind words. Yes, you can absolutely add garlic. My preferred way is to rubs raw garlic on toasted bread and then serve the garlic bread with the tomatoes and mozzarella. If you don’t want the bread, you could finely mince or grate a small amount of garlic into the oil before drizzling over the tomatoes (maybe 1/2 a small clove).
Love your recipes and so easy to make 😋
Really like your recipes
Your Caprese Salad Recipe with Insider Tips turned out as delicious as I’ve ever enjoyed at a Restaurant (in Italy or USA)! I’m excited to try more of your fine Recipe offerings.