Caprese Salad Recipe with Balsamic Glaze
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A classic Caprese Salad recipe featuring juicy tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and fresh basil is a delicious favorite! It’s made with only five ingredients and topped with my simple homemade balsamic glaze!
The freshness of this salad makes it one of my go-to dishes in the spring and summer. It’s one of my favorite ways to enjoy my garden-ripe tomatoes and fresh, aromatic basil. Combine those with the creamy mozzarella drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil, and make this such a star salad or side dish. And the addition of my homemade balsamic glaze makes it even more delicious! The flavor combination and presentation make this such a crowd-pleasing dish! I originally shared this recipe with you in 2010, but have updated it with some helpful tips.
With just a few fresh and simple ingredients, you can make this Caprese salad recipe in minutes. And it’s a dish you are sure to want to add to your menu!
How to Make Caprese Salad
You’ll only need a few fresh and delicious ingredients to make this salad recipe.
Ingredients
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.
You’ll need fresh tomatoes and basil, mozzarella, olive oil, and balsamic glaze for this salad.
Pro Tips – All About Tomatoes for Caprese Salad
Tomatoes – Tomatoes are the star of this show. Choose the freshest, fully ripe tomatoes you can find and slice them into 1/2-inch slices. The better the tomatoes, the better the salad!
What Type of Tomatoes? I think that heirloom tomatoes, whether grown in your garden or from a local CSA or farmer, have the most flavor. This is subjective – you can use your favorite type of fresh tomatoes, from Roma to beefsteak. Even cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes are delicious on caprese salad skewers.
How to Store Fresh Tomatoes – Tomatoes are best stored at room temperature. I do not advise refrigerating tomatoes.
The Best Mozzarella for Caprese Salad
I love to use a traditional mozzarella (Fior di latte) in my Caprese salad. Its texture holds up well to large tomato slices, like a beefsteak, without becoming watery. Fior di latte mozzarella is traditionally made of fresh, whole cow’s milk and has a lightly sweet taste. The texture is creamy, while still having a bit of chew.
If you are making your salad with cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, you will want to look for mozzarella balls or to cut your mozzarella into chunks so that they are relatively close in size to the tomato you are using.
If I’m serving Roma tomatoes, I enjoy using Burrata cheese from time to time. Burrata cheese is a type of mozzarella cheese. It is a “pouch” of mozzarella cheese filled with shreds of mozzarella cheese and fresh cream. It has a looser texture than the traditional mozzarella mentioned above and a richer flavor.
How to Slice Fresh Mozzarella
Traditional Mozzarella slices best when firm and straight from the refrigerator. Use a very sharp knife or dental floss to slice your mozzarella into beautiful slices. Once sliced, your mozzarella is perfect for layering.
Pro Tips – All About Fresh Basil for Caprese Salad
Fresh Basil is Best – Use fresh basil harvested from your herb garden or select some from your local farmer’s market or produce aisle at the grocery store.
How to Store Fresh Basil – Place the fresh basil stems into a cup or vessel of fresh water and keep at room temperature. This will keep the basil as fresh as possible until you are ready to assemble your salad. Do not refrigerate the basil for freshest results.
How to Chiffonade Fresh Basil – To cut thin ribbons of basil, neatly stack the basil leaves together and roll the stack of leaves from one end to the other to form a tight cylinder. Then, using a sharp knife, slice the basil into thin ribbons.
The Best Olive Oil for Caprese Salad
I prefer to use organic, extra-virgin olive oil. Use the highest quality olive oil that you can. A drizzle of olive oil adds a lot of flavor to the salad.
Balsamic Vinegar or Balsamic Glaze for Caprese Salad
This recipe adds balsamic vinegar or balsamic glaze to the traditional four ingredients for Caprese salad.
Balsamic Vinegar
Balsamic vinegar is a dark, slightly sweet vinegar that is used in many sauces, dressings, and marinades. It adds acidity to the Caprese salad, which helps to round out the flavors. Just a few drops are all that is needed if you use balsamic vinegar.
Balsamic Glaze
I love to reduce balsamic vinegar to make a homemade balsamic glaze, which I use on a variety of dishes, including this Caprese salad. It only takes minutes to make and is so delicious, but you can use a favorite store-bought balsamic glaze if you wish. It adds a bit of sweet and tangy flavor to each bite of Caprese salad, enhancing both the presentation and the deliciousness of the dish.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Assemble the Salad in Layers – To start assembling the salad, place a slice of tomato onto a platter. Then add a slice of mozzarella, repeat with another tomato, and continue until complete.
Top with Basil – Next, chiffonade the basil by rolling it tightly and cutting it into ribbons, then add it to the top of the assembled tomatoes and mozzarella.
Season – Then, drizzle the salad with olive oil. Finally, drizzle with Balsamic Glaze.
Serve – Serve the Caprese Salad immediately for the freshest, most scrumptious flavor.
More Favorite Caprese Recipes
Topping On Bart’s Best Hamburgers
Here’s how you make Caprese Salad with Balsamic Glaze. It’s a classic that makes a beautiful side dish or can be served on its own. I hope you enjoy it!
Caprese Salad
Ingredients
- 2 large tomatoes, washed and sliced into 1/4-inch slices
- 12 ounces Mozzarella cheese, sliced into 1/4-inch slices
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, washed, rolled and sliced into thin strips
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic glaze
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, optional
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, optional
Instructions
- Assemble caprese salad by alternating tomato and mozzarella slices on a medium platter. Top the slices with strips of basil and drizzle with olive oil. Drizzle with balsamic glaze.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
From the Add a Pinch recipe archives. Originally published in 2010.
Mmm yes. Caprese Salad. Caprese Sandwich. Caprese anything! It’s been a while since I’ve made one so I think it’s time to go shopping for these ingredients! I love the yellow tomatoes, I hadn’t thought about switching it up but it looks beautiful with them!
Tell us about the balsamic glaze. Is it a simple reduction?
Yes eager to hear about the glaze…how is it made? Thank you!
It just does not get any simpler and tastier than this. I just made a fresh pizza for the guys at work today and this would have been a terrific starter. I guess I was just not thinking right today. Next week’s pizza gets this salad!
mozzarella is so yummy!
One of my fav things to enjoy!