Heirloom Caprese Salad

Name: Heirloom Caprese Salad
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 pounds mixed heirloom tomatoes or the best ripe tomatoes available; 8-ounce ball of burrata or mozzarella, preferably fresh or packed in water; Handful of fresh basil leaves (smaller leaves look nicer); 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt or 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, to taste; Freshly ground black pepper

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This summer is the summer of heirloom tomatoes. Ripe, juicy heirloom tomatoes in all shades of red, yellow and orange. My friends have gifted me a few from their gardens this summer, and they’re so perfect when sliced and sprinkled with a little olive oil and flaky salt.

I couldn’t walk by the overflowing bins at Whole Foods one more time without stocking up and making something big and bold out of those gorgeous tomatoes. What better than a classic Caprese salad, made with the simplest of ingredients?

Traditional Caprese salads are made with slices of tomato, mozzarella, sprinkled generously with basil, salt and pepper, finished with a drizzle of olive oil.

Caprese salad (insalata Caprese) literally means “salad of Capri.” Capri is an Italian island in the Mediterranean. I can’t confirm that it actually originated there, but it is Italian and it is delicious.

A well-made Caprese salad will make a statement at your summer parties, but it’s easy and simple enough to enjoy on a regular weeknight.

How to Make the Best Caprese Salad

The trick to making a Caprese salad worth eating is to use fantastic ingredients. That’s it!

1) Ripe, juicy tomatoes

In other words, Caprese salads are for summertime and summertime only! I used a variety of heirloom tomatoes but regular garden tomatoes (good ones) will also work marvelously.

I recommend cutting them with a serrated knife for ease and for the cleanest slices (here’s my favorite and here’s a more affordable one, both are affiliate links).

2) Great mozzarella (or burrata)

Fresh mozzarella if you can find it. Otherwise, find mozzarella balls packed in water. The mozzarella balls that come in vacuum-sealed bags tend to be rubbery and don’t absorb olive oil and tomato juice like the other kinds do.

My only real deviation from classic Caprese salads was using burrata instead of mozzarella. Burrata is mozzarella with a glorious cream and mozzarella-infused interior. It’s more delicate than pure mozzarella, and it offers more texture and creaminess. I recommend it if you can find it.

3) Fresh basil

You want beautifully green, well-hydrated basil leaves. The smaller leaves look the nicest, so pick those if you have the option.

4) High-quality olive oil

You don’t have to spend a million bucks on good olive oil. You do need to make sure it’s real, pure, extra-virgin olive oil, which is made from the first pressing of the olives. Be sure to always screw the lid back on, and store it in a cool, dark place like a cupboard.

Olive oil should not taste bitter or rancid—if it does, it has gone bad. My go-to olive oils are California Olive Ranch (Arbequina or Everyday) or Trader Joe’s Kalamata olive oil.

5) Flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Not the kind from salt and pepper shakers, please. Ideally, you want to use flaky sea salt (Maldon sea salt is worth every penny), but kosher salt will work, too. Freshly ground black pepper from a pepper grinder is the only way to go.

Sometimes you’ll find Caprese salads with drizzles of balsamic vinegar or pesto, which are only needed if your other ingredients aren’t flavorful.

But, they should be full of flavor. Caprese salads are for summertime only, remember?

More Fresh Tomato Recipes

Hurry and make these recipes before summer ends:

I hope you love this Caprese salad as much as I do. It’s a Caprese salad to get excited about! Please let me know how you like it in the comments, and I’d love to see your gorgeous salads on Instagram—tag them #cookieandkate so I can see!

Heirloom Caprese Salad

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Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x
Category: Salad
Method: By hand
Cuisine: Italian

★★★★★

5 from 10 reviews

The best Caprese salad you’ll ever have! Great ingredients are the key. Use ripe summer tomatoes, burrata or mozzarella, fresh basil and olive oil. Recipe yields 4 generous or 6 smaller servings.

Scale

Ingredients

2 pounds mixed heirloom tomatoes or the best ripe tomatoes available
8-ounce ball of burrata or mozzarella, preferably fresh or packed in water
Handful of fresh basil leaves (smaller leaves look nicer)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon flaky sea salt or ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

With a serrated knife, cut the tomatoes into ¼″ thick slices. Arrange them on a large serving platter, overlapping their edges and varying the shapes as best you can.
Cut the burrata or mozzarella into ¼″ to ½″ slices (burrata is tricky since the inside is so creamy; I cut it into ½″ slices and gently tugged the slices into smaller sections, see photos). Tuck the cheese around and underneath the tomatoes, dispersing it relatively evenly across the platter.
Sprinkle basil leaves all over, and tuck a few more into the crevices. Drizzle the olive oil over the salad. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
For the best flavor (if you have the time), let the salad rest for 30 minutes so the tomatoes release some juices and the flavors have time to mingle. This salad is best served within a few hours. Leftovers will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 3 days.

Notes

Recipe created with guidance from Serious Eats and Bon Appetit.

Make it dairy free/vegan: As long as you’re using great tomatoes, you’ll enjoy this salad without cheese. If you’d like some creaminess, I think this salad would be nice with dollops of my vegan sour cream or with slices of avocado.

Change it up: Try substituting ripe peaches for some of the tomatoes!

▸ Nutrition Information

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Heirloom Caprese Salad