Insalata Caprese
Fresh tomato, mozzarella and basil finished with olive oil for a simple Italian salad built on balance and ingredient quality.
Ingredients
- 14 oz ripe tomatoes
- 9 oz fresh mozzarella
- 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 400 g ripe tomatoes
- 250 g fresh mozzarella
- 10 g fresh basil leaves
- 30 ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 g fine sea salt
- 1 g freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Slice the tomatoes into rounds about 1/4 inch thick. Remove the stem ends and keep the slices even so the salad plates neatly.
- Slice the fresh mozzarella into rounds about the same thickness as the tomatoes. Pat lightly with paper towel if excess moisture collects.
- Arrange the tomato and mozzarella slices on a large platter, alternating them slightly overlapping so both ingredients remain visible.
- Tuck whole basil leaves between the slices so they distribute evenly across the platter.
- Sprinkle the tomatoes and mozzarella lightly with salt and black pepper.
- Drizzle the olive oil slowly across the salad in a thin stream so it coats the surface without pooling.
- Rest the salad for 2 minutes before serving so the salt draws a little juice from the tomatoes and blends with the olive oil.
- Serve immediately while the tomatoes remain fresh and the cheese stays cool.
Cultural Context
Insalata Caprese comes from the island of Capri in southern Italy, part of the Campania region. The salad became associated with simple coastal cooking built around ripe tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil and good olive oil.
Fun Fact
The salad’s red tomatoes, white mozzarella and green basil mirror the colors of the Italian flag. Conveniently patriotic. Also delicious, which helps.
Cook’s Tip
Use ripe but firm tomatoes and fresh mozzarella that is cool but not icy cold. Caprese has no place to hide bad ingredients, which is rude but honest.
Trivia
Campania produces Mozzarella di Bufala Campana, a protected PDO cheese made from water buffalo milk that often appears in traditional Caprese salads.
More Recipes From Italy
