There’s nothing better than a fantastic Caprese salad! Pair perfectly ripe, juicy tomatoes with fresh mozzarella and peppery basil.
There’s no better way to showcase summer’s best tomatoes than this: Caprese salad! This salad represents Italian cuisine at its finest: beautiful ingredients combined in a way that’s both elegant and simple. Alex and I visited the island of Capri on our honeymoon and one of our fondest memories is eating this salad. So every summer when the tomatoes are peak, we make copious amounts of the stuff. Here’s how to make the perfect Caprese salad!
Who invented Caprese salad, aka insalata caprese?
Caprese salad in Italian is insalata caprese, which means “the salad from Capri.” It’s a simple salad of fresh tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil leaves, seasoned with salt and pepper. Like pizza margherita, each of the ingredients corresponds to the colors of the Italian flag: red, white and green.
Who invented this popular salad? The first mention of Caprese salad was on a 1920’s menu from Hotel Quisisana, a 5 star hotel on the island of Capri. The salad didn’t catch on until the 1950’s, when King Farouk of Egypt visited Capri and tried it as a sandwich. He raved about it, and it caught on and became the international sensation that it is today!
This Caprese salad recipe is…
Vegetarian abd gluten-free.
Ingredients
- 6 to 8 ripe heirloom tomatoes, of different colors and sizes
- 4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese or burrata cheese
- 1 handful basil leaves
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Balsamic reduction (optional)
- Sea salt
- Fresh ground pepper
Instructions
- Slice the tomatoes and place them on a plate.
- Top with torn or sliced mozzarella cheese and basil leaves. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. If desired, drizzle with balsamic reduction. Top with sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Serve immediately. (Does not save well; tomatoes should not be stored refrigerated.)