Simply Good Food

Caprese salad

Photo of Caprese salad (1 of 4)Open the reference recipe for Caprese salad (new tab)
  • Photo of Caprese salad (1 of 4)
  • Photo of Caprese salad (2 of 4)
  • Photo of Caprese salad (3 of 4)
  • Photo of Caprese salad (4 of 4)

Introduction

Insalata caprese is slices of tomato and fresh mozzarella with basil leaves and olive oil, nothing more. With so few ingredients, everything depends on their quality: ripe summer tomatoes, soft mozzarella, fragrant basil and good oil. It makes a starter, a light lunch or a side.

The salad is named after Capri, the island in the Bay of Naples, and comes from Campania, the home of buffalo mozzarella. Its red, white and green are the colours of the Italian flag. Italians usually skip the balsamic vinegar that is often added abroad.

Ingredients

  • 4 ripe tomatoes, different colours if you can find them
  • 2 balls of fresh mozzarella (2 × 125 g), or buffalo mozzarella
  • a bunch of basil
  • 4 tablespoons good olive oil
  • flaky salt and black pepper

Tools

  • A serving plate

Preparation

  1. Take the mozzarella out of the fridge 30 minutes before, so it is not cold. Never keep the tomatoes in the fridge.
  2. Slice the tomatoes and the mozzarella about 1 cm thick.
  3. Arrange them on the plate, alternating and overlapping, with a basil leaf between them.
  4. Just before serving, season with salt and pepper and pour the olive oil over the top.

You might also like

  • Greek salad

    Greek salad is chunks of tomato, cucumber, pepper and onion with olives and a thick slice of feta, dressed with olive oil and oregano. It has no lettuce. Made with summer tomatoes and good feta, it…

  • Tzatziki

    Tzatziki is a cool dip of thick yogurt, grated cucumber, garlic, olive oil and dill. It goes with grilled meat, fish and vegetables, in pita with falafel, or simply with bread. It is fresh, very…

  • Tabbouleh

    Tabbouleh is a salad of finely chopped parsley with tomato, mint, spring onion and a little bulgur wheat, sharp with lemon juice. It is green, not beige: the parsley is the salad, and the bulgur is…

  • Coleslaw

    Coleslaw is shredded raw cabbage and carrot in a creamy, slightly sweet and sour dressing. It is the classic side for barbecues, burgers, sandwiches and fried chicken, and it keeps a day or two in…

  • Salade niçoise

    Salade niçoise is a summer salad of ripe tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, tuna, anchovies and small black olives, dressed with olive oil. With canned tuna it is cheap and needs almost no cooking, and it…