I have always been a fan of tomatoes, even in my early years of anti-vegetable eating. (Maybe it’s because tomatoes are a fruit. Anyway . . . ) That certainly hasn’t changed. I still love them, especially in the summer. This Simple Caprese Salad takes fresh, crisply sliced tomatoes and gives them a little textural boost with fresh mozzarella and fresh basil.
I really love dishes that fall into the “simple yet elegant” category. When putting together one of our dinner parties, I often break my own rules and have more than one complicated, multi-step recipe to deal with. (Don’t do that. 😛) Simple recipes that only require a few ingredients and minimal preparation are my saving grace. (That and my other half being more than happy to cook as well.) Because we include some of these “simple recipes”, our guests wind up with a much better variety of food to eat.
This Simple Caprese Salad is so simple that you may ask why I’m even including it as a recipe. The honest answer is that ideation is a third of the battle of any dinner party, so consider this ideation assistance. 🙂 (The other two thirds are planning and execution, just in case you were wondering.)
Do yourself a favor and give this a try for your next dinner party or even everyday, weeknight dinner.
What You Need
Equipment
- Cutting Board
- Serrated Steak Knife – Whatever kind of knife you prefer for slicing tomatoes. Personally, I like using steak knives on tomatoes. It’s just what feels best to me. Tomato knives are fine too, but a steak knife is usually closer to hand for me.
- Chef’s Knife – For cutting the fresh mozzarella. You could also just use the same knife that you used to slice the tomatoes. It’s just probably not the “best” tool for the job.
Ingredients
- Fresh Mozzarella – I buy the 2 pound pack at Sam’s Club that comes as two individually wrapped 1 pound pre-sliced logs. In the interest of simplicity and not having to repackage and store leftover fresh mozzarella, I just use a whole 1 pound package.
- Beefsteak Tomatoes – I find that 2 – 3 large ones about matches up with the number of slices in the pound of fresh mozzarella.
- Fresh Basil Leaves – The idea is to have 1 leaf for each tomato-mozzarella slice pair. However, you can artfully arrange them however you like.
- Pesto – You can optionally drizzle some pesto over the plated Caprese Salad if desired. I use store bought pesto.
Making a Simple Caprese Salad
This one is pretty straightforward.
Start by slicing the tomatoes in ½ to ¾ inch thick slices. Cut the slices in half top to bottom.
Lay out the pre-sliced log of fresh mozzarella and cut it in half lengthwise.
Then arrange the tomato and fresh mozzarella slice halves in an alternating pattern on the serving plate. I like to arrange them as what I’ll call a fanned circle.
After that, place a fresh basil leaf on top of each slice of mozzarella.
If you are using pesto, drizzle that on at the end.
Serve cool.
Related Recipes
If you’re wondering what else to serve with this quick and tasty Simple Caprese Salad, check out my Easy Summer Pork Dinner Party page for some menu suggestions.
Simple Caprese Salad
Ingredients
- 2 – 3 Beefsteak Tomatoes Sliced and core removed
- 16 ounces Fresh Mozzarella Sliced
- 20 leaves Fresh Basil Approximately 20 leaves
- Pesto Optional. To taste.
Instructions
- Slice 2 – 3 Beefsteak Tomatoes in ½ to ¾ inch thick slices. Cut the slices in half top to bottom.2 – 3 Beefsteak Tomatoes
- Lay out the pre-sliced log of fresh mozzarella and cut it in half lengthwise.16 ounces Fresh Mozzarella
- Arrange the tomato and fresh mozzarella slice halves in an alternating pattern on the serving plate. I usually lay it out in a fanned circle.
- Place a fresh basil leaf on top of each slice of mozzarella.20 leaves Fresh Basil
- If you are using pesto, drizzle over the fanned tomato and mozzarella.Pesto
- Serve cool.
Equipment
- Serrated Steak Knife Or whatever you prefer for slicing tomatoes.
- Chef's Knife For cutting the mozzarella.
Notes
- Additional Toppings
- As an alternative to the pesto, you could also dress up this Simple Caprese Salad with a keto balsamic glaze or just a small drizzle of balsamic vinegar.
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