Caprese Salad
Tomato, mozzarella and basil with good olive oil, three ingredients in perfect balance.
- Preparation
- 10 min
- Cook/bake time
- –
- Total
- 10 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 415 kcal
- Servings
- 4
Tomato, mozzarella and basil with good olive oil, three ingredients in perfect balance. With so few components, their quality alone decides the outcome, which is why pale winter tomatoes make this dish impossible. Balsamico is not part of the original recipe by the way, as it overpowers the delicate mozzarella.
Why this works
Buffalo mozzarella is a very mild fresh cheese with a delicate lactic acid note. Its flavors lie far below the perception threshold of Balsamico. The concentrated acidity and sweetness of the vinegar completely overpower them, leaving only tomato with vinegar. Salt, on the other hand, works for the cheese. It draws juice from the tomatoes, which combines with the olive oil to form a natural vinaigrette without bringing its own flavor.
Step-by-step instructions
- 1
Bring ingredients to temperature
Take the tomatoes and mozzarella out of the fridge at least thirty minutes before serving. Cold numbs flavor and texture, cold mozzarella tastes squeaky and cold tomatoes taste like almost nothing. Room temperature is not a detail in a dish with three ingredients, it is crucial.
- 2
Prepare the tomatoes
Cut the tomatoes into slices about 1 cm thick, remove the hard stem ends and place them briefly on a kitchen towel. Salt them lightly and let them rest for five minutes. The salt draws out some water and simultaneously concentrates their flavor.
- 3
Drain the mozzarella
Take the buffalo mozzarella out of the brine, cut it into slices and let it drain briefly on a towel as well. Excess whey would otherwise mix with the olive oil on the plate and form a milky puddle instead of a clear sauce.
- 4
Plate the dish
Place tomato and mozzarella slices alternately and slightly overlapping on a flat plate. Tuck the basil leaves in between instead of scattering them on top, this keeps them fresh and transfers their aroma directly to their neighbors. Basil is plucked, never cut, otherwise it turns black at the cut edges.
- 5
Season
Drizzle the olive oil generously over the entire plate, sprinkle flaky sea salt on top and grind fresh black pepper over it. Serve immediately with white bread to mop up the mixture of oil and tomato juice at the bottom of the plate. That exact mixture is the real highlight.
Our best tips
- No Balsamico. The original sticks to oil, salt and pepper so the mozzarella is not overpowered.
- Pluck the basil instead of cutting it, otherwise the cut edges will immediately turn dark.
- Bring everything to room temperature. Straight from the fridge, Caprese only tastes half as good.
Tasty variations
Caprese skewers
Thread cherry tomatoes, mini mozzarella and basil alternately onto skewers, ideal for parties.
With peach
Replace half of the tomatoes with ripe peach wedges, this is excellent in midsummer.
Nutrition facts
| Calories | 415 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 20 g |
| Carbohydrates | 6 g |
| – of which sugar | 5 g |
| Fat | 34 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
Where the 415 kcal come from
per serving
Calculated from the ingredients – how we do it
We add up reference values for every ingredient and divide by the number of servings. These assumptions are baked in:
- Reference values per 100 g – for the raw ingredient, exactly as listed.
- Tinned goods count at drained weight, bone-in meat at purchase weight: you eat about 70 per cent of a chicken thigh and leave the rest.
- Water evaporates as you cook. The energy stays in the pot, the weight does not – so the figure is per serving, not per 100 g of finished dish.
- Anything listed without a quantity – “salt and pepper” – is not counted.
A guide value, not a lab measurement: no two onions weigh the same, and fat content varies from pack to pack.
Frequently asked questions
Buffalo mozzarella or cow's milk mozzarella?
Buffalo mozzarella is creamier and more aromatic and is definitely worth it here. Cow's milk mozzarella works, but is firmer and milder.
Why no Balsamico?
The classic Caprese comes from Capri and does without it. Balsamico dominates the mild mozzarella with its sweetness and acidity.
Can I prepare Caprese in advance?
Only to a limited extent. Slicing is fine, but plate and season just before serving, otherwise the plate will get watery.
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