EASY Caprese Salad (10 minutes prep!)

This simple caprese salad takes only 10 minutes of prep and alert in less than 30 minutes! Filled with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, basil and topped with balsamic.

This is one of my favorite dishes to bring to a BBQ. It’s so fresh and flavorful and incredibly simple to whip up. Some of my other top picks are pasta salad, Greek salad and cucumber tomato salad.

A fresh caprese salad is the ultimate summer side dish! You just can’t go wrong with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella and basil topped with balsamic. The fresh summer flavors shine through and taste exactly delicious.

A traditional caprese salad is made with slices of tomatoes, sliced mozzarella and larger pieces of basil on top. Then you would sprinkle salt and pepper on top and drizzle over some olive oil. While I love the original version, I find it much easier to eat this way and great for a crowd. It’s SO simple to make and super tasty!

Ingredients

To obtain started, you’ll need the following (amounts included in printable recipe below):

Tomatoes: I prefer to use cherry tomatoes because they are a great size and hold up really well. I add in about 1 pint, sliced in half.
Basil: Make sure to use freshly chopped basil. It makes all the difference and adds so much flavor.
Mozzarella: I love to use mini mozzarella balls because they are the great size! No additional slicing required. If you can’t find them, you can dice up a large mozzarella ball into 1-inch pieces.
Dressing: The dressing is simple, yet super flavorful. It consists of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and dried oregano. If you don’t have oregano, you can mix in dried thyme instead.
Optional: I love to drizzle on some balsamic glaze right before serving. You can either make your own or buy it from the store.

How to make caprese salad

Scroll down for the printable recipe.

Combine ingredients. Place the tomatoes, mozzarella balls and fresh chopped basil in a large bowl.
Make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and dried oregano.
Toss salad in dressing. Pour the dressing over the tomato mixture and toss to combine. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Drizzle with balsamic glaze. Before serving, add more basil and S&P to taste. Drizzle with balsamic glaze if desired.

Tips for preparing

You can make your own balsamic glaze or use a store bought version.
Can add in extras like sliced avocados or even mix in some fresh pesto for more basil flavor.
This dish tastes top if served immediately, however it can be refrigerated for up to 1 day in an airtight container.
For a traditional caprese salad, add sliced vine tomatoes, sliced mozzarella and larger pieces of basil to a large plate. Then sprinkle salt and pepper on top and drizzle on some olive oil.

Favorites to serve with

This salad tastes delicious paired with any of the following dishes:

Other caprese recipes:

tomato basil mozzarella salad in white bowl

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: simple caprese salad

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Refrigerate: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 102

This simple caprese salad takes only 10 minutes of prep and alert in less than 30 minutes! Filled with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, basil and topped with balsamic.

1 pint cherry tomatoes , sliced in half
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano or thyme
1/4 cup chopped basil
1 cup mozzarella balls

Balsamic glaze, for serving

Place the tomatoes, mozzarella balls and freshly chopped basil in a large bowl.
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and dried oregano.
Pour the dressing over the tomato mixture and toss to combine. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Add more basil or salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle with balsamic glaze if desired.

This salad tastes top if served immediately, however it can be refrigerated for up to 1 day in an airtight container.

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meet Jamielyn Nye

Jamielyn Nye is the creative director and founder of I Heart Naptime. She is also the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook. When she’s not creating in the kitchen, Jamielyn loves to chase her four small monkeys and snuggle up on the couch with her man.