Easy Caprese Salad
This marinated easy caprese salad is delish served with baguette or sourdough slices for scooping. It is a perfect light summer meal or side dish.
Fresh tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and fresh basil (fresh is the flavor!) are tossed in the most delicious vinaigrette. Toss with bread cubes for a panzanella-type salad or serve the caprese salad on baguette slices.
Ingredients for Caprese Salad
The three main ingredients for this salad are:
- Fresh mozzarella: you can use the kind that comes in a thick log or the small mozzarella pearls (even the marinated kind will work here – extra boost of flavor!). Fresh mozzarella is key because of the soft, creamy texture. Don’t sub in part-skim block mozzarella.
- Fresh tomatoes: garden-ripe tomatoes are ideal, but this salad can be made even in the off-season with ripe grocery-store tomatoes. My preference is to use Roma tomatoes (diced) or cherry tomatoes (halved) because of the low water content.
- Fresh basil: another key ingredient! This salad doesn’t work as well with dried basil.
For the dressing, whisk together:
- Red wine vinegar: feel free to play around with different types of vinegar (a white balsamic vinegar would be tasty!).
- Garlic: fresh garlic is preferred, but you can sub in 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, if you don’t have fresh garlic on hand.
- Dry mustard: there is just a small amount of dry mustard – it adds great flavor and depth to the dressing!
- Salt + Pepper
- Olive oil
Combine the dressing with the salad ingredients and let chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 hours to let the flavors really develop.
How to Serve Caprese Salad
This easy caprese salad is incredibly tasty eaten…like a regular salad! You know, grab a fork and dig in. It is light and refreshing and totally irresistible.
However, you can also serve the salad in the following ways:
- Serve the caprese salad with baguette slices for scooping, dipping, or smothering.
- Mix sturdy bread cubes with the salad for a panazanella-type caprese salad.
Lightly toast the bread slices before serving with the salad, if desired.
Best Caprese Salad
This marinated caprese salad is one of my favorite things to eat with fresh tomatoes and basil. It is incredible!
The flavors are bright and tasty, and it is a great make-ahead salad for summer get-togethers, BBQs, or just a simple lunch or dinner.
I don’t know about you, but I would be hard pressed to come up with a more delicious combo than that of caprese: fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil. I’m a fan for life!
I made this the other night with your ciabatta bread. It was so delicious!! I could eat it straight from the bowl. Even two days later it tastes great.
—Stacie
Easy Caprese Salad
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon dry mustard
- â…› teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- â…“ cup olive oil
- 6 to 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, diced into bite-size pieces
- 4 to 5 roma tomatoes, diced
- 8 to 10 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped or torn
Instructions
- Combine vinegar, garlic, salt, mustard, and pepper in small bowl or blender. Add the oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking or blending until oil is thoroughly emulsified and combined.
- In a wide, shallow dish, combine the tomatoes, cheese, and basil. Pour the dressing over the ingredients and toss to combine.
- Let the salad marinate covered in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 hours.
- Serve the salad with slices of baguette (sourdough or regular) for scooping. You can also dice up the bread and toss it into the salad to create a caprese panzanella-type salad.
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Recipe Source: from Natalie B.
Recipe originally posted May 2011; updated July 2025 with new photos, recipe notes, etc
I have been following your website for 10 years. I have spent hours on this website and made countless recipes and I just happened to stumble on this recipe now. This is so delicious & easy, its my go-to summer salad this year! I nominate this for your next issue of “Recipe’s the World Forgot.”
I think you’re right, Jamie!
Easy, delicious, and a perfect summer side. I possibly ate half the bowl by myself…
Do you think I could make this the night before? Would sitting overnight be an issue? Thanks, I make a lot of your recipes!!!
Kay – I haven’t refrigerated it for that long but it should be ok – if anything, you might try tossing the cheese in toward the end so it doesn’t get soggy/mushy.
Looks delicious! Going to make for a dinner party this weekend, any idea approx how many people it will serve?
Amanda – it all depends on how big of eaters you are serving but I think it could serve around 6 as an appetizer.
OMG… I love Caprese and this looks awesome… I may add some red pepper flakes to spice it up… MMMMM.. With crusty french bread, heavenly berries in a Champagne Cream and Napa Valley Chardonnay.. I think I’m gonna plan a romantic picnic!!!!!!!!
Hola
This was incredible. Honest and simple. I am now your biggest fan.
This was fresh, simple and delicious! Love the ideas of throwing it over noodles or chicken! Thanks Mel.
I made this the other night with your ciabatta bread. It was so delicious!! I could eat it straight from the bowl. Even two days later it tastes great.
Made this for our Memorial Day BBQ yesterday and oh what a hit. So yummy!! I think the only change I would make is to toast the baguette slices a bit before serving. Other than that it was perfect. Even my super picky husband really liked it! Yep, this one’s a keeper 🙂
This was WONDERFUL. Thanks for the recipe. 🙂
I have truly been enjoying tomatoes, mozz and basil the last couple of weeks. I can’t get enough. I’m loving this chopped version and how you served it along side that delicious bread! A dish like this really makes any table look great…
there’s nothing more pride-inspiring than growing one’s own basil and tomatoes and making one’s own mozzarella and making one’s one wholly local caprese salad. this one’s lovely. 🙂
I wish I had that plate in front of right now. I am sooooo behind on my google reader, but I can’t wait to try all of the delicious recipes you have posted. I’m anxious to try your wheat bread recipe. My mom bakes all of her bread too, which benefits me since I live down the street. She is a neonatal nurse and brought home one of the square tent things they put over babies–like a portable incubator. She raises her bread on the stove top under that. Too funny, but it works perfect!
I just made home-made mozzerella and have been looking fo a way to use it and i think this recipe will be the winner
Perfect summer salad.
Mel, this looks absolutely fabulous. I’m sure it will become a summer staple in my house!!!
I HATED tomatoes as a kid and through to early adulthood. But now, now I can’t eat enough of them. I love them in everything!
Oh and I do balsamic vinegar in mine too.
I’ve never done dry mustard in mine before, but I have added some finely chopped purple onion and served it over grilled chicken. So good!
Natalie is my awesome neighbor! She brought this to our blookclub a couple of months ago and I fell in love with this salad! I’ve made it at my house and it was a hit. I can’t wait to make this, this summer, with fresh tomatoes out of my garden!
It sounds like a wonderful thing to look forward to this summer. Have you ever made homemade mozzerella cheese? It is easy and tasty. Try is sometime! I can’t wait.
There’s nothing more that I love during the hot spring and summer days than a cold caprese salad. This looks delicious, flavorful and so fresh, Mel! I’ll be saving it to try soon. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
I’m so glad you love it like I do! And I am so going to make it into a sandwich next time I make it! Thanks for the suggestion Alisha!
I make something very similar, but omit the dry mustard. I call it my “Italian salsa”!!! I also let mine marinate at room temperature – I think it brings out the flavors better. Ie addition to serving as a salad, I do the panzanella thing, too, with nice, BIG homemade croutons. I also use it as a fresh, no-cook pasta sauce. Simply toss the salad with hot, drained pasta (I like linguini) and serve with lots of freshly grated parmasean, and bread for dipping, on the side.
YUM. 😀
I’m so glad you love caprese as much as I do! Just yesterday I had a caprese sandwich from a local bistro, and it was divine!! Thanks for the recipe…and all your recipes, I love them!
I can see this being my summer potluck staple! It sounds sooo good 🙂
I love caprese salad! It sounds amazing with the fresh bread! YUM!
Makes me feel like summer is already here! I can’t wait for those first tomatoes from the back yard! Awesome sounding recipe!
I’m looking forward to trying this. Just purchased a basil plant this weekend! cheers~
In the off-season, which is now, I find that those tomatoes on the vine you can get at the supermarket are pretty decent. We eat caprese very often in the summer.