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    Home ≫ Salad

    Cherry Tomato Caprese Salad

    Updated January 7, 2022. Originally Posted April 27, 2021 By Nikole Berg

    14.9K shares
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    Cherry tomatoes are in season all year round, so why not make this flavorful side dish the next time you need something versatile that goes with just about anything--steak, chicken, fish, or even just some sourdough bread.  Try this cherry tomato caprese salad with this Cilantro Lime Green Chile Grilled Chicken dish for a low carb and delicious dinner. 

    This cherry tomato caprese salad recipe is made with your favorite Mediterranean flavors like grape tomatoes, mozzarella balls, olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, and basil. Ready in about 15 minutes!

    caprese salad in a white bowl

    Why it's Awesome

    It’s simple to make. This cherry tomato recipe is great for beginning cooks who don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. If you're into quick and flavorful dishes (and I know you are) then you need this tomato salad in your bag of tricks!

    It’s full of fresh Italian inspired flavor. Not only is this salad beautiful, it's also delicious! You’ll love the classic flavors of tomato and mozzarella that pair so well together. 

    It’s a versatile salad that goes with everything. I love serving it when we grill and sometimes I just like eating it with a big slice of sourdough bread. It's great for a light lunch or dinner.

    Key Ingredients

    The Italian word caprese means a salad of tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, olive oil and that is exactly what this salad is.

    Cherry Tomatoes - I love using cherry tomatoes in caprese salad because they are consistently ripe and sweet all year round. You can substitute with other varieties such as beefsteak or roma.

    Fresh Mozzarella Cheese - It's important to use fresh cheese! This salad would not be the same with a block of part skim mozzarella. If you can't find small balls of cheese, it's okay to cut a large ball into cubes.

    Extra Virgin Olive Oil - A good quality extra-virgin olive oil is a pantry staple I use most everyday! It's perfect for light sautéing and making homemade dressings. Olive oil contains polyphenols, an antioxidant that's good for your heart, and may have other health benefits!

    Fresh Basil - Basil's slightly peppery flavor pairs really well with tomatoes. This salad will be best with fresh basil, but I have substituted with dried.

    White Balsamic Vinegar - If you don’t have white balsamic vinegar, you can substitute this for regular balsamic vinegar. The white balsamic vinegar flavor is a little less sweet than balsamic vinegar and it has a clean aftertaste.

    cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls, olive oil dressing

    Directions

    Cut the cherry tomatoes in half then add them along with the mozzarella balls to a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.

    making a salad with cherry tomatoes and fresh mozzarella balls and dressing

    Pour dressing over tomatoes and mozzarella, and top with basil leaves. Toss well to combine and enjoy immediately! Add a few more basil leaves as garnish.

    a large white bowl with a cherry tomato, mozzarella and basil salad

    Recipe Tips

    Use a variety of tomatoes. I was able to find yellow, orange, and red ones in different sizes. I like to halve and quarter the larger ones, and leave some of the smaller ones whole.

    This dish is best served immediately, but will keep well for up to two hours at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

    You may not need to use all the dressing. It will depend on how juicy your tomatoes are. I like to pour half over, toss and add more as necessary.

    If you’d like to turn this recipe into a pasta salad, cook some short cut pasta. Drain and cool then add to tomato mixture.

    FAQs

    What should you serve with a caprese salad?

    Cherry tomato, mozzarella, basil salad goes great as a side dish with a variety of main dishes. Some examples include fish, steak, chicken and some nice bread as well.

    Do you cut cherry tomatoes for a salad?

    I like to use a variety of cherry tomatoes with different colors to make this salad beautiful as well as delicious. For larger sizes it’s good to halve or quarter them, and leave some of the smaller ones whole for a nice variety in the salad.

    How is burrata different from mozzarella?

    These are both types of semi-soft Italian cheese but there is a difference between the two. Fresh mozzarella is a stringy Italian cheese made from water buffalo or cows milk. While Burrata has an outer shell made of mozzarella and is then filled with stringy curd and cream. The inside of Burrata is softer than mozzarella and very creamy and delicious.

    More Salad Recipes You'll Enjoy!

    Greek Pasta Salad

    Italian Dressing Pasta Salad

    Easy Taco Salad

    Citrus Salad with Quinoa

    Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad

    cherry tomatoes and mozzarella balls with basil leaves in a salad bowl

    📖 Recipe

    a large white bowl with a cherry tomato, mozzarella and basil salad

    Cherry Tomato Caprese Salad

    Recipe by Nikole Berg
    This cherry tomato caprese salad recipe is made with your favorite Mediterranean flavors like grape tomatoes, mozzarella balls, olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, and basil. Ready in about 15 minutes!
    4.76 from 33 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 0 minutes mins
    Total Time 15 minutes mins
    Course Salad/Side Dish
    Cuisine Mediterranean
    Servings 6 Servings
    Calories 208 kcal

    Equipment

    Salad Servers

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 2 10 oz. containers multi-colored or red cherry tomatoes; halved or a 16 oz. container
    • 8 ounces small mozzarella balls bocconcini
    • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
    • 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar can substitute with regular
    • 1 teaspoon kosher or coarse ground sea salt
    • ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
    • ½ cup basil leaves leave small leaves whole, tear larger leaves
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions
     

    • Add tomatoes and mozzarella balls to a large bowl. 
    • In a separate bowl, mix olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. 
    • Pour olive oil mixture over tomatoes and mozzarella then top with basil leaves. Toss well to combine.
    • Serve immediately. 

    Notes

    Nutritional information provided is an estimate and may vary due to products used.
    Refrigerate leftovers. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.
    Try adding cooked short pasta to the dish for a quick pasta salad!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 208kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 8gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 14mgSodium: 46mgPotassium: 356mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 877IUVitamin C: 36mgCalcium: 156mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword fresh mozzarella salad, mozzarella balls, summer salads
    Tried this recipe?Click here to leave a helpful tip!

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    14.9K shares
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    About Nikole Berg

    Nikole is the creator and photographer behind The Travel Palate, a food and travel blog featuring quick and flavorful recipes and getaway guides. Nikole hopes to inspire your inner foodie whether you're in the kitchen or traveling on your next adventure.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Tracy B.

      July 29, 2022 at 7:23 pm

      5 stars
      I was looking for a last minute side to throw together for a pizza pool party. This recipe popped up and I'm so thankful it did. I did 2-12oz cherry tomato medley containers (sliced each tomato), doubled the cheese balls (plus sliced them in half), doubled the oil, vinegar, salt and pepper recipe and offered a balsamic glaze on the side for topping. To prepare ahead of time, I mixed the cheese and tomatoes; stored covered in the fridge. Then made the dressing but kept it separate until it was time to mix & serve. I put it in a bowl inside another bowl with ice since it’s so hot. It was a perfect summer side and a hit by all who enjoyed it! Thanks again!!

      Reply
      • Nikole

        July 30, 2022 at 11:15 am

        Awesome tips- thank you so much for sharing them and I'm so happy to hear it was a hit at your pool party Tracy!

        Reply
    2. Debra

      July 07, 2022 at 7:06 am

      5 stars
      This is so easy and delicious! It was a perfect addition to our 4th of July get together. I just can’t stop eating it.

      Reply
    3. Denise

      April 28, 2021 at 9:14 am

      5 stars
      This is a Fave!!!

      Reply
      • Nikole

        April 28, 2021 at 9:24 am

        Thank you for making my day Denise! It's my favorite too!

        Reply
    4. Beth Neels

      September 03, 2019 at 2:20 pm

      I have a bunch of cherry tomatoes in the garden and this was a delicious use for some of them!

      Reply
    5. Chef Mireille

      August 28, 2019 at 7:26 pm

      This is such a bright and beautiful salad. It's tomato season here at the farmer's markets and this is the perfect seasonal salad for right now.

      Reply
    6. Nikole

      August 28, 2019 at 4:59 pm

      I'm obsessed with cherry tomato recipes right now, Michelle!

      Reply
    7. Lesli Schwartz

      August 27, 2019 at 12:40 pm

      This simple salad is always the best! One of my fave go-to's in the summer (and beyond)!

      Reply
      • Nikole

        August 28, 2019 at 4:59 pm

        Mine too Lesli!

        Reply
    8. Brian Jones

      August 26, 2019 at 2:07 am

      This was delicious and simple, the dressing really makes it!

      Reply
      • Nikole

        August 26, 2019 at 8:17 am

        Thanks Brian!

        Reply
    9. Rusty

      August 25, 2019 at 9:35 am

      Reply
      • Nikole

        August 25, 2019 at 9:36 am

        Thanks for the 5 star rating!

        Reply

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