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This easy Caprese salad recipe is made with fresh cherry or grape juicy tomatoes, creamy fresh mozzarella balls, fresh basil, vibrant pesto sauce, extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic glaze, and spices. A perfect summer salad recipe!
Easy Caprese Salad
We are in the thick of summer and all looking for cool summer recipes that are quick and easy to put together. This is one of my favorite salad recipes to keep in the refrigerator for a quick lunch or a side dish for dinner.
This is all about highlighting the freshness of summer — cherry tomatoes and fresh basil. I have so much basil growing everywhere in my garden so I am trying to get creative with it!
Why you will love this Caprese Salad Recipe:
This Pesto Caprese Salad tastes so fresh! It is made with fresh grape or cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella balls, pesto sauce, extra-virgin olive oil, fresh basil, balsamic glaze, and salt and pepper.
The pesto sauce brings so much freshness from the basil, and nuttiness from the pine nuts, and parmesan cheese. This is the BEST PESTO SAUCE RECIPE!
You can put this caprese salad together in less than 5 minutes!
Caprese Salad Ingredients:
- Tomatoes — Use grape or cherry tomatoes sliced into half so the oil, balsamic glaze, salt, and pesto can infuse into the tomatoes.
- Fresh Mozzarella — I love to use creamy fresh mozzarella balls because I can just throw them into the salad bowl, rather than slicing and cutting fresh mozzarella logs into bite-size pieces.
- Fresh Basil — I suggest cutting into ribbons so there is fresh basil all throughout the caprese salad.
- Pesto Sauce — Make your own homemade pesto sauce or buy refrigerated pesto sauce from the grocery store. One of my favorite pesto sauces can be found at Costco.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil — Use a high-quality olive oil. You will only need a touch as the pesto sauce already has some EVOO in it.
- Balsamic Glaze — This adds a sweet and tangy element to the caprese salad.
- Salt — An important ingredient to bring out the natural flavors of the tomatoes. Be generous with your salt.
What is Balsamic Glaze?
Balsamic glaze is a syrupy reduction of balsamic vinegar. It’s made by simmering balsamic vinegar until it thickens and becomes syrupy in texture. Balsamic glaze is sweeter and thicker than balsamic vinegar, with a more intense flavor.
I always love to add a drizzle of balsamic glaze because of its great flavor payoff. Balsamic glaze is different than balsamic glaze because it has a thicker, syrupy type consistency. It also has a richer flavor. I love to drizzle it on salads! You can find it at any grocery store and Trader Joe’s.
How to make Pesto Caprese Salad:
It is so easy to make homemade caprese salad — you just toss all of the ingredients together and you have a beautiful summer salad.
- Cut grape tomatoes in half lengthwise. In a large bowl, add tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt.
- Drain fresh mozzarella and toss fresh mozzarella balls, pesto sauce, olive oil, balsamic glaze, and fresh basil into the bowl. Taste for seasoning.
- Store covered in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Storage:
This refrigerates really well and lasts for at least one week in the refrigerator. Sometimes, the oil will solidify slightly so just let it come to room temperature for about 10 minutes and you are good to go!
Summer Recipes:
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Pesto Caprese Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pint Grape or Cherry Tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 8 ounces Fresh Mozzarella Balls *
- 2 Tablespoons Pesto Sauce **
- 2 to 3 Tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- Balsamic Glaze (drizzle on)
- Fresh Basil
Instructions
- Cut grape tomatoes in half lengthwise. In a large bowl, add tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt.
- Drain fresh mozzarella and toss fresh mozzarella balls, pesto sauce, olive oil, balsamic glaze, and fresh basil into the bowl. Taste for seasoning.
- Store covered in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Notes
- Mozzarella balls may be called Ciliengine or Bocconcini
- I suggest using homemade or refrigerated pesto sauce. My pesto sauce recipe can be found HERE.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Great recipe with simple ingridents, i enjoyed a lot!
Just a note re: your caprese salad recipe– it contains the sentence “Balsamic glaze is different than balsamic glaze…”
p.s. I intend to try your recipe ASAP.
Easy to make and a crowd pleaser. I get the “wow, this is so great but I never think to make things like this” comment frequently.
So refreshing and full of flavor!!!
I’m excited to try this recipe this summer!
How many serving does this recipe serve? Looking forward to making this soon
Thank you
Love this fresh pasta! Such yummy flavor.
What kind of pesto sauce was used. Basil, pine nut ??
Hey Melissa,
I love this salad so much. I have made it for years. I take this salad to work for lunch about 3 times a week. It is so good and so filling to me. I know it has to be so hot over there where your at…….take good care. Thank you for this recipe. I love those little mozzarella balls.