🇮🇹 Italian · Appetizer
🍅 Insalata Caprese
Insalata Caprese
The simplest of Italian salads, layering ripe tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil, dressed with nothing more than good olive oil — a dish where ingredient quality is everything.
Named for the island of Capri and echoing the colors of the Italian flag, insalata caprese has no cooking and almost no technique — its success rests entirely on using the ripest tomatoes, the freshest buffalo mozzarella, and a genuinely good olive oil.
Ingredients
Equipment: Sharp knife, Serving platter
- 4 large ripe tomatoes, sliced
- 400 g (14 oz) fresh buffalo mozzarella, sliced
- Fresh basil leaves
- Extra virgin olive oil, generous amount
- Coarse sea salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
Method
- Slice the tomatoes and mozzarella into rounds of similar thickness, about ½cm.
- Arrange the tomato and mozzarella slices alternately on a serving platter, slightly overlapping.
- Tuck fresh basil leaves between the slices.
- Drizzle generously with good extra virgin olive oil.
- Season with coarse sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper just before serving.
Chef Tips
- This dish lives or dies by its ingredients — seek out the ripest seasonal tomatoes and the best mozzarella di bufala you can find.
- Season with salt only just before serving, as it draws moisture from the tomatoes over time.
- Let the mozzarella come to room temperature before serving for the best flavor and texture.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using out-of-season, underripe tomatoes, which have little of the sweetness this dish depends on.
- Substituting low-moisture, pre-shredded mozzarella, which lacks the fresh, milky quality of true mozzarella di bufala.
- Skimping on the olive oil, which is a key flavor component, not just a garnish.
Nutrition (per serving)
Health Benefits
- Tomatoes provide lycopene and vitamin C; mozzarella contributes calcium and protein.
Cultural Note
Insalata caprese is said to have originated on the island of Capri, and its red, white, and green components have made it an enduring, patriotic symbol of Italian simplicity done well.
Storage & Serving
Storage: Best assembled and eaten immediately; does not hold well once dressed.
Reheating: Not applicable; this is always served at room temperature or chilled.
Serve with: Crusty bread to soak up the juices and oil