Spring to me means fresh flowers, dinner on the patio with a cocktail of choice, and a crisp delicious summer salad taken to whole new level. I wait all year to serve this summer strawberry caprese salad.
It’s a traditional caprese salad, but served with sweet strawberries. Good news? This simple caprese salad takes less than 10 minutes to make and is a complete show stopper highlighted with ripe juicy strawberries, mini mozzarella balls, fresh sweet basil, and a drizzle of balsamic reduction .
It always amazes me how much people love this dish made fro simple ingredients – myself included. It’s literally one of my favorite salads. Wanna give it a try? See below:
Ingredients for a classic caprese salad with strawberries:
- 2-3 Heirloom (or 3-4 Beefsteak) tomatoes
- 1 pack of cherry tomatoes
- 1 bunch of strawberries
- 1 pd. of Fresh Mozzarella
- 1 bunch of fresh basil – whole.
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- Salt + Pepper
- Drizzle: Monari Federzoni Balsamic Reduction. This is a MUST grab it here.
How to Make strawberry caprese salad:
- To start this easy caprese salad Wash and clean the fresh basil, tomatoes. I like to place washed produce on an absorbent kitchen towel or paper towels and lightly pat dry. The dryer produce is before being mixed in the better. Pro Tip: Throw produce into the freezer to crisp up for 10 min.
- Pluck off the thick stem of the tomatoes and ripe strawberries. Slice each into thick 1/2’“ half circles. You want each of your raw tomatoes to be the thickness of a piece of a steak and a good mouth full when cut with a knife and fork.
- Rip – The fresh basil leaves from the stems being careful to leave the leaves whole as needed. It’s okay if a few are double leafed. Use these to garnish as a finishing touch.
- Slice – Fresh mozzarella into similar half circles and at the same thickness. I like to pat the fresh mozzarella dry if it came out of the storing liquid.
- Arrange – on a small salad plate the tomato, then mozzarella, strawberry, and basil. I like to place strawberries next to a different color tomato. Rotate this so that you get at least 2 of each on a plate. Sprinkle sliced strawberries and cherry tomatoes as you see fit to elevate this simple dish to a five start experience.
- Season + Garnish – with cracked black pepper a pinch of salt and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil – but just a splash. Then the best part….
- Add a Drizzle of balsamic glaze – with my absolute favorite balsamic reduction. It’s sweet and delicious. A little bit goes a long way so don’t use too much.
- Serve – this caprese salad recipe after chilling in the fridge for 10 minutes and watch your guests enjoy every bite – with their eyes too.
Strawberry Caprese Salad
Ingredients
- 3 ech Heirloom (or Beefsteak) tomatoes
- 1 bunch cherry tomatoes
- 1 basket fresh strawberries
- 1 pd fresh mozzarella
- 1 jar fresh mozzarella pearls
- 1 bunch fresh basil – whole.
- 1 tbsp olive oil splash
- 1 tsp salt + pepper to taste
- 1 Drizzle: Monari Federzoni Balsamic Reduction or traditional balsamic vinaigrette
Instructions
- To start this easy caprese salad Wash and clean the fresh basil, tomatoes. I like to place washed produce on an absorbent kitchen towel or paper towels and lightly pat dry. The dryer produce is before being mixing in the better. Pro Tip: Throw produce into the freezer to crisp up for 10 min.
- Pluck off the thick stem of the tomatoes and ripe strawberries. Slice each into thick 1/2'“ half circles. You want each of your raw tomatoes to be the thickness of a piece of a steak and a good mouth full when cut with a knife and fork.
- Rip – The fresh basil leaves from the stems being careful to leave the leaves whole as needed. It’s okay if a few are double leafed. Use these to garnish as a finishing touch.
- Slice – Fresh mozzarella into similar half circles and at the same thickness. I like to pat the fresh mozzarella dry if it came out of the storing liquid.
- Arrange – on a small salad plate the tomato, then mozzarella, strawberry, and basil. I like to place strawberries next to a different color tomato. Rotate this so that you get at least 2 of each on a plate. Sprinkle sliced strawberries and cherry tomatoes as you see fit to elevate this simple dish to a five start experience.
- Add a Drizzle of balsamic glaze – with my absolute favorite balsamic reduction. It’s sweet and delicious. A little bit goes a long way so don’t use too much.
- Season + Garnish – with cracked black pepper a pinch of salt and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil – but just a splash. Then the best part….
Commonly asked questions about this strawberry caprese salad recipe:
What can I use instead of mozzarella in Caprese?
Burrata cheese is an excellent substitute to fresh mozzarella and has an almost molten middle of cream. If using burrata, layer the seasoned tomatoes and basil first, then place a ball of burrata right on top of the salad.
How are you supposed to eat a Insulate Caprese?
It is eaten with a fork. Use the fork to cut a piece of tomato and mozzarella to eat together in one bite.
What do you serve with Caprese salad?
It can be served with lot’s of things including pasta, pizza, chicken, or sandwiches.
What can I use instead of balsamic vinegar in Caprese salad?
For every 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar, substitute 1 Tbsp. cider vinegar or red wine vinegar plus ½ tsp. sugar.
What kind of tomatoes do you use for caprese?
Heirloom tomatoes are the best tomatoes for Caprese salad and better than the classic tomato you find at a grocery store. However, you can also use cherry or vine tomatoes. I’ve used a mix of heirloom beefsteak tomatoes and cherry tomatoes at the same time for my insalata caprese.
How Healthy is a caprese with fragrant basil?
You’ll also be getting a good dose of potassium, vitamin K, and vitamin A. Tomatoes get their signature red color from something called lycopene. Lycopene is linked to better heart and eye health. Basil – Basil is packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and natural essential oils.
Give this show stopping strawberry caprese salad a try
We love this strawberry salad with sweet tomatoes – like we have it all the time. It goes great with a side of pasta, grilled meat such as tri-tip or chicken. It’s the perfect appetizer, main dish or side. Your new favorite salad is perfect of summertime gatherings and I know each of your guests will be giving you a chef’s kiss for taking this Italian classic to a whole other level the easy way. We all love that right? Looking for wine? A Sauv Blac will be a perfect pairing.
Will you give this a try? It’s quick and easy while bursting with fresh sweet deliciousness. There is nothing easier (and more delicious) to make than a fresh caprese salad with a twist. Enjoy!
