This Caprese salad consists of fresh juicy tomatoes, thinly sliced onions, creamy burrata chunks, and a chiffonade of flavorful fresh basil with a drizzle of rich extra virgin olive oil and tangy-sweet balsamic reduction.
Craving a quick and healthy snack or need a simply beautiful appetizer for any special occasion? This easy Caprese salad is one of the easiest and most delicious recipes I know.
This take on a traditional Italian dish is a must-try salad. There is no cooking required and can be made in less than 20 minutes. Since this recipe is just a few ingredients, it is important that you use the freshest products you can find.
I hope you enjoy this post about our easy Caprese salad recipe.
Easy Caprese Salad Recipe That Anyone Can Make
The Star Ingredients
Tomatoes
You will find yourself at the farmer’s market every week after you try this salad! Freshly grown tomatoes are the perfect way to enhance the flavor of this dish. They are at their best from May through October, with some variation depending on where you live. Any good size tomato could work; so, try different varieties and colors! My favorite tomatoes to use are the big beef/ beefsteak and heirloom. Though I honestly don’t recommend making this dish when they aren’t in season.
Onions
Traditionally Caprese salad is made with tomato, mozzarella, extra virgin olive oil, and fresh basil with the addition of balsamic vinegar. So, adding onions is an extra flavor that I think adds a nice touch to the salad. For those who like onions – sweet Vidalia onions would suffice – but if not red onions are a good alternative that has a milder oniony flavor as well as a nice addition of color to the dish. Although if you are making this for friends or for a gathering, maybe put the onions on the side or omit them all together—no one wants onion breath. Hehe!
Burrata
If you are not familiar with burrata cheese, you are in for a treat! Burrata is an Italian cow’s milk cheese made from mozzarella and cream. It resembles a mozzarella ball but the center is what makes it so special. The outer coating is a thin soft layer of mozzarella cheese and the center is a super creamy cheese mixture. The cheese mixture has a rich, buttery flavor that flows out so beautifully when the burrata is sliced open.
Burrata is best eaten within 24 hours, so I would buy this either day of or the night before. You can find it at most grocery stores in the specialty cheese sections.
Fresh Basil
This is one of the most popular herbs in America and is so versatile. I would recommend buying a good-sized bunch to use throughout different recipes. With this recipe, we chiffonade the basil but you can add them any way you like.
Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar
You’ll want to use a good quality extra virgin olive oil for better flavor.
Just a little of this goes a long way. It adds a tangy-sweet element to the dish and creates a dressing-like mixture with the olive oil. You’ll also want to use a good quality balsamic vinegar for better flavor. This can get a little expensive among brands but you will find it is worth it and should last you a while with proper storage.
The full recipe card and instructions are below.
Can I substitute the Burrata?
If you rather not use burrata or can’t find it in time, fresh mozzarella is a wonderful substitute. I would not recommend using low moisture or part-skim mozzarella cheese due to its tougher texture and saltier flavor.
Can I substitute the Balsamic Vinegar?
I personally say no. There are many other vinegar varieties that you could use, but it will change the overall flavor profile of the salad.
Though to intensify the flavor—use Balsamic Glaze.
Try this Decadent Balsamic Glaze Recipe
Tips and Tricks for the Best Caprese Salad
- Use colorful, freshly ripe tomatoes = You can get these from a garden or a farmer’s market when they are in season (May through October). Don’t slice them too thick.
- Basil Chiffonade = Pick off and stack each basil leaf on top of each other to make a short leaf tower. Carefully roll the stack like a cigar. Use a sharp knife and quickly slice thin strips. The width is up to you. Be careful, Basil can bruise/brown easily from a dull knife—even from your nails holding it down.
- Serve it fresh = this salad is best served asap. Since it is easy to assemble, I would make it last/ right before you are ready to eat it.
- Pre-Mix = If you aren’t good at eye-balling, you can premix the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt to taste to ensure everything is evenly mixed and seasoned. Add the pepper last for a nice presentation.
Easy Caprese Salad
Ingredients
- 4 medium tomatoes
- 1/2 medium whole onion or red onion, thinly sliced (optional)
- 8 oz burrata cheese
- 25-30 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
- kosher salt, to taste
- freshly ground paper, to taste
- extra virgin olive oil, drizzle to taste
- balsamic vinegar or balsamic glaze, drizzle to taste
Instructions
- Slice tomatoes into 1/3-inch slices. Layer the slices on the serving dish.
- When using onions, sprinkle the onion slices on top of the tomatoes.
- Slice open the burrata and roughly chop creating medium-sized chunks.
- Place the chunk on top of the tomatoes and onions.
- Sprinkle on the basil chiffonade ribbons.
- Drizzle with olive oil, balsamic reduction, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!