With just 6 ingredients, this simple Tomato Basil Mozzarella Salad will be your new go-to summer side! Made with fresh cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, basil and a 3-ingredient balsamic vinaigrette, this Italian Tomato Salad recipe tastes incredible!
Tomato Basil Mozzarella Salad
The BEST Italian Tomato Salad Recipe!
When the temps reach 90+ degrees, my dinner ambitions quickly go out the window. The idea of turning on the oven, or even heating up the outdoor gas grill is less than appealing. I tend to gravitate to salads like my Italian Chopped Salad and Grilled Salmon Salad that are substantial enough on their own, but light enough for a simple summer meal. This Italian Tomato Salad recipe definitely fits into this category and is the perfect summer salad to enjoy any time the mood strikes.
The best part of this salad is that it’s incredibly simple to make. Since it’s just 6 ingredients, it comes together in moments, making for a fantastic no-fuss side dish or even meal on its own.
Here are the simple steps to making this fantastic Tomato Basil Mozzarella Salad:
Step 1: Rinse and Slice Tomatoes
When selecting the tomatoes for this salad, you can go just about any direction you like. I chose some gorgeous tri-color cherry tomatoes, that were incredibly sweet and added some fantastic color. However, heirloom, plum, Roma or Campari are also delicious varieties that are great in this salad.
When cutting the tomatoes, halve or quarter the tomatoes. For larger tomatoes (like heirloom) simply cut into smaller wedges.
Step 2: Add Fresh Mozzarella and Basil
For this tomato salad, I chose the small “pearl” sized mozzarella that can be found in most grocery stores. However, if the pearls are not available, you can use a ball of fresh mozzarella and cut into bite-sized pieces.
For the basil, add about 6-8 medium leaves that have been sliced or torn into small pieces. I personally LOVE the taste and peppery aroma of basil, so I add quite a bit. Feel free to add the amount of basil that best suits your taste.
Step 3: Add the Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
This dressing is comes together in about 30 seconds – literally! It consists of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and ground pepper. To a small dish or measuring cup, pour in the olive oil, vinegar, and pepper and whisk. Occasionally, I’ll also add a few grinds of salt or some minced garlic to the dressing, but it’s certainly just an option.
After whisking the dressing together, pour over the tomatoes, cheese and basil and gently toss to coat.
That’s it – just 3 salad ingredients and 3 dressing ingredients and you’ll have the most wonderful tomato basil mozzarella salad. I’m tellin’ ya – this salad not only screams “easy-no-fuss-summer-meal” it also makes for an incredible side dish. We love enjoying this caprese salad with grilled steak, chicken, or pork chops and is great with your next pasta meal.
My friend Brianne over at Cupcakes & Kale Chips has an amazing recipe for Caprese Grilled Filet Mignon that has all the same flavors of this salad on top of a juicy, delicious steak.
The next time you’re at the farmers market or grocery store, be sure to pick up some of the summer’s best tomatoes and basil. Those red, orange and golden tomatoes are loaded with flavor. When paired with fresh, fragrant basil and mozzarella you’ll quickly discover a new summer favorite!
Here’s a quick-reference shopping list of the ingredients you’ll need to make this simple tomato salad:
- Cherry Tomatoes – 2 pints, any color or assortment
- Fresh Mozzarella – “pearl” size, if not available you can use any size of fresh mozzarella available
- Fresh Basil Leaves
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Olive Oil
- Ground Pepper
What should I serve with this Tomato Basil Mozzarella Salad? How about one of these Simple Grilled Chicken recipes:
Brown Sugar Balsamic Grilled Chicken
Could you use more summer salad inspiration? Check out these delicious salad ideas:
Check out my video for how to make this delicious Tomato Basil Mozzarella Salad:
Here’s the simple, easy and completely delicious recipe for this fantastic Italian Tomato Salad recipe:
Erin @ Delightful E Made
Yields 6 servings
With just 6 ingredients, this simple tomato salad recipe will be your new go-to summer side! Made with fresh cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, basil and a 3-ingredient balsamic vinaigrette, this caprese salad takes just minutes to make and tastes incredible!
15 minPrep Time
15 minTotal Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- 2 pints (about 24 oz.) Cherry Tomatoes, any color or assortment
- 1 (8 oz.) container, fresh mozzarella "pearls"
- 6-8 basil leaves, sliced or torn
- 1/4 c. olive oil
- 1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
- fresh ground pepper (4-6 grinds)
Instructions
- Slice all of the tomatoes in half, for larger tomatoes, slice into quarters. Add tomatoes into large mixing bowl. Drain the mozzarella of any liquid, and add the cheese to the tomatoes. Slice or tear the basil leaves and add to the tomatoes and cheese.
- In a small bowl, add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar and pepper. Whisk to combine and pour over the salad. Gently toss the salad to coat all the ingredients.
- Serve right away. Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container.
Notes
If you cannot find a container of mozzarella "pearls" you can use whatever size mozzarella you can find and cut into small bite-sized pieces.
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