This deceptively simple 7-ingredient heirloom Caprese salad comes together quickly and is a total crowdpleaser that bursts with flavor!
Jump to Recipe
Don’t let this heirloom Caprese salad fool you. She may be a simple recipe with only 7 ingredients, but she is certainly a crowd pleaser. I threw this salad together with a couple of fresh heirloom tomatoes from our little garden and it was so tasty that I decided it simply had to go on the blog. It’s a perfect appetizer or side dish to bring to your end of summer and Labor Day cookouts. It will wow your friends and family with minimal effort on your part.
Ingredients for Heirloom Caprese Salad
Heirloom Tomatoes: Ah, tomato season. How I love thee. We have an heirloom plant, which is why I chose these beautiful and colorful tomatoes as the base for this Caprese salad. You certainly could use whatever tomato you fancy.
Fresh Mozzarella: For best results, you will want to buy full fat mozzarella. None of that part-skim nonsense, alright?
Fresh Basil: May I highly recommend buying yourself a little basil plant at the store? You will save money in the long run and have the freshest possible basil for all your summer dishes.
Balsamic Vinegar: This is the most labor-intensive part of making this Caprese salad, but it is worth it. You will be making a quick balsamic reduction, which sounds fancy I know. Trust me, it’s simple and I will explain it all.
Olive Oil: Just a drizzle for garnish. Make sure you use the most quality olive oil you can afford.
Sea Salt: Any sea salt works, but flaky sea salt is an amazing addition if you’re feeling a little luxurious.
Freshly Ground Black Pepper: For that final touch.
How to Make a Balsamic Reduction
I understand that any kind of “reduction” in the world of food probably sounds super intimidating and fancy. For the longest time, I thought so too. Have no fear. I will walk you through the process. For the purposes of this recipe, simply put half a cup of balsamic vinegar in a small or medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Once bubbling, reduce to a simmer until the vinegar thickens, stirring occasionally. This takes about ten minutes, but stoves can vary and be a little finicky so you will want to keep an eye on it.
Odds & Ends
- Make sure you don’t put your tomatoes in the refrigerator before you slice them! They are perfect at room temperature and will keep just fine. Once they’re sliced open, you will want to refrigerate them.
- For best results, use a serrated knife to slice your tomatoes. The sharpness of the serrated knife will make sure you can easily cut through the tomato without squishing it too much.
- This recipe is definitely best served immediately, but you could certainly store components separately and assemble just before eating.
If you make this Heirloom Caprese salad, be sure to leave a rating and review. This helps little blogs like mine grow and encourages others to give recipes a try!
Other Salad Recipes:
- Summery Roasted and Raw Peach Salad
- Fantastic Street Corn-Inspired Salad
- Beautiful and Refreshing Strawberry Mint Quinoa Salad
Heirloom Caprese Salad
Ingredients
- 2 large heirloom tomatoes sliced
- 1 8 oz mozzarella ball sliced
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar
- drizzle of quality olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh basil chopped
- sea salt (preferably flaky sea salt)
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- First, make your balsamic reduction. Put the balsamic vinegar in a small or medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Once bubbling, reduce to a simmer until the vinegar thickens, stirring occasionally. This takes about ten minutes, but keep an eye on it.
- While the balsamic vinegar is reducing, assemble your sliced tomato and mozzarella in alternating layers as pictured.
- Drizzle the tomatoes and mozzarella with olive oil and the balsamic reduction and garnish with the fresh basil, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Enjoy immediately.
Photography by Hope Agresti
