Caprese Salad Recipe – How We Make And Serve It In Italy 

Last updated on August 8th, 2024

Behold, the all mighty trio of Italian ingredients: mozzarella, tomato and basil!

These caprese salad ingredients are the holy trinity in Italy when it comes to not only food but colors as well (it does represent the Italian flag after all!).

There are so many riffs, variations and an overwhelming number of recipe ideas for caprese salad that it’s easy to stray from the simplicity of the authentic recipe for insalata caprese.

But a true caprese salad isn’t complicated. It’s actually one of the simplest and easiest no-cook foods Italy is famous for to make and enjoy on a hot summer’s day. 

Let’s take a look at the classic Italian caprese recipe and exactly how we make and eat it here in Italy. 

What Is Authentic Caprese Salad?

Caprese salad in Italy is a simple, no-cook, cold appetizer made from only three ingredients: mozzarella, tomato and basil served in the summer when tomatoes are vine ripe. The salad is served drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and finished with salt.

In some parts of Italy, a caprese salad will be served as a whole ball of cheese decorated with sliced tomatoes. Other caprese salads are served in alternating slices of tomatoes and mozzarella. 

How To Pronounce Caprese Salad In Italian

Caprese salad in Italian is simple caprese, pronounced cah-preh-zeh.

Listen to the pronunciation of caprese here:

Ingredients For Authentic Caprese Salad

Tomatoes

Use 1 ½ lbs vine ripe tomatoes of your choice, which amounts to around 3 or 4 medium sized tomatoes. You can also use cherry tomatoes, should you like and cut them in half. 

Mozzarella

For this caprese salad recipe, you will need roughly 16 oz of fresh mozzarella. Use the best quality for this recipe and if possible, buffalo mozzarella.

More Mozzarella: To learn more about mozzarella, check out
Mozzarella Types and Shapes + a Mozzarella Imposter
What is Mozzarella di Bufala (Buffalo Mozzarella)? – Solving the Great Italian Mystery
Is Mozzarella Pasteurized In Italy? – Facts From A Local

Basil

You will need about ½ bunch fresh basil leaves, which you can gently tear or chiffonade. 

Other Ingredients

• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• Flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

How To Make Authentic Caprese Salad

Wash and dry your tomatoes. Remove the top and slice into ¼ inch slices. 

Drain the fresh mozzarella of any liquid and slice into ¼ inch slices (or the same as your tomato slices). 

Arrange the sliced tomatoes and fresh mozzarella slices on a platter, layering them one on top of the other, alternating the mozzarella with the tomatoes. 

Gently tear or chiffonade the basil and sprinkle on top. Use as much or as little as you like.

Drizzle with the ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil and season generously with the flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to your liking. Serve immediately. 

How To Serve Italian Caprese Salad

Italian caprese salad is made as an appetizer in Italy and often served alongside other no-cook such as prosciutto and melon. Alternatively, you might see Italians eating a caprese salad as part of a main meal with several other antipasti or appetizer options like crostini, salads, quiche, charcuterie and farro salad. 

Be sure to serve some fresh crusty bread, focaccia or schiacciata with your Italian caprese salad to mop up all the extra olive oil and juices from the tomatoes. 

Tips For Making Italian Caprese Salad

Keep these helpful points in mind when making this easy Italian caprese salad recipe:

• Use any kind of tomatoes (shape and color!) for this recipe including heirloom varieties
• The better quality your mozzarella cheese and extra virgin olive oil, the better your salad will be. If you need help choosing an olive oil, you can read Best Italian Olive Oil Brands in America – Where to Buy Them and How to Store Them and 15 Best Italian Olive Oils – To Enjoy in Italy & Bring Home as a Souvenir.
• This caprese salad recipe doesn’t do well under the sun. It’s not ideal for picnics but is a simple appetizer that can be prepared easily right before serving
• Don’t use pizza grade mozzarella (for grating) for this Italian caprese salad
• Cut your tomatoes and mozzarella the same size, ideally around ¼ inch thick
• Be sure your tomatoes are room temperature. Avoid storing tomatoes in the refrigerator for the best flavor 
• To keep your basil fresh, store it in water for best results until ready to use
• Avoid adding dried herbs such as dried basil or dried oregano to your caprese salad

Italian Caprese Salad Variations

Italians don’t like to get creative with their caprese salad recipes. At most you might see regional differences in the shape of the mozzarella or the type of tomatoes used (even under ripe or green tomatoes in some areas of Italy). 

If, however, you would like to jazz things up and add some extra zest to your Italian caprese salad, you certainly can with the following suggestions:

• Substitute baby (bocconcini) or cherry mozzarella for large mozzarella and cherry tomatoes for regular tomatoes
• Drizzle your caprese salad with balsamic vinegar as well as olive oil
• Add droplets of pesto onto your salad or mix it in with the olive oil to make a pesto dressing
• Use basil frozen in olive oil if fresh is hard to come by

How To Store Italian Caprese Salad

Italian caprese salad can be covered and stored in the refrigerator and enjoyed the next day. It can be consumed beyond one day but the constancy, flavor and quality of the sliced tomatoes degrades significantly. 

If you love Italian salads, try making:
Caprese Salad
Fennel and Orange Salad
Kale Salad with Gorgonzola
Lentil Salad with Roasted Vegetables
Panzanella
Spring Farro Salad
Tuna Salad (Mayo-Free)
Tuscan Bean Salad