Best Tomato Mozzarella Basil Salad | Quick & Delicious Summer Dish
There’s nothing quite like a fresh tomato, mozzarella, and basil salad to celebrate summer’s best flavors. When you combine ripe, juicy tomatoes with creamy mozzarella and fragrant basil leaves, you get a simple dish that feels fancy without any fuss.
It’s the kind of salad that’s perfect for backyard barbecues, quick weeknight dinners, or impressing guests with minimal effort. What makes this salad stand out is using the freshest ingredients.
Think vibrant tomatoes, soft mozzarella—preferably the kind that comes in big, milky balls—and basil picked straight from the garden or farmer’s market.
Then, a drizzle of good-quality extra virgin olive oil and a splash of aged balsamic vinegar bring everything together with a touch of richness and tang.
This recipe keeps things straightforward but elevates the classic Caprese salad with an elegant presentation that’s sure to wow. You don’t need to be a chef to nail this — just slice, layer, dress, and enjoy.
Whether you’re a longtime fan of this combo or trying it for the first time, this salad hits the perfect balance of fresh, creamy, and zesty every time.
Tomatoes, Mozzarella and Basil
Ingredients
- 1 ripe fresh tomato per person
- thin slices fresh mozzarella cheese
- whole basil leaves washed and dried
- olive oil best quality extra virgin
- balsamic vinegar best quality
- kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place a tomato, upside down, on a cutting board.
- With a sharpe, serrated blade, cut down through the tomato to about ½ inch from the cutting board. You want to cut vertical, parallel slices while keeping the base of the tomato intact so it holds together.
- Gently separate the slices, being careful not to tear the slices off the tomato. Insert a slice of fresh mozzarella and a whole basil leaf between each slice of tomato.
- Sparingly drizzle on a bit of olive oil and just a few drops of balsamic vinegar.
- Season with salt and pepper. Garnish each tomato with a fresh basil leaf or sprig and serve.
Ingredients
Even though the luscious summer tomatoes aren’t in season yet here in Salt Lake City, plenty of great produce still exists to enjoy. We’re all about fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil from our garden or the farmer’s market.
We grab our mozzarella from Costco — I like the large egg-sized balls that come in big tubs. Depending on how often my girls sneak slices as snacks, a tub lasts a couple of weeks. It’s the same quality mozzarella you find in gourmet stores, but way more affordable.
Where we splurge is on the olive oil and balsamic vinegar. I always use the best extra virgin olive oil and aged balsamic I can get my hands on.
Since you use these sparingly — especially the balsamic — why not treat yourself? You want to complement, not overpower, the fresh tomato and basil flavors, so a little goes a long way.
You can find extra virgin olive oil almost anywhere, but not all oils taste the same. Each producer crafts a unique flavor, so I recommend visiting a store that lets you sample different oils to find your favorite.
I’m a big fan of Giorgio Zampa — a Tuscan-style olive oil made on Sardinia, a small island off Italy’s coast. They harvest the Bosana olives ripe and cold-press them within hours, which gives the oil a fresh, rich taste.
As for balsamic vinegar, I use an incredible but pricey one — Padroni’s 20-year-old balsamic. It costs over $100 a bottle but lasts me well over a year, so it works out to less than $9 a month. That’s cheaper than skipping a couple of lattes!
A more budget-friendly option is Giusti’s 10- or 12-year-old balsamic. These aren’t cheap compared to supermarket brands, but the flavor is in a whole different league. Side by side, cheap balsamic tastes like sugar water.
The Giusti bottles cost over $50 but give you 250 ml of complex, aged balsamic — more than double the 20-year Padroni bottle size. Sure, the flavors differ, but dollar for dollar, these are great buys.
| Ingredient | What to Look For | Why It Matters | Tips |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomatoes | Firm, ripe, vibrant color | Flavor and juiciness | Choose in-season or heirloom |
| Mozzarella | Soft, milky, fresh | Creaminess and texture | Look for large egg-sized balls |
| Basil | Bright green, fragrant leaves | Aroma and freshness | Pick or buy fresh, not wilted |
| Extra Virgin Olive Oil | Cold-pressed, fruity aroma | Enhances flavor without overpowering | Sample oils for best taste |
| Balsamic Vinegar | Aged, dark, thick consistency | Adds sweetness and tang | Use aged balsamic sparingly |
Prepping the Tomatoes, Mozzarella & Basil
I once saw this serving style in a cookbook or online and thought it looked awesome, so we gave it a try. Before, I’d slice tomatoes and mozzarella and layer them with basil, fanning everything out on a plate.
But cutting the tomato whole and slipping in mozzarella and basil looks way more elegant. I can’t wait to serve this to friends at our next dinner party.
To dress it, I drizzle extra virgin olive oil over the tomatoes (I like using my thumb over the bottle’s end to control the flow) and add a few drops of balsamic vinegar the same way. Then, I season it with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
Finish with a sprig of basil on top, and you’re good to go. This has become a summer staple at our house — give it a try!
Simple Serving Suggestions
| Style | Description | Best Occasion | Pairing Suggestions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic Layered | Tomato & mozzarella slices layered with basil | Casual meals or snacks | Light white wine or sparkling |
| Elegant Stacked Presentation | Whole tomato sliced with mozzarella & basil tucked inside | Dinner parties or special occasions | Rosé or Pinot Grigio |
| Skewered Caprese | Cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls, and basil on skewers | Picnics, appetizers | Prosecco or Sauvignon Blanc |
11 Responses
This is a wonderful recipe. Occasionally, I “enhance” the salad by adding thin slices of sweet onion and lox. In addition, I toss on a few capers.
Makes wonderful ingrediants for sandwiches on mini baguets.
i love the tomatoe & mozz salad, only i stack mine and julianne the basil over it. but i love this presentation as well!!
I really enjoy the tomato, mozzarella, and basil salad. I make it with the same ingredients, but I also add a few drops of truffle oil. I love this on picnic nights out.
i love this
We make a version of this in the colder months, too. I roast the tomatoes, then top the roasted tomatoes with the mozzarella and broil it for a minyte, just until the cheese melts slightly. We put basil on it if we can get it, or pesto if we can’t get fresh basil. Finish with good olive oil and balsamic. Yummy!
While visiting the owners of a small family run winery in Napa we were served an appetizer of rustic bread slice that were lightly toasted then spread with a kalamata olive spread, tomato and mozzarella then put back under the broiler to melt the cheese and topped with fresh basil. It was delicious and I have made it for my guests who love it.
We enjoy a variation of this all year long. We use all these ingredients plus a generous amount of onion and make salad. Just let the tomatoes drain a bit after cutting into bite sizes and then chop and add the rest. Let it sit about 30 minutes at room temp. Even my kids love this!
Capers go great with this!
I LIKE TO TOP IT ALL OFF WITH A LITTLE GRATED CARROTS FOR MORE CRUNCH
I love this type of recipe and so healthy!