Cherry Tomato Caprese Salad

This delicious cherry tomato caprese salad is a standout recipe! It's full of fresh ingredients and vibrant flavors.

This easy Caprese salad is the perfect summer side salad and saves well in the refrigerator so you can make it ahead of a party, BBQ, or picnic.

An Insalata Caprese is ridiculously popular for a reason - the balance of flavors with the sharp, fresh tomatoes paired with creamy mozzarella and topped with buttery olive oil and tangy balsamic can't be beat!

This take on the traditional caprese salad swaps in cherry tomatoes. They're always easy to find at the grocery store and you can even grow your own quite easily. This recipe is especially good if you want to make this salad out of season as tasty cherry tomatoes can typically be found for most of the year.

For the best flavor, I love to make this salad in summer though when ripe tomatoes are at their peak. It's a perfect side dish for some grilled chicken or fish.

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• More Great Salad Recipes
• Substitutions & Variations
• Storage
• Tips for Making this Recipe
• Cherry Tomato Caprese Salad

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make this simple salad.

• Cherry Tomatoes (or another small tomato like grape tomatoes)
• Small Mozzarella Balls (Mozzarella Pearls or Bocconcini)
• Fresh Basil Leaves
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Sea Salt
• Ground Black Pepper 

See the recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Halve the cherry tomatoes.

Combine the halved cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese, basil leaves, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl. 

Gently stir till combined. 

Serve immediately in a large dish or allow to sit for 10 to 15 minutes so the flavors come together.

It's best served at room temperature when the mozzarella has had some time to soak in the oil and balsamic.

More Great Salad Recipes

Looking for the perfect summer salad? Here are some other great ideas!

• Avocado Caprese Salad - the avocado and fresh mozzarella balls make this a super creamy salad.
• Cantaloupe Tomato Salad - this fantastic cantaloupe cherry tomato salad is super juicy and perfect for a hot summer day!
• Italian Tomato Salad - this delicious salad combines shallots, garlic, juicy tomatoes, and fragrant basil for a delectable dish.

Substitutions & Variations

Here are some optional swaps to make to this salad.

• Vinegar - you can use balsamic glaze, balsamic reduction, or white balsamic vinegar instead of regular balsamic vinegar.
• Mozzarella - if all you can find are the larger mozzarella balls, you can cut them into smaller pieces to use in this salad.
• Herbs - feel free to add other fresh herbs to this salad. Oregano and mint are a great addition!

Storage

This salad can be saved for up to 4 days in the refrigerator when stored in an airtight container.

These ingredients don't stand up well to freezing.

Tips for Making this Recipe

Specialty Ingredients - I highly recommend using good quality olive oil for this recipe - this is when you break out the best extra virgin olive oil you have!

Alternate Serving Ideas - you can toss this salad with some cooked pasta for a delicious pasta salad.

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