How to Make Caprese Salad

Caprese salad is a simple dish made with tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella cheese topped with balsamic glaze. The ingredients make a refreshing snack or appetizer that you can enjoy at any time. Whether you make a large salad or bite-sized hors d’oeuvres for a party, you’ll have a dish that’s sure to impress others!

[Edit]Ingredients

[Edit]Basic Caprese Salad

• 3-4 tomatoes
• of fresh mozzarella
• ½ cup (13 g) of fresh basil leaves
• Salt and pepper

Makes 4 servings

[Edit]Caprese Skewers

• 1 pint (280 g) of cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup (25 g) of fresh basil
• of ciliegine mozzarella
• Salt and pepper

Makes 16 skewers

[Edit]Balsamic Glaze

• of balsamic vinegar

[Edit]Steps

[Edit]Creating a Basic Salad

1. Slice the tomatoes into pieces that are thick. Use the roundest tomatoes you can find so your slices are similar in size. Cut your tomatoes with a serrated knife so you don’t accidentally crush them. Set the sliced tomatoes aside when you’re finished.^[1]
   
   
   • Don’t use the top or bottom pieces of the tomatoes since they contain stem pieces.
2. Cut the mozzarella into thick slices. Look for fresh mozzarella in the dairy or deli section of your local supermarket. Use a chef’s knife to cut your cheese. Make the slices the same size and thickness as your tomatoes.^[2]
   
   
3. Overlap the tomato and mozzarella slices on a serving plate. Start by placing 1 slice of tomato near the edge of your plate. Set a piece of mozzarella cheese so it overlaps half of the tomato slice. Alternate slices of tomato and mozzarella cheese around your plate until it’s completely covered.^[3]
   
   
   • Try different plate arrangements, such as in a circle or along a straight line.
4. Chop the basil leaves and spread them over the tomatoes and mozzarella. Layer 5-7 basil leaves on top of one another, and roll them up like a cigar. Thinly slice the leaves with a chef’s knife and set them aside. Continue to make rolls until you’ve chopped all of your basil. Sprinkle the basil leaves on top of the tomato and mozzarella.^[4]
   
   
   • If you don’t want to chop your basil leaves, you can layer the leaves in your Caprese salad along with the tomatoes and mozzarella.
5. Sprinkle salt and pepper on the salad to season it. Adjust the amount of salt and pepper you use based on how much seasoning you want. For a fresher flavor, only use a pinch of each. Otherwise, continue adding a pinch of salt and pepper until you’re satisfied.^[5]
   
   
6. Serve the Caprese salad right after you make it. Use a fork to take slices of tomato and mozzarella as well as a basil leaf from the tray. Take a bite of all of the ingredients combined for the best flavor experience.^[6]
   
   
   • Caprese salad is best served immediately, or else the basil leaves will start to wilt.
   • Keep any leftovers covered in the fridge for 3-4 days.

[Edit]Making Caprese Skewers

1. Skewer the cherry tomatoes on toothpicks. Stab the toothpicks through the centers of your cherry tomatoes. Slide the tomatoes into the middle of each toothpick so you have room to add the rest of your ingredients.^[7]
   
   
   • If you don’t have cherry tomatoes, you can dice regular tomatoes into cubes.
   • Cut the cherry tomatoes in half if you want smaller bites.
2. Roll the basil leaves along their stems. Pull off the end of the stem that extends past the leaf. Make each leaf into a tight roll following along their center stems. That way, they’ll easily stay in place when you put them on your toothpicks.^[8]
   
   
   • You can also push one end of the basil leaf onto the skewer immediately and fold it around the cherry tomato.
3. Add the basil to each of your skewers. Push the centers of the rolled basil leaves onto each of your toothpicks. You can put the basil leaves on the top or bottom of the cherry tomatoes.^[9]
   
   
   • Put an extra basil leaf on each of your toothpicks to give your hors d’oeuvres more herbal flavor.
4. Finish each of the skewers with a ball of ciliegine mozzarella. Ciliegine mozzarella comes in small, cherry-sized bites. Sandwich the basil between the mozzarella and cherry tomatoes to finish the skewers.^[10] cubes.}}
   
   
5. Arrange the skewers on a plate and season them with salt and pepper. Space the skewers evenly on your serving plate with the end of the toothpick facing up. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper over your skewers.^[11]
   
   
   • You can make skewers the day before you plan on eating them, but the basil leaves may wilt.

[Edit]Mixing a Balsamic Glaze

1. Bring of balsamic vinegar to a boil. Pour the balsamic vinegar into a shallow saucepan and put it on the stove over medium heat. Continue to heat the vinegar until it comes to a rolling boil.^[12]
   
   
2. Reduce the vinegar to a simmer and cook it until it has a syrupy consistency. After the vinegar starts boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer. Continue to reduce the vinegar for about 15 minutes, or until it has the consistency of a thick syrup. Remove the glaze from the heat once it’s finished.^[13]
   
   
   • Dip the end of a spoon into the glaze to see if it sticks to the back. If it doesn’t stick, continue to simmer the balsamic vinegar.
3. Drizzle the balsamic glaze over your salad or skewers. Scoop up a small amount of the glaze in a spoon and drizzle it lightly over your Caprese salad or skewers. Make sure each bite has a few drops to add a slight acidic flavor.^[14]
   
   
   • If you don’t want to make your own balsamic glaze, you can purchase a premade bottle from your local supermarket.

[Edit]Tips

• Get your ingredients the same day you plan to make the salad for the freshest taste!
• If you don't want to make your own, you can buy a bottled balsamic dressing/glazing from a supermarket, instead.

[Edit]Things You’ll Need

[Edit]Creating a Basic Salad

• Serrated knife
• Cutting board
• Chef’s knife
• Serving plate

[Edit]Making Caprese Skewers

• Toothpicks
• Serving plate

[Edit]Mixing a Balsamic Dressing

• Stove
• Saucepan

[Edit]Related wikiHows

• Make Spicy Sauteed Beets with Mustard and Lemon

[Edit]References

[Edit]Quick Summary

1. ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/caprese-salad-260312
2. ↑ https://youtu.be/DwSkvbfqzP8?t=26
3. ↑ https://addapinch.com/caprese-salad/
4. ↑ https://youtu.be/DwSkvbfqzP8?t=47
5. ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/caprese-salad-260312
6. ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/caprese-salad-260312
7. ↑ https://www.stuckonsweet.com/caprese-salad-skewers/
8. ↑ https://www.stuckonsweet.com/caprese-salad-skewers/
9. ↑ https://www.stuckonsweet.com/caprese-salad-skewers/
10. ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-tomato-mozzarella-caprese-skewers-appetizer-recipes-from-the-kitchn-204620
11. ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-tomato-mozzarella-caprese-skewers-appetizer-recipes-from-the-kitchn-204620
12. ↑ https://www.stuckonsweet.com/caprese-salad-skewers/
13. ↑ https://www.stuckonsweet.com/caprese-salad-skewers/
14. ↑ https://www.stuckonsweet.com/caprese-salad-skewers/

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