• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • About
    • Privacy Policy, Disclosures & Disclaimers
    • Contact / PRs / Review Policy / Link Policy
  • Recipe Index
  • Ingredients
  • As Seen
  • Credit Crunch Munch
  • Extra Veg
  • Work With Me
Fuss Free Flavours

Fuss Free Flavours

Easy recipes you will make again | Travel | Reviews

  • Home
  • All Recipes
    • Quick & Easy
    • Recipes by Course
      • Breakfast & Brunch Recipes
      • Main Meal
      • Side Dishes
      • Drinks
      • Starters & Light Bites
      • Desserts & Puddings
      • Baking
        • Biscuits and cookies
        • Bread Recipes
        • Cake
        • Cupcakes
        • Muffins
        • Pie
      • Soup
      • Salad
      • Dips, Dressings, & Sauces
      • Easy Jam, Jelly & Preserve Recipes
    • Recipes by Cuisine
      • American
      • Chinese
      • French
      • Italian
      • Other Cuisines
      • Vegetarian Recipes
      • Vegan Recipes
  • Recipes by Main Ingredient
    • Beef
    • Poultry
    • Pork
    • Lamb
    • Game
    • Fish & Seafood
    • Beans & Lentils
    • Pasta
    • Grains & Rice
    • Fruit
    • Vegetables
    • Dairy
    • Booze
  • Travel
    • Rest of Europe
    • French
    • Rest of the world
    • Food Origins and Stories
You are here: Home / Recipes / Recipes by Course / Salad / Tomato and Mozzarella Salad

Tomato and Mozzarella Salad

Published on February 3, 2021 by Helen Best-Shaw 9 Comments
Last Updated on July 13, 2021

Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

This cherry tomato and mozzarella salad recipe is fresh, delicious and full of flavour. Marinating the mozzarella makes all the difference and takes the dish to a whole new level.

Serve it as a starter, with a spread of antipasti or as a lovely summer lunch with good bread and a glass of your favourite Italian wine.

A tomato and mozzarella salad with rocket leaves, served on a dark grey plate.

Everything You Need To Know

  • Tomato mozzarella salad
  • Why make this dish? 
  • How is mozzarella made?
  • Tomato and mozzarella salad ingredients
  • How to make tomato and marinated mozzarella salad
  • Hint and tips
  • Tomato and mozzarella salad

Tomato mozzarella salad

Insalata caprese, the Italian salad of tomatoes and mozzarella, is a classic that everyone knows.

In the UK, it sometimes goes by the name tricolore salad, a reference to the colours of the Italian flag in the tomato, mozzarella and basil. The traditional Italian name refers to the island of Capri. 

An authentic Italian tomato and mozzarella salad is both delicious and very, very simple.

Done half-heartedly, though, it can disappoint. The key to making it work is top quality ingredients and freshness.   

The best mozzarella I have ever had was in Italy. It had been made the day before and was sweet, fresh and milky. We don’t have that option in the shops at home, but it is still worth paying a little extra for the good stuff.  

When you can’t get that freshly made Italian cheese, you can always give it a lift by marinating it, as I have done here. This brings out all the flavour of the cheese and gives it a touch of glamour. It makes this cherry tomato and mozzarella salad a real treat. 

Of course you do not need to make the salad – the marinated mozzarella is delicious served on its own. 

Why make this dish? 

  • It’s summery, fresh and satisfying. 
  • It’s very easy to make. 
  • You can marinate the cheese in advance, which makes assembling this salad quick and easy!

How is mozzarella made?

Mozzarella is a mild, semi-soft southern Italian cheese with a long history.

Although it can be made from cow’s, sheep’s or even goat’s milk, the classic buffalo milk mozzarella is the best.

Look out for Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP, a protected name, for the finest quality cheese.

This pulled-curd cheese is stretched and kneaded like bread before being shaped into balls or plaited. 

Good artisan mozzarella is delicious. It’s a far cry from the rubbery balls sold in brine in the store.

This cheese should be meltingly soft. Mozzarella should never be stringy (or at least not until it has been melted on your pizza!). Fresh is best!

Tomato and mozzarella salad ingredients

Ingredients: mozzarella, tomatoes , parmesan, basil, olive oil, garlic, and lemon

Mozzarella – Ideally a mozzarella di bufala, but any Italian mozzarella will be fine.  

Parmesan – I like Grana Padano but you can use another Italian Grana style hard cheese. Shave it with a peeler. 

Olive oil – Good quality extra virgin. I keep a separate (more expensive) bottle for dressings. 

Fresh basil – I keep a pot on the kitchen windowsill in summer. If I remember to water it, the plant will last me for months. 

Tomatoes – If you have them, use a mix of tomatoes for interest and flavour. I’ve called this recipe a cherry tomato and mozzarella salad but I have added some plum tomatoes too.  

Buying & Storing Tomatoes – Pro Tip 

Supermarket tomatoes usually taste watery and boring. This is mainly because they are grown for quantity and to keep well. Picked before they are fully ripe, they are then chilled. Sadly, this will rob them of much of their flavour.    

It’s great to grow a few tomatoes at home if you can. Failing that, I like to shop at a farmers’ market. If I have to buy from the shop, I find that vine tomatoes have the best flavour. 48 hours on the worktop at room temperature does wonders for improving the taste. 

Lemon – You need the zest, so choose unwaxed lemons. 

Fresh salad leaves – I like rocket (argula), but not everyone likes the peppery flavour. Choose your favourite.   

How to make tomato and marinated mozzarella salad

Ingredients for tomato and mozzarella salad, from above. 2 types of tomatoes, mozzarella and parmesan cheese, basil, and dressing ingredients.

Step one – First, find all your ingredients. 

A picture of a half zested lemon on a grater, next to a small bowl

Step two – Zest the lemon. Peel and chop the garlic and mix into the oil along with the lemon zest. 

Slices of mozzarella covered with yellow oil dressing, on a pale blue plate.

Step three – Slice the mozzarella. Then spread it out on a plate and pour over the dressing. Chop or tear the basil leaves and scatter over the top, along with a pinch of sea salt.

Let the cheese marinate for at least half an hour before serving. Ideally, give it at least a couple of hours. It can wait all afternoon, or until the next day in the fridge.  

Sliced cherry and plum tomatoes on a wooden board. A serrated knife lies next to the tomatoes.

Step four – When you are ready to serve, slice the tomatoes. 

Pro Tip

A serrated knife is the best for slicing tomatoes. My favourite cost a couple of pounds in a chef’s supply store. It’s super sharp and goes through the dishwasher without any trouble.   

The finished salad ready to serve. Tomatoes sit on rocket. Mozzarella is layered on the tomatoes.

Step five – Now put the salad together. Make a bed of leaves and then add the tomatoes and the mozzarella. Sprinkle with the gran, season with some more pepper, a sprinkle of crunchy sea salt and then pour the remaining marinade over the top.

Step six – Serve your salad with good crusty bread, or this Pimento Cheese Bacon Tomato Pie and enjoy the best insalata caprese you’ve ever had!  

A top down picture of tomato and marinated mozzarella salad, in a mottled dark grey bowl on a rustic hessian cloth.

Hint and tips

  • You can vary this tomato mozzarella salad recipe to taste. The quantities are just a rough guide, so make it your way.
  • Use the best ingredients you can get. Insalata caprese is a simple dish that relies on quality. Fresh summer tomatoes should be full of flavour. 
  • Add pesto to the dressing, or marinate the mozzarella in my pesto dressing. 
  • Capers are great for adding an extra burst of flavour. 
  • Add cucumber. Take off the skin and then use the peeler to cut long strips. Leave the seeds out. 
  •  Toast some pine nuts to add a little crunch to your tomato and mozzarella salad.
Tried this recipe?If you try this recipe please tag #FussFreeFlavours on Instagram or Twitter. It is amazing for me when for me when you make one of my recipes and I really do love to see them. You can also share it on my Facebook page. Please pin this recipe to Pinterest too! Thanks for reading Fuss Free Flavours!
Close up of white and red tomato mozzarella salad
Print Recipe
BookmarkSaved!
5 from 9 votes

Tomato and mozzarella salad

This classic Italian recipe is even better when you marinate the cheese! It's very easy to do and makes a great impression.
Servings: 2 people
Author: Helen Best-Shaw
Prep Time15 mins
Resting Time30 mins
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  • 1 small clove garlic
  • 2 tbsp olive oil (extra virgin)
  • 1/2 lemon (zest)
  • 1 mozzarella
  • 2 plum tomatoes
  • 10 cherry tomatoes
  • 20 g parmesan
  • salad leaves

Instructions

  • Zest the lemon. Peel and chop the garlic and mix into the oil along with the lemon zest. 
  • Slice the cheese, spread out on a plate and pour over the dressing. Chop the basil and scatter over the top, along with a pinch of sea salt. Leave to marinate for at least half an hour before serving. Ideally, give it at least a couple of hours (it can wait all afternoon in the fridge).
  • When you are ready to serve, slice the tomatoes. 
  • Assemble the salad. Layer rocket, the tomatoes and then the mozzarella. Top with the parmesan cheese. Pour the marinade over the top. Season. Serve with crusty bread.

Notes

  • You can vary this tomato mozzarella salad recipe to taste. The quantities are just a rough guide, so make it your way.
  • Use the best ingredients you can get. Insalata caprese is a simple dish that relies on quality. Fresh summer tomatoes should be full of flavour. 
  • Add pesto to the dressing, or marinate the mozzarella in my pesto dressing. 
  • Capers are great for adding an extra burst of flavour. 
  • Add cucumber. Take off the skin and then use the peeler to cut long strips. Leave the seeds out. 
  •  Toast some pine nuts to add a little crunch to your tomato and mozzarella salad.
Nutritional Information 
  • This recipe is 7 Weight Watchers Smart Points per portion 
• Please note that the nutrition information provided below is approximate and meant as a guideline only.
• Unless stated otherwise cup conversions have been made with an online tool. For accuracy please check with your favoured conversion tool. We recommend buying inexpensive digital kitchen scales.
Nutrition Facts
Tomato and mozzarella salad
Amount Per Serving
Calories 207 Calories from Fat 153
% Daily Value*
Fat 17g26%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Cholesterol 7mg2%
Sodium 187mg8%
Potassium 454mg13%
Carbohydrates 10g3%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 6g12%
Vitamin A 1474IU29%
Vitamin C 52mg63%
Calcium 152mg15%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: tomato mozzarella salad
Delicious Recipes Emailed To You!Get easy, tasty recipes for FREE when you subscribe! Click to Subscribe Now!!

Update notes – Adapted from my marinated mozzarella recipe first published in August 2010.

Related Posts

  • This simple salad celebrates different varieties of tomato, has rich and tasty tomato salad dressing and is perfect for lunch on a hot summer day.
    Mixed Tomato Salad with Tomato Salad Dressing {Vegan, Keto, Paleo}
  • Spooning pesto dressing from a jam jar.
    Easy Pesto Salad Dressing
  • Chickpea, feta and pesto salad
    Recipe: Chickpea, feta, caper & watercress salad with a pesto dressing
  • Tenderstem Broccoli Salad with semi confit tomatoes
    Recipe: Tenderstem and Semi-Confit Tomato Salad

Filed Under: Dairy, Easy Ways to Extra Veg (and Fruit), Italian, Quick & Easy, Recipes, Salad, Side Dishes, Spring, Summer, Vegetables Ingredients: Cheese, Mozzarella, Tomato

Previous Post: « Easy Blueberry Jam (Three Ingredients, No Pectin)
Next Post: Leftover Chicken Tagine »

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




  1. Beverley Carter

    5 stars
    Mouthwatering delicious and just the kind of food I’m craving now. I want fresh flavours and good food with a crisp glass of chilled wine. Perfection.

    Reply
  2. Helena

    5 stars
    There is such a difference in quality with what you can buy in the supermarket now, and I do find that mozzarella is is pretty hard to find the standards of that in Italy. Great idea to marinade it. This salad looks amazing, so yet so simple.

    Reply
  3. Gwen E

    5 stars
    Super fresh easy salad for lovely summer days. I do like simple delicious flavours and this has them perfectly.

    Reply
  4. Kerry

    5 stars
    Mozzarella is such a delicious cheese, but you do need flavour with it. The marinade is a great idea and just adds that extra layer to the salad.

    Reply
  5. Rach Gillian

    5 stars
    The taste of summer on a plate. Lovely. Such a good idea to add the marinade to the mozzarella. A delicious combination.

    Reply
  6. Wendy M

    5 stars
    Such a good salad, with delicious flavors. Simple and comes together in no time. It would be perfect for outdoor dining, if we could only have some warm weather.

    Reply
  7. Nic | Nic's Adventures & Bakes

    5 stars
    Thanks for sharing, this salad looks amazing perfect for a low carb supper for me :)

    Reply
  8. Lyndell

    5 stars
    Wonderfully fresh and tastes full of summer. The marinade made all the difference to the mozzarella and I will certainly be trying this again.

    Reply
  9. Becca

    5 stars
    A real taste of the Mediterranean and so easy to put together. Some of my favourite salad ingredients in one dish. Absolutely delicious.

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

About Me

Headshot of Helen Best-Shaw, Food Blogger at Fuss Free Flavours I'm Helen, full time freelance food writer, photographer and blogger. On this site you will find my fuss-free recipes, travel and reviews. Learn more here
Twitter Logo, bluw circle with a white bird Facebook logo, blue square with a white F inside You Tube Logo, a red box with the words You Tube on the inside Pinterest Logo, a red circle with white P on the inside Instagram Logo, a rainbow box with a square and circle inside of it Flipboard Logo - Red square with a white F on the inside

Press/As Seen On

Image-1

Subscribe

Footer

Latest Posts

One Bowl Cocoa Brownies

One Bowl Cocoa Brownies

Shish Kebab Seasoning

Shish Kebab Seasoning

Easy Pan Fried Gnocchi

Easy Pan Fried Gnocchi

Easy Chicken Shish Kebabs

Easy Chicken Shish Kebabs

Easy Creamy Garlic Mushrooms

Easy Creamy Garlic Mushrooms

Kebab Shop Salad (Red Cabbage Salad)

Kebab Shop Salad (Red Cabbage Salad)

Privacy Policy, Disclosures & Disclaimers

Copyright © 2022 Helen Best-Shaw / Fuss Free Flavours - Easy Recipes You Will Make Again