Roasted Tomato Caprese Salad (Printable Version)

Roasted cherry tomatoes meet fresh mozzarella and fragrant basil in this vibrant Italian-inspired dish with balsamic glaze.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1.1 lbs ripe cherry tomatoes, halved
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Cheese

04 - 9 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced

→ Fresh Herbs

05 - 0.7 oz fresh basil leaves

→ Dressing

06 - 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
07 - 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar or balsamic glaze

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - Arrange the halved cherry tomatoes on a baking tray. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, season with salt and pepper.
03 - Roast the tomatoes for 20–25 minutes until caramelized and slightly shriveled. Allow to cool slightly.
04 - On a large platter, arrange the mozzarella slices and roasted tomatoes, alternating for visual appeal.
05 - Tuck fresh basil leaves between the cheese and tomatoes.
06 - Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar or glaze.
07 - Finish with a pinch of salt and extra cracked black pepper if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Roasting transforms sweet cherry tomatoes into little bursts of umami you never knew existed
  • The warm tomatoes against cool mozzarella creates this incredible temperature contrast that makes every bite interesting
  • It takes ten minutes of actual work but looks like something from an Italian trattoria
02 -
  • Dont skip the cooling step for the tomatoes. Hot mozzarella becomes a puddle very quickly
  • The salad needs to be assembled right before serving. Once dressed, it starts weeping within 15 minutes
  • Room temperature ingredients are your friend here. Cold mozzarella straight from the fridge wont have the same creamy texture
03 -
  • Use a rimmed baking sheet. The tomatoes release a lot of liquid and you dont want that spilling in your oven
  • If your mozzarella is very wet, pat it dry with paper towels before assembling. Otherwise your salad will be swimming
  • Flaky sea salt at the end is not optional. It provides these little salt explosions that tie everything together

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