10 Caprese Recipes That Put a Spin on the Classic Salad

By Food & Wine
Updated August 20, 2018
© John Cullen
A simple caprese salad—fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and fresh basil— is the perfect easy appetizer or side salad for warm summer days. But there are endless ways to put this amazing combination of flavors and textures to work, be it a Vietnamese noodle bowl to refreshing daiquiri. Here are 10 of our versions of this summertime staple.
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Vietnamese Caprese

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Chef Anthony Myint likes to play with "unexplored synergies" in food. For this noodle salad, he combines the Italian trinity of tomato, basil and mozzarella with Asian rice noodles and a version of the classic Vietnamese noodle sauce nuoc mam, made with fresh tomato juice. You could also call the dish an Asian-inflected take on spaghetti and meatballs.

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Tomato and Tofu Caprese Salad with Asian Vinaigrette

© Chris Court
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"I had an extraordinary Caprese salad at Tra Vigne in Napa Valley and it changed my world," Roy Choi says. For his multiculti take here, tofu and soy sauce stand in for the traditional mozzarella and balsamic. "It's refreshing without disrupting the romance of the original," he says.

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Caprese Daiquiri

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This ultra-savory daiquiri evokes the flavors of a caprese salad (tomato, basil and fresh mozzarella), one of mixologist Mathias Simonis's favorite things to eat. He has created versions with oregano-infused rum and extra garnishes like olives and pickled peppers, which are fun to snack on.

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Zuppa Caprese

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Buffalo mozzarella, traditionally made from the milk of water buffalo, has an exquisite tangy edge. Shea Gallante ingeniously turns the cheese into a soup, liquefying it in a blender with the water it comes packed in and some fruity olive oil.

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Caprese Burgers

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In this play on the classic Italian salad, Grace Parisi kneads basil pesto into ground beef before grilling, then tops the burgers with mozzarella, sliced tomatoes and even more pesto.

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Chicken Caprese Salad

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Bocconcini (mini mozzarella balls) are often sold floating in herbed olive oil. That tasty oil is essential to this three-ingredient recipe because it adds so much flavor to both the chicken marinade and the dressing.

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Caprese Salad

© Abby Hocking
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Serve this classic tomato-and-mozzarella salad with lots of grilled bread for dipping. The olive oil and the cream from the buffalo-milk mozzarella create an irresistible sauce in the bottom of the bowl.

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Grilled Chicken Sandwiches with Mozzarella, Tomato and Basil

Quentin Bacon
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These warm sandwiches are best made with thin bread, so you can get your mouth around them. Some tasters suggested adding pesto, tapenade or a garlicky aioli to make them even more delicious

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A Vegan Take on Caprese Salad

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This version of the classic, made with an olive-oil rich bean salad, was originally intended for the vegan (or dairy-free) friends in your life, but it’s so good that omnivores will love it, too.

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Tomato-and-Mozzarella Salad with Orange Oil

© John Cullen
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This update of a classic caprese salad combines heirloom tomatoes, several types of basil, mozzarella and orange-scented olive oil.

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