Easy, Tomato and Mozzarella Salad
Some of the best salads are the most simple. You don’t always need lots of ingredients or a complex cooking process in order to make something fantastic. This is definitely true when it comes to tomato mozzarella salads. In fact, one of the most popular salads worldwide is the Italian classic salad called Caprese.
The Caprese salad began popping up on menus in the 1950s. The dish began in the Isle of Capri in the Campania region of Italy. It then spread quickly as it’s simplicity and intense flavor became more and more popular. Originally, Caprese was made with cow’s milk mozzarella, tomatoes, and olive oil. The first salads were garnished with arugula and oregano but all of these ingredients quickly changed as each region developed their own version of the salad.
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Once the popular salad came to the United States, it was changed again, most often featuring fresh basil rather than arugula and balsamic vinegar as an addition. Cow’s milk mozzarella is often replaced with buffalo mozzarella and salt and pepper are an absolute must. This classic summer salad still graces menus everywhere but now, we thought it was about time we give the standard Caprese salad another makeover.
While fresh basil is great, we wanted to add a few more fresh herbs, making this a very herby, pungent dish. So many herbs pair well with tomatoes and mozzarella that it was hard to pick just one! Cilantro and dill seemed to make the most impact on the salad while still keeping it fresh and light. Thinly sliced red onion also takes this salad to the next level, adding a nice bite and crunch.
Rather than using a drizzle of balsamic to top the salad, we opted for a lemon juice and white wine vinegar combination. In keeping with the Italian roots, we decided to top the salad with fresh grated parmesan. What is better than a cheese salad topped with more cheese?!?
One key to this salad is choosing a high-quality mozzarella. If you are able to find a mozzarella that is made by fresh daily, be sure to buy it. When possible, try to avoid pre-packages mozzarellas as the cheese loses its elasticity, texture, and taste as it ages. Try local Italian markets, Italian restaurants, or a grocery store with a gourmet cheese section. You can also opt to make mozzarella yourself as it is quite easy! Fresh cheese will make a huge difference in your salad.
While we are still fans of the traditional Caprese salad, there is always room for improvement in the culinary world. Try this herby tomato salad and you very well may find that you far prefer the complex flavor profile of this dish to the simplicity of a regular Caprese.
| Servings: servings |
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill
- 6 medium roma tomatoes (chopped)
- 1/2 small red onion (sliced thin)
- 2 ounces fresh mozzarella (chopped)
- salt and pepper
- fresh grated Parmesan
- Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, and herbs in a large bowl.
- Toss in the tomatoes, onions, and mozzarella then season with salt and pepper.
- Cover and chill until ready to serve – garnish with fresh grated Parmesan.
NUTRITIONAL DISCLAIMER
The content on this website should not be taken as medical advice and you should ALWAYS consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. We provide nutritional data for our recipes as a courtesy to our readers. We use Total Keto Diet app software to calculate the nutrition and we remove fiber and sugar alcohols, like erythritol, from the total carbohydrate count to get to the net carb count, as they do not affect your blood glucose levels. You should independently calculate nutritional information on your own and not rely on our data. The website or content herein is not intended to cure, prevent, diagnose or treat any disease. This website shall not be liable for adverse reactions or any other outcome resulting from the use of recipes or recommendations on the Website or actions you take as a result. Any action you take is strictly at your own risk.
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Dr. Rosmy Barrios, MD is an aesthetic medicine specialist whose work focuses on patients who are treated for obesity, metabolic syndrome, and other weight-related issues through nutritional analysis, keto diet programs, and supporting medications.
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