Caprese salad ( it, insalata caprese or simply ''caprese'') is an

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

salad A salad is a dish consisting of mixed, mostly natural ingredients with at least one raw ingredient. They are typically served at room temperature or chilled, though some can be served warm. Condiments and salad dressings, which exist in a va ...

, made of sliced fresh

mozzarella Mozzarella (, ; nap, muzzarella ) is a southern Italian cheese traditionally made from Italian buffalo's milk by the pasta filata method. Fresh mozzarella is generally white but when seasoned it turns to a light yellow depending on the anim ...

tomato The tomato is the edible berry of the plant ''Solanum lycopersicum'', commonly known as the tomato plant. The species originated in western South America, Mexico, and Central America. The Mexican Nahuatl word gave rise to the Spanish word ...

es, and sweet

basil Basil (, ; ''Ocimum basilicum'' , also called great basil, is a culinary herb of the family Lamiaceae (mints). It is a tender plant, and is used in cuisines worldwide. In Western cuisine, the generic term "basil" refers to the variety also k ...

, seasoned with

salt Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in the form of a natural crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quantitie ...

, and

olive oil Olive oil is a liquid fat obtained from olives (the fruit of ''Olea europaea''; family Oleaceae), a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin, produced by pressing whole olives and extracting the oil. It is commonly used in cooking: f ...

. It is usually arranged on a plate in restaurant practice. Like pizza Margherita, it features the colours of the

Italian flag The national flag of Italy ( it, Bandiera d'Italia, ), often referred to in Italian as ''il Tricolore'' ( en, the Tricolour, ) is a tricolour (flag), tricolour featuring three equally sized vertical Pale (heraldry), pales of green, white and red, ...

: green, white, and red. In Italy, it is usually served as an ''

antipasto Antipasto (plural antipasti) is the traditional first course of a formal Italian meal. Usually made of bite-size small portions and served on a platter from which everyone serves themselves, the purpose of antipasti is to stimulate the appeti ...

'' (starter), not a '' contorno'' (side dish), and it may be eaten any time of day. The caprese salad is one form of a caprese dish; it may also be served as a caprese pizza, pasta, or

sandwich A sandwich is a food typically consisting of vegetables, sliced cheese or meat, placed on or between slices of bread, or more generally any dish wherein bread serves as a container or wrapper for another food type. The sandwich began as a po ...

. The salad is named after the island of

Capri Capri ( , ; ; ) is an island located in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the Sorrento Peninsula, on the south side of the Gulf of Naples in the Campania region of Italy. The main town of Capri that is located on the island shares the name. It has been ...

, where it is believed to have originated. Two common stories about its origin include it being an homage to the Italian flag or "in the 20th century to appease the palates of vacationing royalty and important politicos."

Variants

Variations of Caprese salad may include

Italian dressing Italian dressing is a vinaigrette-type salad dressing in American cuisine that consists of water, vinegar or lemon juice, vegetable oil, chopped bell peppers, sugar or corn syrup, herbs and spices (including oregano, fennel, dill and salt) and s ...

pesto Pesto () is a sauce that traditionally consists of crushed garlic, European pine nuts, coarse salt, basil leaves, and hard cheese such as Parmigiano-Reggiano (also known as Parmesan cheese) or Pecorino Sardo (cheese made from sheep's milk), a ...

in place of olive oil, or

balsamic vinegar Balsamic vinegar ( it, aceto balsamico) is a very dark, concentrated and intensely flavoured vinegar originating in Modena, Italy, made wholly or partially from grape must: freshly crushed grape juice with all the skins, seeds and stems. The te ...

in addition to it.

Olive The olive, botanical name ''Olea europaea'', meaning 'European olive' in Latin, is a species of small tree or shrub in the family Oleaceae, found traditionally in the Mediterranean Basin. When in shrub form, it is known as ''Olea europaea'' ...

s may appear, along with arugula (rocket) or

romaine lettuce Romaine or cos lettuce (''Lactuca sativa'' L. var. ''longifolia'') is a variety of lettuce that grows in a tall head of sturdy dark green leaves with firm ribs down their centers. Unlike most lettuces, it is tolerant of heat. In North America, ...

to augment the basil. Oregano or

black pepper Black pepper (''Piper nigrum'') is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, known as a peppercorn, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit is a drupe (stonefruit) which is about in diame ...

is sometimes added. Buffalo mozzarella can be substituted for mozzarella to intensify flavor. It can also have pasta or rice mixed in with it, to make it a grain salad. File:Mozzarella cheese ball with cherry tomatoes and basil.jpg, A Local fusion style Caprese salad File:Mozzarella cheese and tomato salad.jpg, Mozzarella and tomato with vegetable salad File:Mozzarella and Tomato Salad Platter.jpg, Mozzarella and tomato salad File:Caprese salad skewer appetizers.jpg, Caprese salad skewer appetizers File:Tomato and Cheese salad from The Royal Graden.jpg, Mozzarella slices with tomatoes and olives. File:Caprese Salad and Hot Coffee.jpg, Traditional Caprese Salad from Hong Kong File:Tomaten-etc 5345.JPG, Caprese skewers

References

Capri, Campania Cheese dishes Neapolitan cuisine Salads Tomato dishes Vegetable dishes {{Italy-cuisine-stub

Variants

See also

References