Kate's Best Tomato Basil Salad Recipe
Nothing screams summer like a fresh tomato basil salad. My favorite recipe combines sharp shallots, sweet ripe tomatoes, and fragrant basil. Drizzling it with the most excellent olive oil you can find and nestling in some fresh mozzarella makes it truly divine.
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Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 2 pounds sweet ripe fresh tomatoes, sliced, quartered or halved (see recipe notes)
- 1 small shallot, thinly sliced
- 8 ounces Ciliegine fresh mozzarella cheese, drained
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons flaky sea salt or kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red chile flakes
- 1 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves, plus more whole leaves for serving.
Instructions
- Combine the tomatoes, shallot and mozzarella with the 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, 1 1/2 teaspoons flaky sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Gently toss until everything is mixed well. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes so the flavors can meld and combine.
- Taste and add more salt, pepper, and/or balsamic vinegar if needed. Add the 1 cup thinly sliced basil and toss again.
- Serve in the bowl or arrange on a platter with more basil leaves if you'd like.
Notes
- Tomatoes: Use whichever tomatoes are freshest and most flavorful. It's nice to have a variety of colors and sizes. I like to slice the larger tomatoes and lay them on the serving platter first, then pile the rest of the salad on top of them.
- Mozzarella: My favorite is the bite-sized Ciliegine or Bocconicini which are a little larger. If you can't find these, use the larger balls of fresh mozzarella and cut it into pieces.
- Serving suggestions: In my opinion all you need with this is good crusty bread. Rub a few slices with garlic and olive oil and toast or grill for a few minutes to make it extra special.
- Make ahead: This is a great make-ahead salad. The longer the tomatoes and mozzarella sit in the dressing the better they taste. You can make this up to 2 days in advance and keep in the fridge. Add the basil right before serving.