Being a California girl and loving Italian food, I tend to mix the two and come up with a spin on something traditional. Exhibit A: The Caprese Salad.
Caprese Salad is a traditional Italian dish with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil, seasoned with balsamic and salt. Think of a margarita pizza without the dough. During a recent girls trip, I took on the role of resident chef (which I of course loved) and decided to put a little twist on the average Caprese.
What gave it the California flare? Avocados and Heirloom Tomatoes. Avocados add another layer to the flavor profiles and help provide a little healthy fat to the dish. Heirlooms are in season right now and not only are they delicious and offer so much more flavor than your average red tomato, but they’re beautiful. The pops of color make the side dish that much better. It’s also fun to pull the basil from our herb garden. Something about home grown accents makes it even more enjoyable.
I tweaked the seasonings a bit by adding a slight drizzle of olive oil, garlic powder and freshly ground black pepper.
Another great thing about the California Caprese Salad is you can easily increase the amount of ingredients based on how many people you’re feeding. I love this for left overs – it’s even better after the flavors have had a chance to mix and soak into the tomatoes.
California Caprese Salad
Serving Size: 2 (but that can easily be adjusted)
Ingredients:
- 3 Heirloom Tomatoes, depending on the size
- 1/2 cup fresh mozzarella, sliced
- 1 ripe avocado
- 2 Tbsp fresh basil, diced
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Light drizzle of olive oil
- Light drizzle of balsamic vinegar
Instructions:
- Prep produce:
- Wash and slice tomatoes
- Wash and dice basil
- Cut avocado into bite-sized pieces
- Slice mozzarella
- Build the salad – tomatoes, mozzarella and avocado should be scattered throughout the serving platter. Top with basil, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Finish with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
- Serve & enjoy!
Tip: To save some time while entertaining, you can prep ahead and keep in refrigerator until you’re ready to serve.
Just a Taste Moore 