avocado caprese salad;
Originally posted February 22, 2017. Updated August 11, 2024 for content and clarity.
This avocado caprese salad is so yummy, so easy, and always wows me even with simple ingredients. It’s perfect for summer, or to add a little freshness to your table any time of the year. It’s a great, classy salad when you’re feeling particularly uninspired by lettuce.
Avocado caprese salad is a great, classy salad when you’re feeling particularly uninspired by lettuce.
secret to success
Ripe red tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and diced avocado are the staple ingredients in this avocado caprese salad. A traditional caprese salad is tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil. The avocado here adds a nice richness and extra texture to the dish. 
The key is a ripe avocado–then you get that silky smooth texture and a beautiful flavor. Keep in mind that fresh is best. Avocados do tend to brown as they oxidize, exposed to air. You can hit them with a little lemon juice to help with the browning, but I still wouldn’t venture to prepare this salad too far ahead of serving.
You can hit the avocados with a little lemon juice to help prevent browning, but I still wouldn’t prepare this salad too far ahead of serving.
secret to success
If possible and in season, I’ll try to get my ingredients from a local farmers market. We’re lucky enough to have two within reasonable distance to us, so it’s not too hard to pick up a tomato and avocado usually. Storebought can be just as great, but sometimes it’s hit or miss. I find that fresh and local produce helps add to the flavor. And you really do want flavorful produce in a salad like avocado caprese salad, because you taste it in every bite.
The basil adds a bright freshness to the caprese salad. I like using fresh herbs, but in a pinch, I’ve used dried basil as well. Fresh is best but dried is better than none! I prefer to julienne some of the basil throughout the salad, but then I reserve some for garnish too. Cutting julienne into small slices makes it easier to get bites of that green freshness throughout. You don’t want to struggle through biting a whole leaf of basil.
When it comes to the mozzarella, I really like the small pearls in this salad. It’s one less ingredient to chop, and there’s something satisfying about the little balls. But it’s just a shape, you can always grab a classic large mozzarella ball and cut it into chunks the same size as your tomato and avocado.
Now, the seasoning. To me, salt is key. You’ll want to check the saltiness on your mozzarella, but I think just a sprinkle of sea salt really brings out the brightness and ties the whole avocado caprese salad together. Classic sea salt or flaked salt is my go to, but sometimes I like to switch it up. In this batch I used an applewood smoked flaked salt that added an extra hint of char to the fresh flavors.
To me, salt is key. Sometimes I like to switch it up with a smoked salt.
secret to success
And then hit your avocado caprese salad with a drizzle of balsamic glaze. Balsamic glaze is a thick and syrupy concentrated balsamic vinegar. It pairs well to offset the fresh product and salt you just added–adding a little bit of acidity and sweetness to the dish. It has a lovely texture balance too, with the springy cheese, buttery avocado, and soft tomatoes.
I come back to avocado caprese salad time and time again. When it slips my mind for a while, that only makes it even better when I remember to add it to my table! For a such a simple dish, avocado caprese salad really hits the full palate with bright, fresh flavors, and the perfect combination of tang, salt, and sweet.
secrets to success;
Want all the best tips and tricks to make this recipe a success? Check out the blog post above to find out more!
more recipes;
Looking for other fresh summer recipes? Check out these options:
- Sweet corn mochi cornbread is a corn-tastic side dish! It takes everything you know and love about cornbread and adds a new texture to this classic side dish.
- If you love the freshness of salads, this raspberry California salad is another of my all-time favorites. With candied nuts, fresh greens, and sharp blue cheese, this salad is the perfect summer dish!
- For an easy slow cooker meal, I love making pesto chicken salad. This chicken salad is wonderful and bright as a sandwich on toasted sourdough bread.
avocado caprese salad;
Ingredients
- 1 large avocado
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella (or mozzarella pearls)
- 1 large beefsteak tomato
- 6-8 fresh basil leaves
- 1 pinch sea salt (or smoked salt, if available)
- 1 pinch pepper (optional)
- balsamic glaze
Instructions
- Slice the avocado in half and remove the pit. Easiest way to remove the pit is to whack it with the blade of your chef's knife and twist out. Slice the avocado into roughly ½" cubes and scoop it out of the skin with a spoon. Add to a bowl.
- Cut the tomato into slices. Optionally remove the seeds and wet area if desired. Dice into roughly ½" cubes. Add to the bowl alongside the diced avocado.
- Add the mozzarella pearls, or slice the mozzarella and add it to the bowl.
- Reserve 1-2 basil leaves for garnish if desired. Julienne the remaining basil leaves. I do this by laying the leaves on top of each other and rolling it up like a cinnamon roll. Then slice thinly and as the strands unravel you'll have thin julienned strips. Add to the bowl.
- Add a pinch of flaky salt, and pepper if desired, and toss together using two spoons or two forks to evenly coat.
- Add an extra sprinkle of flaky salt as needed. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and garnish with reserved basil leaves. Serve fresh.
