Summer Fruit Caprese Salad

It doesn't get any better or more simple than this sweet summer fruit caprese salad. Full of the seasons best ingredients, including peaches and nectarines, sweet cherry tomatoes, deep red strawberries and topped with creamy mozzarella cheese and fresh basil.

This is the time to use that really good extra virgin olive oil and make these lovely simple ingredients shine!

Stone Fruit Caprese Salad

Stone fruit caprese salad is the epitome of summer! Full of sliced nectarines and peaches, sweet cherry tomatoes and juicy strawberries.

The simple caprese is topped with roughly torn fresh mozzarella cheese, leaves of fresh basil and a simple drizzle of aged balsamic. It doesn't get any better, or more simple than this! And may I suggest serving this alongside full of flavor prosciutto pear pizza for a flavorful dinner!

Ingredients

What's so beautiful about any kind of caprese salad, is how easy it is to throw together. And my biggest tip when making any sort of caprese, is to use in season produce, which will give you the best flavor.

• Nectarines or Peaches: Pit removed and sliced into wedges.
• Cherry Tomatoes: The small orange cherry tomatoes are incredibly sweet, or use any small cherry tomato.
• Strawberries: Cut into quarters. If you don't have strawberries, raspberries or blackberries would be fantastic.
• Fresh Mozzarella or Burrata: Fresh mozzarella is softer and can easily be torn apart. Another option is burrata cheese, which is a ball of mozzarella with soft cream inside. We love using burrata in hearty burrata caprese.
• Fresh Basil Leaves
• Aged Balsamic: This is the time to use a really good condensed aged balsamic. Some favorites is this Italian aged balsamic and this Argentinian aged balsamic that is a bit on the sweeter end.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Because caprese salad is so simple, use a flavorful good quality extra virgin olive oil. Some favorites is this spicy Italian extra virgin olive oil that is perfect as a finishing oil.
• Flakey Sea Salt: Such uas Fleur de Sel, which has beautiful salt flakes.

Putting it all Together

Arrange the sliced fruit in a wide bowl or platter and roughly tear up the fresh mozzarella. Scatter the mozzarella around the fruit.

Gently tear the fresh basil leaves and garnish the salad with the fresh basil. Give everything a good sprinkle of flakey sea salt and a good drizzle of olive oil and aged balsamic.

A Few Tips, Substitutions and Suggestions

• Because fruit caprese salad is so simple, use the best of summers produce to let the flavors shine!
• Keep the tomatoes at room temperature for the best flavor.
• To check the ripeness of peach or nectarine, give the fruit a gently squeeze. If it feels too hard, it's not ripe enough. But if there is a little give, then the fruit is ready.
• Be generous with the flakey sea salt, tomatoes love it!
• Have fun with the substitutions, use blackberries or raspberries instead of strawberries or use cherries instead of the peaches.
• If making the fruit caprese salad ahead of time, arrange fruit and mozzarella on platter but dress with oil and vinegar right before serving.

More Summer Recipe Inspiration

• Roasted Tomatoes with Herb Oil and Burrata
• Peach Caprese Tart on Puff Pastry
• Heirloom Tomato Fattoush Salad
• Mediterranean Watermelon Salad

Great Grilling ideas