Are you looking for a light dish for those hot summer nights? When the weather warms, the last thing you want to do is turn on the oven or prepare a hot, heavy meal. This fancy caprese salad has the perfect balance of refreshing cherry tomatoes, delicious bocconcini cheese, caramelized onions and zesty balsamic vinegar, very similar to a burrata salad.
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A Caprese Worth Showing Off
What a great recipe for a vegetarian, summer appetizer or side salad out on the back patio!
Caprese salad is traditionally made without onions, but the addition of these caramelized onions gives this creative salad recipe a step-up in sweetness and acidity. They can be made well in advance.
They also help with the presentation, making the whole salad feel a little extra fancy and gourmet—like something you’d serve at a summer dinner party. A lovely little presentation goes a long way—it just makes it feel a bit more special and lets all those fresh ingredients really shine!
It's fairly low carb and high in fat and protein, making it a good keto salad option before you get down to business with your bison steaks, beef tenderloin, pan-fried lamb chops or whatever it is you had in mind for a main dish to follow.
What is a Caprese Salad?
Caprese salad is an Italian starter salad made with fresh mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, basil, olive oil and salt. It is named after the island of Capri (Campania region of Italy).
Ingredients
- red onions - These will be caramelized and added as a topping, adding an extra depth of flavor and texture.
- cherry tomatoes - I find that cherry tomatoes are the best tomatoes for caprese salad because they are small (about the same size as the bocconcini balls), juicy and sweet. Simply cut them in half for this recipe.
- olive oil - Extra virgin olive oil is an excellent choice for this salad.
- fresh bocconcini cheese - Bocconcini is merely a fancy term for small mozzarella balls. These cheese balls can be the perfect complement to nearly any Italian appetizer or zesty dish, as they provide just the right amount of cheese without overpowering the other flavors. You can find plant-based bocconcini if you need a vegan option!
- fresh basil leaves - Try to find large, vibrant leaves without dark spots.
- balsamic vinegar - Choose a high quality balsamic vinegar from Italy for a more traditional, authentic experience. Or, you could make this dish even more unique by choosing a non-traditional flavored balsamic vinegar, such as an oregano balsamic or even a fruit-flavored vinegar for an extra dash of sweetness.
*Check recipe card for ingredient amounts.
How to Make Caprese Salad
For these mini caprese salads, you’ll simply be tossing together juicy diced tomatoes with olive oil and salt while the onions are caramelizing in your skillet. At that point, your meal preparation is as easy as layering the tomatoes, bocconcini, basil leaves, and onions in your fancy serving dish and then finishing with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.
Step 1. Melt the butter. Heat the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter is melted, add the onions. Toss with a spatula until the onions are fully coated in the butter.
Step 2. Caramelize the onions. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes, or until soft and golden.
Step 3. Prep the tomatoes. In a medium bowl, add the tomatoes, olive oil and salt and mix well.
Step 4. Assemble and serve. In each serving dish, stack the basil leaves, tomatoes, bocconcini and caramelized onions. Top with the balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with a little more sea salt. Serve the fancy caprese salad.
Make Ahead Tips
Here are a few make-ahead steps you can take to limit dinner party stress:
- Make the caramelized onions a few days in advance.
- Slice the bocconcini cheese balls in half and return to the container with the brine. They can last up to a week in the fridge. Drain when you are ready to put the salad together.
- You can also pre-slice the tomatoes and they will last up to 2 days in the fridge in a covered container.
Serving Suggestions
Here is an example of some of the best food and drink that goes with this fancy caprese salad.
- Mains: Grilled chicken is a very popular choice to accompany this salad. You can also serve it with Italian sausage sandwiches, stuffed pasta or this easy lemon basil pasta.
- Side Dishes: Garlic bread, grilled vegetables (such as escalivada), focaccia, risotto, arancini and polenta.
- Drinks: Wines such as Pinot Grigio, dry Rosé, Prosecco and Chianti. For something sweeter, you could try my easy peach Bellini recipe.
Fancy Caprese Salad FAQs
Leftover salad can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Each serving of this salad contains approximately 208 calories.
Some herbs that you can substitute the basil with are oregano, mint and thyme. For something more mild, you could try spinach.
If you tried this Fancy Caprese Salad Recipe (With Cherry Tomatoes & Balsamic) or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. And please share the recipe!
📋Recipe
Fancy Caprese Salad (With Cherry Tomatoes)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 large red onions - thinly sliced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes - quartered
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves
- 1 cup fresh bocconcini cheese - cut in half
- 4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar - one teaspoon for each salad
- freshly ground sea salt - to taste
Instructions
- Heat the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter is melted, add the onions. Toss with a spatula until the onions are fully coated in the butter.2 tablespoons butter, 2 large red onions
- Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes, or until soft and golden.
- In a medium bowl, add the tomatoes, olive oil and salt and mix well.1 cup cherry tomatoes, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- In each serving dish, stack the basil leaves, tomatoes, bocconcini and caramelized onions. Top with the balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with a little more sea salt. Serve.1 cup fresh bocconcini cheese, ½ cup fresh basil leaves, 4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
Notes
- Serving size: The serving size is for an appetizer (starter salad).
- Herb substitutions: Some herbs that you can substitute the basil with are oregano, mint and thyme. For something more mild, you could try spinach.
- Caramelized onion storage: The caramelized onions can last up to a week in the fridge in a covered container.
- Salad storage: Leftover salad can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Make ahead tips:
- Make the caramelized onions a few days in advance and store in the fridge.
- Slice the bocconcini cheese balls in half and return to the container with the brine. They can last up to 5 to 7 days in the fridge. Drain when you are ready to put the salad together.
- You can also pre-slice the tomatoes and they will last up to 2 days in the fridge in a covered container.
Nutrition
Nutrition information on In the Kitch is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may not include toppings and/or sauces.
Joss says
This was a big hit when I served it to my relatives. I love how easy it is to prep in advance.