Fresh Caprese Salad for Two Easy Recipe with Zesty Olive Oil Drizzle
A quick and easy fresh Caprese salad for two featuring ripe tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, fresh basil, and a zesty olive oil drizzle with lemon and garlic.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 large ripe tomatoes, sliced
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
- 12–15 fresh basil leaves, washed and patted dry
- Sea salt, to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 small garlic clove, finely minced or grated
- Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Rinse tomatoes and basil leaves under cold water and gently pat dry. Slice tomatoes into approximately 1/4-inch thick rounds. Slice mozzarella to similar thickness.
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, and red pepper flakes if using until emulsified and slightly thickened.
- On a serving plate, alternate slices of tomato and mozzarella, overlapping slightly. Tuck basil leaves between slices.
- Sprinkle salad with sea salt flakes and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Pour the olive oil drizzle evenly over the salad.
- Optional: Let the salad sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld and mozzarella to soften. Garnish with extra basil leaves if desired.
Notes
Use the freshest ingredients possible for best flavor. If tomatoes are watery, pat dry before assembling to avoid sogginess. Lemon juice in the drizzle brightens flavors. Salad can rest 5 minutes before serving to meld flavors. Drizzle can be made ahead and stored up to 1 day refrigerated.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 salad serving
- Calories: 280
- Fat: 22
- Carbohydrates: 4
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 18
Keywords: Caprese salad, fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, basil, olive oil drizzle, easy salad, Italian salad, quick recipe, healthy salad