With a very sharp knife, slice the tomatoes ½ inch thick.
Place the thick slices of tomatoes on a large platter and season with salt.
Tear off pieces of the mozzarella and place throughout the platter, on top of the tomato slices.
Garnish with basil leaves. Leave the basil leaf intact if small and tender. Otherwise, tear into small pieces.
Season with salt and pepper.
Drizzle olive oil over the entire platter.
Allow to stand for 15 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
What are the best tomatoes for a Caprese salad? Feel free to use any variety of in season, very ripe yet firm tomatoes. Using heirloom tomatoes creates both a beautiful and delicious appetizer. Although not the classic version, use the yellow, orange or even black variety to provide a visually appealing presentation.Can I make Caprese Salad ahead of time? No. This simple Italian salad literally takes 5 minutes to put together and should be made at least 15 minutes before serving it. If you are really pressed for time, you can leave it at room temperature up to 30 minutes but the quality will not be the same. Whatever you do, please promise me that you will never, ever refrigerate this salad. What to serve with Caprese salad? Caprese salad is usually served as an appetizer so make sure to offer some crusty Italian bread to mop up all the tomato juices left behind. It is also great with Italian Focaccia Recipe.Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is just a rough estimate and variations can occur depending on the specific ingredients used.