Tomato Mozzarella Salad

Tomato Mozzarella Salad with avocado, fresh basil and balsamic vinegar. It is a perfect 15 minute summer dinner or a side dish year round.

Tomato and Mozzarella Salad

This tomato mozzarella salad is perfect for hot summer days or a taste of summer side dish in winter. It is the most flavorful 15 minute salad. So easy!

Of course, it tastes the best in summer, but using greenhouse tomatoes on the vine will taste very good in December as well.

Ingredients for Tomato Mozzarella Salad

• Tomatoes: Local in season tomatoes are the most flavorful. Make sure to use ripe but not overly soft tomatoes, so salad doesn’t become mush. Grape or cherry tomatoes cut in half work as well.
• Fresh mozzarella cheese: Also known as Mozzarella di Bufala, it is unripened very soft cheese. Don’t confuse it with regular mozzarella.
• Avocado: Pick ripe avocado with brown skin but not too soft, so it doesn’t turn salad into unappealing green mash.
• Fresh basil, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Dried basil wouldn’t be nearly as good, so I don’t recommend it.

How to Make Tomato Mozzarella Salad

• Dice tomatoes first: Make sure knife is sharp as a dull knife will squish tomatoes. Cut into large cubes or half moons if you have smaller tomatoes.
• Cube cheese: If you have a large block, then cube. Mini cheese balls can be cut in halves and it’s about 1 cup measured after.
• Dice avocado and chop basil last to prevent them from turning brown quickly.
• Combine all ingredients with olive oil, balsamic vinegar (glaze or reduction is OK too), salt and pepper.

Serving, Variations and Storing

Serving salad: Tomato basil mozzarella salad is best served immediately, within 1 hour. Serve with:

• Deli meat for easy summer lunch or dinner.
• Baked or grilled chicken breast
• Baked salmon in foil
• Turkey meatballs or meatloaf

Variations

• Quinoa: Mix with cooked cold quinoa for a full meal salad.
• Pasta: Add cooked cold pasta, especially if you use chickpea pasta it adds protein.
• Other veggies: Add chopped cucumber, frozen (thawed) corn or right off the cob.

Storing: It doesn’t refrigerate well for looks. It will taste OK the next day, but it just won’t be nearly as pretty.

Make ahead: Chop tomatoes and cheese, cover and refrigerate in a bowl for up to 8 hours. Then add remaining ingredients before serving.

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Tomato Mozzarella Salad

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

Tomato Mozzarella Salad with avocado, fresh basil and balsamic vinegar. It is a perfect 15 minute summer dinner or a side dish year round.

• Author: Olena of ifoodreal.com
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 0 minutes
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings 1x
• Category: Salad
• Method: No Cook
• Cuisine: Italian

Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 5 large tomatoes, cubed
• 2 medium avocado, cubed
• 7 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, cubed (1 cup)
• Handful basil, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp olive oil, extra virgin
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Cut tomatoes, avocado, cheese, basil and place in medium salad bowl.
2. Drizzle with oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Stir gently using metal spoon.
4. Serve immediately with crusty bread, chicken or meat.

Store: This salad is best served immediately.

Make ahead: Only thing you could make ahead is to slice tomatoes and cheese, cover and refrigerate for up to 8 hours.

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