A traditional Caprese salad features thick slices of ripe tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese, and basil leaves. It’s drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper. It’s delicious in its simplicity, and honestly, I could eat it every day, especially when the weather is warm and tomatoes are in season! But sometimes you want to shake things up a bit, you know? Enter: PEACH Caprese Salad. It’s still gorgeously simple and allows all of the individual ingredients to shine. What a way to feature two of summer’s most delicious seasonal offerings: ripe peaches and tomatoes! You can dress it simply with olive oil, salt, and pepper only, as a traditional Caprese salad recipe. But I love to add some spicy Aleppo pepper (crushed red pepper would also work), and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, which both pair so well with the sweet peaches.
Ingredients in Peach Caprese Salad
Peaches – make sure they are large and ripe, but not so ripe they are smushy, otherwise they will be hard to slice and remove the pit. You could do a variety of Caprese salad with another sweet stone fruit like plums or apricots, too. Tomatoes – I like large heirloom tomatoes here, as long as they are in season. Any slicing tomato will do. I find tomatoes on the vine and Campari tomatoes the most reliable for good flavor, even when not at their seasonal peak. Fresh mozzarella cheese – You can buy this pre-sliced for convenience, if you like. If you can find buffalo mozzarella (made with buffalo milk instead of cow’s milk), I recommend it! But any kind of fresh sliced mozzarella will do. Fresh basil leaves – Off-season, you can get away with a few dollops of pesto, in a pinch. Aleppo pepper and balsamic vinegar – these are optional, but recommended. Crushed red pepper may be used instead of Aleppo pepper, and balsamic glaze may be used for a sweeter flavor. Olive oil, salt, and pepper
How to make Caprese Salad with Peaches
Following a circular shape, layer a fresh tomato slice, a fresh peach slice, a fresh mozzarella slice, and a large basil leaf. Continue following the circle until you meet at the other side, then tuck the last basil leaf layer under the first tomato. Season with salt, pepper, and Aleppo pepper, and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. That’s it!
Tips and Tricks
Use a high quality extra virgin olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar for the best flavor. For olive oil, look on the label for the terms extra-virgin, cold-pressed, and unfiltered. I like California Olive Ranch, which is a widely accessible brand. For balsamic vinegar, look on the label for the terms “aged” and “three-leaf.” These will be a bit sweeter and more flavorful, and less vinegary. Here’s a guide to the best balsamic vinegars. Serve peach caprese salad right away. The ingredients will get soggy over time, so this is best made just before eating!
Serving Suggestions
My husband and I ate this peach Caprese salad with bread for mopping up the dressing. It was the perfect light lunch! If you’re serving with bread, you can add some more olive oil and balsamic vinegar so you have enough to mop up with the bread. Here’s my favorite crusty no knead bread recipe, perfect for serving with this salad! You can also serve it as a side for grilled chicken or fish, or any other protein (such as this Seared Salmon with Scallion Butter) It’s also excellent as a starter or side to your favorite pasta recipe (I’m partial to Pasta Puttanesca).
Other Caprese Recipes
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