Marinated Mozzarella, Cherry Tomato, & Basil Salad Recipe

Name: Marinated Mozzarella, Cherry Tomato, and Basil Salad
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil; 1/4 cup freshly chopped basil; 1 pound ciliegine mozzarella (cherry-size mozzarella balls); Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste; 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes (about 2 cups); 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (regular, white, or golden)

Why It Works

Using golden balsamic vinegar adds the flavor you want without staining the mozzarella balls.

Fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil are a classic combination, but sometimes the dish can be very bland. Here, cherry-sized mozzarella balls (ciliegine) are marinated in extra virgin olive oil, fresh basil, salt and pepper, and then tossed with sweet cherry tomatoes and golden balsamic vinegar. Nothing bland about that.

Regular balsamic vinegar will work but will darken the milky white color of the mozzarella. Use golden if you can.

August 2012

This recipe's instructions have been slightly modified to aid the marination process.

Marinated Mozzarella, Cherry Tomato, & Basil Salad Recipe

Prep 5 mins

Active 15 mins

Marinating Time 30 mins

Total 35 mins

Serves 4 servings

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1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1 pound ciliegine mozzarella (cherry-size mozzarella balls)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (regular, white, or golden)

Combine oil and basil in a bowl. Add the mozzarella and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and let marinate at room temperature for at least 30 minutes (see note).

Serious Eats / Diana Chistruga
Add tomatoes and vinegar to the mozzarella and toss to combine. Season to taste with more salt and pepper if desired, and serve immediately.

Serious Eats / Diana Chistruga

Notes

We recommend marinating this salad at room temperature as storing it in the fridge will cause the mozzarella to firm up.

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories	477
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 39g	50%
Saturated Fat 17g	84%
Cholesterol 90mg	30%
Sodium 864mg	38%
Total Carbohydrate 6g	2%
Dietary Fiber 1g	4%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 26g
Vitamin C 13mg	66%
Calcium 588mg	45%
Iron 1mg	5%
Potassium 317mg	7%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.