This Caprese salad is a unique take on the classic recipe – elegant, yet wonderfully unfussy!
Hot honey adds a gentle, sweet heat that cuts through the creamy mozzarella. It’s a bold, easy upgrade from the usual balsamic dressing you’d expect in a Caprese.
Use heirloom tomatoes for a little flair or keep it simple with everyday salad tomatoes – no need for perfectly matched slices of tomato and mozzarella. We’re keeping it rustic.
With croutons for crunch and pine nuts for nuttiness, it’s perfect as a standalone summer lunch with crusty bread, an elegant appetiser or a side to an Italian dinner.
If you’re after more hearty salads, have a look at our ultimate list of BBQ salads!
What’s to love about this recipe
- No balsamic vinegar – Hot honey dressing is easy to make and great for other salads too!
- Rustic charm – Use all the parts of the tomatoes, even the small end bits – no need for perfect slices.
- Customise it – Add nuts, croutons, mozzarella pearls or whatever you fancy.
- Show-stopper – Gourmet salad, big payoff, little effort.
- An Italian favourite – The ultimate side for any meal, any time, even summer Christmas lunch.
Ingredients and substitutions for Caprese Salad
The best tomatoes for Caprese salad
Whatever tomatoes you choose, make sure they’re ripe and deeply colored, with no green or underripe spots.
They should have a fresh, slightly sweet smell and be firm enough to slice without falling apart.
Quality tomatoes are a must – they’re the heart of the salad!
Caprese-worthy tomatoes:
Here are some great options to start with – but don’t feel limited. Use what’s in season or easily available to you. Freshness always wins.
1. Heirloom tomatoes (for size and colour)
- Brandywine, Cherokee Purple, Green Zebra
Rich, sweet and juicy with stunning colours – slice them thick for a bold base.
2. Medium tomatoes (sweet and sliceable)
- Roma, San Marzano, Campari
Dense, sweet and easy to slice.
3. Small tomatoes (optional for dotting throughout the salad)
- Sun Gold, Sweet 100, Grape Tomatoes
Bursting with sweetness and colour – scatter them over the salad for contrast and pop.
4. Everyday salad tomatoes
- Beefsteak, Vine-Ripened
Only use if they’re top quality – deep red, juicy and definitely not bland or underripe.
Your tomatoes don’t all have to be the same size – Here’s why!
While many Caprese salads feature perfectly uniform slices of tomato and mozzarella, that’s not always realistic unless you discard the smaller end pieces.
Instead, use all of your tomato and cheese slices! A mix of larger and smaller tomatoes works well, as you can match the slices to the mozzarella you have.
Alternatively, you can pair two smaller mozzarella slices with a larger tomato slice.
Don’t overthink it – rustic is the way to go!
Mozzarella
Use only fresh mozzarella balls packed in water – a good-quality one adds extra milky creaminess.
What is fresh mozzarella?
Fresh mozzarella is soft, moist and mild – usually sold in balls and packed in water or brine.
Regular mozzarella (often pre-shredded or sold in blocks) is firmer, drier and saltier, made more for melting than for salads.
Fresh basil leaves
Use fresh basil leaves that look vibrant – avoid any that are torn or starting to brown.
We like to use larger leaves between the slices of tomato and mozzarella because they cover more surface area, but it’s not essential.
If you have a living plant, those little sprouting clusters of tiny leaves make lovely decorative touches dotted around the salad.
You can also add fresh oregano and mint leaves for a fragrant twist, but basil will always reign as the queen of an Italian Caprese salad.
Extra virgin olive oil
For the ultimate Caprese salad, use high-quality extra virgin olive oil – it should be fresh, fruity and smooth. It really makes all the difference!
If you don’t have extra virgin on hand, a mild, cold-pressed olive oil can work as well.
Step-by-step instructions
Start with the hot honey dressing
1. Add the honey and chilli flakes to a small saucepan. Heat over very low heat for about 4 minutes to allow the chilli flakes to infuse into the honey.
Be sure not to let it come to a boil, as boiling could cause the honey to become too thick.
2. Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the honey to cool down slightly. This will help the flavours and heat settle before you use it in your salad. Stir in the vinegar and pinch of salt.
3. Decant the drizzle into a jar. For a smoother dressing, you can strain it through a sieve to remove the chilli flakes, leaving just the infused honey. We prefer to keep ours in.
Make the salad
4. Slice the tomatoes and mozzarella into thick-ish rounds. Don’t discard the smaller end bits – just pair up smaller tomato slices with smaller mozzarella slices. Rustic, not perfect.
5. Drizzle a little olive oil onto your salad platter – this just helps spread the oil more evenly under the salad.
6. Start with a slice of tomato, a slice of mozzarella and a few basil leaves. Then repeat – slightly overlapping the next tomato slice over the mozzarella, followed by another slice of mozzarella and more basil. Keep layering like this until you’ve used up all your slices.
7. Sprinkle over the toasted pine nuts and croutons. You can also add extras like cherry tomatoes (leave some on the vine if you like) and mozzarella pearls.
8. Drizzle over the rest of the olive oil and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
9. You can drizzle the hot honey dressing over the salad now, or serve it on the side so guests can add their own. We like to drizzle a little over the top and leave the rest in a jar for everyone to help themselves.
Caprese salad variations
- Layer in avocado slices.
- Swap the hot honey drizzle for balsamic glaze or reduction.
- Add peach slices for a fresh twist.
- Use burrata instead of mozzarella, keeping the balls whole.
- Swap pine nuts for walnuts or pecans.
- Drizzle pesto over the top for a herby kick.
Caprese presentation and serving suggestions
A large vintage plate or platter – adds charm and makes the salad feel extra special and homey. Perfect for rustic or family-style settings.
Wooden chopping board – ideal for a relaxed, casual presentation. Great if you’re going for a “laid-back but looks amazing” vibe.
Long rectangular platter – lets you layer the salad in a clean, linear arrangement. Elegant and great for serving a crowd.
Large shallow bowl – especially if you’re using extras like cherry tomatoes and mozzarella pearls that might roll around. Keeps everything contained but still beautiful.
Add ciabatta on the side – it pairs perfectly with Caprese salad, especially if you’re serving it as a standalone meal.
How to store Caprese salad: Keeping it fresh
To store leftover Caprese salad, keep it in an airtight container in the fridge.
It’s best to eat it by the next day, as the croutons can get soggy.
If you plan to have leftovers, remove the croutons before storing and add fresh ones when you’re ready to serve again.
Making ahead?
If you’re making a Caprese salad ahead of time, you can prepare most of the components earlier in the day.
Slice the tomatoes and mozzarella and even layer them on the platter – just leave the basil, pine nuts, croutons and any dressing until the last minute.
The basil will wilt and the croutons will go soft if left too long. Add those just before serving to keep everything fresh and crisp.
Aim to assemble the salad no more than 2-3 hours in advance for the best results.
Caprese Salad with Hot Honey Drizzle
Ingredients
For the hot honey dressing
- ½ cup runny honey
- ½-1 teaspoon chilli flakes
- ½ teaspoon cider vinegar or vinegar of choice, or lemon juice
- pinch of salt
For the Caprese salad
- 3 large tomatoes or a mix of sizes and varieties
- 3 balls fresh mozzarella roughly 4-5oz (120g-140g) per ball
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted or substitute with your preferred nuts
- ½ cup croutons
- salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Making the hot honey dressing
- Add the honey and chilli flakes to a small saucepan. Heat over very low heat for about 4 minutes to allow the chilli flakes to infuse into the honey. Be sure not to let it come to a boil, as boiling could cause the honey to become too thick.½ cup runny honey, ½-1 teaspoon chilli flakes
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the honey to cool down slightly. This will help the flavours and heat settle before you use it in your salad.Stir in the vinegar and pinch of salt.½ teaspoon cider vinegar, pinch of salt
- Decant the drizzle into a jar. For a smoother dressing, you can strain it through a sieve to remove the chilli flakes, leaving just the infused honey. We prefer to keep ours in.
Making the salad
- Slice the tomatoes and mozzarella into thick-ish rounds. Don’t discard the smaller end bits – just pair up smaller tomato slices with smaller mozzarella slices. Rustic, not perfect.3 large tomatoes, 3 balls fresh mozzarella
- Drizzle a little olive oil onto your salad platter – this just helps spread the oil more evenly under the salad.4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Start with a slice of tomato, a slice of mozzarella and a few basil leaves. Then repeat – slightly overlapping the next tomato slice over the mozzarella, followed by another slice of mozzarella and more basil. Keep layering like this until you've used up all your slices.1 cup fresh basil leaves
- Sprinkle over the toasted pine nuts and croutons. You can also add extras like cherry tomatoes (leave some on the vine if you like) and mozzarella pearls.2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted, ½ cup croutons
- Drizzle over the rest of the olive oil and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.salt to taste, freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- You can drizzle the hot honey dressing over the salad now, or serve it on the side so guests can add their own. We like to drizzle a little over the top and leave the rest in a jar for everyone to help themselves.
Notes
Caprese salad variations
- Layer in avocado slices.
- Swap the hot honey drizzle for balsamic glaze or reduction.
- Add peach slices for a fresh twist.
- Use burrata instead of mozzarella, keeping the balls whole.
- Swap pine nuts for walnuts or pecans.
- Drizzle pesto over the top for a herby kick.
Nutrition
For food safety advice, including guidance on food allergies
