Heart Shaped Caprese Salad
on Feb 01, 2024
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You’ll fall in LOVE with my Caprese Heart Salad. My modern take on the Italian classic is perfect for any occasion. The salad consists of fresh tomato slices, creamy bocconcini cheese, and fragrant basil (or mint) leaves arranged in the shape of a heart. The dish is then drizzled with high-quality olive oil which is measured with your heart, followed by a sweet and tangy balsamic glaze. Buon Appetito 🤌
Why You’ll Love Heart Shaped Caprese Salad
The flavors of this recipe work together beautifully, with the juicy tomatoes providing a burst of sweetness, the creamy fresh cheese adding a rich and tangy flavor. The olive oil ties everything with its rich and smooth texture, while the balsamic glaze is sweet and sour that perfectly complements the other ingredients. This salad 🥗 is so good that it will make you fall in love all over again. The heart shape adds an extra touch of love to this already delicious dish, making it the perfect appetizer for a romantic dinner or a special occasion.
How to Prepare Heart Shaped Caprese Salad
🍅 Wash and dry tomatoes, then cut each into 5-6 thin slices.
🧀 Cut bocconcini (or fresh mozzarella) into slices.
❤️ Arrange tomato and bocconcini slices to form a heart shape, overlapping them.
🌿 Add basil (or mint) leaves for presentation.
🖤 Stack cheese slices and cut out 12 mini heart shapes.
💚Arrange mini hearts on top of the tomato-bocconcini base.
🫒 Sprinkle a pinch of salt on tomatoes and bocconcini, then drizzle with olive oil and balsamic glaze. Serve the Heart shaped Caprese Salad immediately and enjoy!
Nonna’s Tip 🍅
You can use any ingredients or cheese you have on hand, such as soft or hard mozzarella, bocconcini cheese, mint or basil, and any glaze you like! Have fun with this recipe.
Variations and Substitutions for Heart Shaped Caprese Salad
Remember that these variations and substitutions are just suggestions, and you can make this ❤️ Heart Shaped Caprese Salad to fit your taste preferences and ingredient availability.
- Use a mix of different colored tomatoes for a more multicolor presentation.
- You could use cherry or grape 🍅 tomatoes for smaller, bite-sized portions.
- Mix the olive oil and balsamic glaze with a touch of 🍯 honey or mustard.
- If you don’t prefer 🌿 basil or mint, try using another herb such as parsley or cilantro.
- Add toasted nuts, such as pine nuts or walnuts, for a crunchy element.
Similar Recipes
Best Served With
- A bed of mixed 🥬 greens or arugula
- A crusty bread like my No Knead Peasant Bread
Common Questions
While fresh basil is recommended for better flavor and presentation, you can use dried basil as a substitute. Adjust the quantity to taste.
I use Redmond Real Salt, please note that depending on the salt you use, your dish may be less or more salty. Salt is to taste so please always taste and adjust as you cook.
It’s best to assemble and serve this dish immediately to maintain the freshness and texture of the tomatoes. If preparing in advance, store the prepared ingredients separately and assemble them just before serving.
Thyme, oregano, chives, parsley, or cilantro are all excellent alternatives for your Heart Shaped Caprese Salad, depending on your flavor preferences.
Any good-quality balsamic glaze will work. You can also experiment with flavored balsamic glazes depending on your preferences.
Yes, you could add toasted nuts such as pine nuts or walnuts for a crunchy texture, or even a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper.
Heart Shaped Caprese Salad
Ingredients
- 2 vine tomatoes , 11 thin slices
- 10 slices bocconcini cheese, 200 grams
- 10 basil leaves , or mint
- 2 slices Provolone cheese
- 1 pinch salt , to taste
- 1 drizzle olive oil , to taste
- 1 drizzle balsamic glaze, to taste
Instructions
- Wash and dry the tomatoes. Cut each tomato into 5-6 thin slices. Set aside.
- Cut the bocconcini (or fresh mozzarella) into slices as well.
- Arrange the tomatoes and bocconcini cheese making sure they overlap each other and form a heart.
- Add basil (or mint) leaves on top for presentation.
- Now, take the cheese and place one slice on top of the other. Cut out mini heart shapes out of the cheese. You should have 12 mini hearts.
- Arrange the hearts on top just like my picture shows.
- Add a pinch of salt on the tomatoes and bocconcini followed by a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic glaze.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
