Peach Caprese – OMG! Who knew the addition of a perfectly ripe summer peach and a drizzle of balsamic could transform the classic Italian caprese antipasta into a summertime WOW!
Sweet summer peaches plus the classic caprese ingredients …vine ripened tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and fresh picked basil drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar is a perfect light meal, appetizer or side dish. It’s like summertime jumped on a plate…these juicy, sweet summer flavors mingle perfectly!
Caprese is pretty much a staple around here, especially in the summertime. It’s a great way to showcase farm fresh summer tomatoes plus it’s SO ridiculously easy to make! And versatile! Caprese makes a great light meal or salad and it’s also perfect to take to summer BBQ’s or parties as an appetizer/side dish/salad. It is a crowd pleaser for sure!
I got a “wild hair” the other day while I was slicing up some heirloom cherry tomatoes and tearing up some fresh basil for my caprese lunch. I spied a perfectly ripe peach in the fruit bowl just beckoning to be eaten. Ah, Why not?! I sliced it up and added it to the caprese salad with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. BAM! WOWZA! Caprese has been taken to a whole new level!
I am slightly embarrassed to tell you exactly how many times I’ve made this peach caprese since “discovery day”. You will probably think I’ve lost my mind! Well at least until you try it for yourself then I think you’ll understand my obsession!
This dish is so easy it really doesn’t need a recipe (but for those that like one, you can find it below). Literally slice some tomatoes and peaches. Add some fresh mozzarella cheese. I like to tear the cheese into bite size pieces but you can absolutely slice if you prefer. Next, snip some fresh basil. Add some salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar and you are good to go.
I recommend using vine ripened or heirloom tomatoes (regular or cherry) , fresh basil (even better if you can tear it off the plant right before serving), sweet summer peaches (the pièce de résistance for this version of caprese) and a good quality olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
The mozzarella is a key ingredient to this salad so make sure to look for “Fresh Mozzarella” it is typically packaged in water and is much softer than prepared mozzarella. Fresh mozzarella is readily available in most grocery stores (at least here in the USA) . Some versions of fresh mozzarella include bocconcini or ciliegine both of which are packaged in plastic containers in water. See a few examples of popular brand BelGioso fresh mozzarella here.(BelGioso.com )
Oh sweet peaches! I’m so glad you’ve made your annual summer return! Peach season is far too short so now is the time to try this one out!
- 3 peaches, cut into thick slices (peel first if desired)
- 3 tomatoes, sliced thick (vine-ripened, Heirloom, or tomatoes of your choice)
- 6 oz. fresh mozzarella, sliced (or torn)
- Fresh basil, torn into bite size pieces
- Olive oil
- Balsamic vinegar *
- Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
- Arrange peach, tomato and mozzarella slices on a platter or individual plates. Add basil and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Salt and pepper to taste.
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