Tomato and Mozzarella Salad with Basil Oil

A perfectly balanced, colourful salad, this Tomato and Mozzarella Salad with Basil Oil will bring a ray of sunshine to every meal.

Tomato and mozzarella are perfect partners, aren’t they? The sweetness and slight acidity of the tomatoes pair perfectly with the softness and gentle saltiness of the mozzarella. When you add pungent basil to the mix, the whole thing takes off and creates an explosion of flavour that is the epitome of summer on a plate.

If you are allergic or intolerant to dairy, keep reading, I have a solution for you below 🙂

Because of the acidity of tomatoes, I have never enjoyed using a traditional vinaigrette with this salad. I prefer oil and salt, especially when tomatoes are in season and are ripened to perfection. Basil is a must for me too. However, I find that using whole leaves of basil does not distribute the flavour well. So, I decided to make a basil oil so that each mouthful will have all of the beautiful flavours of tomato, mozzarella and basil.

Want to see how to make this colourful salad? Have a look at my video where you will get a couple of other summer meal ideas too 🙂

What is the Difference Between Pesto and Basil Oil?

Pesto can have a very strong flavour, as there is a large amount of basil in it. It also contains nuts (usually pine nuts) and cheese (usually parmesan). Basil oil has a lighter flavour than pesto and does not contain any nuts or cheese. I find that the flavour of the basil oil does not overpower the tomatoes, which should always be the stars of this salad. I do include some garlic in the oil to give it an extra kick, but this is totally optional, if you prefer to leave it out.

What Ingredients do you Need to Make Tomato and Mozzarella Salad with Basil Oil?

The list is not long, the important thing is to use ripe tomatoes, preferably in season. If you grow your own, that’s even better!

• 2 large tomatoes or 4 medium tomatoes
• 2 balls of mozzarella
• 1 small bunch basil (around 4-5 sprigs)
• 125 ml olive oil
• 1/4 garlic glove (or to taste, optional)
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are the central piece of this salad, so you need to make sure you buy ripe, tasty ones. Wherever possible, it is best to buy local as there is more of a chance that the tomatoes were ripe when picked.

I enjoy the ancient varieties that are sold here in France. They are often very large, have a lot of flesh and not many seeds and have a variety of colours to choose from. They tend to be sweeter and less acidic than other tomatoes that are available.

Mozzarella

You will get more flavour if you use mozzarella from buffalo milk, however, I tend to buy mozzarella from cow’s milk as the price difference is significant.

If you want to use burrata, you can, but you should leave it whole in the middle of the plate with the tomatoes arranged around it.

I have seen some people making their own mozzarella and it doesn’t seem that complicated. If you want to see how they do it, check out this video. Let me know if you try it!

Basil

You only need a small bunch of basil for this recipe, about 4-5 sprigs would be enough. I prefer to buy basil in pots as it stays fresher for longer and I can plant it in the garden if I want to.

Olive Oil

I always use extra virgin olive oil as the taste is superior. It is quite strong, but I think you need that flavour to cut through the tomatoes.

Garlic

I only use a small amount in this recipe. You can really put as much or as little as you like. Raw garlic is very good for you, but some people find it hard to digest. If that is the case, or if you don’t like the taste, you can leave it out completely.

Salt

I like to use sea salt for this recipe.

How to Make Tomato and Mozzarella Salad with Basil Oil

This is a pretty simple recipe that involves no cooking at all.

First, start by slicing the tomatoes. I like to cut the tomatoes in half, taking the white part out where the stem was and then thickly slicing them.

Next, slice the mozzarella and arrange both the tomatoes and mozzarella onto a plate.

For the basil oil there are three options, depending on what equipment you have to hand.

1. Put the oil, basil, garlic and salt in a jar and blend with an immersion blender until smooth.
2. Put the oil, basil, garlic and salt in a blender and whizz for a few seconds until smooth.
3. Finely chop the garlic and basil and mix in a bowl with the oil and salt. This will give a coarser texture to the basil oil.

Drizzle the basil oil over the tomatoes and mozzarella and serve.

I Am Allergic to Milk and Milk Products, How Can I Adapt this Salad?

I understand! Dairy allergies can be really frustrating. There are many dairy free cheese alternatives on the market at the moment. My boys enjoy them, but I have to say that they are not my favourite.

However, I have good news for you! This salad still works very well even without the mozzarella, especially when the tomatoes are perfectly ripe. Having the basil oil brings extra flavour and, I promise, you won’t miss the mozzarella.

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What Can I Serve Tomato and Mozzarella Salad With?

I enjoy this salad as a side dish at a BBQ for example. It is also really good as a simple lunch with a slice of crusty fresh bread (for a great Sourdough Bread recipe, click here). I also often serve it as a starter to an evening meal.

Did you make this salad? What did you think? Let me know in the comments, I love to hear from you!

Are you looking for more light meal ideas? Click here to discover my other recipes!

If you like using herbs in summer dishes, you may enjoy my recipe for Courgette Flan with a Herb Vinaigrette.