Hey, hey! It’s Wednesday, but I’m wishing it was Friday, because I’m back at the office and dreaming of the weekend! We’re going to a wedding this weekend and staying overnight at a hotel Saturday night so it’ll be like a mini vacation. I’m getting spoiled this month! I should be one of those people who somehow manages to travel for a living and is just always on vacation. But until that happens, I’ll keep writing about food and sharing the occasional recipe with you; like today’s roasted tomato caprese salad!
This salad was inspired by the cherry tomatoes and basil from my little container garden. I initially wanted to make some sort of pasta with my small bounty, but I decided a fresh salad sounded better at the time. It was my first time roasting tomatoes and I will never go back. For real. So good. Go roast some tomatoes so you understand what I mean, I’ll wait.
Of course I had to add mozzarella to make it a caprese salad. Everything is better with cheese. This is a fact.
Roasted Tomato Caprese Salad
Serves 2-4 | prep time 5 minutes | cook time 15 minutes
Ingredients
- 1lb cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips (aka chiffonade)
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, cubed
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Spread the tomatoes onto a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper. coat the tomatoes in the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the tomatoes start popping.
- While the tomatoes are baking, add the balsamic vinegar to small pan or sauce pot and bring to a boil on high heat. Once the vinegar starts to bubble, turn the heat to meadium/low and simmer for 10 minutes or until the vinegar is thick and coats the back of a spoon.
- Allow the tomatoes to cool for 5-10 minutes; then combine the tomatoes, cheese, and basil in a bowl. Drizzle the salad with 1-2 tablespoons of the balsamic reduction.
- Serve warm along side your favorite grilled protein or Italian dish.
