Reinvigorate Your Caprese Salad With One Specific Mozzarella

Caprese salads keep it simple. Slices of beefsteak or heirloom tomatoes are layered between circular rounds of mozzarella then topped with extra virgin olive oil, basil, and a little salt. Light yet filling, they're the perfect answer on a warm day when all you want is to eat antipasti outdoors. But have you ever made a Caprese salad that just didn't quite taste like the fresh and flavorful appetizer you remember? When recipes only call for a handful of ingredients, quality and freshness matter. Oftentimes, when a Caprese salad's flavors aren't hitting, the tomatoes are to blame. But if you've captured the best tomatoes of the season and your salad is still boring, it's time to pay closer attention to the cheese.

To radically revitalize your Caprese salad, seek out traditional buffalo mozzarella, ideally a DOP product from Campania in Italy made from the milk of Mediterranean buffalo. Fresh buffalo mozzarella is popular on pizzas or in salads, and in Italian cooking in general. If you can find it at your local grocer or specialty food store, it's absolutely your best bet for a wow-worthy Caprese.

Classic mozzarella cheese, made from cow's milk, has a very mild taste and, when served fresh, a slightly firm bite as opposed to a cheesy pull. Buffalo mozzarella, on the other hand, has a soft stretch to the outside and a creamy, slightly gooey interior, which helps it cohere with the other Caprese ingredients. It also has a tangier, richer flavor that works perfectly with lightly sweet, acidic tomatoes and bright and earthy basil. Because this type of mozzarella is more piquant, you can go easier on the olive oil and balsamic to wake up its flavors.

If you can't find buffalo mozzarella at your local grocery store, there are a few other mozzarella options to try. Burrata, also made from cow's milk, not only looks like mozzarella but has a classically firm mozzarella exterior. But once you break open the shell, a luscious, curd-laden cream spills out. Stracciatella, which is exclusively the interior contents of a ball of burrata, is even more decadent when dolloped throughout a Caprese salad. For either of these options, we'd recommend slicing your tomatoes slightly thicker to support the gooey cheese and be sure you're ready with a few pieces of toasted ciabatta on the side to scoop up any cheesy leftovers. For a firmer option, you might also consider a smoked mozzarella Caprese. Smoked mozzarella, which comes in both cow's milk and buffalo's milk varieties, is firmer and easier to slice. Its deliciously woodsy and smoky flavor will give your Caprese added depth, especially alongside a flavorful, high-quality olive oil.

Another top tip? High-quality mozzarella doesn't need any salt. Rather than bringing out its flavors, as it does for tomatoes, salt changes the taste of mozzarella slightly. So depending on what you're using, salt only your tomato slices. Last but not least, use fresh basil and high-quality olive oil (in moderation). Your guests will adore what you've created.