Summer is the perfect time to enjoy garden fresh Caprese Salad recipes. From lettuce salads to appetizers, pasta dishes and more, these refreshing and easy recipes are perfect to enjoy on a hot evening.
I have this strange mental block about plucking and using my fresh herbs when they’ve worked so hard to grow, but truly the best way to keep them growing thicker and faster is to pick them — as evidenced by this behemoth basil plant I trimmed last week that already has several new shoots.
I can smell them the minute I open my back door!
The first thing that comes to mind when I smell fresh basil is summertime. They go together like chocolate and peanut butter, sunsets and sauvignon blanc, fireflies and dusk!
The second thing is Caprese Salad. Garden-fresh basil layered with thickly-cut mozzarella cheese and juicy red tomatoes. Simple, summertime perfection!
To celebrate the arrival of the summer growing season I’m sharing 5+ of my favorite spins on Caprese Salad. Assemble then devour any or all of these fresh and easy recipes!
Caprese Skewers with Balsamic Drizzle
Sweet Corn Caprese Salad
Peach Caprese Salad
Avocado and Chicken Caprese Salad
Grilled Caprese Chicken with Basil Vinaigrette
Any combination of fresh tomatoes and basil pulled straight from the garden is incredible. Summer hasn’t truly started for me until that first bite of tomato!
Would you please come to my house and cook all of these for me? ;)
Love caprese. Yes, it is true no fireflies (lightning bugs) in the PNW (Seattle). That is sad but it is also true that we do not have mosquitoes; flying insects at all really. I don’t have screens on my doors and windows and rarely something flies in. I was a chewed alive as child growing up in Iowa. I also remember those June bugs hitting the screens and moths everywhere. You can sit outside all evening and not be bothered by any flying insect. But the slugs love basil.
No mosquitoes? Pacific NW here I come!
I love anything caprese, definitely trying one of these tonight. Love the idea of peaches
I’m born and raised in Seattle and just had to Google “firefly.” :-(
Your basil looks great! Love these recipes. Pinned :)
I can’t confirm the existence of lightning bugs in the PNW because I live in Downtown Seattle, but I can confirm that there are no mosquitoes here! This is huge after spending all but the last year of my life in the Midwest. Can’t say I miss those.
Yum! I *just* made a similar chicken recipe – grilled chicken topped with a tomato bruschetta and mozzarella cheese – and am totally looking for more recipes like it for the rest of summer. The best. Have to try these.
I can confirm: no lightning bugs in the Pacific Northwest. It’s a very sad thing. But we do have basil – woot! = )
Hey, thanks for these caprese recipes! I always have a TON of basil, so I appreciate having new recipes to try (LOVE the Spicy Turkey Sausage Lasagna Caprese btw…hate the prep for the sauce, not gonna lie, but it’s well worth it). Thank you!
LOVE all of these caprese salad ideas! I just got back from Italy a couple weeks ago, and have been wanting caprese e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g.
Totally with you on the guilty feeling — I HATE trimming my herbs, but its so worth it when I do. I just planted my “urban garden” last night (high-rise living – do what you gotta do) and can’t WAIT for my plants and herbs to start rocking!
Great roundup – I love these and making anything caprese is my favorite summer food!
I so never thought to do caprese potato skins before.
That sounds AMAZING!!!
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