A fun spin on classic caprese! This avocado tomato & mozzarella salad is light, refreshing & so colorful! It’s an easy summer salad made with a few simple ingredients & packed with so much flavor!

Avocado tomato and mozzarella salad served in a large bowl with with fresh basil and salt and black pepper sprinkled on top

Adding avocado makes everything better, wouldn’t you agree?!😉 At least that’s how I feel about this avocado tomato and mozzarella salad! It’s a healthy summer salad made with fresh ingredients and uses a simple balsamic glaze as the dressing. Light, refreshing, colorful & so flavorful! This salad is everything you love about summer wrapped up in one! We love taking it to parties and potlucks and get requests for the recipe all the time! Your guests and family are going to love this salad!

Ingredients used to make an avocado tomato & mozzarella salad

Ingredients For Your Salad

Tomatoes: Cherry tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes or any tomatoes on the vine work the best for this recipe.
Mozzarella: Fresh mozzarella is the key! (It’s creamier and softer than low moisture mozzarella.) Look for smaller mozzarella balls or pearls so there’s no cutting invloved.
Fresh basil: An essential ingredient for any caprese style salad!
Avocados: Use avocados that are still slightly firm for the best results. If they’re too soft they can become mushy and “melt” into your dish.
Balsamic vinegar: Used to make your homemade balsamic glaze! It’s intense tangy flavor pairs so well with the rest of your ingredients.
Salt & pepper: Just a sprinkle of each helps to elevate your flavors!

A large white bowl filled with halved cherry tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, diced avocado and fresh basil sectioned out

How To Make Avocado Tomato & Mozzarella Salad

Make your balsamic glaze. Add your balsamic vinegar to a pot and bring it to a boil over medium high heat. Once boiling, turn the burner down to medium and allow it to simmer for 8-10 minutes or until the vinegar has reduced by half. (Keep checking and stirring your balsamic to make sure it doesn’t burn. Some stovetops cook faster than others so your cooking times may vary. We want the “glaze” thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.) Once the glaze is done, pour it into a bowl and place it in the fridge to cool completely.
Prepare the rest of your ingredients. While the glaze cools, slice your tomatoes and basil and take your mozzarella pearls out of their packaging. (Wait to slice your avocado until right before serving.)
Mix & serve! When you’re ready to serve, add your tomatoes, mozzarella, avocado and basil to a large bowl and drizzle your balsamic glaze over the top. Toss your salad and season it with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately or let it chill in the fridge for 5-10 minutes.

A person's hand using a wooden spoon to dig into a bowl of avocado tomato and mozzarella salad. The bowl is surrounded by a smaller bowl of fresh basil and a plate of toasted bread.

Tips For Making Homemade Balsamic Glaze

I think my glaze is too thin! Don’t worry, your glaze will thicken as it cools so it’s ok if it still looks a little thin after removing it from the heat.
For a sweeter glaze: Add 1 Tbsp of honey/maple syrup/brown sugar/coconut sugar to your balsamic vinegar before bringing it to a boil. (Continue to whisk the glaze while it boils to fully dissolve your sweetener of choice.)

Why do we reduce the balsamic vinegar? Reducing the vinegar creates a thicker “glaze-like” consistency and yields a stronger, more concentrated flavor!

A caprese style salad made by tossing fresh cherry tomatoes, avocado, mozzarella and basil together in a homemade balsamic reduction sauce and seasoning with salt and black pepper.

Serving Ideas

This caprese style salad is so good on it’s own but there’s lots of other fun ways to serve it too! Here are a few ideas to help get you started:

Serve it as a side dish for pesto chicken or balsamic chicken
Add it to your plate with your favorite type of steak
Toss it over some fresh greens & turn it into a leafy green salad
Use it as a toast topper with your favorite bread (Sourdough is our personal favorite!)
Serve it as a “dip” for a party with your favorite crackers or crostini

FAQ’s

Can I keep & store my leftover salad? I personally wouldn’t suggest it. This salad doesn’t hold up well when it’s stored because the avocado will start to turn brown. It’s best eaten as soon as possible after it’s been made.
Can I prep any ingredients beforehand? Absolutely! You can make your balsamic glaze, slice your tomatoes and remove your mozzarella pearls from their packaging beforehand. Keep everything stored in separate containers in the fridge until you’re ready to eat. (For storing your mozzarella balls- Place them in an airtight container with just enough water to cover them. This keeps them moist until they’re ready to be used.)

Why you’ll love this avocado, tomato & mozzarella salad

So easy! Only a handful of ingredients & minimal prep work! You’re going to love how simple this salad is to put together!
Light & refreshing! Lots of fresh seasonal produce, creamy mozzarella & a zippy homemade glaze to tie it all together! This salad is full of bright flavors & colors making it the perfect compliment to any summer meal!
Great for a crowd! Because it’s so easy to make a large amount of this salad, it’s perfect for potlucks and parties! It’s always the first dish to go and everyone loves the creamy addition of avocado!

Need it gluten free? Great news, it already is!

Need it dairy free? Replace the cheese with your favorite dairy free mozzarella cubes or shreds. (Our favorite lactose free mozzarella is from Buf Creamery.)

More salad recipes you might like:

Made one of my recipes? Make sure to tag my Instagram @kalefornia_kravings & leave a review in the comments. I love seeing what you create!

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