No-Cook Caprese Salad with Avocado
Easy No-Cook Caprese Salad with Avocado featuring ripe heirloom tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, creamy avocado slices, and fresh basil with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and sticky balsamic glaze — a 10-minute elegant summer lunch.
Equipment
- Large flat serving platter
- Sharp knife
- cutting board
- Small saucepan (for homemade glaze)
Ingredients
Salad
- 3 large ripe heirloom or beefsteak tomatoes sliced ½-inch thick
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella, water-packed sliced ½-inch thick
- 1 ripe avocado, halved and sliced sliced just before serving
- fresh basil leaves large leaves, kept whole
- 0.5 lemon, juiced for avocado to prevent browning
Dressing
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil best quality for finishing
- 2 tbsp balsamic glaze store-bought or homemade
- flaky sea salt generous pinch
- freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- If making homemade balsamic glaze: simmer ½ cup balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes until thick and syrupy. Cool slightly.
- Slice tomatoes into ½-inch rounds. Lay on a paper towel, sprinkle lightly with salt, and let sit 3 minutes. Pat dry.
- Slice fresh mozzarella into ½-inch rounds.
- Halve, pit, and peel the avocado. Slice into ½-inch pieces lengthwise. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over immediately.
- On a large flat serving platter, arrange the tomato, mozzarella, basil, and avocado slices in alternating overlapping layers.
- Drizzle generously with extra virgin olive oil, then drizzle the balsamic glaze in a thin zigzag across the full platter.
- Sprinkle with flaky sea salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Serve immediately.
Notes
Use the ripest, best-quality tomatoes you can find — they are the heart of this dish. Pat tomatoes dry after salting to prevent a watery platter. Slice avocado last and squeeze lemon juice over immediately. Add avocado to the platter at the very end right before serving. Use fresh mozzarella in water, not low-moisture block. Dress and serve immediately — don't let it sit more than 20 minutes or the tomatoes soften and basil wilts.