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GET IT NOWMy Avocado Caprese Salad Passes The Summer Salad Test
Summer salads require two things in my book: Fresh seasonal flavors and minimal (like, really minimal) effort! And this avocado Caprese salad passes both tests with flying colors. Literally, such pretty colors. I took everything I love about a classic Caprese salad and made a few key changes that led me to crave it even more:
- It’s chopped – Unlike the regular layered slices, my avocado Caprese salad has all the components in small pieces instead, and I serve it in a bowl. I love that I can eat it with just a fork and no knife!
- It’s got avocados – Many of you know I add them to anything and everything, and they taste exceptional with the creamy mozzarella, sweet tomatoes, and herby basil.
- Only 7 ingredients – While it’s a tad more than the classic version, not by much! These are simple, fresh staples you probably already have, and no need to turn on the stove or oven.
I’ve served this avocado Caprese salad at cookouts, weeknight dinners, and even for lunch. If you’re an avocado fan, make it with me!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my avocado Caprese salad recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Avocado – Make sure it’s ripe! It should give slightly when you press it.
- Tomatoes – I wrote grape tomatoes on the recipe card, but really, I make this avocado Caprese salad equally often with cherry tomatoes. Feel free to chop larger tomatoes if that’s what you’ve got.
- Fresh Mozzarella Cheese – I usually get the kind labeled ciliegine or bocconcini, in a container with liquid. I like both of these because they’re similar in size to the tomatoes, and convenient to scoop with a fork. (They’re also perfect for Caprese skewers if you have extras.) I don’t recommend the ones labeled “pearls” in a vacuum pack — they’re less delicate, lack a nice round shape, and are much smaller than the tomatoes in this recipe. That being said, you can also chop a larger ball of fresh mozzarella.
- Fresh Basil – The must-have herb for classic Caprese flavor.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – The base of the dressing.
- Balsamic Vinegar – I recommend a good-quality balsamic, since the flavor gets more concentrated as it cooks down into a balsamic glaze.
- Spices – I kept the dressing simple with garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper. Feel free to add a pinch of Italian seasoning or crushed red pepper flakes for extra flavor.
Reader Review
“I loved this salad — made it for lunch today and waited to add the avocado until I was ready to eat. PERFECT! Will be making more often.” –Heidy
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How To Make Avocado Caprese Salad
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Make the balsamic glaze. Add the balsamic vinegar to a small saucepan and simmer until it thickens.
- Whisk the dressing. Mix together the olive oil, garlic powder, sea salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
- Toss and drizzle. Combine the tomatoes, mozzarella, avocado, and basil. Gently toss the avocado Caprese salad with the olive oil dressing, then drizzle with balsamic glaze. I usually save some extra fresh basil leaves for garnish!
My Tips For Dressing & Serving
- The balsamic reduction will keep thickening after you take it off the heat. For this reason, I stop cooking it when it’s a little thinner than I need. Once it lightly coats the back of a spoon, it’s good to go!
- If your balsamic reduction gets too thick, you can fix it. Just reheat it with a splash of water or a little more balsamic vinegar.
- Let the glaze cool to room temperature before drizzling. If it’s still hot, I find it wilts the basil and makes the salad soggy faster.
- For a fun presentation, serve this avocado Caprese salad inside avocado halves. If you’ve made and enjoyed my BLT stuffed avocado, this is like the Caprese version of that!
- Add protein to make it a meal. Sometimes I fold in a diced grilled chicken breast or hard boiled egg for lunch! If you want greens in there too, try my chicken Caprese salad.
Avocado Caprese Salad
My easy avocado Caprese salad is the side of summer, with sweet tomatoes, creamy mozzarella & avocado, peppery basil, and balsamic drizzle.
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Pour the balsamic vinegar into a very small saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat for about 10-15 minutes, keeping it at a low simmer but not boiling. Simmer until slightly thickened but still pourable, and volume has reduced to about 1/3 cup. (This is balsamic reduction – it will thicken as it cools, so don't let it thicken too much when hot.)
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When the balsamic reduction is ready, let it cool to room temperature.
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Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper.
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Add the tomatoes, mozzarella, avocado, and fresh basil. Toss to coat. Drizzle the entire salad with 1 tablespoon balsamic reduction. (You can save the rest for another use.)
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 cup
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get the best texture in this avocado Caprese salad, plus a couple of my favorite serving ideas.
- Storage & meal prep: This salad is delicate and best fresh, especially the avocado. However, you can chop and measure everything else in advance, and keep separately in the fridge until ready to mix and enjoy. Once dressed, it might keep for 24 hours at most.
- Note on nutrition info: I included 1 tablespoon of balsamic reduction, which is all you’ll need for the salad. I make a larger batch since it’s tough to reduce such a small amount of vinegar, but the extra stores well in the fridge for future recipes.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Avocado Caprese Salad
Protein Pairings
This is the perfect summer side dish with your favorite protein! I love it with:
- Steak – You can’t go wrong with sirloin tip steak or just about any grilled steak. When we’re in the mood for something fancier, my whole family loves grilled filet mignon.
- Burgers – I’ve been obsessed with this smash burger recipe lately. This avocado Caprese salad also pairs perfectly with Chipotle turkey burgers, classic beef burgers, or even chicken burgers.
- Chicken – My top picks with this are balsamic chicken or chicken leg quarters. If you have extra tomatoes, try my bruschetta chicken or Caprese chicken for more of those summery vibes.
- Seafood – Keep it light and bright with my poached salmon or garlic butter shrimp.
27 Comments
Sheri Earle
0I’m a huge Caprese salad fan and this recipe did not disappoint. I only gave it 4 stars because I found it a bit oily. Next time I’ll reduce the amount of dressing by about a third. Otherwise…. Yum!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Sheri, It could be a difference in how we measured the ingredient cups, or could be personal preference, but feel free to use less oil next time. Glad you liked it otherwise!
Rhonda Pointer
0I love an easy salad that’s tasty too.
Wholesome Yum D
0Thanks, Rhonda! I’m with you, easy and tasty is the best kind of salad.
Moe
0How many servings does this recipe make?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Moe, My recipe makes 4 servings, 1 cup each. This info is on the recipe card above.
MARY K THEIS
0Simple and delicious, perfect summer food!
Deb berris
0I love this refreshing salad. Adding the avocado makes it richer and more satisfying. I didn’t mix mine too much as I enjoy the separate flavors with the dressing. What a lovely lunch!
Anne Lawton
0Caprese salad is one of my favorites in the summer, I love that you added avocados to it!
Chihyu
0OMG! That was amazing! I can smell the yummy flavor now!
Katie
0I love everything about this recipe! What a great idea, adding avocado to a caprese salad. YUM!
Jennifer Fisher
0It is absolutely delicious — I love how easy it is to throw together
Farah
0I love fresh mozzarella! It made the perfect pairing with avocado and tomatoes!
Shashi
0YUM – Such a flavorful and filling summer salad!
Suzy
0I love fresh salads like this and will be making it again soon!
Jere Cassidy
0This is such a good salad for summer when all those tomatoes are ripe. I love caprese anything.
Veena Azmanov
0This Salad is colorful and crunchy. Love the flavors to making the dressing. Avocado is one of my favorite too.
Jacque Hooper
0This was such a light and flavorful salad for lunch today! Love the balance of the tomatoes and avocado; yum!
Chef Mireille
0What a bright, beautiful and healthy salad. In the summertime, I am always looking for new and interesting salad ideas. This looks like one I definitely need to try.
Jacquelyn Hastert
0Tomatoes will be coming in soon and this is a great way to use them up! I love the combination of fresh tomatoes and avocados.
Wilhelmina
0This salad has all my favorite summer flavors!
Heidy L. McCallum
0I loved this salad- made it for lunch today and waited to add the avocado until I was ready to eat. PERFECT! Will be making more often.
Marjory
0This recipe never gets old – I love pairing it with chicken or shrimp for an easy dinner!
Elaine
0Great summer salad – no doubt in that! It is easy to make and I am sure it tastes amazing. Can’t wait to try it out – thank you!
Sara Welch
0Wow! I know what I will be having for lunch tomorrow; this looks like a restaurant worthy recipe, indeed!
Anita
0Caprese salad is the best during summer. I love the simple pairing of tomatoes (which are in season) and mozzarella balls. This version with added avocado makes the already delicious salad into something even more special.
Sues
0I love caprese salads, but love them even more when there’s avocado involved!! The colors in this are so fab and make me want to pour a glass of white wine and enjoy dinner on the deck 🙂