This Arugula Caprese Salad puts a fun twist on the classic summer salad. Bright, citrusy lemon pairs perfectly with plump, juicy tomatoes, melt in your mouth mozzarella balls, fresh from the garden basil, and creamy lemon dressing.
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About this Salad
I like to think of caprese salads as the "business casual" of appetizers. If you're in charge of the salad, hosting or not, it's just fancy enough to impress while being casual and familiar enough for even the pickiest of eaters to dive right in!
This Arugula Caprese Salad puts a fun twist on the classic summer salad by incorporating the bright, fresh, and citrusy flavor of lemon over a bed of spicy arugula. It pairs perfectly with plump, juicy cherry tomatoes, melt in your mouth mozzarella balls, fresh from the garden (or store) basil, and creamy dressing.
Best of all? It's the type of recipe you barely need to follow. You can customize this caprese salad to your liking. Read on for tips & tricks to put your on twist on a summertime classic and elevate your salad game!
And if you're looking for more summer salad recipes, also check out this Strawberry Quinoa Salad, this Peach Burrata Salad, this Arugula Couscous Salad, or this Mango Tomato Salad that I know you'll love, too!
Recipe Ingredients
- Arugula: The bitterness of arugula pairs so well with the bright, fresh lemon flavor in this salad.
- Mozzarella Balls: This cheese tastes so refreshing. And the texture is so fun! They basically melt right in your mouth.
- Cherry Tomatoes: You can also use beef steak tomatoes for more of a caprese classic, but I like the sweeter, bite size tomatoes for this salad.
- Basil Leaves: I highly recommend using fresh ones. If you can find lemon basil, that's an added bonus.
- Lemon Basil Dressing: One of my favorite dressings from Litehouse! You could use a simple olive oil and balsamic on this salad, too. Or try this Lemon Vinaigrette.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
This salad is fabulous on its own, but there are plenty of ways to spruce it up, too!
- Seasonings: Try a combination of basil and mint or basil and dill to add more flavor profiles. Minced garlic would also be delicious!
- Base: Instead of arugula, try another delicate green like spinach or butter lettuce. Or skip the base all together for more traditional caprese.
- Add more vegetables: Summer squash, cucumbers, or broccoli would be great additions to this salad.
- Introduce a nut or seed: You can get great health benefits and crunchy texture by adding toasted pine nuts or pumpkin seeds.
- Nix the cheese: Dairy free? Add more avocado to make up for that creamy, melt in your mouth texture.
- Change up the dressing: Toss this salad in extra virgin olive oil or drizzle with a balsamic glaze. Pesto is also a great, classic option for caprese salad.
How to Make This Recipe
1. Wash all ingredients and pat dry. Using a knife, halve mozzarella balls into bite sized pieces. Chop and dice tomatoes and basil leaves. Slice the avocado. Place arugula in a salad bowl.
2. Add mozzarella pieces, tomatoes, and basil leaves.
3. Add avocado and then squeeze half of a lemon over the salad. Then, using a handheld zester, zest the lemon over the salad, too. Add parmesan if desired.
4. Top with the Lemon Basil Dressing, garnish with salt and pepper. Toss and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
This salad is best served fresh, but you can store in the refrigerator for up to three days. Keep the avocado and dressing separate until ready to enjoy.
To keep your basil fresh, trim the stems and place them in a glass or jar of water, just like cut flowers. Loosely cover with a plastic bag and leave on the counter. Although certain herbs such as parsley and cilantro can be stored this way in the fridge, basil does better at room temperature.
To make this a meal, I like serving with some grilled protein like this Best Grilled Chicken, salmon, or steak and a hearty piece of bread like sourdough or this Pesto Focaccia. This is a great appetizer for your next dinner party!
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Recipe
Arugula Caprese Salad
Equipment
- Cutting Board
- Knife
- strainer
- Salad bowl
- Mixing spoon
- Zester
- Measuring Cups
Ingredients
- 4-5 stems fresh lemon basil
- 1 bag arugula
- 1 cup mozzarella balls
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- ½ avocado
- ½ lemon
- ½ cup Litehouse Lemon Basil Dressing
- ¼ cup shaved parmesan
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Wash all ingredients and pat dry.
- Using a knife, halve mozzarella balls into bite sized pieces. Chop and dice tomatoes and basil leaves. Slice the avocado.
- Place arugula in a salad bowl. Add mozzarella pieces, tomatoes, basil, and avocado.
- Squeeze half of a lemon over the salad. Then, using a handheld zester, zest the lemon over the salad.
- Top with shaved parmesan and Lemon Basil Dressing.
- Garnish with salt and pepper.
- Eat up and enjoy!
Nutrition
Notes
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If you're using MyFitnessPal, search 'A Paige Of Positivity' and find Arugula Caprese Salad calories and nutrition facts. Disclaimer: for most accurate macronutrients and caloric breakdown, it is recommended that you input each ingredient into your MyFitnessPal food diary.
I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. It’s my passion to create dishes that can be shared with others. Tell me something you loved or just say hi!
Sydney says
Never have I before put avocado on Caprese salad, but I've realized I've been doing it wrong all along. This combination was DELISH!!! Courtney definitely got this one spot on and the Litehouse Lemon Basil Dressing is a must 😍😍
Courtney Paige says
This is incredibly good! Great appetizer dish.