For a twist on a classic Italian salad, try my Roasted Heirloom Tomato Basil Mozzarella Caprese Salad.

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For a twist on the classic Italian Caprese salad, I use mini heirlooms and roast the salad to intensify the flavors. Mini heirloom tomatoes are readily available in grocery stores in the US these days, but this salad will, of course, work beautifully with any large heirloom tomatoes you find. I like to vary the tomato colors. In addition to the traditional red, try to find yellow, green, and even the darker shade, which looks between purple and black. The green of the basil and the white of the mozzarella cheese balls will create a gorgeous display.

This salad is so easy to put together. I drizzled a little olive oil in the bottom of a casserole dish, sliced the larger mini tomatoes and left a few of the smaller ones whole and added them to the dish. Salt them with some Himalayan sea salt. Add a few basil leaves (not all of them!) and roast  for 30 minutes or until the tomatoes begin to soften. The basil leaves will turn brown; that’s okay, you will remove them before serving and replace with fresh basil leaves.

For the last 5 minutes or so of the roasting, add the mozzarella cheese balls – not too many – and let them just begin to melt during the last few minutes in the oven. Remove from the oven, make sure the roasted basil leaves have been removed and replace with fresh basil leaves.

Admire the pretty salad! Take a photo of it if you like! At this point, you could serve the salad as is; it’s delicious! However, I like to drizzle just a wee bit more olive oil and just a touch of balsamic vinegar over it before serving.

Enjoy!
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Roasted Heirloom Tomato Basil Mozzarella Caprese Salad

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

35 mins

 

Roasted Heirloom Tomato Basil Mozzarella Caprese Salad

Author: Zesty Olive

Serves: 2-4

Ingredients

• You can customize the serving sizes depending on how much of each ingredient you choose to use, therefore, no set amount of each ingredient is given.
  
  
• Mini Heirloom tomatoes, slice larger ones; leave small ones whole
• Fresh basil leaves
• Fresh mozzarella mini cheese balls, or mozzarella, sliced
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Balsamic vinegar
• Himalayan Sea Salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
   
   
2. Drizzled a little olive oil in the bottom of a casserole dish.
   
   
3. Sliced the larger mini tomatoes and leave the smaller ones whole. Add tomatoes to the dish.
   
   
4. Salt tomatoes.
   
   
5. Add a few basil leaves (not all of them) and roast for 30 minutes or until the tomatoes begin to soften. The basil leaves will turn brown; that’s okay, you will remove them before serving and replace with fresh basil leaves.
   
   
6. Remove from oven and add mozzarella cheese balls.
   
   
7. Return to oven for 3-5 minutes, or until cheese begins to melt.
   
   
8. Remove from the oven, and remove wilted basil leaves. Replace with fresh basil leaves.
   
   
9. Serve as is, or drizzle just a little more olive oil and just a touch of balsamic vinegar over the salad before serving.

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This Loaded Baked Potato Salad is simple but outrageously delicious! It’s perfect as a side dish for cookouts, BBQs, and any time you need a savory ‘tater salad.

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If you’re wanting a loaded baked potato, but don’t want to wait forever for it to bake, consider making its easier and faster cousin, the loaded baked potato salad. Seriously, this is just as delicious and satisfying as the baked potato, plus it tastes great as a cold salad, or if you prefer, make it and consume it immediately while it’s still warm. Amazing either way.

My favorite, however, is eating it the next day. There’s something about a day in the refrigerator that deepens the flavors and makes it even more addictive and yummy.

So here’s how I put this easy ‘tater salad together. (Full recipe down below)

• First, fry, drain, cool and crumble your bacon.
• Second, grate the cheese. I use a sharp cheddar and I grate it myself.
• Third, chop your green onion.
• Set all that aside while you boil the potatoes. You can use just about any kind of potato here – Yukon gold, red, russet…whatever you have on hand. For this batch, I had some russet baking potatoes one hand so I peeled them and cut them into medium sized chunks and boiled them until just this side of tender. Do not over boil because then the potatoes hold too much water and turn to mush when you go to assemble the salad. Drain your potatoes well and *let them cool for a bit before moving forward with the recipe.

*If you’re serving your potato salad warm, then skip the cooling step.

• Place the potatoes in a large mixing bowl.
• Add salt and/or seasoning salt, sour cream and yogurt. Using a large spoon, very lightly mix.
• Add 3/4 of the cheese, bacon and green onions and lightly toss to combine. (Reserve the rest for garnish on top)
• Transfer to serving bowl and garnish the top with the remaining cheese, bacon and green onion.
• Serve and enjoy! If you have leftovers, refrigerate and enjoy again the next day.

Full recipe below.

Potato lover? Make sure you check out my other potato recipes: Baked Scalloped Potatoes, Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

If you like these recipes, consider joining the Zesty Recipes Facebook Group. We’d love to have you!

Note: This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

Loaded Baked Potato Salad

 

Print

Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

45 mins

 

Loaded Baked Potato Salad

Author: Zesty Olive

Serves: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

• 6 large Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into medium-small cubes
• 1 cup sour cream
• ½ cup plain greek yogurt (more if you like it creamier)
• 1½ cup cheddar cheese, grated
• ⅓ cup chopped green onions
• ½ - ¾ cup cooked and crumbled bacon
• 2 tsp Himalayan salt

Instructions

1. Fry, drain, cool and crumble the bacon. Set aside.
   
   
2. Grate the cheese. Set aside.
   
   
3. Chop the green onion. Set aside.
   
   
4. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
   
   
5. While water is coming to a boil, peel and chop potatoes into small-medium cubes. Add to boiling water and cook until almost tender. Do not over boil as the potatoes will hold too much water and turn to mush when you go to assemble the salad.
   
   
6. Drain potatoes well and let them cool for a bit before moving forward with the recipe, unless you are serving your salad warm.
   
   
7. Place the potatoes in a large mixing bowl.
   
   
8. Add salt, sour cream and yogurt. Using a large spoon, very lightly mix, taking care not to mush or break the potatoes.
   
   
9. Add ¾ of the cheese, bacon and green onions and lightly toss to combine. (Reserve the rest for garnish on top)
   
   
10. Transfer to serving bowl and garnish the top with the remaining cheese, bacon and green onion.
    
    
11. Serve warm or chill salad, covered, in the fridge until ready to serve.

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