This summery cherry tomato salad is made with ripe cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, herbs and red onions, all tossed in a light garlic and herb dressing. A fun take on the classic caprese salad!
Tomato and mozzarella salad is a traditional summer side dish that never goes out of style. This version uses cherry tomatoes and bite sized mozzarella balls and is perfect for a pot luck or barbecue.
I often like to throw together salads that don’t contain lettuce for a nice snack. Of course, they work as a side dish just as well and one of my favorites is this cherry tomato salad. If you’re a tomato lover like me, you’ll be tempted to eat it all once that first tomato hits your taste buds.
HOW DO YOU MAKE CHERRY TOMATO SALAD?
The hardest part to this tomato and mozzarella salad is attempting to not eat it while making it. Place your fresh tomatoes, red onion, mozzarella balls, and herbs in a large bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together the ingredients for your dressing and pour it over the top of the tomato mixture. Lightly toss and you’ve got a tasty snack or side that only takes minutes to make.
If you prefer grape tomatoes, those work just as well but cherry tomatoes are usually my go-to. I think it’s really fun to get the colorful cherry tomatoes you usually find at the Farmer’s Market and use those in this tomato and mozzarella salad. It makes for quite a gorgeous side dish with little effort involved.
If you don’t have parsley on hand, you can use basil, dill or chives instead and the flavor will still be amazing. If you want to further liven up your cherry tomato salad, a light drizzle of balsamic glaze is a great addition!
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GRAPE TOMATOES AND CHERRY TOMATOES?
That’s a great question that many people don’t know the answer to. Grape tomatoes tend to be smaller (about half the size) and more oblong shaped than cherry tomatoes. Grape tomatoes have a thicker skin and aren’t as sweet as cherry tomatoes. I find that grape tomatoes are more readily available at the grocery store these days. You can use either grape or cherry tomatoes in this salad with the same results.
WHAT IS THE BEST TIME TO SERVE A TOMATO SALAD?
It’s always best to serve dishes that contain a lot of fresh ingredients like this tomato and mozzarella salad, immediately. Many people don’t know or realize that tomatoes change texture after being cut then refrigerated. Therefore, the freshest salad, especially if it has tomatoes, is best served as soon as possible.
There couldn’t be an easier side dish than this cherry tomato salad. The salad has been a huge hit with family and friends so I always keep it in my arsenal when party plans start brewing. Time is rarely on my side so I need easy recipes like this to keep me sane! Plus it’s the perfect way to showcase all those fresh summer tomatoes.
MORE SALAD RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
- Cucumber Tomato Salad
- Black Bean and Corn Salad
- Watermelon Salad with Feta
- Tropical Fruit Salad
- Spaghetti Salad
Cherry Tomato Salad
Ingredients
- 4 cups cherry or grape tomatoes halved
- 2 cups fresh mozzarella balls halved
- 1/4 cup red onion minced
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs such as parsley, basil, chives, green onions, oregano
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place the tomatoes, mozzarella balls, red onion and herbs in a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, sugar, oregano, garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour the dressing over the tomato mixture and gently toss to coat evenly. Serve.
We loved this! I made it a bit ahead of time and let it sit at room temp to soak in all the flavors. I also used more mozzarella than the recipe called for (I LOVE CHEESE!) and added a splash of balsamic at the end. I’m a first time visitor to your site and can’t wait to try more of your recipes. Thank you!
I love salads and, as luck would have it I already had most of the fresh ingredients and all the pantry ingredients. So, I only needed to get the fresh basil and fresh mozzarella. Where I live some ingredients are not available and it was nice to have something so tasty be so easy to get ingredients for. Very easy to make as well. Yum!
Brought this along to a potluck tonight. It was pretty and delicious! Thank you! Will make again!
We love this easy tasty salad!