Sweet Drop Tomato Mozzarella Salad – A Caprese with Character

Sweet Drop Tomato Mozzarella Salad: A Caprese with Character

Consider this your official notice: Caprese has younger, hotter competition.

We took the beloved tomato + mozzarella combo and threw in a few curveballs—sweet drop peppers (both mild and spicy), capers, and a vinegar-forward dressing that doesn’t wait around to announce itself. It’s our play on the classic Caprese salad, but with bolder flavour, brighter colours, and zero preciousness.

It’s juicy, salty, and tangy with a little heat and a lot of chef’s kiss. Best of all? It’s ready in 10 minutes flat.

Ingredients

• 400g mixed tomatoes (cherry, plum, heirloom) – cut into wedges, de-seeded if you’re fancy
• 2 tablespoons sweet drop peppers (mix of mild + spicy)
• 1 tablespoon capers
• 1½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 7–10 mozzarella pearls, halved or quartered
• 1 teaspoon dried or fresh basil
• 1 teaspoon dried or fresh oregano
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic glaze or vinegar
• Salt + pepper, to taste (go light—capers are salty enough)

Instructions

1. Start by rinsing your tomatoes in ice water with a splash of vinegar—this keeps them crisp and cool, especially if they’ve been lounging on the counter.
2. Slice tomatoes into small wedges or quarters. De-seeding is optional, but it keeps things pretty and less watery.
3. Plate the tomatoes in a stacked, colourful medley.
4. Halve or quarter the mozzarella pearls (easier to fork later) and layer them over the tomatoes.
5. Add the sweet drops and capers on top—scatter like you’re casually fabulous.
6. Drizzle olive oil, red wine vinegar, and balsamic glaze over everything.
7. Sprinkle with oregano, basil, salt, and pepper.
8. Serve immediately with grilled bread, a glass of chilled wine, or just your fingers if no one’s watching.

Why This Salad Slaps

• Sweet drop peppers: Tiny, tangy, and slightly sweet, they bring instant complexity without needing extra dressing drama.
• Capers: Salty little bombs of flavour.
• Triple vinegar action: Red wine vinegar, balsamic glaze, and a vinegar rinse cut through the sweetness of the sweet drops and bring next-level acidity that makes everything else pop.
• No cooking required: Summer meals should feel like recess, not homework.

Final Mood:

This salad is low-effort and high-impact—like a red lip in salad form. It’s not trying to impress your Nonna. It’s trying to show up at the picnic, steal the spotlight, and be the reason someone says, “Wait… what is in this?”

✰✰✰✰✰ star TRY