Winter Citrus Caprese Salad Recipe | The Cheese Professor

The Caprese salad is revered for its simplicity. A relatively modern appetizer, created and first served in 1926 at the Grand Hotel Quisisana on the island of Capri, it didn’t become very popular until the 1950s. It consists of fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, extra virgin olive oil, and salt. Coincidentally the same ingredients that top a Margherita pizza and that symbolize the colors of the Italian flag. Caprese Salad requires the best possible ingredients, especially ripe tomatoes, which makes it a summer or even a fall dish. But when winter rolls around, it’s time to swap out tomatoes for another juicy ingredient that loves sunny weather, citrus.

Caprese pasta with farfalle photo credit Emily Paster

Even in Italy, where authenticity is prized, there are myriad riffs on the Caprese salad. A quick search of an Italian cooking site yields recipes for ravioli Capresi, torta Caprese, omelette Caprese, bruschetta Caprese, and more. In each recipe, the main ingredients stay the same. We featured a recipe for Caprese Pasta that combines the same ingredients with pasta and a few extra seasonings, including lemon. Caprese salad is interesting because, unlike many other salads it does not include vinegar. The acidity comes from the juice of the tomatoes. While it’s common to see Caprese salad doused in either balsamic vinegar or a balsamic glaze, we don’t recommend it. The intensity of vinegar overpowers the delicacy of the tomatoes and the mozzarella. The winter version of a Caprese uses cara cara oranges and clementines, but really any sweet and tangy citrus fruit would work, such as tangerines, navel oranges, blood oranges, tangelos, or clementines.

While basil is not a winter ingredient, it’s grown in hot houses, so it’s available year-round. It beautifully complements citrus as well as mozzarella. But you could swap it out for another fresh herb, such as tarragon or thyme. A pinch of salt also helps to balance the sweetness and acidity of the fruit and brings the dish together. You can use slices of mozzarella or medallions which are the perfect shape. Refrain from adding pepper and embrace the mild and delicate flavors of the mozzarella and citrus! Pepperiness comes from another key ingredient, extra virgin olive oil. You might be wondering which olive oil to use. Italy is famous for its tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, citrus fruit and of course, olive oil.

Laudemio Frescobaldi extra virgin olive oil

Olive oil is produced in many regions of Italy. While you could choose an olive oil from the South of Italy, consider using olive oil from Tuscany, such as Laudemio Frescobaldi for this dish. Laudemio Frescobaldi produces oil from mostly frantoio olives, a native Tuscan variety that is harvested from estates in the cooler East and Northeast of Tuscany, and has grassy, artichoke, and green olive aromas. The 2024 is particularly fruity and mild, with some pleasant bitterness on the finish. Read more about Laudemio Frescobaldli.