Description
This Grilled Tomato, Basil & Mozzarella Salad, a fresh twist on a classic Caprese, combines smoky grilled cherry tomatoes and ciabatta bread with crisp romaine lettuce, creamy marinated mozzarella balls, and a zesty lemon basil dressing for a vibrant, summer-ready salad that’s perfect for gatherings or a light meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2/3 cup buttermilk
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (fresh)
- 1 small clove garlic (crushed with a knife)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 bunch basil
Salad
- 1 head romaine lettuce (rinsed, dried, and chopped)
- 12-16 ounces ciabatta bread
- Soft butter (for ciabatta)
- Grilling skewers (metal or wood)
- 2 dry pints cherry tomatoes (any color)
- Olive oil or oil from marinated mozzarella tub, for drizzling
- Salt and pepper
- 12 ounces marinated mozzarella balls (drained)
- 1/2 cup fresh basil (sliced thin)
Instructions
- Prepare Skewers: If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for about 30 minutes to prevent burning on the grill. Metal skewers can be used without soaking.
- Make Dressing: In a blender, combine mayonnaise, buttermilk, lemon zest, lemon juice, crushed garlic, salt, cayenne pepper, and a bunch of fresh basil leaves. Blend until smooth to create a flavorful basil lemon dressing.
- Transfer Dressing: Pour the blended dressing into a mason jar or dressing dispenser. This yields a little over 2 cups of dressing.
- Preheat Grill: Get your grill heated to medium heat, ready for grilling the tomatoes and bread.
- Prepare Lettuce: Thoroughly dry the romaine lettuce, ideally using a salad spinner, and chop into bite-sized pieces. Place all the lettuce in a large serving bowl.
- Prepare Ciabatta: Slice the ciabatta bread in half lengthwise and spread each cut side generously with soft butter. Set aside for grilling.
- Skewer Tomatoes: Thread the cherry tomatoes onto skewers, spacing each about 1/4 inch apart to allow for crisping. Lay the skewers on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil or oil from the mozzarella tub. Season with salt and pepper and gently rub the oil and seasoning over the tomatoes.
- Oil Grill Grates: Lightly oil your grill grates to prevent sticking. Arrange tomato skewers on the grill with some space between, and if room allows, place the buttered ciabatta bread cut side down for grilling.
- Grill Tomatoes and Bread: Grill the bread for about 2 minutes until edges are charred; then remove. Continue grilling the tomato skewers for an additional 1 to 3 minutes until nicely charred on the edges.
- Assemble Salad Base: Remove the grilled tomatoes and bread from the grill. Chop the ciabatta into bite-sized pieces and add to the bowl with the romaine lettuce along with the grilled tomatoes still on skewers (remove tomatoes from skewers before adding).
- Add Fresh Ingredients: Add the thinly sliced fresh basil and the drained marinated mozzarella balls to the salad bowl.
- Toss Salad: Gently toss all components together, then dress with as much basil lemon dressing as desired. The dressing is flavorful and rich, so you won’t need to use it all.
- Serve: Serve the salad immediately for the best texture and flavor. If not serving all at once, store bread and tomatoes separately to keep them fresh for future servings.
Notes
- Soaking wooden skewers prevents them from burning on the grill.
- Using a salad spinner helps remove excess water from lettuce, allowing the dressing to coat better.
- Oil from the marinated mozzarella balls can add extra flavor when drizzling the tomatoes before grilling.
- Grill ciabatta bread cut side down until edges char lightly for a smoky flavor and crunchy texture.
- Toss the salad gently to avoid breaking the mozzarella and tomatoes.
- Store grilled bread and tomatoes separately if preparing in advance to keep textures optimal.
