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Caprese salad facts for kids

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Caprese salad (tricolore salad)
Insalata Caprese Shallow Focus.jpg
Type Salad
Place of origin Italy
Region or state Campania
Main ingredients mozzarella, tomatoes, basil, salt, olive oil

Caprese salad is a famous and easy-to-make Italian salad. It is made with fresh slices of mozzarella cheese, juicy tomatoes, and sweet basil leaves. A little salt and olive oil are added for flavor. This colorful salad is often arranged neatly on a plate.

Just like pizza Margherita, Caprese salad shows off the colors of the Italian flag. The green comes from the basil, the white from the mozzarella, and the red from the tomatoes. In Italy, this salad is usually served as an antipasto, which means it's a starter before the main meal. You can enjoy it any time of day! Caprese salad is one type of "Caprese" dish. You might also find Caprese pizza, pasta, or even sandwiches.

What is Caprese Salad?

This special salad gets its name from the beautiful island of Capri in Italy. People believe the salad first came from there. There are a couple of stories about how it started. One story says it was made to honor the Italian flag. Another idea is that it was created in the 1900s to please important visitors and royal guests who were vacationing on the island.

Different Ways to Enjoy Caprese Salad

There are many fun ways to change up a classic Caprese salad.

  • Instead of just olive oil, some people use Italian dressing or a green sauce called pesto.
  • You can also add balsamic vinegar for a tangy taste.
  • Sometimes, olives are added.
  • Greens like arugula or romaine lettuce can be mixed in with the basil.
  • A sprinkle of oregano or black pepper can give it extra flavor.
  • For an even stronger taste, some recipes use buffalo mozzarella instead of regular mozzarella.
  • You can even mix in pasta or rice to make it a heartier grain salad.
  • Mozzarella cheese ball with cherry tomatoes and basil

    A Local fusion style Caprese salad

  • Mozzarella cheese and tomato salad

    Mozzarella and tomato with vegetable salad

  • Mozzarella and Tomato Salad Platter

    Mozzarella and tomato salad

  • Caprese salad skewer appetizers

    Caprese salad skewer appetizers

  • Tomato and Cheese salad from The Royal Graden

    Mozzarella slices with tomatoes and green vegetables

  • Caprese Salad and Hot Coffee

    Traditional Caprese Salad from Hong Kong

  • Tomaten-etc 5345

    Caprese skewers

See also

Learn more about Caprese salad!

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Caprese salad Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.