This Italian Caprese Salad with Crispy Prosciutto is NOT your average caprese salad. I mean don't get me wrong, I LOVE me some fresh basil, mozzarella pearls, and tomatoes. LOVE. Topped with a basil vinaigrette.
Bed of arugula and spinach, topped using fresh mozzarella pearls, garden basil, crispy prosciutto, tomatoes, olives, and a homemade basil vinaigrette. It's literally an Italian Farmer's Market in a bowl *chef's kiss*.
What you will love about this salad:
- For all you Healthy peeps - where you at
- Not much prep work!
- The dressing is whirred up in the food processor
- Perfect for warmer weather when you DO NOT want to turn your oven on
- Great for when you want Italian but not the heavy-carby kind.
Trust me, this Italian Caprese Salad has all the flavor combinations you will love.
From the sweet cherry tomatoes, to summer garden basil, and fresh mozzarella cheese plus the basil vinaigrette. It's the fresh simple salad with a light herby dressing and a touch of salty crunch from the crispy prosciutto... equals best spring into summer salad!
This is the Italian caprese salad of my dreams. Basically what I WISHED was on a menu at a Italian restaurant! I typically avoid going to Italian restaurants because I am SO picky about Italian food. If it comes out covered in grease, cheese, or pools of oil. It's a NO for me thanks. 👋
The process to making this Italian Caprese Salad with Crispy Prosciutto
Is quite easy! In fact, lunch or dinner can be served in less than 15 minutes!
But basically besides the sweet cherry tomatoes, the soft balls of fresh mozzarella, and the salty crunch of the prosciutto... this basil vinaigrette is my new JAM.
First off it has two of my favorite ingredients: basil AND garlic. YUM. Trust me, you need this salad dressing in your life. I have SO many other recipe ideas coming JUST from this vinaigrette. So memorize it and you will be able to make 4-5 more of my recipes here on the blog.
Basically this recipe can be broken into 2 parts.
- First, whirl the basil vinaigrette ingredients in a food processor until smooth and green and dreamy. *sighs*
- Second, Crisp the prosciutto in a small skillet real quick. This gives the best salty crunch texture to this salad. MUST MAKE.
And if you count dumping the rest of the ingredients onto a serving platter (which I don't). That's IT.
A crowd-pleaser and perfect for making as a cold lunch option for your work week!
Need more salad inspiration?
- Whole30 Nashville Chicken Salad
- Grilled Balsamic Chicken and Peach Cobb Salad
- Greek Chicken Salad Meal Prep Bowls
- Simple Green Spring Salad with Herby Tahini Dressing
Italian Caprese Salad with Crispy Prosciutto
- Total Time: 10 Minutes
- Yield: 3 Servings 1x
Description
This unique caprese salad recipe consists of: Bed of arugula and spinach, topped with fresh mozzarella balls, garden basil, crispy prosciutto, tomatoes, olives, and a homemade basil vinaigrette. It's literally an Italian Farmer's Market in a bowl *chef's kiss*.
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 2 cups of arugula
- 1 cup of spinach
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- Handful of fresh basil
- 4 oz of fresh mozzarella
- 5 pepperocini peppers, thinly sliced
- 12 slices of pepperoni, halved
- 2-3 slices of prosciutto
- ½ jar of roasted red peppers
- 10 kalamata olives, sliced
- 10 black olives, sliced
- Pistachios for garnish
For the Basil Vinaigrette
- 2 cups of fresh basil
- ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil
- Juice of ½ a lemon
- 2 tbs red wine vinegar
- 6 cloves of garlic
- ¼ cup parsley
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Make the Basil Vinaigrette: In a food processor, add basil, oil, lemon juice, salt, red pepper flakes, vinegar, garlic, and parsley. Pulse until smooth. Set aside.
- Crisp the prosciutto: In a small skillet on medium heat cook the prosciutto for about 2 minutes per side (or until crisp).
- Salad: Arrange the greens in a platter and top with the tomatoes, red bell pepper, mozzarella, basil, pepperoni, crispy prosciutto, pepperocini, olives, toss in 4 tbs basil vinaigrette, and top with pistachios. Enjoy!
Notes
- This recipe makes roughly ½ cup of dressing! Yay for leftovers! Use on other salads, toss in pasta, or use a marinade!
- Prep Time: 5 Minutes
- Cook Time: 5 Minutes
- Category: Lunch
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
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