What is the best tasting tomato for caprese?

Caprese salad is a simple Italian salad made with sliced fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and sweet basil, dressed with olive oil, salt, and pepper. The star ingredient is definitely the tomato, so choosing the right variety is key to taking your caprese to the next level.

What is caprese salad?

Caprese salad originated in the Italian region of Campania. The name comes from the Island of Capri, located on the south side of the Gulf of Naples. Caprese salad is made from just a few fresh ingredients – ripe tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil leaves, olive oil, salt, and pepper. The ingredients are arranged on a platter and stacked alternately – tomato, mozzarella, basil. A drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper finish it off.

The simplicity of caprese salad allows the quality of the ingredients to really shine through. That’s why it’s so important to choose the best and ripest tomatoes you can find. The mozzarella should be fresh, and the basil aromatic and vibrant. Good olive oil and sea salt take it over the top.

What makes the best caprese tomato?

Since the tomato is the star of caprese salad, you’ll want to choose a variety that really excels when eaten raw. The tomatoes should be ripe, juicy, flavorful and meaty. When sliced, they should hold their shape without falling apart. Here are the most important factors that make a tomato taste best in a caprese salad:

Low acidity – More acidic tomatoes can taste sour and overwhelm the other ingredients. Low acid tomatoes have a sweeter, fuller flavor.

Thick flesh – You want a tomato that’s meaty enough to stand up to slicing. Thin-skinned tomatoes won’t hold their shape well.
Juiciness – The tomato shouldn’t be dry or mealy. Look for juicy tomatoes that practically burst with flavor.
Sweetness – The best caprese tomatoes taste naturally sweet, not bland. This sweetness balances against the creamy mozzarella.

Firm texture – Tomatoes shouldn’t be mushy. They should have some firmness and bite.
Bright color – Opt for tomatoes with a rich, vivid red color rather than pale pink.

The best tomato varieties for caprese

With all those factors in mind, here are some of the top tomatoes to use in your caprese salads:

Beefsteak

Beefsteak tomatoes are juicy, meaty, and low in acid. They have a sweet, robust flavor and firm texture that makes them perfect for caprese. Two excellent beefsteak varieties are:

Red Brandywine – An heirloom beefsteak with a bold, old-fashioned tomato flavor. Meaty and juicy.
Big Beef – A hybrid beefsteak that’s disease resistant. Thick slices hold their shape well.

Vine-ripened

Vine-ripened tomatoes are left to ripen fully on the vine before harvesting. They tend to be juicier and richer than tomatoes picked prematurely. Great options include:

Celebrity – A widely available hybrid with a good balance of sweet and acidic flavors.
Champion – An heirloom variety with low acidity and extraordinarily sweet flavor.

Oxheart

These large, heart-shaped tomatoes have dense, meaty flesh with few seeds. They have outstanding flavor and texture for caprese. Try:

Italian Oxheart – A bright red heirloom with rich, meaty flesh and few seeds.
Speckled Roman – An heirloom variety with low acidity and complex, sweet flavor.

Roma

Roma tomatoes are a plum variety with thick walls, few seeds, and dry flesh. They have a meaty bite. Good Roma types for caprese are:

Amish Paste – An heirloom Roma-type with bright, sweet flavor and very meaty flesh.
San Marzano – A popular Italian Roma known for its thin skin, dense texture, and deep red color.

Cherry

Bite-sized cherry and grape tomatoes make a fun, colorful caprese presentation. Good choices are:

Supersweet 100 – Extremely sweet, red cherry tomatoes that burst with flavor.
Sun Gold – Bright tangerine-colored cherry tomatoes with a rich, fruity taste.

When should you use heirloom vs. hybrid tomatoes?

Both heirloom and hybrid tomatoes can make excellent caprese salads. Here’s how to decide which to use:

Use heirlooms for peak flavor – Their flavor is unmatched when grown properly. Great for summer/early fall caprese.
Choose hybrids for reliability – They resist diseases better and hold up longer. Best for out of season caprese.

Go heirloom if gardening – They have more unique variety options. Grow what you can’t find at stores.
Stick with hybrids from grocery stores – More reliable and longer shelf life. Heirlooms don’t ship as well.

Where to source the best caprese tomatoes

Where you purchase your tomatoes makes a big difference in caprese salad quality. Here are the best places to find excellent tomatoes for caprese:

Farmers markets – For peak flavor and ripeness. Talk to farmers directly for variety recommendations.
Specialty produce stores – Often source from local farms. Good for unique tomato varieties.
Home garden – For heirloom selections you can’t buy. Grow specifically for caprese.

Italian specialty markets – Reliable source for San Marzano and other Italian varieties.
Grocery stores – Look for plump, unblemished tomatoes with good color. Check country of origin.

Tips for picking and storing caprese tomatoes

Proper handling of your caprese tomatoes ensures you get optimal flavor and texture:

Look for deep red color without soft spots or bruises. Green shoulders mean underripe.
Choose smooth, heavy tomatoes. Lightweight ones are lacking flavor and juice.
Give a gentle squeeze to check for firmness. Pass on mushy tomatoes.

Store at room temperature out of direct sunlight. Don’t refrigerate raw tomatoes.
Let sit at room temp a day or two to develop sugars. Don’t use straight from refrigerator.
Rinse just before use. Don’t soak, as that dilutes flavor. Slice just before assembling caprese.

How to prepare tomatoes for caprese

These preparation tips yield the best sliced tomatoes for your caprese salad:

Use a serrated knife to cleanly slice through tomato flesh without crushing.
Slice widthwise into 1/4 to 1/2 inch rounds for best presentation and proportions.

Cut any oblong tomatoes like Romas lengthwise for attractive slices.
Chill sliced tomatoes 15-30 minutes before assembling if making ahead. This firms them up.
Blot sliced tomatoes with paper towel just before assembling to remove excess liquid.

When layering caprese, don’t overload slices or they’ll slide around. Alternate neatly.

Making caprese salad

Once you have your perfect tomatoes selected and prepped, follow these steps for incredible caprese salad:

Slice tomatoes and mozzarella into 1/4 to 1/2 inch rounds.

Stack alternating slices of tomato, mozzarella, and whole basil leaves on a platter.
Drizzle with high quality extra virgin olive oil. Use about 2 Tbsp oil per 1 lb tomatoes.
Sprinkle with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

Let stand 5-10 minutes for flavors to mingle before serving.

That’s all it takes for an amazing caprese salad! No need to overcomplicate this classic recipe. Let the quality ingredients shine through.

Serving suggestions

Here are some serving ideas to take your caprese to the next level:

Add a drizzle of balsamic reduction for added tang.
Use torn basil leaves rather than whole leaves for a more casual look.
Layer caprese on a baguette for an Italian-style sandwich.

Skewer stacked bites on toothpicks or short skewers for easy appetizers.
Mix mini mozzarella balls, cherry tomatoes and whole basil leaves for a fun bite-sized caprese.

Complementary ingredients

While caprese is perfect in its simplicity, these ingredients can complement the flavors nicely:

Arugula – Peppery greens contrast the sweet tomatoes.
Prosciutto – Salty Italian ham pairs beautifully with creamy mozzarella.
Artichokes – Their delicate flavor doesn’t overpower the tomatoes.

Olives – Briny flavor and meaty texture enhances caprese.
Pesto – Fresh basil pesto ties all the flavors together.

Substitutions

Here are some alternative ingredients you can use in place of traditional caprese components:

Tomatoes – Campari, plum, yellow pear or heirloom varieties.
Mozzarella – Fresh buffalo mozzarella or bocconcini.
Basil – Substitute cilantro, mint, oregano or thyme.

Olive oil – Walnut, hazelnut or lemon-infused olive oil.
Balsamic vinegar – Red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar or sherry vinegar.

Caprese salad variations

Change up your caprese salad with these fun variations:

Use yellow and red cherry tomatoes for a colorful palette.
Skewer caprese kabobs for a party presentation.
Make mini caprese salad bites on endive leaves or crackers.

Grill tomatoes, mozzarella and bread for bruschetta caprese.
Add white beans, olives, and artichokes for a heartier meal option.
Use burrata or fresh mozzarella balls rather than sliced mozzarella.

Seasonality

The key to amazing caprese salad is using seasonal, peak-ripeness tomatoes. Here is when different varieties are at their best:

Tomato Variety	Peak Season
Beefsteak	July – September
Romas	July – October
Cherry tomatoes	June – October
Heirlooms	July – September
Hothouse/hybrids	March – July, September – December

For ultimate flavor, make your caprese salad when tomatoes are at peak ripeness in your area. Farmers markets are a great source for in-season tomatoes.

Key takeaways

Here’s a recap of the most important points for choosing the best tomatoes for your caprese salad:

Select tomatoes that are ripe, juicy, sweet, and firm with bright color.
Beefsteak, oxheart, vine-ripened, and Roma varieties have ideal texture.
Heirlooms offer unbeatable flavor when locally and seasonally grown.

Buy from farmers markets, specialty stores, or grow your own for quality.
Handle tomatoes gently. Don’t refrigerate. Slice just before assembling.
Construct caprese neatly by alternating ingredients. Dress simply with quality olive oil.

Conclusion

With so few ingredients, choosing the right tomato variety makes all the difference for incredible caprese salad. Look for ripe, juicy tomatoes with low acidity and dense, meaty texture. Beefsteak, vine-ripened, oxheart, Roma, and heirloom varieties offer fantastic flavor and texture. Source locally and seasonally from farmer’s markets or specialty grocers. Or better yet, grow your own heirlooms! Handled and sliced with care, your excellent tomatoes will be the star of the show in any caprese salad.