Caprese Salad Platter (Easy Appetizer or Side Dish)

Name: Caprese Salad Platter
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 5 medium to large heirloom tomatoes; Sea salt (to taste); 8 ounces burrata cheese; 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese (see notes); 4 to 8 ounces cherry tomato confit; 3 tablespoons Basil Pesto; 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes; 1 to 2 bunches fresh basil; Extra virgin olive oil; Balsamic vinegar (or balsamic glaze); Crusty bread, crackers, and/or crostini

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Assemble three kinds of tomatoes, two kinds of cheese, and plenty of basil onto a platter and serve it alongside crusty bread, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar for a delicious Caprese salad appetizer! This Caprese salad platter can be assembled in 15 minutes and makes for a fun and interactive centerpiece to any summer celebration or dinner party.

A platter with sliced red and yellow tomatoes, fresh mozzarella balls, burrata cheese, roasted cherry tomatoes, pesto, basil leaves, and colorful grape tomatoes, all arranged neatly on a white marble surface.

Table of Contents

To say that I am obsessed with summer produce is an understatement. All of my friends know that on a Saturday morning, the best place to find me is at one of the Charlotte-area farmer’s markets, perusing all of the best seasonal produce.

One of my favorite ways to showcase summer’s bright bounties is with a well-known Italian summertime dish, Caprese salad (or in Italian, Insalata Caprese, meaning “the salad from Capri”). You probably know it too, with it’s classic combination of fresh tomatoes, basil and mozzarella.

The Caprese salad platter takes the simple summer salad to the next level with three kinds of tomatoes, two kinds of cheese, an abundance of fresh basil and some classic condiments. It dresses up the classic version while staying true to the light and refreshing concept that celebrates tomato season.

Put this together in 15 minutes for a fun, interactive appetizer or centerpiece for any summer party!

A colorful assortment of heirloom tomato slices, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls, roasted tomatoes in a bowl, basil leaves, whole garlic, and a bowl of green pesto.

What is a Caprese salad platter?

This Caprese salad platter is a deconstructed, dressed-up version of the classic Caprese salad.

A classic Caprese salad layers slices of tomato and fresh mozzarella with fresh basil leaves. The whole thing typically gets finished with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

This platter version, which originally appeared in my cookbook, Stunning Spreads, incorporates those same flavors, but with a bit of a twist.

Arranged in the style similar to a charcuterie board, I add two types of fresh cheese, three types of tomatoes, and a variety of condiments to a serving platter. When served alongside crusty bread or crackers, guests can mix and match the ingredients to create their perfect bites.

I most often serve this Caprese salad platter as an appetizer, but it also makes a gorgeous side dish or vegetarian entree.

The cover of the book Stunning Spreads features an elaborate charcuterie board with cheeses, grapes, crackers, nuts, and honey, arranged on a marble surface. The book promises 75 recipes for platters and boards.

Love entertaining? Check out my cookbook!

Stunning Spreads features 75+ approachable appetizers paired with a variety of simple, seasonal cocktails that are sure to be the showstopper at your next gathering. I’ve even included helpful hosting advice for preparing and serving everything from big boards to small bites.

get it now

Recipe testing notes and tips

Use high-quality ingredients. The simplicity of the flavors is what makes Caprese salad so special. This is the time to pull out your nice bottle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar and use your favorite flaky sea salt. Trust me, you’ll notice a difference!
Season the sliced tomatoes. Don’t skip this step. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and even a few cracks of black pepper over the top to make the flavor of the tomatoes pop with basically no effort from you.
Make your own balsamic reduction if you want to be extra impressive. You can buy a nice balsamic glaze, but you can also make your own by simmering balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until it is thick and syrupy.

Bowls of red tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls in oil, and fresh basil leaves arranged on a light blue surface.

Ingredient notes

For the full recipe, including ingredient amounts, scroll down to the printable recipe card below.

Fresh tomatoes: I like to use a combination of large heirloom tomatoes (or beefsteak tomatoes if you can’t get heirloom) and cherry or grape tomatoes for a mix of flavors and textures.
Cherry tomato confit: This is so easy to put together. Make it a few days ahead of time and all you have to do is arrange you Caprese salad appetizer before serving! If you don’t want to make a cherry tomato confit, you could purchase tomato jam instead.
Burrata cheese: A soft, Italian cows-milk cheese that looks like a ball of mozzarella from the outside. But once you cut into it, it has a soft, creamy, spreadable center. It’s buttery and mild and absolutely incredible on this platter or a cheese board.
Fresh mozzarella cheese: You can use a large ball of fresh mozzarella or mozzarella pearls (also known as bocconcini).
Basil pesto: For a nutty twist on the traditional basil pairing. You can make your own homemade basil pesto or buy a good quality version from the store.
Fresh basil leaves: I still like to incorporate fresh basil throughout the platter. Don’t use dried here—you need the fresh stuff.
Olive oil and balsamic vinegar: Use a nice extra virgin olive oil. You can also use balsamic glaze or reduction if you prefer that to regular vinegar.
Bread: Serve the Caprese salad platter alongside crusty bread, crackers, or crostini for scooping up all of that fresh, tomatoey goodness. You can also check out my post on what to eat with Caprese salad for more accompaniment ideas.

A colorful platter featuring heirloom tomato slices, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls, fresh basil, a bowl of roasted tomatoes, and a bowl of green pesto on a white marble background.

Assembling the Caprese salad platter

Start by cutting the heirloom tomatoes into thick slices. Season them with salt and, if desired, black pepper.

Now it’s time to assemble. I like to start by placing the cheeses on a large platter or serving board. Next, I add a bowl of the tomato confit and a bowl of the pesto.

From there, I fill in the empty spots with the fresh tomato slices and cherry tomatoes. Tuck the basil leaves around the platter as desired.

The olive oil and vinegar can be placed in bowls with small spoons, or you can add them to bottles with pouring spouts for easy, mess-free drizzling.

If you have room on the platter or board, the bread can be added at the edges, or you can keep those in a separate basket or bowl.

A platter with sliced tomatoes, yellow and red cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, a ball of burrata cheese, green pesto in a small bowl, and fresh basil leaves arranged on a white surface.

Frequently asked questions

How far in advance can you assemble this Caprese salad platter?

You can arrange the cheeses, pesto, and tomato confit on the platter several hours ahead of time. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.

I recommend waiting to add the fresh tomatoes until you’re ready to serve. The refrigerator dampens the flavor of fresh tomatoes and can give them a mealy texture, so I prefer to leave them at room temperature.

Can you save leftovers?

As long as the cheeses and pesto have not been out at room temperature for more than 2 hours, you can store leftovers in the fridge for 1-2 days. I recommend placing the cheeses, tomatoes, and pesto in separate airtight containers.

Note that the sliced tomatoes won’t taste as bright after being in the refrigerator and the cold can affect their texture, but they will be fine to eat.