Welcome back to QCK!
We all know one of the best parts of summer is the produce, especially here in Minnesota. It seems like we go all year eating flavorless fruits and vegetables and don’t even realize it until you get that first garden or farmers market tomato that’s so flavorful it almost takes you by surprise. It must be amazing to live in a climate that supports fresh produce all year. But since I can’t here in MN, I definetly don’t take it for granted! During the summer I use as much garden grown produce as I can get my hands on.
Which is where this beauty comes in. This is kind of a non-salad-salad. It’s so easy to make, really light and full of bright flavors for summer. No cooking involved. Just slice your cherry tomatoes, a couple of sweet peppers, some garlic and basil, toss that with a bunch of mozzarella pearls and dress it with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Let it rest and marinate for a few hours and enjoy! It’s nothing crazy, everyone has had this combination in some form, but what really makes this recipe so delicious is the marinating process. giving the tomato and mozzarella time to really absorb everything takes this dish to the next level.
Substitutions and Add Ons
- Mozzarella can be swapped with goat cheese or feta.
- Cherry Tomato can be substituted with any tomato, just slice it or cut it into wedges.
- Basil can be fresh or dry and substituted for oregano or thyme.
- Add Ons: Jalapeño or habanero for extra spice. Extra herbs like thyme or oregano. Onion. You can also add lettuce when you’re ready to serve if you want an actual salad.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 oz Cherry Tomatoes, sliced half
- 8 oz, about one package, Mozzarella Pearls
- 2 Sweet Peppers, sliced
- 1 Clove Garlic, minced
- 2 Basil Leaves, sliced
- 1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
- 1/2 Tsp Fresh Ground Black Pepper
- 1/4 C Balsamic Vinegar
- 1/3 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Flaky Sea Salt, to taste
Directions
- In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients. Season to taste.
- Cover and refrigerate 4-12 hours.
- Leave at room temp 1 hour before serving.
As always, I hope you enjoyed this recipe! If you tried it out let me know in the comments. For more recipes check out my homepage and follow along on Instagram. Don’t forget to like, follow, comment and share. Thanks for reading!
Quarter Cup Kitchen 