Spring Tomato and Mozzerella Salad

There’s something special about simple ingredients coming together just right. If you’ve ever been disappointed by bland grocery-store tomatoes, Campari tomatoes are often a big step up in taste. So, when tomatoes are not in season, I always use cocktail tomatoes, also known as Campari tomatoes. They’re prized for being rich, sweet, and slightly tangy…..closer to what people expect a “real tomato” to taste like. I threw this together over the weekend, and it turned out so fresh, bright, and flavorful that I had to share. The salted tomatoes create their own light dressing, the sweet onions add a little bite, and the creamy mozzarella pulls it all together. It’s the perfect easy side for warm days, or honestly, just a bowl and a fork.

You will need:

12 Campari tomatoes, quartered

1/2 cup thinly sliced Vidalia onion

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

1/2 tsp sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/3 cup olive oil

Fresh mozzarella ball

Fresh basil leaves

Place the quartered tomatoes in a bowl and sprinkle with sea salt. Toss well and let sit for about 1 hour to draw out their juices. While the tomatoes rest, remove the mozzarella from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature. After an hour, add the sliced onions, minced garlic, olive oil, and a pinch of black pepper to the tomatoes. Toss gently to combine. Cut the mozzarella into bite-sized pieces and add to the bowl. Toss again lightly. Add fresh basil leaves over the top just before serving.

Serve immediately and enjoy all those fresh, simple flavors.  Perfect with some crusty bread!