Recipes › Early Season Tomato › Early Tomato Caprese
Early Tomato Caprese
A purist caprese salad that celebrates the first tomatoes of the season without interference. Thick slices of early tomato, fresh mozzarella, and generous leaves of basil, finished with really good olive oil and flaky salt. Nothing should be complicated about this — quality is everything.
Early Season Tomato is usually ready April to May. More early season tomato recipes, or see what to sow this month where you are.
Ingredients
- 4 medium early season tomatoes, sliced ½ inch thick
- 8 fresh mozzarella, sliced ½ inch thickUse burrata for an ultra-creamy version
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves, large leaves left whole
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, the best you have
- ½ tsp flaky sea salt
- 1 pinch black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 tbsp balsamic glaze (optional)
Contains: milk, sulphites.
Method
- Season tomato slices with a pinch of flaky salt and let sit for 5 minutes to draw out their juices.About 5 min
- Arrange alternating slices of tomato and mozzarella in a slightly overlapping pattern on a platter, tucking basil leaves between slices.About 5 min
- Drizzle generously with olive oil. Finish with remaining flaky salt, a grind of black pepper, and a drizzle of balsamic glaze if using. Serve immediately.About 2 min
Tips
- This dish is only as good as its ingredients — use the best olive oil you have.
- Let tomatoes come to room temperature before serving — cold tomatoes taste like nothing.
- Fresh mozzarella packed in liquid is far superior to the dry-packed kind for this dish.
Ring the changes
- Replace mozzarella with burrata for a more dramatic, creamy version.
- Add thinly sliced avocado for a California-style caprese.
Keeping it
Serve within 30 minutes of assembling. Dressed caprese does not keep.
In the app this recipe finds you
Log what you've picked and GrowMore CookMore matches it to 2,482 more recipes like this one, tells you what's ready before the frost gets it, and keeps the freezer honest. Free to start.
More from the same crop
A thick, golden Italian egg frittata loaded with early season tomatoes, fresh herbs, and good cheese. Halfway between an omelette and a quiche but easier than either, it's cooked on the stovetop and finished briefly under the broiler. Excellent hot, warm, or at room temperature.
28 min · easy · Early Season TomatoJuicy chicken thighs braised in a quick sauce built from fresh early season tomatoes, garlic, white wine, and herbs. The tomatoes' bright acidity keeps the sauce light and vibrant rather than heavy and sweet. A weeknight dinner that tastes like a real Italian Sunday meal.
45 min · easy · Early Season TomatoThe best thing you can do with the first tomatoes of summer is the simplest: dice them, season well, and pile onto toasted bread with good olive oil and basil. Early season tomatoes have a fresh, bright acidity that's perfect for this treatment. Let them sit for 10 minutes to draw out their juices.
20 min · easy · Early Season Tomato
Allotment keeper in the North East of England, the voice behind the Tony C Smith YouTube channel, and the gardener who built GrowMore CookMore. Club numbers on this page update as members log their plots. Last updated 4 April 2026.