Simple Fresh Tomato and Mozzarella Cheese Salad {Recipe}

Fresh tomatoes will soon be at their peak this summer and your local Walmart’s fresh produce section will have lots of great tomato varieties to choose from. I am currently the only one in my household that truly enjoys a good tomato; my husband will eat tomatoes, but sparingly and usually mixed in a green salad or as a sandwich topping. On the other hand, I am not afraid to eat tomatoes on their own as a snack, which my husband thinks is a little insane, but he just doesn’t know what he’s missing!

A long time ago, I was introduced by a friend’s relative to the idea of tomato and mozzarella cheese mixed together as a simple salad or snack. I decided to recreate my own version of this super easy salad, which can honestly be eaten as a snack, appetizer, or healthy lunch, in order to showcase the fresh tomatoes you will find in season this summer. Using grape tomatoes, which have a sweet flavor and firm texture (making them great for salads!), this simple fresh tomato and mozzarella cheese salad may become your new favorite go-to lunch! Check out the recipe below!

Simple Fresh Tomato and Mozzarella Cheese Salad {Recipe}

Ingredients

• Grape tomatoes, about a 10 oz package
• 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, cubed
• 3 tsp olive oil
• 1/8 – 1/4 tsp black pepper, to your liking
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning (optional)
• Fresh basil, hand torn, to your liking

Directions

1. In a large bowl, add grape tomatoes and mozzarella cheese. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, add olive oil, black pepper, salt, and Italian seasoning (if you desire). Stir until blended.
3. Pour olive oil mixture over tomatoes and cheese. Mix until tomatoes and cheese are well-coated.
4. Hand-tear a few basil leaves over mixture and stir into your salad.

Tips for Buying and Storing Grape Tomatoes

According to realsimple.com, when shopping for grape tomatoes, you should look for tomatoes that are free of wrinkles – this is a sign of aging. Additionally, you should NOT store your tomatoes in the fridge, as it can turn their skin mealy. This is quite the opposite of what my mom did growing up and what I used to do (lesson learned)! Instead, you should store your grape tomatoes at room temperature and only wash them right before you’re about to use them.

Have you ever tried this simple fresh tomato and mozzarella cheese salad?

All photos © Melanie Edwards/modernmami™