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Cucumber Caprese Salad

Cucumber caprese salad layers thick cucumber rounds, ripe tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella with basil, finished with olive oil and a glossy balsamic glaze. This easy summer salad builds an overlapping pattern so every bite has tomato-cucumber-mozzarella in the same forkful.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 270
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cucumber
  • 2 large English cucumbers Slice into 1/3-inch rounds.
Tomatoes
  • 2 cup cherry tomatoes Halved. (Or use 3 medium tomatoes, sliced.)
Fresh mozzarella
  • 8 oz fresh mozzarella Sliced or pearl size.
Basil
  • 0.25 cup fresh basil leaves Generously scattered over the salad.
Olive oil
  • 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil Drizzle evenly over everything.
Balsamic glaze
  • 2 tbsp balsamic glaze Drizzle in an artistic pattern.
Flaky sea salt
  • 1 flaky sea salt To taste.
Cracked black pepper
  • 1 cracked black pepper To taste.

Method
 

Assemble the salad
  1. Arrange the cucumber rounds on a large serving platter in an overlapping pattern so the layers are visible.
  2. Tuck tomato slices or halves between the cucumber rounds to create alternating red-and-green rows.
  3. Place fresh mozzarella slices or pearls throughout the arrangement, spacing them evenly across the platter.
  4. Scatter fresh basil leaves generously over the entire salad to finish each layer with a bright green pop.
  5. Drizzle the extra-virgin olive oil evenly over everything, letting it pool between cucumber, tomato, and mozzarella.
  6. Drizzle the balsamic glaze in an artistic pattern over the top for a glossy finish.
  7. Finish with flaky sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste, then serve immediately.

Notes

For the best texture, assemble right before serving so the cucumber stays crisp and the glaze stays glossy. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container up to 1 day; the cucumbers will soften. Freezing isn’t recommended. If you want a lighter option, use part-skim mozzarella and keep the olive oil to 2 tbsp.