Real Recipes From Real Home Cooks ®

the southern version of caprese salad

Recipe by
Cathie Valentine
Graniteville, SC

My daughter and daughter-in-law are both pregnant and they really have craved water melon. It has been a hot summer, so I was trying to find things to make that contained water melon. This is a great cold salad.

yield 10 or so
prep time 1 Hr 25 Min
method Refrigerate/Freeze

Ingredients For the southern version of caprese salad

  • 1/2
    watermelon cut into bite size chunks and seeds removed
  • 8 oz
    buffalo mozzarella cut into bite size cubes
  • 1 bunch
    fresh basil torn into small pieces. ( about 1 cup)
  • 3/4 to 1 c
    sweet "valdalia" onion chopped fine
  • 1/4 to 1/2 c
    olive oil, extra virgin
  • 1-2 tsp
    balsamic vinegar
  • salt and pepper to taste

How To Make the southern version of caprese salad

  • 1
    Slice your water melon in half. Remove seeds. Take a melon baller and make melon balls (about 4 cups) or cut into bite size chunks. Place in large bowl.
  • 2
    Wash the basil and let dry. Tear the leaves into small pieces. Mix with water melon.
  • 3
    Cut the sweet onion into tiny chunks. Place in bowl with water melon and basil. Or, if you don't want to be truly southern, you can replace the Vidalia onion with scallions. Directions for scallions: Wash the scallions and remove the bottoms and small piece of the tops. Discard the cut off pieces. Thinly chop the scallions and mix with the water melon with basil.
  • 4
    Take the buffalo mozzarella and cut into small chunks. Toss them in bowl with the other side ingredients and place in refrigerator until ready to serve.
  • 5
    When ready to serve, toss the salad with the olive oil. Start with 1/4 cup of eco and add more if too dry. Next drizzle with the balsamic vinegar. Adjust to taste. Finally add some salt and pepper (a pinch or two) to season the salad. Serve immediately..
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