This Christmas Caprese Salad is a festive twist on the classic Italian dish. The salad is made in the shape of a Christmas tree, with alternating layers of juicy tomatoes and creamy mozzarella cheese. Fresh herbs, lemon wedges, cabbage, balsamic glaze and cheese stars cheerfully festoon the holiday salad board. A great way to start any holiday meal or put out on the buffet at your holiday party.
How to Make a Christmas Caprese Salad
This classic Caprese salad is all dressed up as a Christmas Tree for the holiday season. Follow along here to make your own.
The recipe serves 4-6 people.
Prep Time: 10-15 minutes
Ingredients for the Salad
Here is everything you need to prepare this holiday salad.
- 2 large fresh mozzarella balls
- 3 fleshy red tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons balsamic sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup shredded purple cabbage
- salt, black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon almonds
- crackers (baton shaped to make trunk)
- ½ lemon
- fresh basil leaves
- fresh parsley
- 1-2 slices Provolone cheese (cut into snowflakes)
- red berries (currants, raspberries or cranberries)
Instructions
Blot the mozzarella with a towel and slice onto rounds. Cut a small star out one of the pieces mozzarella using a star cookie cutter.
Rinse tomatoes in cold water, blot in a towel. Remove the stems and slice into circles.
Cut the lemon into circles, remove the seeds and cut each slice in 4 to make wedges.
Place a tomato slice and on a dry clean board decorated with a sprig of greenery and layer a piece of mozzarella over it. In the next row, lay out 2 fresh mozzarella slices with 1 tomato slice between them.
Continue assembling the Christmas tree so that each row is a little wider. Arrange lemon slices over each row and place the fresh basil randomly. Use oblong-shaped crackers to make the trunk. Place a star on top.
Using a teaspoon, form balls of purple cabbage. Arrange the scoops of colorful cabbage on the edible Christmas tree.
Drizzle the salad with the balsamic dressing and olive oil.
Decorate the Christmas tree and board with almonds, arranging them in pairs like pinecones. Add the berries and parsley where you like. Sprinkle over the board with Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper.
If you would like some ideas for making a nice simple holiday spread with this salad board, try my easy Snowman Dip along with some crackers, Christmas Deviled Eggs, Salmon Mousse appetizers and Italian Focaccia Bread.
Some holiday cookies, such as my Sour Cream Cookies, Swedish Christmas Cookies or Cherry Almond Cookies would be great dessert choices. Ricotta Pie, Gingerbread Loaf Cake or Cranberry Sour Cream Cake are also delicious options.
Christmas Caprese Salad
Ingredients
- 2 large fresh mozzarella balls
- 3 fleshy red tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons balsamic glaze
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup shredded purple cabbage
- kosher salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon almonds
- crackers baton shaped to make trunk
- ½ lemon
- fresh basil
- fresh parsley
- 1-2 slices Provolone cheese cut into snowflakes
- red berries currants, raspberries or cranberries
Instructions
- Blot the mozzarella with a towel and slice onto rounds. Cut a small star out one of the pieces mozzarella using a star cookie cutter.
- Rinse tomatoes in cold water, blot in a towel. Remove the stems and slice into circles.
- Cut the lemon into circles, remove the seeds and cut each slice in 4 to make wedges,
- Place a tomato slice and on a dry clean board decorated with a sprig of greenery and layer a piece of mozzarella over it. In the next row, lay out 2 fresh mozzarella slices with 1 tomato slice between them.
- Continue assembling the Christmas tree so that each row is a little wider. Arrange lemon slices over each row and place the fresh basil randomly. Use oblong-shaped crackers to make the trunk. Place a star on top.
- Using a teaspoon, form balls of purple cabbage. Arrange the scoops of colorful cabbage on the edible Christmas tree.
- Drizzle the salad with the balsamic dressing and olive oil.
- Decorate the Christmas tree and board with almonds, arranging them in pairs like pinecones. Add the berries and parsley where you like. Sprinkle Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper over the salad and board.
Leave a Reply