Oct 8, 2021
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Ripe tomatoes, basil, and creamy Mozzarella cheese, this Caprese Sandwich is the epitome of a fresh and effortless meal everyone will love.
Don’t be fooled by the simplicity of this sandwich; there is a TON delicious flavor going on, and it’s one of the best ways to use up the abundance of summer tomatoes and basil.
What Is a Caprese Sandwich
Caprese is a combination of fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and sweet basil that originated in Italy. Today we are transferring this yummy combo into artisan bread for an epic sandwich that’s perfect for a light dinner or packed in a lunchbox.
Ingredients
While the ingredients for this Caprese Sandwich are simple, you want to make sure they are quality- it’s what makes this sandwich SO good. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Hearty bread- French baguette, ciabatta, sourdough
- Olive oil
- Fresh basil
- Ripe tomatoes
- Mozzarella or Burrata cheese- more on this below
- Balsamic vinaigrette or homemade pesto, for spreading
When it comes to cheese, fresh, whole milk Mozzarella is best for Caprese, but if it’s not available at your local grocery store, the vacuum-sealed Mozzarella ball also works. You want to be able to slice it into thick slabs, so it’s easy to layer onto the bread.
How to Make A Caprese Sandwich
Check out this quick video to see how the sandwich comes together, and then scroll on for the step-by step assembly instructions!
- Make a base
Give one side or slice of bread a small drizzle of olive oil, this will help the ingredients adhere to the bread. - Layer
Top with cheese, tomato, and finish with the fresh basil. - Drizzle
Add a small drizzle of balsamic vinaigrette or pesto over the sandwich fillings. Assemble the sandwich, slice, and serve.
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Other Ways to make it
You can use many additions or ingredient swaps to make this sandwich all your own, but try to keep the base of basil, tomato, and mozzarella. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be a Caprese Sandwich without them.
Use pesto
Don’t have fresh basil? Swap it for store-bought or this homemade veggie pesto.
Use any variety of tomato
Roma, heirlooms, beefsteak, or whatever is freshest- use that!
Grill the sandwich
Melted Mozzarella cheese with crispy bread and fresh tomatoes? Sign me up!
Add protein
Grilled chicken and sliced prosciutto make great additions, but so do sliced deli turkey or hard-boiled eggs.
As a salad
Hold the bread and make this incredible Chicken Caprese Salad.
Love finding new ways to upgrade your usual sandwich? I have a ton of delicious sandwich-filling ideas in this post that will have you looking forward to lunchtime.
How to Prep and Pack It
Want to pack this sandwich to the office? Great idea! Here’s how to assemble and pack this Caprese Sandwich for lunch without the bread getting soggy and everything falling apart :
No soggy bread
Assemble the sandwich using the recipe above, but make sure the cheese goes on the bottom and basil leaves on top. Both act as barriers and prevent excess moisture from the tomatoes seeping into the bread.
If you plan to drizzle the sandwich with Balsamic Vinaigrette, pack it into a lidded sauce container to be added just before eating.
Use the right container
A lunch container, like this one, has a compartment just big enough to fit the sandwich. Anything larger, and you risk the chance of ingredients spilling out.
Caprese Sandwich Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 slices of sourdough bread or baguettes – thick slices
- 8 ounces whole milk Mozzarella sliced
- 2 ripe tomatoes sliced
- 1 cup fresh basil
- Balsamic Vinaigrette or Pesto
Instructions
- Drizzle the olive oil over each slice of bread. Layer the cheese, tomatoes, and fresh basil onto 4 slices. Drizzle with the vinaigrette or pesto over the filling.
- Assemble the sandwiches, slice, and serve.
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