Vegan Caprese Salad
This vegan caprese salad is made with rich and creamy homemade vegan mozzarella cheese, topped with fresh tomato slices, and fresh basil, then drizzled with balsamic glaze and olive oil. This bright, fresh salad is perfect for summer!
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Why make this recipe
If you have fresh tomatoes and basil from the garden or farmer’s market, a Caprese salad is what you want to make. If you use store-bought vegan cheese, you can whip it up in just minutes, yet its beautiful presentation is sure to impress. Perfect for summer parties!
If you like these fresh flavors together, turn it into a meal with a vegan Caprese sandwich!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Vegan Mozzarella Cheese – You can use store-bought vegan mozzarella, but if you have time, I highly recommend that you try my homemade mozzarella slices with this recipe.
- Fresh Tomatoes – sliced. You will want to use medium-sized tomatoes. Ripe in-season tomatoes work best.
- Fresh Basil Leaves – fresh basil is key here, don’t use dried.
- Balsamic Glaze – you can find this at more grocery stores, but you can also easily make your own by simmering 1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar mixed with 2 tablespoons of vegan sugar for about 10 minutes then allow it to cool.
- Olive Oil – just a little drizzle, but feel free to omit it. I usually use high-quality extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor.
- Salt and Pepper – for flavor
How to make vegan caprese salad
A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.
Step 1 – Make my vegan mozzarella slices and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before slicing or use store-bought vegan mozzarella slices.
Step 2 – Slice 2 fresh medium-sized tomatoes into thin slices.
Step 3 – On a large plate or platter lay down a slice of vegan mozzarella, place a tomato slice on top of it, followed by a basil leaf. Then place another cheese slice about 1 inch away layering part of it over the first slice of cheese and tomato.
Step 4 – Alternate cheese, tomato slices, and basil, until the plate is full. (You can do a swirl or a line.)
Step 5 – Drizzle the salad with balsamic glaze and a small amount of good-quality olive oil.
Step 6 – Sprinkle with some kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper and serve cold.
This salad is also delicious when served on bread or made into a vegan Caprese sandwich!
Pro Tips
- Use fresh ripe tomatoes, preferably in season. Fresh tomatoes from the garden or farmer’s market taste best in this sandwich.
- Use fresh basil. This is a recipe where dried basil can not be substituted.
- If you don’t like vegan cheese, you can also swap the cheese out with my tofu halloumi cheese instead of the traditional mozzarella. It’s also delicious when served this way.
Storage
Refrigerate: Keep this vegan Caprese salad in the fridge until you are ready to serve. You can assemble it a few hours ahead of time, but drizzle with balsamic glaze and olive oil, just before serving. Leftovers will keep well in the fridge for about 3 days in an airtight container.
Caprese salads are great to serve in the summertime. It goes great with heavier picnic food like vegan burgers, vegan hot dogs, BBQ soy curl sandwiches, seitan kebabs, or vegan potato salad.
More homemade vegan cheeses
I have a ton of vegan cheese recipes on my site, and I have a free vegan cheese mini guide for subscribers, but you can find my full collection of vegan cheese recipes in my cookbook The Ultimate Guide to Easy Vegan Cheese Making.
- Vegan Garlic Herb Cheese
- Vegan Pizza Cheese
- Tofu Feta
- Vegan Goat Cheese
- Vegan Cheddar
- Tofu Ricotta
- Vegan Pepper Jack Cheese
Vegan Caprese salad recipe
Vegan Caprese Salad
Ingredients
- 12 slices vegan mozzarella slices
- 2 medium tomatoes, cut into 12 slices
- 12 large basil leaves
- 2 tablespoon balsamic glaze
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Make my vegan mozzarella slices and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before slicing or use store-bought vegan mozzarella slices.
- Slice 2 fresh medium-sized tomatoes into thin slices.
- On a large plate or platter lay down a slice of vegan mozzarella, place a tomato slice on top of it, followed by a basil leaf. Then place another cheese slice about 1 inch away layering part of it over the first slice of cheese and tomato.
- Alternate cheese, tomato slices, and basil, until the plate is full. (You can do a swirl or a line.)
- Drizzle the salad with balsamic glaze and a small amount of good-quality olive oil.
- Sprinkle with some kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper and serve cold.
Notes
- Use fresh ripe tomatoes, preferably in season. Fresh tomatoes from the garden or farmer’s market taste best in this sandwich.
- Use fresh basil. This is a recipe where dried basil can not be substituted.
- If you don’t like vegan cheese, you can also swap the cheese out with my tofu halloumi cheese instead of the traditional mozzarella. It’s also delicious when served this way.
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