Japanese Caprese Salad

Name: Japanese Caprese Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: PT-454244H11M9S
Total time: 15 min
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 2 large tomatoes (cut into 1/4-inch thick slices); 8 ounces fresh mozzarella ball (cut into 1/4-inch thick slices); 6 basil leaves (hand torn into bite size pieces); 1/4 cup shallot (finely chopped, or onion); 2 tablespoons Nakano rice vinegar; 1 teaspoon sugar; 1 tablespoon soy sauce (or Tamari for gluten free); 1 tablespoon sesame oil; salt and pepper to taste

Jump To Recipe // by Caroline Phelps // 6 Comments »

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Celebrate warmer weather with this light and refreshing Japanese Caprese salad – ready in 15 minutes from start to finish!

Japanese Caprese Salad - Celebrate warmer weather with this light and refreshing Japanese Caprese salad - ready in 15 minutes from start to finish! Light, Healthy, Easy, Salad, Gluten Free, Recipe | pickledplum.com

Japanese onion vinaigrette is probably my favorite dressings of all time. Up until a couple of years I would search for it in Japanese grocery stores, unaware of how easy it actually is to make at home.

The combination of sweet, umami, and slightly pungent flavors, make Japanese onion vinaigrette addictive, and extremely versatile. I put it on chicken, meat, green salads, even on certain fruit salads! The classic Japanese pairing for onion dressing is with beefsteak tomatoes.

Since I love Italian Caprese salad, I’ve fused both cuisines to create a deliciously refreshing Japanese Caprese salad.

The ingredients for the dressing are very easy to find: you’ll need a shallot (or an onion), soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil and rice vinegar. If you cannot find rice vinegar at the supermarket, go to an Asian grocery store – they will definitely have it.

Rice vinegar is slightly sweeter than regular vinegar – closer to apple cider vinegar but without the fruity element.

I’m using Nakano rice vinegar because it’s a brand I trust and have been working with for ages (made by Mizkan – the most famous rice vinegar brand in Japan).

For this recipe, I am using their original flavor to keep the dressing as authentic as possible.

You can make the dressing ahead of time and keep it refrigerated for up to a week. This Japanese Caprese salad makes an excellent side dish to pasta or the perfect salad to take to your next barbecue.

Other delicious recipes made with rice vinegar:

Did you like this Japanese Caprese Salad Recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!