Cherry Tomato Nectarine and Mozzarella Salad

If summer were a salad it would look a lot like this Cherry Tomato Nectarine and Mozzarella Salad. Made with a seasonal mix of bursting cherry tomatoes, juicy ripe nectarines, crisp cucumbers, briny olives, fresh basil, creamy mozzarella & a simple lemon dressing. 

This Cherry Tomato Nectarine and Mozzarella Salad recipe is one of those strike it rich on the first try recipes. A golden nugget that just showed up shining. It's mostly thanks to the combination of bursting sun gold cherry tomatoes and the juicy, ripe nectarines. It's summertime and both tomatoes and nectarines are peaking, so why not throw them together and make some magic?

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• This Cherry Tomato, Nectarine and Mozzarella Salad is one of the most simple summer salads ever
• More Cherry Tomato recipes from Baking The Goods
• Simple ingredients you need to make this Cherry Tomato, Nectarine and Mozzarella Salad
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This Cherry Tomato, Nectarine and Mozzarella Salad is one of the most simple summer salads ever

While most of my recipes on here are indeed baked goods, sometimes I whip up with something that is too good not to share. Enter this Cherry Tomato Nectarine and Mozzarella Salad. The world needs this summery salad in it's life and so do you!

While my recipes generally feature step-by-step images showing the process of the steps - hello Heirloom Tomato Pimento Cheese Tart, I didn't have the time with this beauty. But, the recipe for this cherry tomato salad is so simple it kind of explains itself. I'm quite certain that you all are beyond capable of tossing a few things together in a salad bowl without leaning on images to show you the way.

More Cherry Tomato recipes from Baking The Goods

Simple ingredients you need to make this Cherry Tomato, Nectarine and Mozzarella Salad

This vibrant salad is everything you want in a summer salad; it's bright, fresh, seasonal and a solid mix of salty and sweet. There is a balanced contrast in flavor and texture that keep things interesting without overcomplicating the salad's simplicity.

Simple Lemon Dressing ingredients

Just 4 ingredients combine to make this super Simple Lemon Dressing. When you are using peak of the season fruit, it doesn't take much additional flavor. This combo is just enough to enhance the salad without distracting from the freshness.

• Olive oil is the rich base of this simple dressing, giving it a golden, smooth buttery backbone.
• Lemon juice, fresh squeezed adds a zippy zing of brightness that compliments the fruit well.
• Salt and pepper round out the dressing with just enough character.

Salad ingredients

• Cherry tomatoes, whatever color, size or flavor gets you going. I personally like to mix it up with ungold and classic red cherry tomatoes.
• Nectarines really pack in the sunshine in this easy summer salad. Peaches, apricots or plums would all be delicious substitutes or additions!
• Mozzarella adds a creamy and satisfying element that cuts through the sweetness of the nectarines and the sweet acid of the tomatoes. Use a big hunk of mozzarella and tear it into bite sized hunks or drop in a bunch of small, cherry sized, Ciliegine mozzarella balls. Don't be scared to use burrata here either.
• Cucumbers brings a fresh crunchiness and serves as a nice backdrop to the other flavors and tender textures.
• Castelvetrano olives add a briney undertone with meaty texture and salty contrast to the fresh tomatoes and nectarines.
• Olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper combine to make a very simple salad dressing. When you are using peak of the season fruit, it doesn't take much additional flavor. This combo is just enough to enhance the salad without distracting from the freshness.
• Basil brings an herby aromatic finish to the salad. It's a fresh finishing touch that rounds things out.

Ways to add flavor depth to summer salads

Personally, I always like something briny and full bodied in my salads. So I opted to add in some green and meaty Castelvetrano olives for a bit of depth. Sometimes, I will even add a splash of the olive juice to the dressing to give it a fuller flavor. Basic black olives or even stuffed olives could play well in this Cherry Tomato Nectarine and Mozzarella Salad. Punch the salad up a notch, consider adding pepperoncinis or your preferred pickled pepper situation. And use that same splash of the brine trick to add depth the the dressing!

The dressing simple dressing, fresh ingredients and creamy cheese combine to create the best summer salad ever! Serve the Cherry Tomato Nectarine and Mozzarella Salad hearty hunks of crusty bread and a glass of minerally white wine or sparkling lemon water and you are set for the rest of summer, sweetie. 

Expand on the summer salad freshness by making my Quick Pickled Cucumber Salad on my site. And try this Stunning Avocado Cucumber Melon Salad or this vibrant Crunchy Rainbow Salad with Citrus-Shallot Vinaigrette Recipe that I created for California Grown.

 

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