I promise you won't miss the mozzarella at all once you try this vegan Caprese recipe. And it's every bit as delicious and refreshing as it is beautiful! (If you're looking for a classic Caprese salad, I have that too.) 🙂
This tomato and avocado salad may seem like just that, but don't let its simplicity fool you. Once you add the other three ingredients including farm fresh basil, this vegan appetizer just about pops right off the plate. 😉
🌿 Ingredients
Look for local vine-grown or heirloom tomato varieties if you can, and avocados that are just slightly smaller in width than the tomatoes.
Also, try to find balsamic glaze if possible. While you could use regular balsamic vinegar instead, the glaze makes it super easy to create an artistic drizzle for serving.
Pro tip: If your avocados are still hard to the touch, either wait another day or two to ripen them or place them in a paper bag with a banana. The banana gives off a gas that accelerates ripening.
See recipe card below for exact quantities.
📝 Instructions
Step 1: Wash and dry the lemon, avocados, tomatoes and basil leaves, and halve the lemon.
Step 2: Halve the avocados around their middle rather than from end to end, and remove their pits.
Pro tip: To remove an avocado pit, place the half with the pit in it on a hard surface and give the pit a fairly strong but controlled whack with a chef's knife to lodge the blade partway into the pit. Then, hold the avocado in one hand as you turn the knife with the other to loosen and remove the pit.
Step 3: Slice the avocados into ¼" rounds and then carefully remove the peel from each. They should slide off easily if the avocados are fully ripe.
Step 4: Slice the tomatoes into similar thickness slices as the avocado. Save the smaller end pieces from the avocados and tomatoes for another use.
Step 5: First, squeeze a few spritzes of lemon over your avocado rounds; this will keep them from browning sooner. Then, on a serving platter, arrange the tomato slices first and top each with an avocado round.
Step 6: Top each stack with a basil leaf and drizzle the olive oil and balsamic glaze over everything. If you'd like, sprinkle on a little sea salt and pepper and serve immediately.
💭 FAQ
To keep them from browning too soon, squeeze a little fresh lemon over your avocados just after you slice them into rounds.
Vegan Caprese salad is best when consumed immediately or shortly after assembling it, but it can stay fresh in the fridge for up to 24 hours if needed.
If you aren't able to easily make a little indentation with your finger on the outside of the avocados, give them another day or two to ripen at room temperature. They should be just ripe, but not overly soft and ripe.
You can use balsamic vinegar rather than glaze, but keep in mind that it's not as easy to create artistic drizzles over the dish as it is with a glaze.
🍳 Recipe
Vegan Caprese Salad (with Avocado)
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Prep: Wash and dry the lemon, avocados, tomatoes and basil leaves. Then, halve the lemon and halve the avocados around their middle rather than from end to end, and remove their pits (see notes).½ lemon, 3 medium avocados, 3 medium large tomatoes, 1 bunch fresh basil
- Slice: Slice the avocados into ¼" rounds and then carefully remove the peel from each. They should slide off easily if the avocados are fully ripe. Next, slice the tomatoes into similar thickness slices. Save the smaller end pieces from each for another use.
- Assemble: First, squeeze a few spritzes of lemon over your avocado rounds; this will keep them from browning sooner. Then, on a serving platter, arrange the tomato slices first and top each with an avocado round followed by a basil leaf. Drizzle the olive oil and balsamic glaze over everything and sprinkle on a little sea salt and pepper, to taste.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon balsamic glaze, sea salt, freshly ground black pepper
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