Layered Caprese Rice Salad
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked Carolina® White Rice or Carolina® Organic White Rice
- 6 large heirloom tomatoes
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella
- ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
- ¼ cup balsamic vinaigrette
- 2 tablepsoons olive oil
- cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
This simple but elegant Layered Caprese Rice Salad combines freshly sliced tomatoes, soft mozzarella and chopped basil with Carolina® White Rice drizzled with a balsamic vinaigrette.
Step 1
Slice tomato and mozzarella into thin slices.Step 2
In a small bowl, combine rice, basil and vinaigrette. Layer tomato slices, rice mixture and mozzarella.Step 3
Drizzle each serving with about 1 teaspoon of olive oil.Step 4
Top with fresh cracked pepper if desired.Recipe Tips
To make your dish look even more appetizing and colorful, layer with different colored tomatoes.
For any vegan dairy-free eaters, try swapping in the mozzarella for sliced avocado.
Show-Stopping Classic
Turn your favorite Caprese Salad into a show-stopping appetizer or side dish. Impress your friends and family by layering the fresh Italian ingredients together with white rice.
Forget the toasted bread, this Gluten Free version uses our long-grain White Rice or if you are looking for ways to eat more environmentally friendly, use Carolina® Organic White Rice. Fresh ingredients are always best, so if you’re headed to the farmer’s market, make sure to pick up a few tomatoes and mozzarella.
Any Time Food
The beauty of Caprese Salad is that it is an any time food. For any time of year or holiday it can be used as an appetizer before a meal, delicious side dish or even an afternoon snack. You can also top with a drizzle of simple olive oil, balsamic vinaigrette or a balsamic glaze. The difference between the two, although both have a base of vinegar mixed with other ingredients, is that a glaze is a bit more creamy and thick while the vinaigrette is more liquid. Both are acceptable to use, it’s all about taste preference.
Presentation
Now onto the main event–the presentation. One of the biggest pleasures of eating is seeing something appetizing and then enjoying it afterward. This recipe calls for stacks, but depending on your serving platter, layer the ingredients as you see fit. We suggest you save a few of the perfect basil leaves to decorate over the top while if there are any imperfect leaves, layer those and tuck them in between the cheese, rice and tomato layer.
Once you have your design, drizzle with the glaze of choice listed above and enjoy!
Meal Tip: If you’re preparing a meal event, start off with this simple appetizer and use our recipe for Crockpot Rice Pudding so you can focus on your main dish instead of worrying about starters or dessert!
