Basil – Basil is packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and natural essential oils. Some of the nutritional value of basil is lost when it’s dried, but fresh basil should always be used in caprese anyways. Those antioxidants, vitamins, and oils can reduce your risk for cancer, diabetes, arthritis, and heart disease!
Herein, what can I substitute for basil in Caprese salad?
Fresh oregano or arugula can substitute for basil, if you like them better, or add a bit of oregano to the dressing for complexity. (In winter, you might use oil-soaked dried tomatoes and dried basil and oregano for an out-of-season version).
Regarding this, what does Caprese salad pair well with?
Caprese salad can be served as an appetizer, a light lunch or as a side salad with dinner. It pairs amazingly well with whole grain crusty bread and grilled protein. It would be delicious with my grilled apple cider vinegar chicken.
Is Caprese salad anti inflammatory?
Basil serves as a strong anti-inflammatory with enzyme-inhibiting oils. Like the tomato, the antioxidants in basil are helpful in naturally preventing cancer, specifically skin, liver, oral and lung cancer.
Is balsamic vinegar healthy?
Balsamic vinegar is a safe food additive that contains no fat and very little natural sugar. It’s been proven effective to lower cholesterol and stabilize blood pressure. Some research suggests it can also work as an appetite suppressant, and it contains strains of probiotic bacteria.
Can you use lightly dried basil in caprese salad?
Yes, you could, if you really wanted, substitute dried basil for the fresh basil. But it doesn’t have the same texture, and it doesn’t bring the same “fresh” flavor to this salad.
Can you make a caprese salad without basil?
You can make it with or without basil or change it up with whatever fresh herb you have on hand. Fresh parsley, mint, or even dill would work.
Is fresh basil better than dried?
Herbs like dill, parsley, and basil lose or change flavor when dried. Parsley, when dried, loses all of the fresh flavor that makes it worthwhile as an herb. Dehydrated basil, on the other hand, tastes more like mint than fresh basil — a flavor that won’t complement your pasta dish very well.
What does the Italian word caprese mean?
Italian, short for insalata caprese, literally, salad in the manner of Capri.
Why do people like Caprese salad?
With their vibrant colors and interesting, bumpy shape, they look especially cool when sliced and layered Caprese-style. Grape or cherry tomatoes (a mix of whole and cut, combined with small balls of mozzarella) are excellent in summer, too.
How do you say Caprese salad in Italian?
The way Italians say Caprese depends on what region of Italy the speaker is from. The most Southern parts of Italy will say “cah-preh-zseh. ” The more Northern parts of Italy will pronounce it “cah-prey-zay.” It doesn’t matter which of these pronunciations you use, as long as you can say them correctly.