Mozzarella Prosciutto Salad with Tomato Basil Vinaigrette

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This bright and simple salad is bursting with taste! It features crunchy lettuce, savory prosciutto, rich mozzarella, and a zesty Tomato Basil Vinaigrette.
If you enjoy showcasing salads as the highlight of your meal, this one is perfect for you. This Mozzarella Prosciutto Salad offers a lot of flavor without being overly complicated, ensuring each ingredient can be appreciated.
It’s tough for me to choose a favorite element in this salad. It might be the rich mozzarella, the savory prosciutto, or the fresh lettuce.
Alternatively, it could be the zesty Tomato Basil Vinaigrette crafted from sweet cherry tomatoes and fresh garden basil. However, I believe it is truly the blend of all these ingredients that turns this salad into a family favorite.

Now, let’s go over what ingredients you’ll need to create it.

Ingredients for Mozzarella Prosciutto Salad with Tomato Basil Vinaigrette:

For the salad, gather:

GREEN LEAF LETTUCE:

You may also use romaine, red leaf, or a mix of greens.

PROSCIUTTO:

Just for your information, prosciutto is a thinly sliced Italian ham that is dry-cured. Its salty taste goes wonderfully with creamy mozzarella.

CILIEGINE MOZZARELLA:

These are small balls of mozzarella, roughly the size of cherry tomatoes. You can find them in the deli area of most grocery stores. They are usually stored in water within a plastic container. If they’re not available, you can chop fresh mozzarella into pieces.

BASIL:

Fresh basil is essential for this dish, used in both the salad and the dressing.

To prepare the Tomato Basil Vinaigrette, you will need:

CHERRY TOMATOES:

These tomatoes are sweet and have a rich tomato flavor.

SHERRY VINEGAR:

This vinegar is made from sherry wine and has a mildly sweet, nutty taste. If sherry vinegar is unavailable, you can replace it with rice wine or red or white wine vinegar.

GARLIC:

Since the garlic in this dressing is raw, I suggest using just one small clove.

DIJON MUSTARD:

This will give a faintly tangy mustard flavor to the dressing.

SUGAR:

Because tomatoes can be sour, adding sugar helps to balance the tanginess.

EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL:

This oil will bring all the flavors of the vinaigrette together. For the best results, opt for the highest quality extra virgin olive oil you can find.

BASIL:

While fresh basil is highly recommended for this recipe, dried basil can be used in the vinaigrette if that’s all you have. It will still impart a sweet basil essence.

SALT AND PEPPER

Step by Step Instructions:

1. Like any salad, preparing this one is fairly simple. The trickiest part may be making the vinaigrette, but a food processor will be invaluable. Complete the steps using these photos and instructions.
2. Combine the tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, garlic, and dijon in a blender.
3. Gradually pour in the olive oil while mixing.
4. Add fresh basil and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
5. In a bowl, combine mozzarella, lettuce, and prosciutto.
6. Coat the salad using the dressing.

STEP 1:

Begin by creating the vinaigrette; blend the tomatoes, garlic, sherry vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper in a food processor until smooth.

STEP 2:

While the food processor is on, gradually add olive oil until the blend emulsifies.

STEP 3:

Pour the dressing into a bowl and mix in fresh basil, seasoning with salt and pepper to your preference.

STEP 4:

In a bowl, combine the lettuce with sliced ciliegine and chopped prosciutto. Drizzle your preferred amount of vinaigrette on top and toss to ensure everything is coated. Finish by sprinkling with fresh basil.

Storage Tips:

Serve the salad right after mixing it with dressing. However, the vinaigrette recipe yields about 1 cup, which exceeds the salad’s requirement. Any leftover dressing can be stored in a jar in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Mozzarella Prosciutto Salad with Tomato Basil Vinaigrette

This salad is simple yet bursting with flavor! It features crisp lettuce, savory prosciutto, creamy mozzarella, and zesty Tomato Basil Vinaigrette.

• Prep Time 15 minutes
• Total Time 15 minutes
• Course Salad
• Cuisine American
• Servings 4 Servings
• Calories 676 kcal

Mozzarella and Prosciutto Salad

▢5 ounces green leaf lettuce, chopped

▢15 ciliegine mozzarella, halved

▢3 slices prosciutto, either sliced or torn

▢3 basil leaves, chopped

Tomato Vinaigrette

▢1/2 cup whole cherry tomatoes

▢1/4 cup sherry vinegar

▢1 garlic clove

▢2 teaspoons granulated sugar

▢1 teaspoon dijon mustard

▢1 teaspoon salt

▢1/2 teaspoon black pepper

▢3/4 cup olive oil

▢6 basil leaves, chopped

Instructions

1. ▢ Start by making the tomato vinaigrette. Blend together cherry tomatoes, vinegar, garlic, granulated sugar, dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in the food processor until combined. While running the food processor, add olive oil in a slow stream until it emulsifies. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and adjust salt and pepper to taste if needed.
2. ▢ In a salad bowl, mix the lettuce, mozzarella, and prosciutto.
3. ▢ Pour the tomato vinaigrette on top in your preferred amount. Toss the salad to coat all ingredients. Garnish with freshly cracked pepper. Serve with extra dressing on the side for those who want more.

Notes

This recipe generates roughly 1 cup of dressing, more than the salad requires.
Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for use within 5 days.
Please note that the nutrition facts include all of the dressing, so they are an estimate as you will not use all of it in the salad.

Nutrition

• Calories: 676 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 4 g
• Protein: 20 g
• Fat: 65 g
• Saturated Fat: 14 g
• Polyunsaturated Fat: 5 g
• Monounsaturated Fat: 31 g
• Trans Fat: 1 g
• Cholesterol: 42 mg
• Sodium: 727 mg
• Potassium: 156 mg
• Fiber: 1 g
• Sugar: 3 g
• Vitamin A: 2771 IU
• Vitamin C: 8 mg
• Calcium: 399 mg
• Iron: 1 mg.