Tuscan Tomato Mozzarella Stacks (Printable version)

Vertical stacks of ripe tomato, creamy mozzarella, fresh basil, finished with olive oil and balsamic glaze.

# What You Need:

→ Fresh Produce

01 - 4 medium ripe tomatoes
02 - 1 small bunch fresh basil leaves

→ Dairy

03 - 8.8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese

→ Pantry

04 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
05 - 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze
06 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
07 - Sea salt, to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - Slice the tomatoes and mozzarella into eight even rounds approximately 0.4 inches thick each.
02 - Wash and pat dry the basil leaves thoroughly.
03 - On a serving platter, alternate layering tomato slice, mozzarella slice, and basil leaf to build a vertical stack 3 to 4 layers high, finishing with a basil leaf on top.
04 - Insert a long toothpick or bamboo skewer vertically through the center of each stack to hold layers in place.
05 - Drizzle each stack with extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic glaze, then season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
06 - Present immediately as a fresh and vibrant appetizer.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Takes fifteen minutes and somehow tastes like you spent hours planning.
  • The tomato stays juicy, the mozzarella stays creamy, and everything stays exactly where you stack it.
  • It's the kind of thing people photograph before eating, which is always a good sign.
02 -
  • Slightly underripe tomatoes hold up better than soft ones, but you want them to have actual flavor—there's a narrow window where they're perfect.
  • The toothpick goes through the center in one confident move; hesitating or wiggling will topple your work.
03 -
  • A little acid—squeeze of lemon juice or a splash of red wine vinegar under the balsamic—wakes up the tomato if it's been sitting.
  • Stack on a bed of fresh basil leaves on the platter for color and to keep everything from sliding around.
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