American Flag Caprese Salad for Summer Parties
A bright American Flag Caprese Salad with juicy tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, sweet blueberries, basil, crisp baguette, and a berry balsamic drizzle.
- Author: Sophia Mitchell
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 20 1x
- Category: Salads
- Method: Assemble
- Cuisine: American
- 1 (16 ounce) container blueberries, about 1.5 cups
- 6–8 tomatoes on the vine, cut into 26 slices
- 2 (16 ounce) logs sliced fresh mozzarella, using 23 slices
- 40 fresh basil leaves
- 1 (12-inch) baguette
- Olive oil, for brushing the baguette and finishing the salad
- Flaky sea salt, for topping
- 3 tablespoons wild blueberry preserves
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- Heat the oven to 375°F.
- Rinse the blueberries, wash and slice the tomatoes, and gently blot the mozzarella slices dry.
- Use a mini star cutter to make 12 small stars from 3 mozzarella slices, then set them aside.
- Cut the baguette diagonally into 20 even pieces with a serrated knife.
- Brush both sides of each baguette slice with olive oil and arrange them in one layer on a baking sheet.
- Bake for 6–8 minutes, until the edges turn lightly golden and crisp.
- Whisk the wild blueberry preserves, extra virgin olive oil, and balsamic vinegar until smooth.
- On a 15” x 10” rectangular platter, begin about ⅓ of the way in from the upper-left side and arrange tomato slices across the top.
- Add a row of mozzarella slices beneath the tomatoes, then add another tomato row below that.
- Make one full row of mozzarella across the platter, followed by one full row of tomato slices.
- Spoon the blueberries into the open upper-left corner.
- Place the mozzarella stars over the blueberries.
- Pour the blueberry balsamic drizzle into a small jar for serving.
- Place the basil leaves in a small bowl and set the toasted baguette on a serving plate.
- Finish the salad with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
Notes
- Patting the mozzarella dry helps the flag rows stay neat on the platter.
- Keep the drizzle on the side until serving so the salad keeps its bright, clean look.
- Toast the baguette shortly before serving for the best crisp texture.
Keywords: American Flag Caprese Salad, caprese salad, patriotic salad, summer appetizer, Fourth of July recipe