Caprese Salad

This low-FODMAP caprese salad keeps the classic tomato, mozzarella, and basil trio while capping the cherry tomato and balsamic portions and swapping garlic bulb for garlic-infused oil.

Prep 10 min

Cook 1 min

Serves 4

Gluten-freeVegetarian

Ingredients

• 180g (about 6 oz, roughly 12 to 14) cherry tomatoes, halved. Keep servings to about 45g each (3 to 4 cherry tomatoes) to stay low FODMAP.
• 150g (about 5 oz) fresh mozzarella, sliced or torn. Around 40g per serving keeps mozzarella low FODMAP.
• 1 large handful (about 15) fresh basil leaves
• 1 tablespoon garlic-infused olive oil, or plain extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar, for drizzling. The low-FODMAP cap is 1 tablespoon per serving, so a light drizzle stays well under.
• Flaky sea salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Prep the components

1. Rinse the cherry tomatoes and pat dry. Halve them and set aside on a plate to drain off any excess juice.
2. Slice the fresh mozzarella into rounds about 1cm thick, or tear it into bite-size pieces. Blot with a paper towel if it is very wet.
3. Pick the basil leaves from the stems. Leave small leaves whole and tear larger ones just before serving so they do not darken.

Assemble and dress

1. Arrange the tomatoes and mozzarella on a platter or across individual plates, tucking basil leaves between them.
2. Drizzle the garlic-infused oil evenly over the top, then add the balsamic vinegar in a light drizzle. Keep the balsamic to about 2 teaspoons across the whole platter.
3. Finish with flaky salt and black pepper. Serve right away while the tomatoes are at room temperature and the basil is bright.

Tips & Substitutions

• Watch the balsamic. Balsamic vinegar is low FODMAP up to 1 tablespoon per serving and moves into moderate territory above that, so drizzle lightly rather than pooling it on the plate.
• Balsamic glaze shortcut. For a thicker finish, simmer 3 tablespoons of plain balsamic in a small pan until it coats a spoon, then cool. Skip store-bought glazes unless the label is free of onion and garlic.
• Swap the mozzarella. Bocconcini or small mozzarella pearls work in the same portion. Fresh mozzarella is low in lactose, but keep to about 40g per serving and check the Monash app for the current tested amount.
• Add a garlic note without fructans. Garlic-infused olive oil carries the flavor because fructans are not oil soluble. Plain olive oil is the simplest onion-and-garlic-free alternative.
• Make it a light meal. Serve alongside a slice of gluten-free bread or over a bed of spinach and butter lettuce for lunch.
• Keep tomatoes portioned. Cherry tomatoes are low FODMAP at about 45g. If you want a bigger platter, add more of the mozzarella and basil rather than piling on tomatoes.

Why This Works

• Garlic flavor from infused oil. The fructans in garlic that trigger symptoms are water soluble, not oil soluble, so garlic-infused oil adds flavor without the FODMAPs a garlic clove would bring.
• Portioned cherry tomatoes. Cherry tomatoes are low FODMAP at roughly 45g per serving and climb into moderate fructose amounts in larger portions, so the recipe keeps each plate near that mark.
• Low-lactose cheese. Fresh mozzarella contains little lactose and sits in the low-FODMAP range at about 40g, which makes it a safer choice than many soft, high-lactose cheeses.
• Balsamic kept in check. Balsamic vinegar is low FODMAP up to 1 tablespoon, so a light drizzle delivers the tang without pushing the serving over the tested limit.

Storage

Caprese is best assembled and eaten the same day, while the tomatoes and basil are fresh. If you need to prep ahead, keep the sliced tomatoes and mozzarella in separate covered containers in the fridge for up to 1 day and dress just before serving. Freezing is not recommended, since both the tomatoes and mozzarella turn watery once thawed. Bring any refrigerated components back to room temperature for the best flavor, and mind the per-serving tomato and mozzarella caps when you plate leftovers.

Not sure about an ingredient? The FODMAP Foods app rates 1,000+ foods low, moderate, or high FODMAP, with the safe portion for each, so you can cook with confidence.