White Bean Caprese

Ingredients 

• 1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

• 1/2 cup chopped cherry tomatoes

• 1 small heirloom tomato, thinly sliced

• 4 oz mozzarella pearls

• 1 burrata ball

• 2 tbsps olive oil

• 1/2 tsp flaky salt

• 1/2 tsp pepper

• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

• 6 basil leaves, finely chopped

• 6 mint leaves

• 2 tbsps balsamic vinegar

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Directions

1.  Assemble beans, tomatoes, and cheese on your serving dish

2.  In a small bowl, combine basil, mint, olive oil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes

3.  Spoon basil mixture over your salad

4.  Drizzle with balsamic vinegar

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Anywhere else, the heart of the neighborhood might be the school, the church, or the rec center, but in New York, it’s the deli. Growing up, in preparation for big family gatherings, my dad would always visit his favorite Italian deli in Brooklyn and pick up prepared salads and snacks to bring. My favorite was always the simple Caprese salad. Caprese with juicy tomatoes and fresh mozzarella is always going to be a crowd pleaser, but I love Caprese for its versatility. For this recipe, I took a simple tomato salad and combined it with another deli favorite from my childhood, the white bean picnic salad, to make a fresh, flavorful, and filling Caprese that everyone will love.