Tuscan tomato mozzarella stacks (Printable)

Layered tomato, mozzarella, and basil stacks drizzled with olive oil and balsamic glaze. Fresh and elegant.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fresh Produce

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

→ Dairy

03 - 8.8 oz fresh mozzarella cheese

→ Pantry

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

# Directions:

01 - Slice the tomatoes and mozzarella into 8 even, 0.4-inch thick rounds each.
02 - Wash and pat dry the fresh basil leaves.
03 - Place a tomato slice on a serving platter, top with a mozzarella slice, then a basil leaf. Repeat to build stacks 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 with extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic glaze. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
06 - Present immediately as a fresh, colorful appetizer.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in 15 minutes but tastes like you spent hours planning.
  • Those stacked layers create this satisfying contrast between cool, creamy mozzarella and juicy tomato.
  • Your guests will assume you're fancy, when really you just know how to let good ingredients shine.
02 -
  • Watery tomatoes will collapse your pillars, so use ones that feel dense and heavy for their size.
  • Room temperature mozzarella tears; keep it cold until the last moment, and it stays whole and creamy.
  • The balsamic glaze matters—if you use thin vinegar, the whole dish tastes thin too.
03 -
  • Slice everything while it's cold—warm mozzarella shreds and torn tomatoes bleed juice everywhere, so refrigerate for at least an hour before slicing.
  • Invest five minutes in finding the best tomatoes and best mozzarella available; this recipe's reputation lives or dies on ingredient quality, not technique.
  • Don't dress the pillars until just before serving or they'll get soggy and sad.
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