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Hot Bacon Caprese Salad with Heirloom Tomatoes.

If you eat tomatoes one way this summer, LET IT BE THIS WAY.

Oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh. That is all I have to say.

Aside from “this is a caprese salad with heirloom tomatoes and HOT BACON DRESSING.” Whaaaaat. 

I am noooo stranger to a hot bacon dressing. I made a spinach salad with it years ago for the blog, because it is one of my mom’s (and was one of Mother Lovett’s) favorite things, if not her absolute favorite dressing. She has talked about it since I was a kid and anytime it’s on the menu, it’s ordered.

And!

Just a few months ago, I made an asparagus potato salad with the hot bacon dressing because it’s SO good. It’s smoky but also sweet. The flavor is incredible and it’s more of a vinaigrette that a creamy dressing – and vinaigrettes are my all-time faves.

So when I stumbled upon a bacon caprese salad, I just about died. No, really, I was stunned. Jaw-dropped. I could NOT believe it and was like how on earth did I not think about this?

I mean, a BLT is one of my favorite flavor combinations. The smoky, crunchy bacon with juicy tomatoes is just too good. So the idea of putting that dressing all over perfectly ripe tomatoes AND adding cheese?

DEAD.

Officially.

I’m buried.

Yes yes yes I knooooow I’ve been quite overzealous with my use of tomatoes this season, but how can I help it? This is completely different from any other tomato recipe I’ve shared and hi, we all need it in our lives. Stat.

Ew. I hate that word.

This plate barely needs an explanation. Fresh tomatoes. Crunchy fried bacon, but crumbled and turned into hot bacon dressing. Fresh, fragrant basil. Fresh mozzarella! More cheese please forever and ever.

The flavor is insane. It’s still a salad, so it’s, uh, good for us. It’s the quintessential summer dish. You can make it for a dinner party or for yourself and it’s equally impressive and amazing. Everyone will love you for it… especially yourself. You will love you for it. Get it, get it!

Hot Bacon Caprese Salad with Heirloom Tomatoes

5 from 12 votes
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Ingredients

  • 4 medium heirloom tomatoes sliced
  • 2 8-ounce balls of fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
  • 1 cup fresh basil
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper

hot bacon dressing

Instructions 

  • Layer the tomatoes, mozzarella slices and fresh basil on a plate or platter however you would like. Season with the salt and the pepper. Drizzle with the hot bacon dressing serve immediately.

hot bacon dressing

  • Add the bacon grease, minced garlic, vinegar, sugar and mustard to a saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk constantly until the sugar has dissolved and the dressing slightly emulsifies. Season with the salt and pepper. Before serving, add in the crumbled bacon. You can keep this over low heat while stirring occasionally until ready to serve. I suggest reheating it in a saucepan like so. This is the combo I’ve come to love over the years, but you can experiment with different vinegars, more bacon fat and other spices too!
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I appreciate you so much!

I could eat that plate single everyday.