Caprese salad (Italian: insalata caprese, pronounced [insaˈlaːta kaˈpreːze; -eːse]) is an Italian salad prepared with sliced fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and sweet basil and seasoned with salt and olive oil.

[1][2][3] Like pizza Margherita, it features the colours of the Italian flag: green, white, and red.

In Italy, it is usually served as an appetiser (antipasto), not a side dish (contorno), and it may be eaten any time of day.

[4] Two common stories about its origin include it being an homage to the Italian flag or "in the 20th century to appease the palates of vacationing royalty and important politicos".

[5] In Argentina, a country with a strong Italian influence, the Caprese salad is a typical filling of the empanada.