Salad with roasted vegetables and mozzarella Recipe
This colourful salad combines roasted vegetables – aubergine, courgette and peppers – with delicate mozzarella and a simple olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing. In Italy, similar dishes are often served at summer parties as “antipasto misto”, a mixed platter of starters to share at the table.
This dish is reminiscent of classic Italian roasted vegetable antipasti, which often appear in Liguria or Tuscany alongside olives and cured meats. Instead of many small bowls, you get one, more home-style, salad version.
This salad brings together the best of Italian antipasto: soft, slightly smoky roasted vegetables and delicately milky mozzarella. Thanks to the aubergine and courgette it’s satisfying yet still fresh, and the colourful peppers make it look like a plate straight out of a summer osteria in Liguria.
Why this version works
- Roasting the vegetables in a single layer lets them brown instead of steaming.
- Adding mozzarella to warm, not hot vegetables softens the cheese without melting it into a single mass.
- A simple balsamic dressing enhances the flavor of the vegetables instead of overpowering it.
Chef's tips
Roast the vegetables in a single layer without piling them on top of each other so they brown nicely instead of steaming – if necessary, use two trays. Aubergine tends to soak up oil, so don’t overdo it at the start; it’s better to drizzle a little extra olive oil over everything after roasting. Add the mozzarella at the end, to slightly cooled vegetables, so it doesn’t melt into one mass but keeps its pieces.
How to serve
Serve with crusty baguette or pan-toasted bread – perfect for mopping up the olive oil and vegetable juices from the bottom of the bowl. It’s great as a starter at a summer get-together on the terrace or as a light lunch on a hot day when you don’t feel like heavy dishes. To drink, serve chilled white wine, such as Vermentino, or homemade lemonade with lemon and mint.
Watch out for
- Don’t cut the vegetables too small – tiny pieces dry out easily and burn around the edges.
- If the vegetables are piled up in layers, they’ll start to steam, stay pale, and taste less intense.
Substitutions
- You can replace mozzarella with burrata, placing it whole on top of the warm vegetables.
- Feta works instead of mozzarella if you prefer a saltier, more pronounced flavor.
- You can swap the eggplant for extra zucchini if you don’t have eggplant on hand.
- Instead of balsamic vinegar, use lemon juice with a bit of honey for a milder dressing.
Ingredients
- aubergine medium - 1 piece
- courgette large - 1 piece
- red pepper - 1 piece
- yellow pepper you can use a second red pepper instead - 1 piece
- ball of mozzarella about 125 g each - 2 piece
- olive oil - 4 tablespoons
- vinegar - 1.5 tablespoons
- dried oregano - 0.5 teaspoons
- fresh basil torn leaves - 1 handful
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 210°C (top and bottom heat). Line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Wash the aubergine and courgette, trim the ends and cut into thick half-moons or 2 cm cubes. Remove the seeds and membranes from the peppers and cut them into strips or larger pieces.
- Place the vegetables on the tray, drizzle with 3 tablespoons of olive oil, sprinkle with salt, pepper and oregano. Mix thoroughly with your hands so every piece is lightly coated in oil.
- Spread the vegetables out in a single layer. Put in the oven for 25–30 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until they soften and are lightly browned around the edges.
- Drain the mozzarella and cut into large cubes or tear into pieces.
- In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of olive oil with balsamic vinegar, a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Let the roasted vegetables cool slightly (they can still be warm). Transfer them to a large bowl, add the mozzarella and torn basil leaves.
- Drizzle with the olive oil and balsamic dressing, toss gently and serve immediately or after slight chilling.
Storage
Store leftovers in the fridge in a closed container and eat within 1–2 days. The next day you can serve the salad cold or at room temperature, or use the vegetables as a topping for sandwiches or bruschetta.
I most often make this salad when I invite friends over for an evening barbecue but the weather plays tricks on us and we end up in the kitchen – then the oven takes over the role of the grill. I also sometimes use the leftover vegetables from this salad the next day as a topping for ciabatta sandwiches.
