Peach & Arugula Caprese Salad

We most often associate caprese salad, or insalata caprese (literally meaning Salad of Capri, an island off the coast of italy) with tomatoes. And in fact, it was originally intended to mimic the colors of the Italian flag with its red, white, and green elements.

Nowadays, pretty much anything that features fresh basil, mozzarella, and balsamic has become caprese. Whether it be with tomatoes but in a unique form (such as our favorite Caprese Pasta Salad) or something that replaces the tomatoes altogether, we still call it caprese. I guess it’s a more efficient way of titling something than saying Such and Such Salad with Basil, Mozzarella, Balsamic Vinegar, and Olive Oil. Caprese is much more efficient and is becoming familiar enough that most people know what to expect.

That’s not to say we’re going to stop twisting it. What’s next, caprese chocolate chip cookies?

Um, no. Not from me, at least.

But this salad rightfully deserves to be called caprese, regardless of its notable lack of tomatoes.

Tomatoes and peaches are surprisingly similar and can often be used interchangeably. Treating a tomato as a fruit rather than a vegetable can produce surprising(ly delicious) results. When you think about, both fruits are sweet and tender summer fruits with thin skins and juicy flesh. Looking at a caprese salad with the fruit-like nature of the tomato in mind, substituting peaches makes perfect sense.

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