Chilled Tomato Cucumber Mozzarella Toss

This is the kind of salad that gets better while you wait for it. The first time I made it, I tossed everything together and went to set the table, and by the time I came back the tomato juices had mingled with the balsamic and turned into a little pool of dressing at the bottom of the bowl. That pool is the good part. Spoon it over the cucumber and mozzarella and you get something that tastes far more put together than the effort involved.

A word on the tomatoes, since they carry the whole dish. Plum tomatoes are meatier and less watery than round slicing tomatoes, which is why they hold their shape in a chilled salad instead of turning to mush. Still, take the time to scrape out the seeds. They are the watery part, and removing them keeps the bowl from getting soupy too fast. Cucumbers do the same thing, so seed them the same way.

Mozzarella deserves a mention too. Fresh mozzarella is soft and mild and sits in its own whey, which is why it is packed in liquid. Pat the chunks dry before they go into the bowl if they look wet, so the dressing clings instead of sliding off. If you want a little more bite, a grind of pepper goes a long way here, and a splash more balsamic at the table is never a mistake.

Storage is simple. Keep the salad covered in the refrigerator and eat it within a day. The cucumber softens and the basil darkens after that, though it is still tasty. Leftovers are lovely spooned over toasted bread the next day, which is how I like them most.

For serving, this pairs well with grilled chicken or a piece of simply cooked fish, and it sits happily beside a bowl of soup on a cool evening. If you want something heartier to go with it, try Rustic Chickpea and Tomato Soup for a warm contrast, or Tuscan Bread and Tomato Salad if you want to lean into the bread-and-tomato idea.