I’m still dreaming about the last time we had this Grilled Steak Caprese for dinner. And just to clarify, in case you haven’t noticed it here already, I’m not really a steak person. Great carne asada tacos like the kind I grew up with, ok, I’ll take those any day. But as far as grilling up a steak or ordering it out, not really my thing. In fact, we don’t do a ton of red meat in general. But with that said, I don’t think I could ever tire of this meal. We’re talking succulent, juicy balsamic-marinated slices of grilled steak, mingling between the best of the best summer tomatoes, soft fresh, torn mozzarella, fragrant basil leaves, and perfectly grilled sourdough with just the right pop of garlic. And it’s all finished off with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic and a sprinkling of sea salt and pepper. This is a meal to remember.

And while this is one spectacular dish, it’s really minimal effort because it’s mostly just comprised of fabulous fresh ingredients. Meaning, there’s not much actual making. That’s the beauty of utilizing super flavorful seasonal produce. There’s not much you have to do to it. In fact, in order to let it shine, I think the less you do to change the flavor, the better. And that’s exactly what the classic caprese is the best for. It really lets those wonderfully ripe, sweet tomatoes be the star on the plate.

If you’re not familiar with the caprese salad, it’s an Italian dish made up of tomatoes, mozzarella and basil that gets topped with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. I think the addition of balsamic might be an American thing (or from somewhere else,) as I was surprised when any caprese I ever ate while living in Rome, never included the balsamic on top. But, I happen to love balsamic, and it really pairs nicely here, so we’re including it. I do suggest, though, serve it without first as it’s most beautiful that way and then drizzle it on at the last minute.

For the tomatoes, I used a delicious and colorful variety of cherry, plum and heirloom tomatoes we recently picked ourselves over at Underwood Farms. (Post about that fun coming soon.) I really love the contrasting colors, sizes and shapes of the wedges and rounds on the plate. It’s a work of art before you even add anything else. However, you can use whichever ripe tomatoes you prefer or have. The fresher the better. (My tip- store them at room-temp, out of the fridge, to keep them at their sweetest.)

As far as the steak, I have to admit, I used a cut I initially didn’t want. I was trying to get a flat-iron as it can be more tender. But, it didn’t make it into the grocery delivery, so I went with skirt steak, since that’s what I had in the freezer reserved for tacos. I ended up marinating it longer which is necessary for skirt steak, and man, it was perfect for this dish. The marinade was pretty simple with just balsamic, oil (I used grapeseed,) dijon mustard, salt and pepper. The flavors compliment each other so well and I’m not sure I would have achieved that with the less or non-marinated flat-iron. So, that’s the cut I go with now when making this and am sure to give it at least a couple hours in the balsamic love. Perfect example of when sometimes a little substituting isn’t such a bad thing.

The rest of the ingredients are pretty straight-forward. I used a nice round of fresh-in-water mozzarella that I just tore into bite-sized pieces, basil from our herb garden, and my brother’s fabulous homemade sourdough brushed with a little olive oil and grilled on the same pan as the meat. A sliced garlic clove gets rubbed on the warm toasted bread for that perfect hint of flavor. (Any sourdough or other rustic loaf with work well.) Then you finish it all off with a little shower of a good quality extra-virgin olive oil, some sea salt, pepper and another splash of balsamic. Then dig in. Most likely again and again.

Hopefully peak-season tomatoes are still around wherever you may be so you can give this deliciousness a try yourself. It’s soon going to be pumpkin this and pumpkin that, my favorite time of year. But first, let’s enjoy the last of summer eating while it still definitely feels like it outside. And of course, I’d love to know if you make this with a shout out in the comments below or tagged on Instagram. Have a wonderful start to the week!