Shrimp Caprese Salad with Honey Balsamic Reduction

Shrimp caprese salad with a honey balsamic reduction combines a sweet, savory sauce and seasoned shrimp with a classic caprese salad. Ready in minutes, this caprese salad recipe will not disappoint.

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I’m such a sucker for all things Caprese like this Shrimp Caprese Salad with Honey Balsamic Reduction in the summer time.

Well really any time of year, but especially the summer with all the fresh sweet tomatoes and delicious basil.

In fact, if you were to raid my kitchen between June and September, you’d find tons of fresh tomatoes and ball after ball of fresh mozzarella because my go to lunch for the next three month is Caprese salad with some oven roasted corn on the cob.

Caprese is all the best things: easy, fairly healthy, and so delicious.

This Shrimp Caprese Salad with Honey Balsamic Reduction is no different.

It may sound and look fancy, but really, nope. So easy and simple, you can make it for everyday eating.

Ingredients and Kitchen Supplies

To make shrimp caprese salad, here’s what you need:

• Large shrimp – You can use different sizes if you prefer, but you will need to adjust cooking times. You just want to make sure that you devein and remove them from their shells.
• Cherry tomatoes – You could also use plum or roma tomatoes. 
• Mini fresh mozzarella balls – You can use larger mozzarella balls, but I find it easier to work with the small ones. You don’t need to cut these.
• Garlic – I use crushed garlic, but you could finely dice the garlic if you prefer.
• Basil leaves – Basil leaves form an important part of a traditional caprese salad recipe. Shrimp caprese also benefits from the fresh, light flavor of basil.
• Olive oil – You use olive oil to cook the shrimp in.
• Salt and pepper – You can add as much or little salt and pepper as you like to the shrimp and caprese salad.
• Lemon juice – Lemon juice, preferrably freshly squeezed, helps to give the shrimp a lighter, citric flavor and nice aroma.
• Balsamic vinegar – A balsamic glaze or reduction gets used as the caprese salad sauce here.
• Honey – Honey adds sweetness and helps to thicken the balsamic reduction.

To make it even easier to make, you might want to pick up these simple gadgets:

• Tongs – These make it easier to flip each piece of shrimp as they cook.
• Garlic press – Garlic presses make life a lot easier since just about any recipe calls for minced or crushed garlic.
• Grill pan – You can use any pan you like, but a grill pan helps create nice char lines on the shrimp, which can give the shrimp caprese a nice presentation.

How to make shrimp caprese salad with a balsamic reduction

1. Prepare the shrimp

In a small bowl, season the shrimp with crushed garlic cloves, salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice.

Let it sit for about 5 minutes.

You don’t want to wait too long with a citric marinade on shrimp since it can begin to break down the shrimp if left for a long period of time.

As the shrimp sits, preheat a grill pan over medium heat, spraying with non-stick spray if needed.

Once the pan is hot, place each shrimp on the pan and cook for about 90 seconds to 2 minutes per side or until the shrimp becomes opaque and pink.

Remove from heat and allow to cool some.

2. Prepare the caprese salad

Half the cherry tomatoes and toss them with the mini mozzarella balls, basil, crushed garlic, and olive oil in a large salad bowl.

Season with salt and pepper to taste and add the cooled shrimp.

Set aside.

3. Make the caprese salad sauce – aka the balsamic reduction

In a small sauce pan over medium-low heat, combine the balsamic vinegar and the honey.

Stir consistently for about 5 minutes or until the vinegar mixture reduces by a third.

When it is done, it should coat the back of a spoon.

Be careful not to bring to a boil or the mix will caramelize. Reduce heat as needed if it starts to get too hot.

Drizzle over the salad.

Serve salad with a side of fresh bread, as a meal, or as an appetizer at a party.

Storing shrimp caprese salad

Shrimp caprese salad is generally best served freshly made.

You can store it to bring to a party or get together, but I would recommend cooking the shrimp and storing it.

You can then make the rest of the salad the morning of your party. This will help keep the tomatoes fresh and prevent a watery caprese salad.

If you find you have left overs, you can store them for about 2 to 3 days.

To store, place the shrimp caprese salad in an air tight container and store in the fridge.

When you are ready to serve, scoop as much of the caprese onto a plate as you like.

Tips and Tricks

• If you make it ahead, I recommend only cooking the shrimp. The rest of the salad will work best when made fresh. When tomatoes sit too long in the fridge, they can become mealy and leaky, leading to a watery shrimp caprese.
• Use smaller tomatoes and mozzarella balls to save time. You only need to cut grape or cherry tomataoes in half. You can use larger tomatoes and large mozzarella balls, but you will need to cut them into smaller pieces to make them easier to eat.
• Use a grill pan or an actual grill to cook the shrimp to add nice grill lines to it for presentation.
• Do not let the shrimp sit in the lemon juice for too long as it will start to break down.
• Feel free to add additional ingredients and greens. Romain lettuce can act as a very good base for the shrimp caprese salad, as can spinach or arugula.
• If you don’t like balsamic reductions, you can season this shrimp caprese with an easy to make homemade pesto sauce.

Other caprese salad recipes

I love caprese salad, so I have quite a few caprese variations you can choose from if shrimp caprese isn’t your thing.

Caprese recipes include:

• Shrimp Caprese Salad with Honey Balsamic Reduction
• Easy Baguette Caprese Sandwich with Pesto
• Strawberry Caprese Salad
• The Best Shrimp Caprese Pasta
• The Best Burrata Caprese Salad
• Panzanella Caprese Salad
• Mini Caprese Skewers
• Elegant and Easy Prosciutto Caprese Skewers
• Air Fryer Gnocchi Caprese
• Fried Mozzarella Caprese Salad
• Instant Pot Caprese Pasta
• Puff Pastry Caprese Cups
• Caprese Zoodle Bowls with Chickpeas
• Easy Tortellini Caprese Skewers
• 5 Minute Easy Caprese Panini Sandwich with Pesto
• Caprese Tortellini Pasta Salad with Pesto

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Other recipes you will love

If you love caprese, check out some of my favorites here:

• Fried Mozzarella Caprese Salad
• Puff Pastry Caprese Cups
• Strawberry Caprese Salad
• Panzanella Caprese Salad
• Mini Caprese Skewers
• Air Fryer Gnocchi Caprese
• The Best Burrata Caprese Salad
• Instant Pot Caprese Pasta
• Caprese Zoodle Bowls with Chickpeas
• Elegant and Easy Prosciutto Caprese Skewers
• Easy Pesto Caprese Salad (Italian Mozzarella, Tomato, Basil Salad)