Subscribe To Emails For 20% OFF Your Order    |    Free Shipping On Orders Of $100+

Grilled Smoked Mozzarella Salad With Summer Vegetables

What to do with all the summer veggies that are overflowing right now? Make this Grilled Smoked Mozzarella Salad. Rich, smoky eggplant and zucchini, sweet fennel, onion, peppers, and tangy tomatoes are all topped with warm, melted, grilled mozzarella cheese.

While this is one of my favorite summertime “salads”, it is great all year round because between the smoked mozzarella and the grilling of the vegetables, it makes even not perfect produce shine. But in the summer, when everything is fresh from the garden, it is divine. Like many of my recipes, it is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner, but also so tasty and presentable that it is a great choice for guests (or parties or pot lucks). The best part is that it is completely customizable with whatever vegetables you have, or wish to have!

VEGETARIAN ✓ LOW CARB ✓ KETO ✓ GLUTEN-FREE ✓

VegetarianLow Carb“Keto"Gluten-Free


Recipe Notes

This is recipe takes its inspiration from one of my favorite local restaurants, Trattoria Delia. They used to have a Grilled “Scamorza” salad on their menu which was essentially, well, just like this. It was my favorite and I ordered it every time.

What is Scamorza? Scamorza is an Italian cheese closely related to mozzarella. It hails from Southern Italy – from Apulia and in some parts of Campania and Molise. The texture of Scamorza is elastic and stringy. It has less moisture than mozzarella making it excellent for melting and grilling. It also has a more piquant, robust flavor. If you can find it, I’d try it. The smoked version is called Scamorza Affumicate.

If you can’t find Scamorza, the next best thing is Smoked Mozzarella. Smoked Mozzarella is a fresh, handmade mozzarella cheese that is then placed in a smoker and smoked slowly with wood chips, like cherry wood. This imparts a delicate smokey richness to the cheeses fresh, milky flavor.

A platter of fresh summer vegetables waiting to be prepped for grilling. Fennel, eggplant, onions, mushrooms, red pepper, and tomatoes sit beside a ball of smoked mozzarella cheese.

The Ingredients

This salad has layers and layers of grilled fresh summer vegetables. As it hails from Italy, vegetables like eggplant, zucchini, fennel, onions, peppers, mushrooms, and tomatoes are the best. But the great part of this recipe is that it is versatile. I used all of the above in this version. There are so many interesting flavors adding counterpoints to the meal, each bite is different.

The star of the show is of course the smoked mozzarella. When the cheese is the focus, I choose the best quality that I can find. For this recipe I used a favorite from Maplebrook Farm here in Vermont. A Scamorza Affumicate would be great if you can find it too.

And to finish it off, you will need a good quality extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and fresh basil.

This salad is so satisfying. Grilling intensifies, sweetens, and brings out the flavor of the vegetables while adding a smokiness. Top that with warm, gooey, smoked mozzarella cheese and it’s heaven.

The best part, it’s also really nutritious! This salad is brimming with Vitamin K, Vitamin C, the B Vitamins, and Calcium. It makes an excellent easy and delicious meal or side which is relatively low in carbs and high in healthy fats and flavor – great for anyone – especially those on a Keto or low carb diet.

A platter of grilled vegetables: onions, squash, mushrooms, fennel, red peppers, eggplant, and tomatoes.

How To Grill Mozzarella Cheese

Remove the cheese from the fridge right before grilling so that it stays firm. Slice the cheese into 1/2 inch rounds and coat with oil. Place the slices on the grill or grill pan (see my recommendations below) and grill on one side until it starts to steam and melt slightly around the edges. Flip over and continue grilling for a few minutes. Be careful to not let it get too runny or spread too thin. Remove quickly and serve immediately.

I have grilled the smoked mozzarella a number of different ways, each with its own pros and cons.

Directly On The Grill: This method has the best flavor. The drawbacks are that the juices from the cheese drip down into the grill, making a mess, and if you don’t keep your eye on it and flip it and remove it very quickly, you can lose some or all of the cheese.

In Foil On The Grill: You keep your cheese but don’t get the grill marks. If you use this method put some oil on the foil first to prevent the cheese from sticking.

In A Grill Pan: The best method that I have found is to use a cast iron grill pan. It grilled and seared the cheese perfectly.

How To Make This Grilled Smoked Mozzarella Salad

This is a very quick and easy to prepare. Perfect for those warm summer night’s when you’ve spent your day in your vegetable garden and don’t want to spend your night in your kitchen.

Prep Your Veggies

First, add the olive oil and minced garlic to a large bowl. Stir and let sit while you prep your veggies so that the garlic will infuse the oil. Get your grill or grill pan ready. Keep the mozzarella in the fridge, it needs to stay cold and firm until it is grilled.

Next, wash and prep your veggies. The tomatoes, red pepper, and mushrooms will be grilled whole. Slice the fennel, onion, and eggplant into rings. Coat all in the oil mixture. I usually toss all that can be safely tossed in the bowl and then brush the oil onto the rings of onions and fennel so that they stay intact.

Grill & Plate The Vegetables

Start with grilling the red peppers first. Place them on the grill whole and grill until the skins are charred and they have swollen. When they are done put them in a sealable plastic bag for a few minutes to loosen the skin. After a few minutes, peel the skin from the outside of the pepper and remove the stem and seeds.

Grill the remainder of the vegetables in batches. I like to grill them well to increase their flavor, infuse them with smokiness, and make sure that the zucchini and eggplant are soft and custardy inside.

Grill The Smoked Mozzarella

Next, grill the cheese. See above for details on the best method. Before grilling this, plate the vegetables so that when the mozzarella is done you are ready to eat. Layer the vegetables with a mix of each.

Put It All Together

When the cheese is finished, place it on top of the vegetables. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, splashes of balsamic vinegar, and fresh basil. Sea salt and fresh black pepper are a must for me too. See below for how to style this salad.

A plate of grilled eggplant, squash, red peppers, fennel, onions, mushrooms, and tomatoes topped with grilled smoked mozzarella.

How To Style This Salad

The first thing to consider when styling a salad, is the role the ingredients have in the final dish. Are there stand-alone ingredients that deserve to be given their own space, like with my Peach, Tomato & Burrata Salad – or do the ingredients need to be mixed together in order to blend the flavors and create a more uniform experience, like with my Avocado, Egg & Arugula Salad With Lemon Balsamic Vinaigrette.

This Grilled Smoked Mozzarella Salad is best served in a composed style, meaning plated and arranged with purpose.

Tips & Tricks

Here are a few things that might help:

  • Grill the mozzarella in a grill pan, or use foil on a traditional grill.
  • Use good quality extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
  • Always use fresh garlic.
  • Top with sea salt and a grind of black pepper.

Substitutions

Here are some suggested substitutions to make this salad a better fit for your palate, preferences, and diet. If you are looking for specific substitutions, let me know in the comments below!

  • Cheese Alternatives: Scamorza, Fresh Mozzarella, Smoked Gouda, Halloumi Cheese
  • Other Add-Ins: Artichokes, Squash, Corn, Garlic Scapes.

More Cheese Salad Recipes To Try

Blood Orange And Roasted Beet Salad With Labneh & Pistachios

Peach, Tomato & Burrata Salad

Cherry, Pistachio, Arugula Salad With Whipped Feta & Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Watermelon Cucumber Mint Salad Wedges With Feta

Peach, Avocado & Feta Cheese Salad With Thyme Vinaigrette

If you make this salad be sure to leave a comment below. I’d love to hear from you. And if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram, I’d love to see!

A plate of grilled eggplant, squash, red peppers, fennel, onions, mushrooms, and tomatoes topped with grilled smoked mozzarella.

How To Make: Grilled Smoked Mozzarella Salad With Summer Vegetables


Reviews

Ingredients:

Adjust Servings
1 Smoked Mozzarella Or Scamorza Affumicate
1 Medium Yellow Onion
1 Medium-Large Fennel Bulb
1 Medium Eggplant
1 Medium Zucchini
1 Large Red Pepper
8-12 Fresh Mushrooms (Like Crimini)
Assorted Tomatoes: 2 Medium Tomatoes, Mixed Cherry Tomatoes
1/2 Cup Fresh Basil
2 Cloves Garlic
1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil You may need more depending on the vegetables you choose.
Balsamic Vinegar, to drizzle.
Sea Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Nutritional Information
13.7 Grams Net Carbs
21.9 Grams Protein
14.6 Grams Fat
290 Calories

Directions

1.
Heat the grill or grill pan.
Mark as complete
2.
Prepare the marinade.
Add olive oil and minced garlic to a large bowl, stir, let sit while you prep the vegetables.
Mark as complete
3.
Wash and prep the vegetables.
Wash and prep your vegetables, leave the peppers, tomatoes, and mushrooms whole. Slice the onion, fennel, and eggplant into rings, a little thinner than a 1/2 inch. Depending on the size of the zucchini, slice into rings or lengthwise into strips.
Mark as complete
4.
Begin by grilling the pepper.
Start by grilling the red pepper till the skin is charred and blistered. Put in a plastic bag, seal, and leave to let the skin loosen.
Mark as complete
5.
Coat the vegetables in the oil and garlic.
Coat all in the olive oil mixture. Toss the whole vegetables in oil and brush the oil onto the rings to keep them from breaking apart. Season with a little sea salt.
Mark as complete
6.
Grill the remaining vegetables in batches.
Grill the remaining vegetables in batches and set aside.
Mark as complete
7.
Peel the skin from the pepper.
Remove pepper from bag, peel the skin, and remove the stem and seeds. Slice lengthwise.
Mark as complete
8.
Arrange the grilled vegetables on the plates.
Now that all the vegetables have been grilled, arrange them on the plates in layers. See my example above in the post.
Mark as complete
9.
Grill the smoked mozzarella.
Remove the cheese from the fridge right before grilling so that it stays firm. Slice the cheese into 1/2 inch rounds and coat with oil. Place the slices on the grill or grill pan (see my recommendations below) and grill on one side until it starts to steam and melt slightly around the edges. Flip over and continue grilling for a few minutes. Be careful to not let it get too runny or spread too thin. Remove quickly and serve immediately.
I have grilled the smoked mozzarella a number of different ways, each with its own pros and cons. Directly On The Grill: This method has the best flavor. The drawbacks are that the juices from the cheese drip down into the grill, making a mess, and if you don't keep your eye on it and flip it and remove it very quickly, so can lose some or all of the cheese. In Foil On The Grill: You keep your cheese but don't get the grill marks. If you use this method put some oil on the foil first to prevent the cheese from sticking. In A Grill Pan: The best method that I have found is to use a cast iron grill pan. It grilled and seared the cheese perfectly.
Mark as complete
10.
Top the grilled vegetables and grilled smoked mozzarella with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and top with fresh basil. Season with sea salt and fresh black pepper.
Mark as complete
Notes
The cook time will vary based on the size of your grill or grill pan – the more you can grill at once the shorter the time. The nutrition information will also vary based on the vegetables that you use. This is an estimate and a suggestion. Switch out the vegetables to your preferences, add more or less. Note: the vegetables with the most carbs here are the red peppers and tomatoes. For fewer carbs go heavier on the zucchini.

4 Comments

  • Peggy

    Sadly, mozzarella melted and fell right through grill! Photo of dish is very tempting. May try to find fix for fatal recipe flaw.

    • Joanna Revers

      Peggy, I take cheese very seriously, losing it to the grill is a terrible thing! I’m so sorry that happened to you. Grilling the cheese is the tricky part. I have tried 3 different methods: directly on the grill, in foil on the grill, and in a grill pan. The grill pan won out with great grill marks and all the cheese intact. Thank you for letting me know that the recipe didn’t make that very clear. I have just updated it and gone into greater detail. Thanks for the feedback! Joanna

  • Emily Dodd

    Loved this salad! Added in puy lentils to make it more substantial

    • Joanna Revers

      Hi Emily, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I bet the lentils are a great addition. Thank you so much for letting me know. This is such a great and versatile summer “salad”.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *