These Mini Caprese skewers are a fun and colorful appetizer that will impress your guests with its fresh flavors. Each skewer is loaded with juicy cherry tomatoes, delicate fresh basil leaves, and creamy mozzarella cheese, all drizzled with a tangy balsamic glaze.
These Caprese appetizer skewers make a great appetizer for parties, picnics and barbecues during the spring and summer months.
Why This Recipe
Easy to Make: These mini Caprese appetizers are simple to assemble and require only a few ingredients, making them a quick and easy appetizer to prepare.
Healthy: Caprese skewers are a healthier appetizer option, as they are made with fresh ingredients such as cherry tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella cheese.
Colorful: The bright colors of the cherry tomatoes and basil make for a fun appetizer that will impress your guests.
Fun: These little skewers make a lovely fun finger food choice for parties, tailgating where it is just easier for guests to grab and enjoy.
Jump to:
Ingredients
This easy appetizer only takes a few simple ingredients:
- small Mozzarella balls - be sure to use fresh Mozzarella cheese in the smaller sized balls (mini mozzarella balls are often referred to as pearls)
- cherry tomatoes
- ingredient 3
- olive oil
- wooden skewers
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Take a skewer and place a mozzarella ball (pearl) at the base. Leave at least ½ " from end of skewer.
Fold a single small basil leaf over onto the pick.
Add a cherry tomatoe.
Add a second pearl.
Swerve with a light drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Tips for Best Results
Choose fresh ingredients: The key to a delicious Caprese kebob is using fresh ingredients. Look for plump and juicy cherry tomatoes and fresh basil leaves.
Use good quality and fresh mozzarella balls for the best flavor and texture.
Use mini skewers that are the right size: Use skewers that are long enough to hold all the ingredients but not too long that they become difficult to handle. 6-inch skewers are a good size for Caprese skewers.
Alternate ingredients: To make the skewers look more attractive, alternate the cherry tomatoes, basil leaves, and mozzarella cheese.
Season the skewers: Drizzle the skewers with olive oil and season with salt and black pepper before serving. This will enhance the flavors of the ingredients. Sprinkle a little Italian Seasoning as a great way to elevate the flavors.
Serve at room temperature: Caprese skewers are best served at room temperature. Remove them from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving to allow them to come to room temperature.
Substitutions & Variations
Vegetarian - Caprese skewers can be customized to suit a variety of dietary needs or preferences. For example, you can use vegan mozzarella cheese or substitute the tomatoes with other vegetables like cucumber or roasted bell peppers.
TimeSaving tips
Make them ahead of time: You can assemble the Caprese skewers ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve them. Just make sure to cover them with plastic wrap or store them in an airtight container to keep them fresh.
Use pre-made balsamic glaze: Look for pre-made balsamic glaze in your grocery store's condiment section. This can save you time and effort compared to making your own balsamic glaze from scratch.
Assemble the skewers ahead of time: You can assemble the Caprese skewers ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve them. Just make sure to cover them with plastic wrap or store them in an airtight container to keep them fresh.
Use pre-cut mozzarella cheese: Using pre-cut mozzarella cheese can save you time in the kitchen. Look for pre-cut mozzarella cheese in your grocery store's cheese section.
Use pre-washed basil leaves: Some grocery stores sell pre-washed and packaged basil leaves, which can save you time and effort in the kitchen.
Recipe FAQs
Visit the search results to see which questions come up under the People also ask section for your primary keyword, and answer Caprese skewers can be made a few hours in advance and stored in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve them. Just make sure to cover them with plastic wrap or store them in an airtight container to keep them fresh. here
To prevent the basil leaves from wilting, make sure they are dry before assembling the skewers. You can also dip them in ice water for a few seconds before patting them dry. This will help them stay fresh and crisp for longer.
Yes, you can use other types of cheese instead of mozzarella, such as feta or goat cheese. However, keep in mind that this will change the flavor of the skewers.
To prevent the skewers from falling apart, make sure to slide the ingredients onto the skewers gently and do not overcrowd them. Also, try to use skewers that are sturdy and not too thin.
More Finger Food Recipes:
📖 Recipe
Mini Caprese Skewers
Equipment
- appetizer toothpicks
Ingredients
- 24 mozzarella pearls
- 6 large basil leaves broken in half
- 12 cherry tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 12 large toothpicks
- olive oil
Instructions
- Layer the ingredients onto a toothpick - mozzarella, basil (folded to fit), tomato, mozzarella.
- Arrange on a platter.
- Drizzle with a splash each of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Notes
Nutrition
If you are not yet subscribing to my CELEBRATE THE SEASON newsletter, you can subscribe here. I share easy recipes for the season that the entire family is sure to love and also a few things that I don’t share here. I will email you only once a week as I know how valuable your time is and respect that tremendously!
Tamara
We always buy the "pearls"! This is a great recipe. I'm all about fresh mozzarella.
Beth
DELICIOUS, Raquel! We will be featuring you starting Wednesday at the Creative Crafts Linky Party! Pinned and shared!
Creatively, Beth