Easy caprese skewers with tomato, basil, and mozzarella are a perfect Summer appetizer! A delicious, bite sized treat easy enough for everyday snacks yet fancy enough for company.
Need a quick, easy, delicious appetizer to serve your guests? This is it - tomato, basil, mozzarella skewers! That's right, just 4 ingredients and ready in just minutes. The perfect bite at any party or Summer gathering!
People love food on a stick, it is fun, cute, and easy to eat! This caprese skewers recipe hits all those marks. So refreshing and colorful, plus vegetarian!
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Caprese Skewers Ingredients
These caprese salad skewers couldn't be easier or more refreshing!
- Cherry tomatoes - we like the size of cherry tomatoes but grape tomatoes work just as good, just cut them in half.
- Fresh mozzarella cheese - we like the pearls because #cute!
- Fresh basil - look for small to mid-sized leaves, if leaves are too big, tear them in half.
- Balsamic reduction - we make our own and keep it in the fridge.
Use a good mozzarella cheese!
We like to use fresh mozzarella pearls (or perles). They are a great size, take very little prep and most grocery stores now carry them in the deli section. The ciliegine is a little bigger and will need to be cut. A full size fresh mozzarella ball will also work, just cut it into small squares about the size of the tomato.
Where do I get balsamic reduction?
You can purchase balsamic reduction but it is SO EASY to make, much less expensive, and has no added sugars. Follow this recipe for a simple reduction you can keep on hand. Make a batch and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 3 months. Just bring to room temperature before using.
Equipment We Used
Picks. We do not recommend using colored toothpicks as the color can come off on the food. We like to use a reusable toothpick, but recognize if you are hosting a large party this may not be feasible. For large parties use a decorative toothpick when possible - like a bamboo knotted toothpick. These are found at most party stores, some grocery stores, or restaurant supply stores. Here are a few of our favorite pick sources.
- Wooden toothpicks - Least expensive and easy to get
- Knotted bamboo toothpicks - Inexpensive and easy to get at many locations
- Bamboo w/’pearl’ - Step up from basic pick and available at Amazon
- Metal cocktail pick - Most expensive option but reusable!
It is nice to have a small squeeze bottle for the balsamic reduction - you can even store it in this bottle in the fridge. It makes it easier to drizzle the balsamic or place dots or lines on a serving dish. However, if you don’t have one, just dip a fork or spoon into the balsamic reduction and ‘drizzle’ away!
How To Assemble Caprese Skewers
There is no RIGHT way to put these together. We like to keep them manageable so your guests don’t struggle to eat them. Have fun and play with different options to see what works best for the event. Start with a piece of mozzarella, then basil, and then a cherry tomato. Use one larger piece of mozzarella and a whole cherry tomato or two smaller pieces of each. Find your own balance - you just don’t want any one flavor to overpower the others!
Serve standing up for an extra WOW factor! Cut the tomatoes in half and make sure your last piece on the skewer is a piece with a flat side down. Start with half a tomato, then basil, mozzarella pearl, and the other tomato half (flat side down). Do not push the skewer all the way through the last piece. Then stand the mini caprese skewers up with the flat side down. If standing them up use the balsamic reduction to make lines, dots, or cross patterns on the platter and then stand the skewers on top of the balsamic.
Time Saving Tips
Use small cherry tomatoes and the small mozzarella pearls. Just add the pearl, basil, and tomato to the skewer - don’t worry about cutting them or having them stand up.
Have the tomatoes, mozzarella, basil leaves, and balsamic reduction all prepped in the fridge in individual containers. If extra bites are needed, pull these out and they will be ready to serve in minutes.
We keep homemade balsamic reduction on hand and use it often. Don't have any or time to make any? Purchase good balsamic reduction at the store. NOTE: You will find some balsamic reductions in the store have added sugar (which is actually a balsamic glaze). Try to find a brand with no added sugar for a true reduction that will preserve the flavor you are looking for.
Favorite Riffs for Caprese Skewers
We love mixing these up! Add a piece of prosciutto, salami, thin sliced ham, or grilled chicken. Toss the mozzarella pieces with pesto before adding to the skewer. You can use marinated mozzarella if you want, but beware, it can sometimes be overpowering so make sure you have one you like that won’t compete with the other flavors.
Saving Leftovers
The FDA recommends discarding any perishable food that has been out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
If within the FDA guidelines, these will store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a day. While they will taste great, the balsamic reduction may make them look less appetizing than the day before. Dress them up by removing from the skewers and tossing with some mixed greens, arugula, or spinach. Add some olive oil and another drizzle of balsamic reduction for a delicious salad with the leftovers!
Some Other Favorite Appetizer Bites
A few FAQ's
These can be tricky when transporting. Use a dish that is tall enough to stand them up side by side with the picks and still get a lid on. We found a tall deli container worked great. If there are too many for deli containers, gently lay them down in a dish with parchment between the layers. Just make sure you can cover whatever container you use without pressing on the skewers.
While these can be made up to a day ahead of time and stored - WITHOUT the balsamic on them - in an airtight container in the fridge, we recommend making them earlier on the day of your event. Basil tends to turn brown after it is torn or cut and stored in the refrigerator and cut tomatoes tend to loose some of their liquid. If stored too long these fancy caprese skewers will still taste great but may not look so fancy.
We like to use these mini caprese skewers the same day they are made. They will last up to 2 days in the fridge but you may sacrifice some quality over time.
📖 Recipe
Caprese Skewers
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 24 pieces 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Easy caprese skewer appetizers with cherry tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, basil, and balsamic! A delicious bite for Summer events.
Ingredients
- 24 cherry tomatoes - any color will do, we like a variety
- 7 ounces fresh mozzarella pearls - or ‘perle’ (if you can't find them you can cut larger balls into bite size pieces)
- Fresh basil leaves, at least 24 leaves depending on size
- Balsamic reduction
- Picks
Instructions
- Separate the mozzarella pearls, or ‘perles’, into a dish.
- Separate the basil leaves from the stems. Set aside.
- OPTIONAL: Cut the tomatoes in half and place in a dish. See notes for more on when to cut the tomatoes.
- Using a pick, start building your skewers in the desired order. (Mozzarella-basil-tomato-mozzarella or tomato-mozzarella-basil-tomato, etc.) See notes if you need to cut the tomatoes or mozzarella.
Notes
If you can’t find mozzarella pearls you can use ciliegine and cut them in half or use a larger mozzarella ball and cut it into pieces the same size as the tomato pieces. Just make sure you are using fresh mozzarella.
Tomatoes. Small cherry tomatoes are great for this recipe. However, if you need to use something like a grape tomato, you can cut them in half.
Presentation. Use a whole mini mozzarella ball and whole cherry tomato and lay these caprese skewers on their sides on a platter. To stand them up, cut the mozzarella (depending on size) or tomatoes in half and make sure your last piece on the skewer is a piece with a flat side down. Do not push the skewer all the way through the last piece. Then stand the mini caprese skewers up with the flat side down. You can also create a pattern on the serving platter with the balsamic reduction (lines, dots, or cross patterns) then stand the skewers (flat side down) on top of the balsamic.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Assembly Time: 19 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 minute
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece
- Calories: 10
- Sugar: 0.5 g
- Sodium: 35.8 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 0.8 g
- Protein: 1.6 g
- Cholesterol: 0.8 mg
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