These Caprese Skewers are a delicious and easy appetizer for any time of the year! It's amazing in the summer when tomatoes and basil are in season but it also makes a delicious festive finger food appetizer for the holidays and Christmas parties. It requires almost no effort and it's always a hit! Don't forget to add a drizzle of balsamic glaze to really make it amazing!
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Why You'll Love These Caprese Skewers
Just like a Caprese salad - These skewers have all the same ingredients as a Caprese salad, just in a mini form to fit them on skewers. Cherry tomatoes, mini mozzarella, basil leaves, olive oil, and balsamic glaze. Nothing beats this simple but delicious flavor combo!
Everyone's favorite - This is one of the easiest appetizers you can make, totally foolproof, and it never disappoints! I make this when I don't know what to serve because it's something most people like and it's impossible to mess up.
Easy and simple - You only need 7 ingredients and about 15 minutes to make these skewers. All you have to do is stack everything on your skewers ( I like using 6-inch bamboo skewers) and you're done! You can easily whip this up last minute, it takes almost no effort at all!
Great for any occasion - You can serve these skewers practically any time of the year, for any occasion. They're perfect for summer parties or BBQs when tomatoes and fresh basil are in season but they also make delicious finger food for holiday parties, especially Christmas because of the festive red color.
Ingredients
- Bocconcini - Bocconcini are mini mozzarella balls and they're the same size as cherry tomatoes. I don't recommend using perlini. They're too small for this and they would fall off the skewers.
- Cherry tomatoes - Small bite-sized cherry tomatoes are perfect for these skewers.
- Fresh basil - I like using fresh basil with bigger leaves that can be folded in half and threaded on the skewers. It looks nicer for presentation and adds more flavor. Small leaves might fall off the skewers.
- Extra virgin olive oil - You'll need a small drizzle of olive oil to finish the skewers, the same way you'd drizzle a classic caprese salad.
- Balsamic glaze - Make sure to use balsamic glaze, also called balsamic reduction, not balsamic vinegar. Balsamic glaze is cooked down balsamic vinegar with a little added sugar so it's much thicker, and it has a stronger and sweeter flavor.
- Flaky sea salt - I like using Maldon sea salt for these skewers, it adds an extra salty bite and makes for a beautiful presentation.
- Black pepper - I recommend using freshly ground black pepper for the best flavor.
Variations and Substitutions
- Different cheese - This would of course completely change the flavor but if you want to try something different, you can use any semi-soft cheese like gouda, cheddar, or harvati instead of the bocconcini. You could also add other things like olives, sun-dried tomatoes, salami, or even tortellini.
- Dried basil - I highly recommend making this with fresh basil if you can find it. Nothing beats that fresh bright flavor. If you don't have any, sprinkle your finished skewers with dried basil on all sides before you drizzle them with olive oil and balsamic glaze.
- Peaches - You can make a skewer appetizer version of my Peach Caprese Salad if you're making these in the summer. Adding peaches really works with all the other flavors and it's so refreshing!
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Thread the cherry tomatoes, bocconcini, and fresh basil on the skewers alternating between the 3 and adding basil in between each layer.
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- Place all finished skewers on a large serving platter and drizzle them with olive oil and balsamic glaze.
- Sprinkle them with flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Serve with toasted baguette slices, crackers, other appetizers, or as a side. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Don't make this too far in advance - Soft mozzarella doesn't store very well once you take it out of its salty brine. It could dry out if it sits in the fridge for too long. If you're making a big spread, I'd recommend making these skewers last and not letting them sit for more than 30 minutes before serving them. Drizzle them with olive oil and balsamic glaze right before serving.
Serving Suggestions
These skewers can be served both as an appetizer and a side for many different dishes and occasions. Below are a few ideas to get you started!
- With toasted baguette - My favorite way to serve these skewers is with crostini aka toasted sliced baguette. It's simple, so easy to prep, and you can just serve both on two big platters along with small appetizer plates and have everyone help themselves.
- As a side - These skewers would be amazing served at a BBQ with grilled meats, chicken, or fish. You can serve them alongside salads, pasta salads, or sandwiches.
- For lunch - These would be amazing added to lunch boxes for school or work lunches. I recommend skipping the skewers to make them fit into your lunch box easier.
Storing
This is one of those appetizers that are best made right before serving. If you do have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Once drizzled with the balsamic glaze, the fresh basil will start to wilt and brown and might turn completely brown the next day. It's still ok to eat but it won't be as pretty and presentable anymore. This is why I recommend drizzling the finished skewers with the balsamic glaze only when you're ready to serve them.
If you're making more appetizers or a big dinner, try making these skewers last, or at most 30 minutes before you plan to serve them to prevent the mozzarella from drying out and becoming tough.
FAQs
The word Caprese means "from Capri" which is an island in Italy's Gulf of Naples which is where the famous salad is from.
It's made with exactly the same ingredients as these skewers, just bigger versions! You'll need regular fresh mozzarella, heirloom or garden tomatoes, fresh basil, sea salt, black pepper, extra virgin olive oil, and balsamic glaze.
Balsamic glaze is reduced balsamic vinegar. This is done by cooking balsamic vinegar with sugar. The glaze has a much thicker, syrupy consistency and it's perfect for drizzling on salads, skewers like these, or sandwiches.
More Recipes with Mozzarella
Do you want to try other recipes that use mozzarella? Give any of the recipes below a try! I have even more coming so definitely check out Appetizers for all the latest ones!
- Bruschetta with Mozzarella (delicious appetizer for any time of the year)
- Marinated Mozzarella Balls (such an easy and delicious appetizer!)
- Peach Caprese Salad (bright and fresh summer salad)
- Heirloom Tomato Grilled Cheese (perfect summer lunch)
📖 Recipe
Caprese Skewers
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4-8 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These Caprese Skewers are a delicious and easy appetizer for any time of the year! It's amazing in the summer but it also makes a delicious festive finger food appetizer for the holidays.
Ingredients
- 6-inch bamboo skewers (or smaller ones for more servings)
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 2 cups bocconcini (mini mozzarella), drained and rinsed (approx. 200g)
- Handful of fresh basil leaves
- 1-2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1-2 tablespoon balsamic glaze (not balsamic vinegar)
- 1 tsp flaky sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Thread the cherry tomatoes, bocconcini, and fresh basil on the skewers alternating between the 3 and adding basil in between each layer.
- Place all finished skewers on a large serving platter and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic glaze.
- Sprinkle them with flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Serve with toasted baguette slices, crackers, other appetizers, or as a side. Enjoy!
Equipment
Notes
Storing: Store the finished skewers in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days. They taste best made right before serving because the mozzarella starts to get tough if it sits for too long in the fridge.
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Veronika Sykorova says
These skewers are such a great finger food or a starter for a group of people of any size! You can easily double or triple the recipe and it's really easy to serve.