Classic Caprese Skewers
Classic Caprese Skewers are the easiest holiday appetizer ever! Bite-sized mozzarella balls (Ciliegine), cherry tomatoes, and fresh basil are skewered, seasoned, and drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and a balsamic glaze. These small bites of goodness are both tasty and quick to assemble, and a nice break from the heavy and rich appetizers served during the holidays. And, they are keto friendly!
The “one-bite” size, fresh flavors, and festive colors, make these the perfect Christmas appetizer! These easy hors d’oeuvres can really be served all year round, and are a great make ahead appetizer for entertaining. To learn how to make this easy appetizer recipe, see the printable recipe card below. Take a look at the recipe video, or get Step by Step Instructions for a more detailed explanation of this recipe. For other recipe variations, visit the Pimp My Recipe section in this recipe’s Blog Comments & Tips.
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RECIPE
(Check out our Step by Step Instructions below the recipe card.)
CLASSIC CAPRESE SKEWERS
Ingredients
Instructions
- Using a sharp chef’s knife (5 inch), halve basil leaves. Then halve tomatoes, and halve mozzarella balls.
- With a bamboo cocktail skewer, pierce the top half of a tomato halve (through the stem side). Then add 1 piece of fresh basil, piercing through the center of the leaf (make sure not to tear it & fold in half if too large). Pierce through the cut side of half a mozzarella ball, and add another basil leaf on the skewer. Finish the skewer by piercing the bottom half of a tomato halve (through the cut side), making sure to sandwich everything together on the skewer. Repeat this process for 24 cocktail skewers, placing them in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Drizzle olive oil over the caprese skewers. Then season with sea salt and pepper. Roll each skewer around to coat each one in the seasoning & olive oil. Transfer and arrange caprese skewers on a large serving platter (18 inch), and drizzle balsamic glaze. Serve immediately, and enjoy!
Notes
- You can use small basil leaves and leave them whole instead, but you will need 48.
- You will use only half of an 8 ounce container of fresh Ciliegine mozzarella balls. This appetizer recipe can easily be doubled or even tripled to feed a crowd. Each skewer is meant to be enjoyed in one bite, making them great hors d'oeuvres for cocktail parties.
- For Make Ahead Instructions, visit the Pimp My Recipe section in my Blog Comments & Tips for this website recipe.
- Store covered and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Makes 12 servings (24 skewers - 2 per serving).
Nutrition Facts
Calories
42.76Fat (grams)
3.25Sat. Fat (grams)
0.84Carbs (grams)
2.04Fiber (grams)
0.29Net carbs
1.78Sugar (grams)
1.14Protein (grams)
2.06Sodium (milligrams)
34.86Cholesterol (grams)
3.4Nutritional information provided is strictly an estimate and will vary based on ingredient brands and cooking methods.
Step by Step Instructions
PREPARATION
Organize all your tools and ingredients before you begin. Getting all your ingredients in one place at the beginning will shorten your prep time.
Note: Oops…the skewers in this photo are not the right ones! It’s best to use bamboo cocktail skewers for this appetizer recipe.
STEP 1
Using a sharp chef’s knife (5 inch), halve 24 large fresh basil leaves (see Note A below). Then halve 24 cherry tomatoes (about 2 cups), and have 12 fresh Ciliegine mozzarella balls (4 ounces - see Note B below).
Note A: You can use small basil leaves and leave them whole instead, but you will need 48.
Note B: You will use only half of an 8 ounce container of fresh Ciliegine mozzarella balls. This appetizer recipe can easily be doubled (or even tripled) to feed a crowd (using up the entire 8 ounce container). Each skewer is meant to be enjoyed in one bite, making them great hors d'oeuvres for cocktail parties.
STEP 2
With a bamboo cocktail skewer, pierce the top half of a tomato (through the stem side). Then add 1 piece of fresh basil, piercing through the center of the leaf (fold in half if too large & make sure not to tear it). Pierce through the cut side of a mozzarella ball halve, and add another basil leaf on the skewer. Finish the skewer by piercing the bottom half of a tomato (through the cut side), making sure to sandwich everything together on the skewer. Repeat this process for 24 cocktail skewers, placing them in a single layer on a baking sheet.
STEP 3
Drizzle 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (or more if needed) all over the caprese skewers. Then season with ⅛ teaspoon sea salt (or to taste), and ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste). Twist and roll each skewer around to coat each one in the seasoning & olive oil. Transfer and arrange caprese skewers on a large serving platter (18 inch), and drizzle 1 tablespoon balsamic glaze (or more if needed).
Note: I used a shallow bowl to season a small number of skewers for this photo shoot. However, I highly recommend using a baking sheet, and laying them out in a single layer.
SERVING
Serve immediately, and enjoy!
Note: Store covered and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes:
For Make Ahead Instructions, visit the Pimp My Recipe section in my Blog Comments & Tips for this website recipe.
Makes 12 servings (24 skewers - 2 per serving).
VIDEO
How to Make these Classic Caprese Skewers!
Blog Comments & Tips
Perfect bite-sized appetizers!
Classic Caprese Skewers are a fresh and healthy option as an appetizer. These small bites of goodness are both tasty and quick to assemble, and a nice break from rich and heavy appetizers served during the holidays.
Bite-sized mozzarella balls (Ciliegine) are halved and sandwiched in between cherry tomatoes halves and fresh basil. Then seasoned, and drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and some balsamic glaze. The green and red colors, and fresh flavors make these the perfect Christmas appetizer!
I made about 50 of these caprese skewers and brought them to a Super Bowl party a few years ago (pre-COVID). They were so popular that they were one of the first appetizers to go at the party! These hors d’oeuvres may be an old classic, but they are still super tasty and a great option for serving a crowd.
How do you ensure the best results from this recipe?
My 5 tips to making these Classic Caprese Skewers:
Use organic ingredients.
Sharpen your chef’s knife (5 inch), so you don’t bruise the basil leaves, or squish the tomatoes when slicing them in half.
Use these bamboo cocktail skewers. They have a sharp, sword-like tip, which pierce each ingredient more easily.
Do not stab or press the skewer into the tomatoes, or it will squeeze out the juice. Gently twist the skewer back and forth as you are piercing the tomatoes. After the first couple of skewers, you’ll get the hang of it.
The amount of seasoning, olive oil, and balsamic glaze is only a guide. Use as much as you need to your taste.
It’s time to customize and Pimp My Recipe.
Pimp My Recipe:
Make it Garlicky: Replace the salt with garlic salt.
Make it Even Easier: This appetizer is about as easy as it gets, and I think the presentation is nicer using halved Ciliegine. However, you can skip one step to make it even faster. Just replace the Ciliegine mozzarella balls with Bocconcini (pearl sized mozzarella balls). No need to halve the Bocconcini, as they are already super tiny.
Make Ahead Instructions: Prepare and assemble all the skewers through STEP 2. Arrange skewers on a baking sheet, cover, and refrigerate, until 15 minutes before serving. Then continue with STEP 3, and serve! If you are in a real hurry, skip the baking sheet, and arrange them on your serving platter. You can season, and drizzle them with olive oil and balsamic glaze directly on the platter. It won’t be as neat, but will still be delicious!
Enjoy and let me know what you think by commenting below, rating my recipes, subscribing, following, and liking Pimp My Recipe on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok! Don’t forget to subscribe to get updates on new recipes and tips & tricks.
Happy Cooking!
Mich
Footnote: Remember to gently twist the skewer back and forth in order to pierce the tomatoes without squeezing out the juice.
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