Spicy Caprese Skewers
These Spicy Caprese Skewers are just about one of the easiest and healthiest appetizers you can make. Made with sweet cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, pearl mozzarella, and drizzled with jalapeno olive oil and a rich balsamic glaze, these mini caprese appetizers have a spicy kick and are great any time of year. These especially spooky cocktail picks make them perfect for Halloween!
Whether you are entertaining at home, or making something for a potluck, don’t be surprised if they are the first hors d'oeuvres to be gobbled up at a party. To learn how to make this easy Halloween appetizer recipe see the printable recipe card below, or take a look at the recipe video. For other recipe variations and Make Ahead Instructions for Serving a Crowd, visit the Pimp My Recipe section in my Blog Comments & Tips below.
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RECIPE
(Printable recipe card below & please rate the recipe.)
SPICY CAPRESE SKEWERS
Ingredients
Instructions
- Using a sharp chef’s knife (5 inch), halve basil leaves (see Note #2). Then halve tomatoes crosswise.
- With a wooden toothpick, pierce the top half of a tomato (through the stem side), then pierce through the bottom half. Insert a spooky skeleton hand cocktail pick (or bamboo cocktail skewer) through the hole of the top half of the tomato, followed by 1 piece of fresh basil (piercing through the center of the leaf - fold in half if too large & make sure not to tear it), then 1 mozzarella pearl, another basil leaf, and finish by piercing the bottom of the tomato half (through the cut side), making sure to sandwich everything together on the skewer. Repeat this process for 12 cocktail skewers, placing them in a single layer on a plate (or small baking sheet - see Note #3).
- Drizzle olive oil all over the caprese skewers. Then season with sea salt and black pepper. Roll each skewer around to coat them in the seasoning & olive oil. Transfer and arrange caprese skewers on a small rectangular serving platter (or small round serving platter), and drizzle with balsamic glaze. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- You will use only one quarter of an 8 ounce container of fresh mozzarella pearls (12 balls).
- You can use small basil leaves and leave them whole instead, but you will need 24.
- Or for a quicker method, just place them directly on a small rectangular serving platter (or small round serving platter). Season, drizzle with olive oil, and roll them around to coat, and finish with a drizzle with balsamic.
- This appetizer recipe can easily be doubled, tripled, or more 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 refrigerated until ready to serve.
- Makes 6 servings (12 skewers - 2 per serving).
Nutrition Facts
Calories
47.09Fat (grams)
3.33 gSat. Fat (grams)
1.41 gCarbs (grams)
2.19 gFiber (grams)
0.26 gNet carbs
1.95 gSugar (grams)
1.2 gProtein (grams)
2.44 gSodium (milligrams)
69.5 mgCholesterol (grams)
7.46 mgNutritional information provided is strictly an estimate and will vary based on ingredient brands and cooking methods.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
VIDEO
How to Make these Spicy Caprese Skewers!
Blog Comments & Tips
A wickedly spicy Halloween appetizer!
I first got the idea to make these Spicy Caprese Skewers for Halloween last year. Inspired by these spooky skeleton hand cocktail picks , I started brainstorming recipes and settled on these mini caprese skewers. The spicy flavor of this caprese appetizer was the perfect way to utilize these special cocktail picks. Although they are delicious with red cherry tomatoes for any occasion, I decided to use Sungold orange cherry tomatoes for this Halloween appetizer.
Sungold tomatoes have a slightly sweeter taste, making them pair well with the spicy olive oil. They are also a bit smaller than red cherry tomatoes, which is why I chose to use the pearl sized mozzarella for this appetizer. If you prefer a tangier flavor in your caprese skewers, feel free to swap them for the red cherry tomatoes. Whether it’s Halloween or any time of year, this easy appetizer comes together quickly and is perfect for large parties, an intimate gathering, or when you want a fun and quick appetizer that just about everyone will love any night of the year.
How do you ensure the best results from this recipe?
My 5 tips to making Spicy Caprese Skewers:
High quality organic ingredients. For the freshest flavor, use organic fresh basil and tomatoes. These orange cherry tomatoes (also known as Sungold tomatoes) are perfect for Halloween, but can be swapped out for red cherry tomatoes.
The key to making this appetizer spicy is the olive oil. I prefer using infused olive oils rather than flavored olive oils, as some can taste artificial. This Calvirgin jalapeño infused extra virgin olive oil is delicious, but I’ve also used Temecula Olive Oil Company fresh jalapeño olive oil with this recipe. This drizzle spoon gives you great control when drizzling the olive oil (and balsamic glaze).
I love using Nonna Pia's balsamic glaze for this recipe. The thick texture and sweet flavor of the balsamic glaze pairs perfectly with the spicy flavor of the olive oil.
Use a regular wooden toothpick to pierce the tomatoes first, then insert the spooky skeleton hand cocktail picks. These Halloween cocktail picks have a fairly thick stem and can easily smoosh the tomatoes when pierced. That’s why it’s important to start by using a regular toothpick to make a small hole in the tomatoes.
These tiny BelGioioso fresh mozzarella pearls are the perfect size for this appetizer, and you don’t even have to cut them into halves!
It’s time to customize and Pimp My Recipe.
Pimp My Recipe:
Make it Smoky & Spicy: Like the taste of smoky jalapenos? Try using this Blazing Bella smoky jalapeño extra virgin olive oil.
Make it Extra Spicy: For those that prefer off the charts spicy flavor, try this In Love Gourmet habañero infused olive oil.
Don’t like it spicy? Use regular extra virgin olive oil instead. Just make sure it’s a good quality olive oil, like this Colonna Classic Italian extra virgin olive oil.
Make Ahead Instructions when Serving a Crowd: If you are making this for a crowd, prepare and assemble all the skewers through STEP 2 no more than 1-2 hours ahead of time. Arrange skewers on a baking sheet, cover, and refrigerate, until about 15 minutes before serving. Then continue with STEP 3, and serve!
In a 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 serving platter. It won’t be as neat, but they will still be delicious!
Need to make them several hours in advance? Don’t cut the tomatoes. Leave them whole, pierce them with a regular toothpick, then the spooky skewers, then assemble as directed. You can even season and drizzle them with olive oil hours ahead of time. However, I would wait until 15-30 minutes prior to serving to drizzle the balsamic glaze.
Enjoy and let me know what you think by commenting below, rating my recipes, subscribing, following, and liking Prep 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: To prevent the tomatoes from getting smooshed, remember to first make the hole in the tomatoes with a regular wooden toothpick (pierce through the tomato halves), then insert the spooky cocktail picks.
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