Caprese Salad Skewers
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Caprese Salad Skewers are one of my favorite Summer appetizers to make. They’re simple, easy and fresh! Not to mention, they’re absolutely delicious. Fresh cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls, and basil leaves are placed on an elegant skewer. Then, they’re drizzled with olive oil, sweet and tangy balsamic glaze, and seasoned with salt and pepper.
It doesn’t get better than a fresh cherry tomato. They’re sweet, absolutely beautiful and incredibly versatile to cook with. They’re in season late Spring through early Fall which means we get to enjoy them for several months! If you love cooking with fresh cherry tomatoes, try my Pesto Caprese Chicken with Sautéed Spinach or my Fresh Tomato Garlic Pasta! Both use cherry tomatoes and are delicious! You know what else is delicious? These Caprese Salad Skewers. I’m going to share everything you need to know so you can enjoy this simple appetizer at home!
Caprese Salad Skewer Ingredients
- Round cherry or grape tomatoes – make sure to get the circle ones, not the oval ones. I love sugar bombs, but any kind will do.
- Mozzarella pearls – marinated or plain both work. Marinated will offer more flavor.
- Fresh Basil – Basil is beautiful and so tasty in the Summer. If you can, I suggest growing a basil plant. It’s very easy and will produce all Summer long.
- Balsamic Vinegar or Balsamic glaze – I really like the Colavita brand of balsamic glaze and vinegar. It’s more expensive, but delicious. You can make balsamic glaze very easily at home. I give the instructions in the recipe card below. If you want to keep it easy, simply buy balsamic glaze at the store.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – I prefer a mild, lighter olive oil for this recipe.
- Salt and pepper – A little salt and pepper enhance the ingredients. Flaky salt is even better if you have it!
- Medium woods skewers – there are all types of skewers you can use. These are great and sturdy!
Instructions
Assembling Caprese Salad Skewers is very easy. It’s also versatile. I personally like to thread one tomato, one basil leaf and one mozzarella pearl for an easy bite. With that said, you can add more or less of each ingredient as you wish! The pictures show them a few different ways.
Tip for Success
- Purchase high quality ingredients – the fresher the ingredients the more flavorful this appetizer will be. Since the ingredients are eaten fresh, we want them to be at their peak ripeness.
- Enjoy the day of – Again, because the ingredients are fresh, they should be eaten fairly soon after assembling. I don’t suggest assembling a day in advance.
- Serve room temperature – The flavors are much brighter and stronger when at room temperature.
Optional Flavor Twists
- Add a drizzle of pesto instead of balsamic glaze.
- Use marinated mozzarella balls for extra flavor.
- Include extra ingredients like prosciutto, olives or artichoke hearts if you want a heartier skewer.
Final Thoughts
These Caprese Salad Skewers are perfect if you need a simple appetizer. They can be served at a party, or be enjoyed over patio drinks. They’re elegant, beautiful, delicious and easy to make. They don’t need a ton of effort, but the result is stunning! Enjoy the sweet cherry tomatoes and creamy mozzarella. Savor the minty vibrant basil and sweet balsamic glaze. This appetizer is a flavor bomb waiting to be enjoyed!
Caprese Salad Skewers
Fresh tomatoes, mozzarella pearls and basil leaves are threaded onto a skewer then drizzle with balsamic glaze and seasoned with salt and pepper. The perfect party appetizer!
Ingredients
- 20 round cherry tomatoes
- 8 ounce container mozzarella balls
- 20 fresh basil leaves
- 1 cup balsamic vinegar (or a bottle of a balsamic glaze)
- 1 tablespoon sugar (optional if making the balsamic glaze from scratch. This will make the glaze a little sweeter)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Black pepper
- Salt
Instructions
- Assemble the skewers by adding a tomato, basil leaf (roll from one end to the other), and a mozzarella ball on medium-sized toothpicks. Drizzle with balsamic glaze, lightly drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- To make balsamic glaze, place balsamic vinegar and sugar (if using) in a small or medium sauce pan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat then reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer, stirring gently, until the vinegar has reduced by half. This can take about 10 minutes, but the time can vary based on cookware, burner and batch size. The glaze is done once it coats the back of the spoon. Take off the heat and let cool. The glaze will thicken quite a bit as it cools. If it's too thick, add a teaspoon of water and whisk to your desired consistency.
Notes
I personally like to make each skewer one bite which is why I like to use one tomato, one basil leaf and one mozzarella ball. However, if you have leftovers you can thread an additional tomato and basil leaf on each skewer if you would like.
Skewers can be made a few hours ahead of time and placed in the refrigerator covered. Remove 30 minutes before serving so they can come to room temperature.
You can enjoy leftovers, but they will not be as fresh.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
20Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving:Calories: 57Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 9mgSodium: 104mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 0gSugar: 3gProtein: 3g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated. Use as an approximation only.
Every party at my house can’t be without a nice caprese salad! Love it!
yeah!!
I made these for a party yesterday, and they were a big hit! This was a quick and easy receipe and easy to assemble, but looked kind of fancy and pleasing to the eye. The only change I made was to buy a 16 oz. package of fresh mozzerrella and cut it into sized squares. I was having trouble finding smaller mozerella balls, and it was more economical than the ones that I did find. I had two pints of cherry tomatoes and ended up with some of the cheese left over. Thank you!
great!!
Only change I would make is to cut the tomatoes in half. Made them for a party of 100 and received that feedback.
I have made the skewers four times this summer, and they’re always extremely well received! It’s definitely a staple recipe in my household now. Thanks so much!
You are so welcome!
I just wanted to say that Caprese anything is one of my favorites. I am making these for an appetizer party tonight. The only thing different is that I am not making the basalmic, but using a prepared basalmic reduction that I get at the grocery store. It is already cooked down. I can’t wait to taste the freshness of summer!
Hi Amy! I have not tried it so I can’t fully answer your question. I can assume that you can put everything but the spinach and shrimp in the crock pot and cook then add the shrimp and spinach in towards the end as shrimp cooks very very quickly. I don’t think it would be an 8 hour cook time either – may 2-3 hours on low. If you try it, let me know how it works out.
Hi Jessica!
Thank you for this recipe it is to die for! I made these a few weeks ago for an event and I will be making them again! I just love the balsamic vinegar and olive oil! It gives this recipe a WOW factor. Everyone at the event was impressed! I hope you don’t mind I wrote a short something about them in one of my blog posts:
http://www.caseysonlinekitchen.com/the-girls-custom-bra-fittings-trunk-show-event/
I have no complaints about this recipe and there is nothing i would change about it. You have talent! I am subscribing to your blog because I can’t wait to make another one of your recipes.
Hi Casey! Thank you so much for the kind comments! I am SO glad that you enjoyed the recipe and looking forward to hearing from you about my other recipes!
Gonna try making this for a party. Do you think it will taste good if prepared ahead of time?
I would assemble them before, cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge. Wait to add the balsamic vinegar until you’re ready to serve them. If you’re bringing them to a party, put the balsamic vinegar in a small container and bring it with you and simply spoon it on before you serve. Enjoy!
How creative! These look so delicious and pretty :).
Thank you! They are so fun and easy to make! 🙂
These look beautiful and so delicious. I love caprese!
Thanks Julia!!