This is a great, easy finger appetizer. I came up with it because I love Caprese but it was difficult to serve at large parties. Putting the same ingredients on a toothpick yielded great results.
These are the best for a health conscious appetizer, but to help kick up the flavor, try adding and reducing balsamic vinegar. To reduce your vinegar, pour into a small saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat constantly stirring to prevent scorching the vinegar. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the vinegar has reduced by half. Set aside, and cool to room temperature. When ready to serve, drizzle over the appetizer. For different variations/flavor try adding garlic, red pepper flakes, etc., while reducing. Note: the vinegar will naturally sweeten as it reduces and will keep for months properly stored.
Read MoreMine did not turn out too well. The cheese is what did it. I marinated mine in balsamic vinegar as suggested by other reviewers. Not the best flavor for me. The tomatoes and basil were great. It all fit on a toothpick perfectly and looked beautiful as a side for a pasta dish my husband made. Just the cheese. Because it looked so good and I did not follow the directions perfectly, I will try again. Next time I will use small squares of mozzarella and not marinade or add until time to serve. Should be a quick and easy fix. I will also drizzle with olive oil, sparingly, just before serving. At that point I will update my review.
Read MoreThese are the best for a health conscious appetizer, but to help kick up the flavor, try adding and reducing balsamic vinegar. To reduce your vinegar, pour into a small saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat constantly stirring to prevent scorching the vinegar. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the vinegar has reduced by half. Set aside, and cool to room temperature. When ready to serve, drizzle over the appetizer. For different variations/flavor try adding garlic, red pepper flakes, etc., while reducing. Note: the vinegar will naturally sweeten as it reduces and will keep for months properly stored.
Thank you, ALZ. These were delicious and oh so easy. I did, however, add to each toothpick a quarter of a slice of thinly cut prosciutto and drizzled the lot with garlic-infused olive oil to kick it up a bit.
I made this, but I used long skewers and repeated the pattern a couple of times then put them in a clear wide mouth vase filled with marbles for display it was the talk of the party, beautiful and delicious!
I have made this appetizer many times. I use the mozzarella balls that come in a marinated oil. I then drizzle some balsamic vinagrette salad dressing over the finished product. This just adds a bit more flavor. The are very well received everywhere I take them!
This was just the perfect addition to our breakfast plate this morning. Cheese, basil and tomatoes are not something either Hubs or I would make a point to snack on, so this was an ideal way to get us both to eat something good for us - not to mention they looked kinda cute on the plate. I didn't halve the cherry tomatoes - I thought they looked prettier whole. The fresh mozzarella balls are called bocconcini and are packed in a watery brine. They're worth seeking out to make these.
So simple, yet so delicious! This makes a great little appetizer not only for its color but also for its freshness and flavor. I left the cherry tomatoes whole and these were perfect served with wine and crusty Italian bread.
These are so good! I marinated my mozzarella pearls in an Italian dressing made with balsamic vinegar over night. Got soooo many rav reviews, and requests for the recipe. Thank you for such a flavor full and fun one bite idea.
The 1st time I made this I followed it to a tee but the 2nd time I poked a few little holes in the sides of the tomatoes with a toothpick. They absorbed better & quicker I think. ?
I bought the mozzarella already flavored with spices and in oil so I skipped the olive oil, salt/pepper step and it turned out fantastic. I love Caprese and think this is a great idea! Next time I may add a bit of basalmic out of my own preference but really, this was a good, quick snack that all enjoyed.
I bought the mozzarella already flavored with spices and in oil so I skipped the olive oil, salt/pepper step and it turned out fantastic. I love Caprese and think this is a great idea! Next time I may add a bit of basalmic out of my own preference but really, this was a good, quick snack that all enjoyed.
So delicious and cute! I love Caprese salads, and make them often in the summer. I never tried making these little appetizers, and they are so easy and look so pretty on a platter. I didn't half the tomatoes I left them whole. Next time I make these, I'm going to use the marinated mozzarella balls, and use the seasoned oil from them to drizzle over these. A splash of balsamic with the olive oil is good also. Thanks for sharing this :)
I made this for the New Years Eve party my husband and I attended. Everyone absolutely loved them! Instead of olive oil, I drizzled a really thick balsamic vinegar over them.
I chopped the basil leaves up and halved the tomatoes and mozzarella. Then I put all three items in a ziploc bag with the oil (I used garlic infused oil), salt and pepper and let it sit overnight before putting on toothpicks/skewers. The flavors blend together all the more when you let it sit for a while first.
This is great to bring to parties or to make as a quick and fresh snack. Sometimes I use the colorful mini heirloom tomatos from Trader Joes. I also like to buy their marinated fresh mozzarella balls and I cut the in half and sandwich two pieces of fresh basil and a tomato in the middle on a plastic toothpick. I lightly drizzle some balsamic vinegar over them before serving.
Beautiful presentation and a major hit at the party! I used 1 tblsp balsamic vinegar, 3 tblsp EVO, and ground pepper, no salt, and left the cherry tomatoes whole. Excellent...thank you for a quick, easy, recipe that made me look soooooooo good!
These were awesome. I took them to a wine tasting party. Only thing different I did was add a splash of balsamic. Every one LOVED them and they look so pretty on the platter.
I give this recipe a 5 star because not only was it delicious, but it was so EASY, my favorite ingredient for a recipe. I followed the recipe as is, using boconccini mozerella balls, and I added balsamic vinegar and marinated for approx 3 hours before serving. I wish that I had time to take a picture, but they were such a hit that they were gone in minutes. Next time I'll add a salami cube - yum!
Mine did not turn out too well. The cheese is what did it. I marinated mine in balsamic vinegar as suggested by other reviewers. Not the best flavor for me. The tomatoes and basil were great. It all fit on a toothpick perfectly and looked beautiful as a side for a pasta dish my husband made. Just the cheese. Because it looked so good and I did not follow the directions perfectly, I will try again. Next time I will use small squares of mozzarella and not marinade or add until time to serve. Should be a quick and easy fix. I will also drizzle with olive oil, sparingly, just before serving. At that point I will update my review.
I really liked this one. I added a pitted italian olive and it gave it a nice taste.
Very good appetizer! I made one recipe for an appetizer for a friend's dinner party, and this was more than enough for a party of 12...
Something so simple, yet so good! This is great when you tons of tomatoes and basil in the garden.
These were simple to make and looked great on the platter. Everyone loved them. I will definately make these again. The used the olive oil with spices from the fresh mozzarella package to drizzle on them. Thanks.
Yum, easy snack with ingredients that I usually have on hand. I did sprinkle balsamic with the olive oil. Thanks!
Yum! I had everything on hand for these, minus the cherry tomatoes, so I just cut up a regular tomato and used that. These were so cute and very tasty! Yes, they would be perfect for a party! I will be making these again. Thanks for sharing. :)
I make these all the time for parties. People rave over them and they are so easy. For more color, you can use the gold/yellow tomatoes or the heirloom tomatoes, too. I usually use grape tomatoes and leave them whole.
I made a huge platter of these great little appetizers for my granddaughter's graduation party. Drizzled a mix of olive oil and balsamic over them. They were gone in no time! The freshness of flavors and colors are what makes them a great healthy appetizer.
Absolutely delicious! I could easily eat an entire plate myself. I ended up making them like tiny sandwiches with a half of tomato on top, mozarella and basil in the middle, and another half tomato at the end. It all fit nicely on one toothpick.
Made these for a bbq tonight and they went over really well. Simple and delicious, not to mention a beautiful presentation! I used the suggestion to reduce the balsamic, which I served on the side so guests could drizzle their own. Next time I'd like to try these with a drizzle of garlic-infused oil and a sprinkling of sea salt. I see myself making a meal of these, a baguette, and a lovely Pinot Noir very soon!
I had this appetizer several years ago at the wedding of a cousin in Italy --- the groom is a chef and has a restaurant on the Italian Riviera. At the wedding, the "Caprese" was offered on a skewer, the tomatoes being a bit larger than our "cherry tomatoes" - and - there were two of everything separated by a basil leaf (not folded). We have made these many times since, using a toothpick with small tomatoes and tiny mozzarella balls for a cocktail party "finger food" --- and using a skewer for serving with a dinner. I can tell you this, as I am sure you have heard many times, an essential of the Italian table has always been that the ingredients are the stars and are used when in season, bought from weekly itinerant farmers' street markets. In Italy, "picked-fresh" tomatoes are very accessible and plentiful, and so this "appetizer" is not a big problem for the 140 plus wedding guests. There is no vinegar involved --- the "fresh-picked" tomatoes were delectable on their own (as they are here when in season) and so the fresh mozzarella and basil (Liguria is famous for its basil, and it was there that Pesto was born). The only thing that is used is the best Olive Oil and fresh lemon juice, with a bit of salt, if desired - and, as I recall, this is true when this "salad" is served in Capri, where it originated, as well as other places in that area. Of course, one can "tweak" any recipe to taste - just thought I'd contribute to the discussion, for what it's worth.
Great to take to someone's house for dinner or a party. Quick to make, easy to transport.
A very easy recipe to put together. I buy grape tomatoes & mozzarella balls at the warehouse clubs then use the smallest of each from the packages whole. They can be made well in advance this way.
This is a great appetizer and goes over well with kids and adults. I threaded another piece of basil and the other half of the cherry tomato at the bottom. It really looked pretty, but I felt it could use a little something 'extra' so I drizzled with balsamic vinegar in addition to the oil. Perfect...5 stars with that addition.
Brought these to a party and they were a hit! I used mozzarella "pearls" and marinated them & the tomatoes in olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
I did a "deconstructed" caprese because I have some who do not like tomatoes. Everyone could build their own. I did put a little Italian dressing, salt and pepper to add flavor. The mozzarella balls are pretty plain.
This was so good! I left the cherry tomatoes whole and couldn't find any boccocini, so I just cut up a block of mozzarella into cubes. After skewering, I marinated them overnight with the olive oil, salt, and pepper, and added a few fresh sprigs of rosemary. It came out perfect and these were a hit at my New Years party. I used 4 inch bamboo skewers and ended up with about 24 skewers, each one using 2 cherry tomatoes, 2 cubes of cheese, and 1-2 basil leaves (some of which I cut in half becuase mine were kind of huge).
I had to do a dinner party for my wife's 30th birthday and the theme was italian food. I wanted to do a Caprese salad but wanted something that could be eaten by hand as part of an appetizer spread. I jazzed this up a bit adding some salad oil bottles of Olive oil and basalmic vinegar for people to sprinkle on these. They were a huge hit!
I make something similar as a garnish for bloody marys on long skews but use whole grape tomatoes & sprinkle lightly w/dry italian dressing mix before the olive oil, adding a little balsamic, pepperoni, pickles, jalapenos, banana peppers, shrimp, etc. I usually let them marinate overnight
This recipe is also great with cubes of Feta cheese. The Feta gives it a nice kick of saltiness. However, I like making this into a salad, and toss in sliced black olives with the basil, cherry tomatoes and small mozzarella balls. Suppose a pitted black olive would work with this too. We live in the Mediterranean and this is a standard dish when having guests with grilled meats and fresh aglio e olio pasta.
I made these for our family reunion this past weekend. I bought sweet Lebanon sliced a half inch thick and used my apple corer to cut little circles. Then I threaded the picks with tomatoes, mozzarella balls, basil, then the Lebanon circles. Everyone enjoyed them.
These were tasty and presented well. I did use balsamic dressing instead of olive oil and also followed some previous reviewers by using marinated mozzarella for more flavour. Couldn't be simpler to make and everyone loved them. Give them a try...
This was a great idea. I added a black olive to each of my skewers (I had tiny bamboo skewers) as I didn't have any fresh basil. I did black olive, boconcinni with a grape cherry tomato on the end. I then marinated the skewers in some leftover balsamic dressing I had. They were great.
I had these at a friends house and they were wonderful! I've always been a caprese salad fan, but having these as bite sized appetizers is awesome, you get the full flavor from all the ingredients with each bite!
The only thing I changed was to add some splashes of balsamic vinegar as others suggested. So simple and so yummy!!
These are wonderful! The only mozz balls I could find were marinated so used those and it was still amazing. Other than that, I followed the recipe exactly. It didn't take very long to put together. Made these ahead of time and they kept just fine in the fridge. They also made a beautiful presentation. These got so many compliments at our party. I doubled the recipe and they were gone in no time. Can't wait to make these again!!
I've done this too, so I agree that it's a great way to serve this dish. The only difference with mine is that I roast a minced garlic clove and mix it with the olive oil before drizzling.
Very good! The boyfriend and I very much enjoyed this as an appetizer to a nummy steak dinner!
Made these tonight for an appetizer and they're delicious. I mixed a little balsamic vinegar with the olive oil to give it a little extra zip - so good!
I have taken this one step further by making the salad on a long bamboo skewer. I then stuff a cylinder-type pitcher/glass with chopped kale and stick the skewers in the kale, making a decorative centerpiece as well as a delicious appetizer.
i served these differently and they were still delicious - i just put the cherry tomatoes and mozzarella on skewers, and served them with a bowl of pesto for dipping. :)
Easy, delicious and beautiful on the plate. I used Wish-Bone Salad Spritzers (Balsamic Breeze) to season.
This a simple yet different appetizer. I could not find a package of plain mozzarella balls so used pre-marinated ones and skipped the 'drizzle' oil over the entire thing. They are absolutely delicious and very colorful. Love them!!
Very easy to prepare, delicious to eat starter for our Murder Mystery dinner! All suspects/guests loved it!
Wonderful, but I added balsamic vinegar to the ingredient list and drizzled it over the appetizers along with the olive oil. Caprese isn't caprese without balsamic.
These were surprisingly the hit of our housewarming party! I have to say, they were a pain to assmble but there is something about the flavors of caprese that just cannot be beat. I made a TON of these and they are really beautiful laid out on a pretty platter.
This recipe is amazing and was a hit! I used marinated mozzarella balls and cut them in half. I skipped the olive oil and drizzled the oil from the mozzarella balls over the top of the skewers. On the side I had a bowl of balsamic vinagraite dressing for dipping. It was fabulous!
I was asked to bring the appetizers for a party recently at a home where the hostess often serves caprese salad. So the toothpicks seemed like a great, simplified serving idea! I made just some slight modifications: since I had globe basil(very tiny leaves)in my garden, I threaded grape tomatoes & mozzarella balls on the toothpicks, stood them in a glass pie plate, sprinkled them liberally with basil leaves, & then drizzled them with olive oil & about a tablespoon of soy sauce. (The soy is an addition my girlfriend always uses & it provides a nice extra note of salty acidity.) The guests loved them & all commented on the convenience of the sticks!
I used whole grape tomatoes and even though they were small, I should've halved them because this should be eaten in one bite. With a whole tomato, even though it was small, it was too big for one bite when paired with the little cheese ball. Looks Christmasy with the red & green!
This is a really tasty recipe & I really liked it! Although it can improve by not being on a stick & just being normal. I'd recomend adding olives too.
This recipe reminds me of an appetizer we had at The Mission Grille in Sister Bay in Door County, WI. Definitely drizzle reduced basalmic vinegar. There are many wonderful flavored basalmic vinegars on the market. Just simmer on low heat and stir until reduced to syrup consistency.
So simple, always elegant! I am one of those who drizzles with the balsamic glaze (though I generally have it on hand from Trader Joe's and don't make my own!) I lay them out on a lovely white rectangular platter and they are always a hit!
A friend made these and they were impressive looking and quite good. She wished she had drizzled them with balsamic vinegar. I might also add some chunks of French bread.
Instead of using all extra virgin olive oil, I cut the amount in half and added in equal amounts of a quality balsamic vinegar. I also could not find mozzerella balls in my neck of the woods, I used mozzerella chunks. The family loved these.
I had this same appetizer at a party. Delicious!! I have made this with the addition of sun dried tomatoes and olives as well. I also add a splash of balsamic. A wonderful appetizer that gets eaten up quickly.
Thanks! Easy to make, beautiful to look at on a plate when arranged nicely and much easier to eat at parties than the actual salad form. Everyone loved it. I read the reviews and used the pre-marinaded mozzarella balls, grape tomatoes and sprinkled balsamic vinegar over top before serving.
A very good and insanely simple appetizer. I served with fresh mozzarella cut into 1/2 x 1 inch chunks and some balsamic on the side so it could be spooned onto anybodys plate who wanted it. Appetizers and balsamic disappeared so fast that I barely got a couple for myself. Good thing I make a habit of snacking in the kitchen!
These are a quick, easy & delicious app that everyone loves! Looks beautiful on a plate with fresh ingredients. I drizzle a balsamic reduction on top (boil 1 C balsamic vinegar w/ 1/4 C honey) still add some
I made this at our last barbeque and it was a huge success! I drizzled it with Balsamic glaze and it was the perfect addition to our vegan/vegetarian/carnivores slider party. Nom nom.
This is my new favorite appetizer recipe. With simple preparation and just a few ingredients, these are great for last minute gatherings. I love that they are both flavorful and healthy. I will be making this A LOT! Thanks for the great recipe!
It's simple, pretty and easy! I had my3 year old assembled this dish. He was super excited to help!
I made half a batch exactly as the recipe called for and half drizzling with reduced balsamic vinegar. The half I made according to the recipe was spectacular! The half drizzled with balsamic vinegar and olive oil was awful. The balsamic vinegar conflicted with the flavor of the fresh mozzarella.. or something. I'm not sure what the conflict was but there definitely was one. While it sounded like a good idea that half of the batch was inedible. But the ones made according to the recipe - what a treat! They were packed full of flavor. The only thing I used that was different in mine was sea salt rather than regular salt. Not a big enough change to alter the taste. It's just what I keep on hand. A note: When it says drizzle the olive oil over the top... use a light hand. A tiny bit of olive oil is all that's needed.
Delicious and easy. Trickiest part is pronouncing it (I always forget how to pronounce this word for some reason.. "cah-PREHY-zay": for my future reference :-) I used a marinated mozzarella so didn't add salt, pepper, or oil. Will chuck on a splash of balsamic next time. I used fancy cherry tomatoes which were a variety of types/colors but the best tasting were definitely the red cherry tomatoes- so I will stick with red in future. I used slightly-longer-than toothpick-length, skewer size (fat) wooden picks and they were perfect. Quite yummy! Thank you!
These were good - I marinated the mozzarella in balsamic vinaigrette the night before to give some extra flavor.
Awesome way to make for a party. Most had never tasted the salad, thought is was great.
These were awesome! I didn't drizzle with olive oil (just a personal preference), but they were still great without it! Thanks for the recipe!
I love caprese salad, and love how handy this is for parties. I slice the grape tomatoes in half, ditto for small balls of mozarella, then add olive oil, s&p, torn basil (the pieces stick to the tomatoe and mozarella) and balsamic viniegar. I can't do caprese without any vinegar! I thread regular toothpicks with the tomato and mozarella. At parties, there is never any left!!
These were yummy and beautiful but a word of caution, I took them to a party that was about an hour away and the car must have been too warm because when we got there and I took the plastic wrap off the cheese was kind of melted and really mushy. They still tasted great but didn't look quite as pretty as when I made them!
Made these for a housewarming party, both plates disappeared very quick. I bought the mozzarella balls that were already marinated which gave it more flavor and also placed each caprese ontop of sliced baget then drizzled olive oil infused with garlic n herb which alone is VERY addicting!
Very tasty for a simple, very fast appetizer. I did add a splash of balsamic vinegar for some tang. Will make again.
So simple and delicious. I love being able to grab the fresh basil and tomatoes out of my garden for this recipe. You might have a tendency to grab the block packaged mozzarella cheese but please skip that urge and do yourself a favor and buy the fresh called for. You won't regret it. So yummy!
Used four-inch toothpicks (the kind with little cellophane frills) and Costco's marinated mozzarella balls. I left the smaller tomatoes whole and halved the others. A drop of olive oil, a bit of salt and pepper. Tasted yummy and disappeared in no time at the church picnic.
Brilliant idea. I made these for my party last week. They were gone in minutes! I used plum tomatoes and halved them. So bottom bit was bottom half of the tomato, then a mozzarella pearl, 1 basil leaf and other half of the tomato. I placed them in a shallow bowl in a circle with a smaller dipping bowl in the middle with olive oil and very good quality balsamic vinegar. Instant hit and so easy!
I would recommend using pre-marinated mozzarella balls. This was VERY bland using un-marinated mozzarella balls. The olive oil and salt and pepper aren't enough to flavor them.
