Enjoy the flavors of the iconic Italian caprese salad in a simple caprese appetizer. They’re easy to pull together in a hurry for a delicious addition to a potluck meal or holiday buffet.
Looking for more ideas with an Italian flair? Check out this list of recipes!
Easy caprese appetizer skewers
You know how sometimes you need to pull a rabbit out of a hat and serve up something that seems fabulous when you honest to Pete just don’t have that much time?? This is it, folks.
You only need five ingredients to make these pretty little flavor bombs!
These appetizers bring together the flavors of a traditional caprese salad. Tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella come together with cooked tortellini to make these elegant looking but deceivingly simple appetizers.
You’ll need cocktail picks to make these cute little appetizers; these are longer than a standard toothpick. You want to be able to fit plenty of tasty goodness onto one of these mini skewers!
The only thing you’ll need to actually cook for this recipe is the tortellini. Get those cooking, then start assembling. Slide a cherry tomato onto the pick first, followed by a basil leaf then a cube of cheese.
When the tortellini are cooked and cooled, add those as the last “layer” on each of the assembled picks.
At this point, you can refrigerate the skewers for up to 24 hours (great for getting a head start!).
The crowning flavor for these easy appetizers is the balsamic glaze. You can use bottled glaze. This is readily available in Italian grocery stores but you may need to seek it out at gourmet shops if you’re not lucky enough to be in Italy right now. Or you can make your own balsamic glaze with this recipe.
When you’re ready to serve these appetizers, set them upright on a platter and drizzle each with a bit of balsamic glaze.
Need another appetizer? Try this classic cheese ball recipe.
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Easy Caprese Tortellini Skewers
These easy caprese appetizers are light and refreshing, perfect for any event.
Ingredients
- 1 pint red grape tomatoes
- Fresh basil leaves, cleaned and dried
- 16 oz package of whole milk fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into cubes
- 1 package of fresh or frozen ricotta and spinach tortellini (any flavor tortellini can be substituted, but this one is my favorite)
- 4-5 tablespoons balsamic vinegar glaze
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a light boil. Add the package of tortellini, and cook for approximately 12-14 minutes, or until al dente. Drain well, and set aside.
- Slide a red grape tomato onto a cocktail pick.
- Follw that with a single basil leaf, then a cube of fresh mozzarella cheese, and finally a single tortellini.
- Repeat process until all ingredients have been skewered.
- Arrange on a platter or tray with all skewers standing upright. Drizzle the balsamic glaze over each of the skewers.
Notes
You can assemble the skewers ahead of time and store in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Wait until serving before drizzling on the balsamic glaze.
