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Why You’ll Love My Recipe

I love taking a classic and presenting it in a new and fun way! You can’t go wrong with the bright, summery tang of tomatoes paired with fragrant basil and creamy mozzarella, and skewering all of these ingredients together make for a perfect bite!

Looking for more easy-to-make appetizers that are perfect for the holiday season? Why not try making Antipasto Skewers? Or follow up this lovely little bite with my Stuffed Artichokes for a gorgeous starter to an Italian-themed dinner party!

Skewers of cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls, and basil leaves are arranged on a white plate. A drizzle of balsamic glaze is visible, and more tomatoes are in the background on a vine.

Karlynn’s Recipe Notes

Skill Level: This recipe is easy to make and fun to assemble! It’s a great way to get your kids into the kitchen!
Total Time: The whole appetizer comes together in about 20 minutes—after you’ve reduced the balsamic drizzle, the skewers assemble in no time!
Variations: Switch out the mozzarella in this recipe for little cubes of manchego or feta for a more Mediterranean flavor; or you could use regular sharp cheddar for something a little more comfy and familiar!
Tools For This Recipe: You’ll need bamboo skewers or sturdy toothpicks and a small, heavy bottomed pot (to make the balsamic reduction) for this recipe!

A hand reaches for a Caprese skewer on a white plate, featuring cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls, and basil leaves, drizzled with balsamic glaze. Other ingredients and glasses of water are visible around the plate.

What You’ll Need for Ingredients

Cherry Tomatoes: The fresh pop of cherry tomatoes gives this dish its summery vibrancy! Look for a variety that’s full of flavour, and for a little extra pizzazz, consider doing a mixture of red cherry tomatoes and gorgeous yellow sungolds!

Bocconcini: This recipe calls for the use of bocconcini, which are basically tiny balls of mozzarella cheese. They usually come packed in brine and have an incredibly supple, bouncy texture. If you can’t get this cheese, replace it with fresh mozzarella cut into bite-sized pieces!

Ingredients for a Caprese salad, including cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls, fresh basil leaves, black pepper, salt, sugar, balsamic vinegar, and wooden skewers arranged on a white surface.

Balsamic Vinegar: There is a wide array of balsamic vinegar out there—you’ll notice it comes in a host of different price points and qualities. Some people will swear by the highest-grade, D.O.P approved balsamic vinegar, but luckily for your bank balance, this recipe doesn’t need you to go that far! While a nicer balsamic vinegar would be nice for this recipe, since you’ll be boiling it (and adding honey or maple syrup), a truly excellent, super high-quality product would be totally wasted. Just use whatever bottle’s in your preferred price range, as it will work just fine for this recipe!

How To Make Caprese Skewers with Balsamic Drizzle

This is a quick overview of the recipe. The full list of ingredients & complete step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card below.

A saucepan filled with a dark liquid sits on a marble surface surrounded by mozzarella balls, basil leaves, cherry tomatoes, black pepper, sugar, toothpicks, and a blue-checked kitchen towel.

Caprese skewers with cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls, and basil are arranged on a wooden board. Surrounding the board are bowls of mozzarella, salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar, fresh basil, and whole cherry tomatoes.

Add the balsamic vinegar and honey/maple syrup to a small pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer for 10-15 minutes. Stir occasionally until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, then pour into a small bowl or glass jar and allow to cool.
Take a toothpick or skewer and thread a cheese ball onto it, followed by a basil leaf, and then a tomato. (The order doesn’t really matter, but the basil should be in the middle, or it may fall off of the skewer.)
Arrange your skewers onto a platter or serving plate and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Drizzle your balsamic reduction over everything and serve!

Skewers with cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls, and fresh basil leaves arranged on a white platter, drizzled with balsamic glaze. Plates, tomatoes, and mozzarella are in the background on a white surface.

Karlynn’s Tips and Tricks for the Perfect Caprese Skewers With Balsamic Drizzle

Fresh is Best: If you are a gardener and can grow tomatoes and basil in your climate, nothing beats fresh ingredients for a simple dish like this one! During the summer months, you can also check out the stalls at your local farmer’s market for gorgeous, locally-grown herbs and veggies that will really elevate this dish to something special!
A Dash of Something Special: There’s a good chance that you’ll have leftover balsamic drizzle when you’re done with this recipe, but fear not! A little drizzle of this balsamic reduction goes a long way to add delicious flavour to roasted or grilled vegetables, bruschetta, pizza, fruit—you name it! If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, try a little drizzle of it over a high-quality vanilla ice cream! You’ll be surprised by how well the flavors pair!

Skewers with cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls, and basil leaves are arranged on a white rectangular plate, drizzled with balsamic glaze. Surrounding the plate are fresh tomatoes, seasonings, a pitcher, and a blue checkered towel.

Storage Instructions

The point of this recipe is to use the freshest possible ingredients and serve them right away, so I wouldn’t recommend preparing these skewers in advance. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day, but the basil may wilt and lose some of its vibrancy and texture.

You can keep this balsamic reduction in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a month.

More Delicious Snack Recipes

For a fun bite that you can serve warm or cold, try my Pepperoni Bread!
Looking for a delicious hot appetizer instead? Give my Simply Delicious Stuffed Mushrooms a shot!
If you’re thinking about hosting and want to make a variety of low-effort appetizers, check out my guide to making Delicious and Easy Canapés!

I love turning simple dishes into bite-sized treats! It can really breathe new life and add a little excitement to something simple—like a simple salad of tomatoes, basil, and cheese. There’s just something special about finger foods that make them feel fancy, isn’t there?

Try out this lovely little bite at your next gathering and let me know how it went for you in the comments below! I always love to hear about your hosting and cooking adventures!

Happy Cooking!

Karlynn