Simple Caprese Skewers
These caprese skewers are made with cherry tomatoes, basil and baby mozzarella balls. Your guests will love this simple summer appetizer!
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on June 4, 2025
These caprese skewers deserve a party! They’re fresh, simple and delicious. This recipe might be the perfect summertime appetizer, since the skewers are easy to make, easy to hold, and easy to eat. You can’t say that for most appetizers, which make mingling and eating at the same time a tricky business.
These skewers are a handheld version of caprese salad, requiring just a few basic ingredients: cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, small mozzarella balls, and a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. If you have kids around, I bet they’d love to help thread them.
I think we’ve all encountered a disappointing caprese salad made with subpar tomatoes, but the cherry tomatoes used in this recipe are almost always flavorful and vibrant. Even better if you’re growing cherry tomatoes in your garden—sun golds offer a fun pop of yellow color and amazing flavor.
Caprese Skewer Tips
Leave a small amount of space between each ingredient for some breathing room. If you have extra room on the skewer, arrange the ingredients closer to the pointed end to make them more bite-friendly.
Small-to-medium basil leaves work best because they have tender ribs. If you need to use larger leaves, tear them in half, pull out the thick rib, and fold them once before threading.
Serve these skewers with appetizer plates to catch any drips.
For a delicious twist on classic caprese skewers, try replacing some of the tomatoes with a ripe peach, cut into 1-inch chunks (no need to peel it first).
To make this recipe in advance, thread the skewers and store them in the refrigerator, covered, until about 20 minutes before serving (the tomatoes and cheese taste best at room temperature). Reserve the olive oil, balsamic vinegar and flaky salt until just before serving.
Serving Suggestions
This versatile summertime appetizer would be welcome at a wide variety of get-togethers—think casual cookouts, poolside parties and proper dinner parties. They’re also a delicious snack or light meal on their own. The mozzarella makes them surprisingly filling.
The skewers travel well if you can wait to drizzle them with olive oil and vinegar just before serving (otherwise they might look a little messy, though they’ll still be delicious).
Here are some suggestions to help build out your menu, featuring complementary summertime flavors without too much overlap:
- Fun salads: Mediterranean Bean Salad, Blistered Green Bean and Corn Quinoa Salad, Watermelon Salad with Feta and Mint or a simple green salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
- Pizzas: Ultimate Veggie Pizza, Arugula-Almond Pesto Pizza, Grilled Pizza or Greek Pizza
- Unexpected options: Green Goddess Tortellini Salad or Vegetable Paella
- Simple desserts: Clafoutis, Lemon Posset or Blueberry Almond Crisp
- Refreshing cocktails: Aperol Spritz, Classic Mojito, Gimlet Cocktail, The Best Red Sangria or Tom Collins Cocktail
More Simple Tomato Recipes
Tomato surplus? Lucky you! Here are a few more easy tomato recipes that will put them to good use:
- Caprese Pasta Salad
- Caprese Sandwich
- Easy Tomato Salad
- Heirloom Caprese Salad
- Mediterranean Tomato & Feta Dip
Please let me know how your skewers turn out in the comments. Be sure to share your summer party menus—I want to hear about them.
Caprese Skewers
These caprese skewers are made with cherry tomatoes, basil and baby mozzarella balls with a balsamic vinegar and olive oil drizzle. They’re the perfect summertime party appetizer. Your guests will love this recipe! This recipe yields about 20 little skewers.
Ingredients
- About 20 4- to 5-inch skewers
- 1 pint (2 cups) cherry tomatoes (smaller tomatoes are preferable)
- 8 ounces ciliegine (mini mozzarella balls), drained
- 1 small bunch of basil (smaller basil leaves are preferable; one ⅔ ounce container will do)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic reduction or thick balsamic vinegar
- Flaky sea salt or kosher salt, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Thread the following onto each skewer, leaving a bit of breathing room between each ingredient: one cherry tomato, one small basil leaf or half of a larger leaf (gently fold the leaf to keep it bite-sized if necessary), one ciliegine, another basil leaf (torn and folded if necessary), and one last tomato.
- Arrange the skewers onto a serving platter or plate. When you’re ready to serve, drizzle them lightly with the olive oil, then the balsamic reduction, and sprinkle flaky salt lightly all over them. Caprese skewers are best served immediately, but leftovers will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
Recipe inspired by Legends in Norman, Oklahoma. Recipe revised in 2025 to use a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and olive oil instead of a balsamic dipping sauce—the drizzle is less messy, which makes for a better serving experience.
Change it up: Substitute ripe peach for some or all of the tomatoes, pitted and cut into bite-sized pieces (you’ll need 1 peach to replace some of the tomatoes, or 2 large peaches to replace all of them).
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
I am a sucker for cute apps! Food thread on a tiny skewer?! Stop me now! Overplayed? I don’t care we are in the midst of tomato season and caprese is a must!
we just went peach picking — perfect!
They look good and taste amazing, I’m sure. Party food should be easy to eat and these are perfect.
These are so bright and cheery they are jumping off the page at me! Just love <3.
Thank you, Jessie! :)
LOVE the idea of adding peaches to these caprese skewers! What a lovely summer appetizer!!
These would look so beautiful on a picnic table. Simple, delicious and nutritious! My kind of summer eats!
They really would! Thanks, Amy!
Yum, a perfect summer party app!
Fantastic. Something as classic as caprese can never be overplayed. This time of year when tomatoes and basil are fresh and ready to be harvested in the garden, something like this is just perfect. I don’t know if I’ve ever put them on skewers, but it would make a great little app.
Yes! Sometimes a classic combination of tomato, mozz, and basil is all you need. Plus that peach! Such a great idea!
Amen! Thanks, Eileen!
Beautiful Photos! This looks sooo good:)
I love this ! I love the simplicity of them and the unique flavours. What an awesome idea. :-)
I love caprese skewers! Such an elegant and easy appetizer to serve, and guests always love them. Your balsamic glaze looks wonderful, too – I like the sweetness from the maple syrup. And no, you’re not the only one who doesn’t want to eat a big bunch of raw broccoli at a party!
I’m glad you liked the appetizers at the rehearsal dinner! :) And it’s a great idea to make these as a super easy snack as well as an appetizer! <3 Tessa
Thanks, Tessa! Loving the wedding photos you’ve been uploaded. Thanks for letting me play bridesmaid!
Can’t wait to try these! Yum!
Hope you love them, Deborah!
The day caprese goes out of style is a day I never want to see! Now pass me a skewer. :P
There’s nothing better than caprese anything in the summer, love these skewers!
Agreed! Thanks, Laura!
I’ve been looking for things that are easy to eat while sitting on the deck and these look perfect for that. Loving the idea of the peach bites — never would have thought of it.
I’m making these on Friday night :-)
I hope they turn out great, Winnie!
I will surely try this mix of ingredients. Peaches, cherry tomatoes and mozzarella balls?? My kinda healthy snack. Thanks for the idea, Kate! :)
These look AMAZING. Thanks for the share!
I made these skewers last night for a dinner party and they were beautiful as well as tasty! They were a huge hit and I would definitely make them again!
Thank you, Jody! Delighted to hear it!
Made these for a garden party and they were a huge hit! The peaches added a wonderful touch and really elevated the flavor. I made these several hours in advance and they held up nicely. Will definitely be making these for more parties.
Did you use maple syrup or honey in the balsamic dipping sauce?
Honey
That would’ve been my choice. I’ll be making these for a family party in a few weeks. Thanks!
I was looking for a good recipe for a Bunco party!! These are great!!
These are soooo good! Perfect for my bbq tomorrow! Thank you – I love all your recipes!
You’re welcome, Jennifer! These are perfect for summer. I hope they were a hit.
These were finished off right away! Delish. I made the sauce and wasn’t a big fan, next time I’ll try honey rather than maple syrup. But I did a balsamic reduction/glaze and drizzled that over. These apps make a beautiful presentation and the peaches were a great addition.
Great to hear, Loretta!
We served these skewers for a wedding party by making two topiaries that were placed at each end of the buffet table. The topiaries were made by putting fairly large and tall bamboo sticks stabilized in flower pots with styrofoam balls (covered in cabbage) on top then pushing the end of the skewers into the balls leaving enough of the other end of the skewer for guests to serve themselves. It was a stunning display and elicited lots of favorable comments.