This easy caprese bites recipe pairs prosciutto with all the fresh flavors you love from a traditional caprese salad for a colorful and elegant appetizer or snack that can be prepared in just a few minutes.
A traditional caprese salad is composed of fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, fresh basil, and finished with a dash of salt and a drizzle of olive oil. In salad form, the mozzarella and tomatoes are typically served slices and topped with fresh basil leaves, then eaten with a fork. These caprese bites retain the essence of the salad by using the traditional components, but here, we use colorful cherry tomatoes and small mozzarella balls known as bocconcini. Simply thread them onto large toothpicks with fresh basil and a slice of prosciutto, then drizzle with balsamic glaze. Caprese bites offer a fresh pop of flavor with the perfect ratio of salty and sweet!
Why You’ll Love Caprese Bites
Fast & Easy – There’s no chopping or cooking required here, just assemble the bites by threading the ingredients onto toothpicks.
Fresh – The whole, fresh ingredients are healthy, light, and flavorful.
Versatile – Caprese bites are pretty to look at, especially when you use brightly colored cherry tomatoes. You can serve these as an elegant appetizer at an adult dinner party, but they are equally enjoyed as an after school snack for the kids.
Minimal Cleanup – The only dish you need for these is the platter they are served on. Once they are gone (and they will be!) just pop the platter in the dishwasher.
Caprese Bites Ingredients Notes
- Mozzarella: Use fresh mozzarella here. You can get a container of small mozzarella balls, sometimes labeled as pearls, ciliegine, or bocconcini.
- Basil: Fresh is best! Get stems that have vibrantly colored leaves that are not wilted.
- Tomatoes: You can use any kind of baby or cherry tomatoes. I love using the colorful packages with reds, yellows, purples, and oranges, but you are free to stick with just red if you prefer.
- Prosciutto: Prosciutto is dry-cured and uncooked and sliced very thin. You can use your favorite brand.
- Balsamic Glaze: You can buy balsamic glaze from the grocery store, and you’ll usually find it near the olive oil. If you have the extra time, you can easily make your own balsamic reduction to use instead!
Refer to the Caprese Bites Appetizer recipe card below for a complete ingredients list with measurements.
How To Make Caprese Bites
- Prep Mozzarella – If it is in liquid, drain the mozzarella and pat dry.
- Assemble – Using large toothpicks, thread on a tomato, a basil leaf, a piece of prosciutto folded up into a biteable size, and a mozzarella ball. Place on serving platter.
- Alternative assembly – Another way to assemble is to lay a slice of prosciutto on the cutting board. Place a halved baby tomato and a mozzarella ball in the center. Lay a basil leaf over the cheese and tomato, then wrap the prosciutto tightly around to hold it all together and secure with a toothpick.
- Finish – Drizzle the bites with balsamic glaze, or serve it as a dip in a small dish on the side.
Variations, Substitutions, and Cooking Tips
Go vegetarian – If you prefer a vegetarian option, you can leave the prosciutto off.
Swap the protein – Want something different? Try it with smoked salmon instead of prosciutto.
Dipping sauces – If balsamic glaze isn’t your thing, you can serve caprese bites with pesto or chimichurri sauce instead.
Make ahead – You can make these caprese bites up to 12 hours ahead of time, just hold off on the balsamic until it is time to serve.
Storage – Keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator until it’s is time to serve them.
Add fruit – Add a touch of fruit to your caprese bites skewers. Strawberries, peaches, oranges, and melon will all work well.
Skewer options – You can use heavy duty toothpicks, but if you want something fancier, check the picnic and kitchen tools section at the grocery store to find different styles of picks and skewers.
Shelf life – If you are going to have caprese bites sitting out for more than two hours, keep them chilled. Consider placing the serving platter over a bowl of ice.
Swap the basil – You can use mint or spinach in place of basil to experiment with different flavors.
Caprese Bites
This easy caprese bites recipe pairs prosciutto with all the fresh flavors you love from a traditional caprese salad for a colorful and elegant appetizer or snack that can be prepared in just a few minutes.
Ingredients
- 24 cherry tomatoes
- 24 basil leaves
- 24 small mozzarella balls
- 12 slices prosciutto (sliced in half)
- 2 tbsp balsamic glaze
Instructions
- If mozzarella is in liquid, drain and pat dry.
- Place tomatoes, basil leaves, mozzarella and prosciutto on large toothpicks, and arrange on a serving tray.
- Drizzle with balsamic syrup and serve. (Alternatively, you can put the balsamic syrup in a small dish and allow guests to dip the bites into the syrup).
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