Caprese Skewers Pesto Drizzle (Printable)

Juicy tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and basil on skewers with a fresh pesto drizzle.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Skewers

01 - 12 cherry tomatoes
02 - 12 mini mozzarella balls (bocconcini)
03 - 12 fresh basil leaves
04 - 12 small wooden or bamboo skewers

→ Pesto Drizzle

05 - 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
06 - 2 tablespoons pine nuts
07 - 1 small garlic clove
08 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
09 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

# How-To Steps:

01 - Thread one cherry tomato, one mozzarella ball, and one basil leaf onto each skewer. Arrange the skewers on a serving platter.
02 - In a food processor, combine basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, and Parmesan. Pulse until finely chopped.
03 - With the processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the pesto reaches a smooth consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
04 - Drizzle the pesto over the assembled skewers immediately before serving.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • These come together in fifteen minutes flat, which means you can actually enjoy your guests instead of being stuck in the kitchen.
  • The contrast of cool, creamy mozzarella against juicy warm tomatoes with that herbaceous pesto bite is genuinely addictive.
02 -
  • Don't let the basil for your pesto come into contact with a cutting board or anything metal longer than necessary—this bruises the leaves and turns them dark and bitter within minutes.
  • If you over-process the pesto, it'll heat up from friction and lose that bright green color and fresh flavor, so pulse gently and stop the moment it looks right rather than waiting for total smoothness.
03 -
  • If your basil starts to wilt before you use it, stand the stems in a glass of water at room temperature like you would with flowers—it'll perk right back up within an hour.
  • Warm tomatoes taste infinitely better than cold ones, so pull them from the counter rather than the fridge, and your pesto will actually coat them instead of sliding off.
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