Caprese Skewers (gf, V) Recipe

Prepare ingredients

Rinse cherry tomatoes and basil leaves and pat dry thoroughly. Drain mozzarella balls and blot with paper towel to remove excess moisture.

Marinate mozzarella (optional)

If using the herbed mozzarella mix: in a small bowl combine minced oregano, thyme, garlic and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Toss the drained mozzarella balls gently to coat. Let sit 10–15 minutes at room temperature to absorb flavor.

Assemble skewers

Thread skewers in this order: 1 cherry tomato (whole), 1 basil leaf (folded if large), 1 mozzarella ball, then another basil leaf and finish with 1 cherry tomato. Repeat for all skewers (makes 24).

Dress skewers

Place assembled skewers on a serving platter. Drizzle the 2 tablespoons olive oil evenly over the skewers. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon fine sea salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, adjusting to taste.

Make the pesto by placing basil leaves, pine nuts, grated cheese, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a small food processor or blender. Pulse while slowly streaming in 6 tablespoons olive oil until a smooth but slightly textured sauce forms. Taste and adjust seasoning. If too thick, add 1 teaspoon water or more olive oil to reach desired consistency.

Transfer pesto to a small serving bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve; bring to room temperature 10 minutes before serving for best flavor.

Pour 1 cup balsamic vinegar into a small heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add 1 teaspoon brown sugar or honey if you prefer a slightly sweeter, glossier finish (optional). Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 1/4–1/3 cup and syrupy — approximately 12–18 minutes depending on heat and pan. Watch carefully to avoid burning.

When the reduction coats the back of a spoon and reaches desired thickness, remove from heat. It will thicken further as it cools. Let cool to near room temperature before drizzling over skewers.

Arrange skewers on a serving platter. Spoon or pipe small dollops of pesto alongside or over the skewers (use about 2–3 teaspoons pesto per skewer if you want them well sauced; reserve extra in a bowl). Drizzle balsamic reduction sparingly over the skewers — a light zigzag across the platter to avoid overpowering the pesto (about 1–2 teaspoons per 3–4 skewers).

Finish with a light sprinkle of flaky sea salt (about 1/2 teaspoon total) and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately at room temperature. Leftover pesto can be refrigerated up to 3 days; balsamic reduction keeps in a sealed container up to 2 weeks refrigerated.