Caprese Skewers Pesto Drizzle (Print)

Juicy tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and basil come together, finished with a zesty pesto drizzle perfect for gatherings.

# Components:

→ 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

# Directions:

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

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • No cooking required means you can make these while chatting with guests instead of being trapped by the stove.
  • The pesto comes together in under five minutes and tastes like you spent way more effort than you actually did.
  • They disappear faster than you can make them, which is always the sign of something worth repeating.
02 -
  • If you drizzle the pesto too early, the basil darkens and tastes slightly bitter—learned this the hard way at a dinner party when I got ahead of myself by an hour.
  • The magic of good pesto is not pulsing it into oblivion; you want to see the individual ingredients still visible, which keeps the flavor from becoming muddy.
03 -
  • A pinch of lemon zest added to your pesto keeps it bright and adds a layer of complexity that makes people wonder what your secret ingredient is.
  • If your cherry tomatoes are on the larger side, slice them in half and thread two halves cut-side inward for a more elegant presentation that shows off the red interior.
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