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    You are here: Home / Recipes / Appetizers / Tomato, Pesto and Mozzarella Skewers

    Tomato, Pesto and Mozzarella Skewers

    Published on Jun 27, 2018 · Last updated on Aug 24, 2021 ·

    2.1K shares
    Jump to Recipe
    Collage of two photos showing tomato, pesto and mozzarella skewers on a white plate, and a hand holding a skewer being prepared.

    An easy 4-ingredient appetizer you can prepare in just a few minutes. These tomato, pesto and mozzarella skewers are a real crowd-pleaser! Perfect for summer entertaining - or anytime of the year!

    Five tomato, pesto and mozzarella skewers on a white plate, with grape tomatoes and wooden skewers in the background.

    I like to call these skewers "Italy on a stick" because they combine some of the best flavors this country has to offer: ripe, juicy tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and basil pesto!

    And did you notice it's also the colors of the flag? I'm telling you – Italy, straight in your very own kitchen!

    Every time I make these skewers, people rave about them. They're delicious, people are happy and it only takes 15 minutes give or take to make.

    How to make tomato, pesto and mozzarella skewers - step by step

    Well, that's going to be quick to explain because it is SO easy!

    First, add the basil pesto and the mozzarella balls (aka bocconcini) to a bowl and mix until the balls are fully covered with pesto.

    Resist eating them all – it's going to be tempting.

    Collage of two pictures showing basil pesto and mozzarella balls in a white bowl, and mozzarella bowls covered in basil pesto in a white bowl.

    Prepare your mini-skewers and thread one tomato onto a skewer. Add one pesto covered mozzarella ball, then another tomato and finish with another mozzarella ball.

    If your mozzarella balls are pretty big (say, the size of your tomatoes), you can use only one ball per skewer: one tomato, then one ball, and finish with a tomato.

    Repeat until you run out of tomatoes and bocconcini.

    That's it! See, it told you it was easy! 😉

    Hand holding a tomato, pesto and mozzarella skewer being made, with cherry tomatoes, pesto covered mozzarella balls and wooden skewers in the background.

    A few tips to make these tomato, pesto and mozzarella skewers!

    • Make ahead: I don't recommend prepping these too much ahead because the bocconcini will dry out and if you're using homemade pesto it will brown too much. You can prep them a couple of hours before but not the day before.
    • Pesto: Homemade pesto is a lot more flavorful than store-bought pesto so I prefer to use that whenever I can (here's the link to my recipe) but using the bottled stuff is fine too. Try to buy the brand with the highest basil percentage on the ingredients list for more flavor.
    • Mozzarella balls / Bocconcini: Mozzarella balls aka bocconcini come in a lot of different sizes. The one I used for the pictures were pretty small so I preferred to use two per skewer. If yours are bigger, you could only use one per skewer. Ideally, they'd match the size of your tomatoes.

    Five tomato, pesto and mozzarella skewers on a white plate, with pesto, grape tomatoes and wooden skewers in the background.

    If you tried these tomato, pesto and mozzarella skewers, don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how it went in the comments below – I love hearing from you! You can also follow me on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook for more deliciousness and behind-the-scenes!

    Five tomato, pesto and mozzarella skewers on a white plate, with grape tomatoes and wooden skewers in the background.
    5 from 6 votes
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    Tomato, Pesto and Mozzarella Skewers

    An easy 4-ingredient appetizer you can prepare in just a few minutes. These tomato, pesto and mozzarella skewers are a real crowd-pleaser! Perfect for summer entertaining - or anytime of the year!

    Course Appetizer
    Cuisine Italian
    Keyword #easyappetizer, #healthyappetizer, #summerappetizer
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Total Time 15 minutes
    Servings 5 people - 10 mini skewers
    Calories 200 kcal

    Ingredients

    • ¼ cup basil pesto homemade is best but store-bough works too! click the link for the recipe
    • 20 mini mozzarella balls 10 if they are big. They are also called bocconcini. You can used cubed mozzarella instead.
    • 20 cherry tomatoes
    • 10 wooden mini-skewers or toothpicks

    Instructions

    1. In a small bowl, combine pesto and mozzarella balls. Mix until balls are well covered with pesto.
    2. Thread one tomato onto a skewer. Add one pesto covered mozzarella ball, then another tomato and finish with another mozzarella ball. If you are using large mozzarella balls, you can use only one ball per skewer (one tomato, then one ball, and finish with a tomato).

    3. Repeat with remaining ingredients until you have 10 skewers. Serve immediately or store in the fridge covered until ready to serve (see notes just below).

    Recipe Notes

    • Make ahead: I don't recommend prepping these too much ahead because the bocconcini will dry out and if you're using homemade pesto it will brown too much. You can prep them a couple of hours before but not the day before.
    • Pesto: Homemade pesto is a lot more flavorful than store-bought pesto so I prefer to use that whenever I can (here's the link to my recipe) but using the bottled stuff is fine too. Try to buy the brand with the highest basil percentage on the ingredients list for more flavor. 
    • Mozzarella balls / Bocconcini: Mozzarella balls aka bocconcini come in a lot of different sizes. The one I used for the pictures were pretty small so I preferred to use two per skewer. If yours are bigger, you could only use one per skewer. Ideally, they'd match the size of your tomatoes. 
    Nutrition Facts
    Tomato, Pesto and Mozzarella Skewers
    Amount Per Serving (2 skewers)
    Calories 200 Calories from Fat 144
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 16g25%
    Saturated Fat 4g25%
    Cholesterol 21mg7%
    Sodium 163mg7%
    Potassium 148mg4%
    Carbohydrates 3g1%
    Sugar 2g2%
    Protein 11g22%
    Vitamin A 585IU12%
    Vitamin C 15.5mg19%
    Calcium 227mg23%
    Iron 0.5mg3%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    More appetizer recipes:

    • Homemade Pita Chips with Mint Yogurt Dip
    • Parmesan, Oregano and Pine Nut Melts
    • Pomegranate Hummus

    More pesto recipes:

    • How to Make Homemade Basil Pesto (including lots of variations)
    • Caprese Pesto Pasta Salad
    • Roasted Potatoes and Lentil Salad with Lemony Pesto
    • Pesto Panko Crusted Fish
    • Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms With Ricotta, Pesto And Grilled Haloumi

    UPDATE NOTE: This post was originally published on July 17, 2012 and republished in June 2018 with an updated recipe, new photos and more tips.

    « Easy Coffee Granita
    Caprese Pesto Pasta Salad »
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Michelle

      June 27, 2018 at 7:41 pm

      I LOVE pesto. This looks like a perfect simple appetizer for summer with fresh juicy garden tomatoes!

    2. Cindy @ The Sweet Nerd

      June 27, 2018 at 8:03 pm

      Thanks for the pesto recipe - I love homemade pesto so much. Easy app - thanks!

    3. ali randall

      June 27, 2018 at 9:34 pm

      What a great idea to marinate the mozzarella in pesto. This is the best way to present caprese kabobs at any party.

    4. Amy | The Cook Report

      June 27, 2018 at 9:51 pm

      You just can't beat this flavour combination, so perfect for summer!

    5. Britt | Sweet Tea and Thyme

      June 27, 2018 at 10:49 pm

      What a perfect summer appetizer! We're planning a party and I am definitely putting these on the menu!

    6. Colleen

      January 20, 2019 at 10:36 pm

      Thank you for the idea! I had no mozzarella/bocconcini or pesto on hand, but I did have a brick of feta, basil in a tube, and tomatoes. I cut the feta into nice bite size squares, put in bowl, added a couple squeezes of basil, a pinch of salt, and a few drops of olive oil, and stirred to coat feta. Assembled 1 feta and 1 tomato on a toothpick and voila! Big hit!

      • Marie

        February 05, 2019 at 10:13 am

        Now I want the same thing! 🙂

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