Healthy Recipe: Easy Caprese Skewers

Warm weather welcomes picnics, barbecues, and pool parties back to our lives. Summer is also peak season for the ripest, juiciest tomatoes and bountiful fresh basil. As more and more fresh produce starts coming up at the grocery store (or better yet, in your garden!), here’s an easy way to please a crowd using whole food ingredients.

These Caprese skewers come together in no time and they don’t last long! They’re portable, full of flavor, and they look way fancier than a fruit or vegetable tray. This easy appetizer would work well for a wedding or baby shower, a summer picnic, or alongside burgers at your next barbecue.

Here’s how it’s done!

Easy Caprese Skewers

These skewers are portable, full of flavor, and look way fancier than fruit or
vegetable tray.

Ingredients

• Cherry tomatoes
• Fresh mozzarella balls
• Fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 bottle Light Italian dressing (optional, see note 1)
• 1.5 tbsp Olive oil
• 1.5 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Toothpicks

Instructions

1. The optional first step (but worth it!): One to two hours before serving, strain the water from mozzarella balls and pour in enough light Italian dressing to coat. Let mozzarella marinate inside Italian dressing until you’re ready to assemble the skewers.
2. Thread the tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella onto each skewer and arrange on a serving tray.
3. In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper to taste.
4. Pour the balsamic glaze in a small plastic bag with a small corner snipped off. Drizzle the glaze over the skewers, then serve.

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Light Italian dressing is used to marinate the mozzarella cheese, infusing more tanginess and flavor. If you choose to do this step, you’ll need to prep the cheese for 1-2 hours before you’re ready to thread the skewers.