I seriously adore caprese salad. It is everything I love about good, healthy food—simple, colorful, flavorful, fresh. The only way to improve on a classic like caprese salad? Make it mini and bite-sized!
These caprese sticks are one of my go-to healthy summer snacks. They also make an excellent backyard barbecue appetizer! They take just a few minutes to assemble, and my guests always seem to gobble them up (especially if you can get your hands on some homegrown cherry tomatoes—so much sweet flavor in those babies).
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This “recipe” is actually so incredibly easy that I feel a little guilty posting it. But hey, a good snack should be incredibly easy, right? Quite honestly, I could write the entire recipe in one sentence: place a cherry tomato on a toothpick, give it a basil leaf hat, add on a ball of fresh mozzarella, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Boom. Done.
If you’re feeling really fancy, you can drizzle a little bit of good balsamic vinegar and olive oil on top, but that’s only if you’re really in the mood. They absolutely don’t need it.
These little mini balls of fresh mozzarella are probably in the refrigerated deli case at your local supermarket. Many times, they also sell marinated ones that add an even bigger punch of flavor to the sticks!
I like to keep a container of them on hand in the summer so I can make caprese sticks whenever the tomatoes and basil are ready to harvest. Sometimes just a big pile of these sticks is my favorite summertime lunch! Enjoy.
Want more easy summer snacks?
- Red, white, and blue berry trifle
- Whole grain zucchini bread (or the gluten-free version)
- Cucumber salsa
Caprese Sticks
These light and fresh Caprese Sticks are a quick protein-packed snack! They’re colorful, flavorful and ready for summer.
Ingredients
- 24 long toothpicks
- 8 ounces fresh Ciliegine mozzarella balls
- 24 cherry tomatoes (about 1 pint)
- 12 large basil leaves, cut in half (or 24 small leaves)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
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Thread a mozzarella ball, basil leaf (cut in half if large), and a cherry tomato onto a toothpick. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
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Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Notes
Serve with a drizzle of olive oil or balsamic reduction for an easy and fresh appetizer platter.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 2 sticksAmount Per Serving: Calories: 63Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 145mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 5g
At Wholefully, we believe that good nutrition is about much more than just the numbers on the nutrition facts panel. Please use the above information as only a small part of what helps you decide what foods are nourishing for you.
