Caprese Tortellini Skewers Appetizer- Amee's Savory Dish

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These Caprese Tortellini Skewers are the handheld party food you never knew you needed. Each skewer showcases fresh basil, juicy tomatoes, and creamy mozzarella cheese, with olives and a surprise cheese tortellini! The balsamic vinaigrette drizzle, however, is what truly makes this appetizer so special.

overhead shot of a platter of caprese appetizer skewers

Let’s talk tortellini. It’s delicious coated in creamy sauces and in tortellini soup, of course, but today, we’re specifically talking about serving tortellini on a stick alongside the pillars of a caprese salad, Italian olives -and any other antipasti you can fit on the wooden skewer!

I encourage you to drizzle my absolute favorite salad dressing, maple balsamic vinaigrette, over the skewers an hour before serving. However, if you have your heart set on another homemade or store-bought balsamic or Italian vinaigrette, that works too!

These chilled caprese tortellini skewers are a fabulous summer appetizer, especially made with garden fresh basil and sun-ripened cherry tomatoes, but they’re also perfectly suitable for wowing guests at holiday, Christmas, and New Year’s gatherings -or whenever you need a head-turning yet simple and delicious utensil-free appetizer!

If appetizer skewers are your jam, you must check out my yogurt-marinated chicken skewers, savory peach chicken kabobs, and grilled honey chicken kabobs while you’re here.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Elegant last-minute appetizer. These skewers make a lasting impression on guests.
Year-round entertaining. Kabobs are always great during the summer, but you can serve these tortellini kabobs all year long. Makes about 48 mini-skewers.
SO easy to throw together. The only time-consuming part is threading the skewers. That said, this is a great one to get the kids involved. They love threading food on sticks.
What’s not to love about cheese-stuffed pasta, caprese salad, and antipasti on a stick?

Ingredients You'll Need

ingredients for caprese skewers on a kitchen counter

Fresh tortellini – I recommend tri-color cheese tortellini (or the spinach tortellini combo) as the array of colors makes the skewers pop on any appetizer or tapas table. Fresh tortellini is usually stocked in the refrigerators closest to the deli department in grocery stores.
Mozzarella cheese – When it comes to great-tasting caprese, quality comes first, so while you’re in the deli grabbing the tortellini, grab a block, log, or ball of fresh mozzarella cheese. You can also use small balls of mozzarella, aka bocconcini.
Basil leaves – These are caprese kabobs, after all, so fresh sweet basil is a necessity!
Cherry tomatoes – I like using red and yellow, but if you can only find red cherry tomatoes, that’s perfectly fine.
Olives – We’re adding pitted black and green olives for that distinct Italian antipasto flair.
EVOO – Use good quality olive oil for drizzling.
Balsamic vinaigrette – These skewers are fantastic marinated in homemade maple balsamic vinaigrette, but a store-bought balsamic vinaigrette or Italian dressing also works.

How To Make Caprese Tortellini Skewers

Step 1: Cook tortellini “al dente” and rinse. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the tortellini and cook until “al dente,” according to the package instructions. This should only take a few minutes, so have your colander ready to drain the tortellini immediately and rinse under cold water. Drain and set aside.

Step 2: Chop mozzarella and tear basil. Chop the mozzarella into uniform bite-size pieces and place them in a large bowl. Tear the basil leaves so that when folded in half and threaded, the leaves are bite size. Some leaves may already be just the right size.

Step 3: Thread skewers. Thread the mozzarella, basil, tomatoes, tortellini, and olives on the skewers in any order you like, then drizzle with olive oil. Cover with plastic and place in the fridge.

Step 4: Marinate antipasto skewers and serve. An hour before serving, pour the vinaigrette over the skewers, then cover with plastic and return to the fridge to marinate until party time. Serve chilled.

a platter of caprese skewers with a pepper mill and bowl of tomatoes behind it

Recipe Tips

A quick note about the wooden skewers. While you can certainly use standard 10”-12” wooden skewers, the mini 6” skewers are just enough space for an appetizer portion. You will have room for one piece of each type of antipasti per kabob.
Yes, you must rinse your tortellini. In recipes like mac and cheese and other creamy dishes, the starch on unrinsed pasta gives sauce something to cling to, but since the tortellini in this recipe is served sans sauce and chilled, it’s important to rinse it well. Otherwise, you’ll end up with an unappetizing, slimy film on the surface.
The moisture content in mozzarella varies. To be safe, soak up any extra moisture with a paper towel or cheesecloth before threading the cheese on the skewers so the skewers don’t get soggy.

Variations

As for other Italian-inspired ingredients to add to these tortellini appetizer skewers, think of foods you love seeing on charcuterie boards. You can’t go wrong with any of these ingredients:

Marinated artichoke hearts
Marinated mushrooms
A small square of garlic toast
Salami, pepperoni, prosciutto, and other Italian cold cuts
Grapes
Roasted red peppers
Sun-dried tomatoes
Grapes

Storing

Wrap leftover tortellini skewers in plastic or keep them in a shallow, airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Do not freeze.

Recipe FAQs

Can I use dried or frozen tortellini instead of fresh (refrigerated) tortellini?

Yes, but pay close attention to the package instructions, as the cooking times will differ. When the pasta floats to the surface of the water, that’s your cue that it’s cooked al dente.

Can I make caprese tortellini skewers ahead?

Yes, and you should! Assembling the skewers 1-2 days in advance is a huge time saver. Then, drizzle the dressing over the top an hour before serving, and you’re all set!

More Caprese Recipes You'll Love

Caprese Dip
Caprese Salad
Caprese Avocado Grilled Pita
Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad (definitely some caprese goodness in here)

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side view of caprese tortellini skewers with fresh parsley sprinkled on the tray

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Amee Livingston

Hi, I'm Amee and I'm completely obsessed with all things fitness, recipe makeovers, and creating tasty, time-saving, recipes. Born and raised in South Carolina, I have a deep love for southern food culture. I am a Certified Personal Trainer, Nutrition Coach, Cancer Exercise Specialist, recipe developer, and freelance content creator. I believe that anyone can be an amazing home cook, and there's nothing better than family time around the table!