Caprese Tortellini Skewers
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.
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
- 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.
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
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.
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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Caprese Tortellini Skewers
Ingredients
- (6") wooden skewers I use the mini ones
- extra virgin olive oil *optional for drizzling
- Recipe for Favorite Salad Dressing or your favorite store-bought balsamic vinaigrette dressing
- 16 oz fresh Mozzarella cheese, cubed you can also use the small mozzarella balls for convenience
- 1 pint red cherry tomatoes
- 1 pint yellow cherry tomatoes
- 20 oz package fresh cheese tortellini go with a spinach blend or tricolor tortellini for an added pop of color
- 12 oz pitted black olives
- 12 oz pitted green olives
- 4 oz package fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Cook tortellini "al-dente" according to package directions and immediately rinse thoroughly in very cold water. I put them immediately in an ice-cold water bath (ice removed so they don't stick to the pasta) to chill, then drain and pat dry.
- Drain and set aside
- Cut up mozzarella into bite-size cubes and place into a bowl
- Tear off pieces of basil large enough to fold over and thread onto a skewer
- Assemble skewers in any order you like and drizzle with olive oil
- Generously drizzle dressing over skewers an hour before serving and chill in the refrigerator, covered, until ready to eat.
Notes
- 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.
Nutrition
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Some of my favor things on a stick — awesome! I can’t wait to try this delicious recipe!
Thank you!!
These look delicious! We’re having a cookout this weekend and they just might be on the menu! Thanks for sharing them with us at #FoodieFriDIY…sending some foodie love your way! And you’re going to be featured tonight at the party too! 🙂 Hope to see you at the party tonight!
Thank you so much Michelle!!! Excited to be featured!!
These sound yummy! Your appetizers look delicious! Hope I get a chance to make some soon.
Thank you so much Theresa!
These look great, Amee! So pretty and easy!
Thank you so much Jeanne!!
These look perfect for a party! So pretty
Thank you Jennifer! I love easy party food! 🙂
I like your skewers. What I like best is there’s no cooking involved.
Thank you Lissa!