Freshly sliced tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, and creamy mozzarella are placed on top of the most delicious homemade bruschetta and drizzled with balsamic glaze. This is the Caprese appetizer that you’ve been waiting for, a bite sized flavor party in your mouth!
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If you love our pasta Caprese salad, Caprese pizza, or our mini Caprese skewers, creamy mozzarella balls, cherry tomatoes, and fresh basil leaves on skewers and drizzled with balsamic glaze, then you’re going to love these Caprese bites!
Why you’ll love this easy appetizer recipe
- They are SO easy to make, and you can prep them beforehand and assemble them when you need them.
- They look fantastic and add color to any party table, and they taste amazing too!
- You can serve this delicious appetizer either cold or hot.
- All the ingredients are 100% vegetarian.
Ingredients you’ll need
You’ll need all the ingredients shown in the photograph below.
If you’re looking for a simple appetizer, that will look like you’ve made a big effort, and that’s a real crowd pleaser, then our Caprese bites are perfect for you!
How to make our delicious Caprese appetizer with step by step instructions
Making our Caprese appetizer is easy if you follow our simple instructions.
A full printable recipe and the measurements in both US customary and metric are available in the recipe card below.
Preheat your oven to 350F/175C.
Place your sliced baguette on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer.
Brush the slices evenly with olive oil and sprinkle a little Italian seasoning over them, then broil until the tops are lightly toasted.
Add a slice of fresh mozzarella cheese, a basil leaf, and then a slice of tomato, on top of the toasted bruschetta, and add salt and pepper to taste. Repeat until all the bruschetta have Caprese toppings.
Place the Caprese appetizers on a serving platter and drizzle with balsamic glaze.
Serve and enjoy!
We hope you enjoy making and eating our Caprese appetizers and would love to hear how you got on with making them.
Please leave a comment below and feel free to ask any questions you may have.
Recipe notes and expert tips
- Want a hot Caprese appetizer?
Broil them until the mozzarella starts to melt.
- Glaze
Be sure to use balsamic glaze which is thicker and sweeter, don’t use balsamic vinegar.
- Tomatoes
For a Caprese salad or Caprese salad skewers, you could use cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, but for this appetizer, you want to use tomatoes of a similar size to your bruschetta slices.
- Storage
You can store them for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge, but be aware that the bruschetta will go soft, so you may need to heat them in the oven before eating. For best results, we recommend eating immediately.
Can I make them ahead?
You can prepare the different elements ahead, but we don’t recommend that you assemble them too far in advance.
The bruschetta will go a little soft if prepared too far in advance, for best results, we recommend serving immediately.
We recommend slicing your juicy tomatoes, slicing the buffalo mozzarella, and making the bruschetta ahead of time, and then assembling them when you are ready to serve, it only takes a few minutes.
How do I store leftover Caprese appetizers?
If you find yourself with leftover Caprese appetizers, store them in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
You’ll find that the bruschetta will have gone a little soft, so you may want to place them in the oven to heat through before serving.
Balsamic vinegar or balsamic glaze?
For these Caprese appetizers, you’ll want to use balsamic glaze.
Balsamic glaze (or balsamic reduction), on the other hand, is made with balsamic vinegar that has been reduced to a thick syrup. It’s intensely flavorful and perfect for drizzling over food.
Why is it called Caprese?
This tasty appetizer is called a Caprese appetizer as it is adapted from the classic Caprese salad.
The Caprese salad comes from the Island of Capri on the Amalfi coast in Italy.
More easy appetizer recipes for you to try
If you love our Caprese appetizers, then why not try these easy recipes?
- Caprese salad skewers – Caprese skewers look stylish on your party table but are SO simple to make!
- Goat cheese balls – packed full of flavor, looking insanely stylish, and ridiculously easy to make!
- Baked Brie – with only 2 minutes of preparation, this creamy, dreamy appetizer is a must make!
- Cheese ball – this easy appetizer is perfect for parties and potlucks and can be made in no time!
- Pesto aioli – we love spreading this cheesy basil sauce over bruschetta for the perfect appetizer!
Caprese appetizer recipe
Ingredients
- 1 French baguette sliced into ½ inch slices (20 – 25)
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 12 oz Fresh mozzarella sliced into slices (20 – 25)
- ½ cup Basil leaves
- 5 Tomatoes sliced
- Salt and pepper to season
- Balsamic glaze to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F/175 °C
- Place the baguette slices on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. Brush the slices evenly with olive oil, and sprinkle Italian seasoning over them. Broil them until the tops are lightly toasted, then let them cool completely1 French baguette, 2 tbsp Olive oil, 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- Add a slice of fresh mozzarella, basil leaves, and tomato to each slice, season with salt and pepper, drizzle with balsamic glaze, place on a serving platter, serve and enjoy!12 oz Fresh mozzarella, ½ cup Basil leaves, 5 Tomatoes, Salt and pepper
Notes
Broil them until the mozzarella starts to melt Glaze
Be sure to use balsamic glaze which is thicker and sweeter, don’t use balsamic vinegar Storage
You can store them for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge, but be aware that the bruschettas will go soft, so you may need to heat them in the oven before eating. For best results, we recommend eating immediately
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Please note that nutrient values are estimates only. Variations can occur due to product availability and manner of food preparation. Nutrition may vary based on methods of origin, preparation, freshness of ingredients, and other factors.
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Elizabeth Swoish says
Simple, delicious, and a HUGE hit at the party. I will be making these again.
Mandy from Splash of Taste says
That’s really great to hear, glad everyone enjoyed it!
Donna says
I love a good Caprese appetizer, and this version did not disappoint! That little sprinkle of Italian seasoning on the baguette made all the difference in flavor I was looking for!
Jenn says
All my fav flavors on a crisp toast? Yes please! These were so good, I didn’t want to share!
Sherry says
After searching for an appetizer recipe to use my fresh garden tomatoes, I came across your recipe and it turned out perfect. Thank you for helping me use up my tomatoes!
Alex Bala says
My favorite, these are the perfect bite!