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These tortellini Caprese skewers are my super power when I need a very quick and easy appetizer. They have tender cheese tortellini, creamy mozzarella, juicy tomatoes, and fresh basil all drizzled with a creamy balsamic dressing. This app is always a hit at parties & holidays!

A tan platter of tortellini Caprese skewers on a marble counter next to a green linen and white bowls of balsamic dressing, basil, and pepper.

One of my most famous party recipes is this antipasto tortellini salad. It’s the simple things, you know? But I’m not kidding, every time I bring it to a BBQ or get together, it’s gone in minutes. Like, minutes.

So I wanted to find some way to turn that salad into a little appetizer situation. Here’s where we’re at – tender tortellini, fresh mozz, green basil, and gorgeous summer tomatoes all drizzled with a creamy balsamic dressing that I’ve been making ever since I was in culinary school. And obviously served on a little skewer for extra easy grabbing and snacking.

Also, just like my baked Caprese crostini or my creamy burrata Caprese dip, we’re using cherry tomatoes in this recipe. I love the Flavor Bombs because they’re extra sweet and juicy (plus they’re so much better when tomatoes are out of season!). But for extra color, you could totally use multi-colored cherry tomatoes instead.

Fresh cheese tortellini

White and brown bowls of mozzarella, basil, balsamic, parmesan, mayo, tortellini, and herbs next to tomatoes on a tan marble counter.

I tried this recipe with both fresh and frozen tortellini but fresh was the clear winner. I thought the frozen pasta came out too soggy. So make sure you’re getting fresh cheese tortellini!

You’ll also need mozzarella pearls. I use Ciliegene which is the ‘cherry’ size. Then, grab some cherry (or grape!) tomatoes, fresh basil, balsamic vinegar, Italian seasoning, fresh garlic, grated parmesan, mayonnaise, olive oil, Morton’s Kosher salt, and black pepper. And don’t forget skewers for threading everything together!

Balsamic vinegar is on the sweeter end, so if you prefer a tangier dressing, feel free to swap it with red wine vinegar instead.

Creamy balsamic dressing

A white bowl of balsamic, mayo, and herbs on a tan counter next to white bowls of basil, tomatoes, tortellini, and mozzarella pearls.
Add the balsamic vinegar, Italian seasoning, garlic, parmesan, salt, & pepper to a small bowl.
A hand whisking balsamic dressing in a white bowl on a tan counter next to white bowls of mozzarella pearls, basil, and tomatoes.
Then, whisk the mixture until it’s very smooth. The mixture will be fairly thick, don’t worry!
A hand pouring a glass measuring cup of olive oil into a white bowl of creamy balsamic dressing on a tan counter next to white bowls of mozzarella pearls, tortellini, and tomatoes.
While whisking constantly, dribble the olive oil into the dressing until it’s fully emulsified.

Make the skewers

A white bowl of tortellini with balsamic dressing on a tan counter next to white bowls of mozzarella, basil, and tomatoes.
Toss the boiled & cooled tortellini with half of the creamy balsamic dressing.
Hands threading a skewer with a tomato to make tortellini Caprese skewers.
Then, thread each skewer with one cherry tomato & a roll up fresh basil leaf.
Hands threading tortellini on skewers to make Caprese skewers.
Add a mozzarella pearl & a tortellini. Drizzle the skewers with more dressing & enjoy.

Feel free to use longer skewers for a bigger appetizer! Just add two rows of tomatoes, basil, mozzarella, & tortellini.

More add-on ideas

If you want to go with more of an antipasto vibe, feel free to add other things. I like olives, artichoke hearts, jarred sweet peppers, pepperoncinis, diced salami, etc. Any Italian cured meat or cubed cheese would be delicious too!

Make-ahead & refrigerate leftovers

These skewers hold up super well in the fridge, so feel free to make them 1-3 days in advance. I would just save some leftover dressing to drizzle on top which will help rehydrate the pasta a bit! Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for later.

Rows of tortellini Caprese skewers on a tan platter.

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Easy Tortellini Caprese Skewers with Balsamic Dressing

Yield: 24 skewers
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
These tortellini Caprese skewers are my super power when I need a very quick and easy appetizer. They have tender cheese tortellini, creamy mozzarella, juicy tomatoes, and fresh basil all drizzled with a creamy balsamic dressing. This app is always a hit at parties & it takes about 15 minutes to throw together!
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Ingredients

Creamy Balsamic Dressing

  • 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar (30 milliliters)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated garlic (~1 large clove)
  • 2 Tablespoons mayonnaise (30 grams)
  • 1 Tablespoon freshly-grated parmesan (9 grams)
  • 1/4 cup good quality olive oil (60 milliliters)
  • Kosher salt and freshly-cracked black pepper, to taste

Caprese Skewers

  • 4.5 ounces fresh cheese tortellini (130 grams)
  • 12 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes (340 grams)
  • 8 ounces Ciliegine mozzarella pearls, drained (226 grams)
  • 24 fresh basil leaves, rolled
  • Freshly-cracked black pepper, for garnish

Equipment

  • 24 skewers

Instructions 

Creamy Balsamic Dressing

  • Add the balsamic vinegar, Italian seasoning, grated garlic, mayonnaise, and parmesan to a small bowl. Whisk to combine.
  • While whisking constantly, slowly dribble the olive oil into the dressing until it's creamy and emulsified. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

Caprese Skewers

  • Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Add the tortellini and cook just until the pasta is al dente, according to package directions (usually 3-4 minutes). Drain and rinse with cool water to keep the pasta from further cooking. Toss the pasta with half of the creamy balsamic dressing.
  • Thread one cherry tomato, one mozzarella pearl, one rolled up basil leaf, and one cheese tortellini on a skewer. Repeat with the remaining ingredients until all of the ingredients are used up. (You should have roughly 24 skewers.)
  • Place the skewers on a platter and drizzle them with extra balsamic dressing, to taste. Garnish with freshly-cracked black pepper and enjoy!

Notes

Depending on the size of the ingredients, you may end up with more or less skewers.
Balsamic vinegar is fairly sweet, so feel free to swap it with red wine vinegar for a tangier dressing.
Feel free to use longer skewers for a bigger appetizer! Just add two rows of tomatoes, basil, mozzarella, & tortellini.
Cuisine: American, Italian
Course: Appetizer
Author: Sara Lynn Hunt Broka
Serving: 1skewer, Calories: 64kcal, Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 8mg, Sodium: 100mg, Potassium: 48mg, Sugar: 0.8g, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 55mg, Iron: 0.3mg
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