These Mini Puff Pastry Caprese Bites have been one of my favorite bite sized appetizers for years! It’s a must make puff pastry appetizer that only takes 4 ingredients with an optional basil garnish. An easy, fresh, and flavorful caprese appetizer!
Caprese Bites Appetizer is a tasty puff pasty appetizer for your holiday parties!
I first shared this recipe for Mini Caprese Bites with puff pastry my very first year of blogging, and it has remained one of my go-to party appetizers through the years because it’s such an easy puff pastry appetizer recipe. Quick to prep and quick to cook, it’s a winning recipe all year long. You can never go long with a caprese salad inspired recipe.
However, these Mini Puff Pastry Caprese Bites are especially perfect for Christmas because the gorgeous red and green colors make a festive holiday appetizer!
Many people loves serving caprese bites on skewers, which are delicious as well. It’s definitely closer flavor wise to the salad and it’s definitely a good option if you or your guests are gluten free. However, I don’t like having to serve appetizers on skewers if I don’t have to because then guests are left with trash to take care of. People don’t always want to be stuck with something to hold, including a plate, which is why bite sized appetizers come in handy – even though I will always love a good chip dip and spread, especially my baked goat cheese and marinara dip,
I think the puff pastry also offers a little more substance and is therefore a little more filling of a holiday appetizer, which is especially helpful for parties where you are only serving appetizers!
HOW TO MAKE PUFF PASTRY CAPRESE BITES:
This is one of those super easy appetizer recipes, and I really do mean easy! We are talking about 10 minutes of prep, 10 minutes to cook in the oven, and only 6 ingredients. That’s right – SIX!
INGREDIENTS FOR CAPRESE BITES:
- Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheet
- Tomatoes
- Mozzarella
- Basil and Pesto
- Balsamic Vinaigrette
First, you will want to spread a layer of pesto sauce onto your puff pastry sheet that you have allowed to thaw at room temperate for around 20 minutes before using. Then, cut it into about 16 pieces with a pizza cutter. Thawing the dough slightly before working with it will make it easier to manipulate into mini cup shapes.
Second, Prep your mini-muffin pan by adding cooking spray into each of the cups. Then, place each puff pastry square into one of the cups, slightly stretching each square first to make them easier to shape into the cup form.
Third, add 2-3 tomatoes pieces and 1-2 mozzarella pieces into each cup. Then garnish with basil and Balsamic Vinaigrette if desired.
Lastly, bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-13 minutes.
WHY ADD PESTO TO THE CAPRESE BITE?
Pesto is made from basil, which provides these bites with an extra punch of basil. It is an ingredient you can skip if desired though, but only if you are using fresh basil as a garnish. Basil is a pretty important ingredient for a caprese recipe, which is why I like using both!
I like adding it in because the pesto offers a great base flavor to the puff pastry caprese bites where the basil garnish on top is a fresh, pretty touch of green. Normally I usually use store bought pesto for ease, but here is a homemade pesto recipe that I enjoy.
HELPFUL KITCHEN ITEMS FOR MAKING THESE BITE SIZED CAPRESE CUPS:
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE THESE OTHER BITE SIZED APPETIZER RECIPES:
- Swedish Meatballs
- Hawaiian BBQ Chicken Cups
- Sweet and Sour Meatballs
- Bacon Chive Cheese Balls
- Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts
- Spicy Deviled Eggs
- Tiny Food Party Cookbook
Time to Enjoy a Mini Bite of Caprese in a Warm Puff Pastry Cup!
Mini Caprese Bites
These Mini Caprese Bites have been one of my favorite bite sized appetizers for years! It's a must make puff pastry appetizer that only takes 4 ingredients with an optional basil garnish. An easy, fresh, and flavorful caprese appetizer!
Ingredients
- 1 Puff Pastry Sheet
- 10 Cherry tomatoes (quartered)
- Fresh Mozzarella Pearls (halved)
- Pesto Sauce
- Fresh Basil (chopped into thin strips)
- Balsamic Vinaigrette (optional)
Instructions
- Let Puff Pastry Sheet thaw slightly, making it easier to unfold and manipulate.
- Spread the pesto sauce onto the puff pastry sheet, then cut into about 16 pieces. I find this easiest with a pizza cutter!
- Prep mini-muffin pan by adding cooking spray into each of the cups.
- Place each square into one of the cups. I usually stretch each square just a little before putting them into the cup.
- Add 2-3 tomatoes pieces and 1-2 pieces of mozzarella into each up. Garnish with basil if desired!
- Bake at 400 for 10-13 minutes.
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