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Fresh Caprese Salad Cups with Zesty Pesto Drizzle

Fresh Caprese Salad Cups - featured image
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A simple, vibrant, and portable Caprese salad served in mini cups with a zesty homemade pesto drizzle, perfect for summer parties and casual gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 oz fresh mozzarella balls (bocconcini or ciliegine size)
  • 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves (plus extra for garnish)
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • Juice and zest of 1 lemon
  • Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley (optional)

Instructions

  1. Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until golden and fragrant, stirring frequently. Set aside to cool.
  2. In a food processor, combine toasted pine nuts, basil leaves, parsley (if using), garlic, Parmesan, lemon juice and zest, and olive oil. Pulse until smooth but still slightly textured. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add more olive oil or water if too thick.
  3. Drain and pat dry the mozzarella balls, halving the larger ones. Halve the cherry tomatoes. Tear or roughly chop basil leaves for garnish.
  4. In each mini cup, layer 2-3 mozzarella balls, a few tomato halves, and a basil leaf. Drizzle about 1 teaspoon of the zesty pesto over the top. Repeat until all ingredients are used.
  5. Sprinkle a pinch of freshly cracked black pepper and flaky sea salt over each cup.
  6. Serve immediately or chill for up to 1 hour before serving to let flavors meld.

Notes

Do not over-blend the pesto to keep a slightly chunky texture. Toast pine nuts lightly to avoid bitterness. Dry mozzarella well to prevent sogginess. Assemble cups last-minute or keep pesto separate until serving to maintain freshness.

Nutrition

Keywords: Caprese salad, pesto, summer party recipe, appetizer, fresh mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, basil, easy recipe

Find it online: https://realityeats.com/fresh-caprese-salad-cups-with-zesty-pesto-drizzle-easy-recipe-for-summer-parties/