Caprese Bites

This Caprese Bites recipe is a nutty fried version of the classic Caprese salad. Frozen bocconcini mozzarella is rolled in a basil pesto and balsamic mixture, then coated in a pistachio panko breadcrumb (gluten free or not) mixture and fried for just 1 minute. SO GOOD!

You end up with a crunchy, pistachio-basil-balsamic flavor cheese which pairs with tomatoes and extra basil—absolutely no dressing needed! If you love the flavors of Caprese Salad, you’re in for a dreamy appetizer! And while we’re on that, check those amazing recipes below.

Today, we took things up another level by frying our cheese. YES. Fried cheese is always the answer. And to make things even better, we coated it in basil pesto and pistachios. What more can we ask for?! You NEED this in your LIFE!

Why You’ll Love Caprese Bites

• It has phenomenal TEXTURES! Crunchy pistachios, melted fresh mozzarella cheese and juicy cherry tomatoes!
• These caprese bites taste SO GOOD like you can’t beat the flavor profile here!
• They are easy to serve on a toothpick for parties.
• You can whip this dish in 15 minutes.
• They make a show stopping appetizer.
• You can make a phenomenal platter to share with some greens and a balsamic drizzle and olive oil.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Mozzarella. Use fresh Mozzarella cheese, always. For this recipe we use the small mozzarella balls or mozzarella pearls -aka bocconcini. They’re easy to bread and roll, and super easy to fry without mess–which is KEY!
• Flour. All purpose flour in a small bowl for the initial coating of the mozzarella.
• Basil Pesto.  Make sure to read our whole tutorial on making, storing and using basil pesto. We opt for homemade basil pesto, always.
• Egg. This binds the coating so well on the cheese.
• Pistachio. for the crunch, the flavor and just because it pairs amazing!
• Panko Bread Crumbs. While you can use regular bread crumbs, we love panko for its coarse texture and extra crunch.

How to Make Caprese Bites

1. Start by freezing the bocconcini cheese until frozen hard. This step is super important.
2. Prepare three plates, have some flour in one, a mixture of panko and pistachio in another and finally a basil pesto in the third.
   
3. Start by rolling the cheese in flour, then in to the basil pesto and finally into the pistachio mixture.
4. Fry the bocconcini cheese until golden and remove from the oil on a paper towel to drain.
5. I repeated the same process with some baby mushrooms, and it’s rather optional but SO good! Fried mushrooms, are like a treat for me!
   
6. We love serving them on a stick with some tomatoes, fresh basil leaves.
7. Look at that melty cheese goodness! SO LUSCIOUS and crunchy good!

Caprese Bites Tips

1. The most significant tip here is to freeze the bocconcini really well before attempting to fry them. And I mean really well.
2. You got to remember the bocconcini has much much more moisture than regular mozzarella and if not well frozen—that’s a frying disaster right there!
3. You can fins those bocconcini labeled as mozzarella balls or mozzarella pearls. They are best for frying as they’re well rounded.
4. The egg added to the basil pesto helps the mixture stick really well to the frozen cheese, so don’t skimp on that.
5. Any type of pesto would work awesome here—maybe this sun dried tomato pesto?
6. Pistachio seemed the most fitting nut here! We also made Pesto Pasta with Pistachio Pesto as it pairs so well. You can try walnuts if you like.
7. You can use any type, color or size of fresh tomatoes. We prefer small baby tomatoes on the vine.
8. Keep an eye our for these when frying, they only need 2 minutes in the hot oil.
9. Always attempt to keep the oil from going over 375 degrees F. Use an oil thermometer or electric oil fryer for this.
10. Even though we didn’t want any dressing—to me it felt like good street food. But you can drizzle some balsamic syrup for sure!

How to Store and Reheat Caprese Bites?

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat, you guessed it- use your air fryer! Air fry at 350 degrees for 2 minutes to crips up the crust and warm the cheese slightly.

What is Caprese Made of?

Caprese is an Italian dish made of fresh mozzarella, basil leaves and fresh tomatoes.

Can you Make Caprese Bites ahead of time?

YES! You can bread the cheese and coat it and have it ready for frying. Do not fry except when you’re ready to serve. You can freeze the breaded cheese for 2 months.

Is Caprese high in calories?

Usually No. It’s a relatively simple dish made with simple and fresh ingredients. Today, since we fried the cheese, we have added some extra calories.

Looking for more Caprese love? Check out the recipes below!

Caprese Recipes

Holiday Caprese Wreath
Caprese Sandwich
Burrata Caprese
Caprese Pizza
Chicken Caprese
Caprese Skewers
Strawberry Caprese Salad

5 from 11 votes

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Caprese Bites

This caprese bites recipe is a nutty fried version of the classic caprese salad. Frozen bocconcini mozzarella is rolled in a basil pesto and balsamic mixture, then coated in a pistachio panko breadcrumb (gluten free or not) mixture and fried for just 1 minute. 

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Italian

Keyword caprese, caprese bites, caprese bites recipe, Caprese recipes, fried cheese, how to make caprese

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 1 minute

Total Time 11 minutes

Servings 8

Calories 62 kcal

Author Mahy

Ingredients

• 20 pieces bocconcini
• 1/2 cup flour (use rice flour for gluten free)
• 2 tablespoons pesto basil pesto, homemade (or store bought)
• 1 teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/2 egg
• pinch of salt
• 1/3 cup pistachio
• 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs (or gluten free bread crumbs, rice cereal)
• 1 pint grape tomatoes
• fresh minced basil for sprinkling
• pinch of salt
• baby mini mushrooms (optional)

Instructions

1. Place the bocconcini on a parchment or wax paper lined tray and cover it with plastic wrap. Then freeze it over night r at least 6 hours until the cheese hardens completely.
2. In a bowl add the flour.
3. In a separate bowl, add the pesto, balsamic vinegar, egg and a pinch of salt.
   
4. In a third bowl, mix the pistachios and panko bread crumbs.
5. Preheat an electric fryer or a small pot filled half way with oil till 375 degrees F.
6. Take each bocconcini ball and dredge it in the flour bowl, shake off any excess. Then drop it in the basil pesto mixture and roll it well to coat, and finally roll it in the pistachio bowl and make sure the entire surface is covered well with the coating. Place on a wax paper lined plate.
   
7. Repeat with all the bocconcini, and if you’d like to fry mushrooms, repeat the same procedure with the mushrooms too.
8. Fry the bocconcini and mushrooms for just 1 minute and maybe 30 seconds extra (depending on the temperature of your oil and how crowded your pot is). Drain on paper towels and sprinkle a pinch of salt. Serve.
   

Recipe Notes

Caprese Bites Tips

1. The most significant tip here is to freeze the bocconcini really well before attempting to fry them. And I mean really well.
2. You got to remember the bocconcini has much much more moisture than regular mozzarella and if not well frozen—that’s a frying disaster right there!
3. You can fins those bocconcini labeled as mozzarella balls or mozzarella pearls. They are best for frying as they're well rounded.
4. The egg added to the basil pesto helps the mixture stick really well to the frozen cheese, so don't skimp on that.
5. Any type of pesto would work awesome here—maybe this sun dried tomato pesto?
6. Pistachio seemed the most fitting nut here! We also made Pesto Pasta with Pistachio Pesto as it pairs so well. You can try walnuts if you like. 
7. You can use any type, color or size of fresh tomatoes. We prefer small baby tomatoes on the vine. 
8. Keep an eye our for these when frying, they only need 2 minutes in the hot oil.
9. Always attempt to keep the oil from going over 375 degrees F. Use an oil thermometer or electric oil fryer for this. 
10. Even though we didn’t want any dressing—to me it felt like good street food. But you can drizzle some balsamic syrup for sure! 

How to Store and Reheat Caprese Bites?

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat, you guessed it- use your air fryer! Air fry at 350 degrees for 2 minutes to crips up the crust and warm the cheese slightly.

What is Caprese Made of?

Caprese is an Italian dish made of fresh mozzarella, basil leaves and fresh tomatoes.

Can you Make Caprese Bites ahead of time?

YES! You can bread the cheese and coat it and have it ready for frying. Do not fry except when you're ready to serve. You can freeze the breaded cheese for 2 months.

Is Caprese high in calories?

Usually No. It's a relatively simple dish made with simple and fresh ingredients. Today, since we fried the cheese, we have added some extra calories. 

Looking for more Caprese love? Check out the recipes below!

Nutrition Facts

Caprese Bites

Amount Per Serving

Calories 62 Calories from Fat 9

% Daily Value*

Fat 1g2%

Cholesterol 11mg4%

Sodium 28mg1%

Potassium 157mg4%

Carbohydrates 10g3%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 2g4%

Vitamin A 510IU10%

Vitamin C 8.1mg10%

Calcium 21mg2%

Iron 0.7mg4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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