These puff pastry Caprese bites, made with ready-rolled puff pastry, are quick to prepare, simple and visually appealing—perfect for any party table.
With the festive season approaching, these Caprese Pastry Bites are an easy and elegant appetizer to start the celebrations. They require just a handful of ingredients—puff pastry, mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes, pesto, basil and an egg—and take only minutes to make.
To assemble, unroll the pastry and brush with the whisked egg wash. Slice the pastry in half widthways and stack one piece on top of the other so an egg-washed layer sits in the middle and another on top; this double layer produces nicely puffed bites. Cut the doubled pastry into about 20 small squares and place them on a non-stick baking tray.
Bake at 200°C / 400°F (fan) for 10 minutes, until golden and risen. Remove from the oven, top each puff with half a mozzarella pearl, and return to the oven for 1–2 minutes to melt the cheese slightly. Finish each bite with a piece of sun-dried tomato, a small spoonful of basil pesto and a tiny basil leaf (or torn pieces of larger leaves).
Can I make them ahead?
They are best served hot or slightly warm. To prepare ahead, bake the pastry squares, let them cool, then store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. Reheat the squares in a 200°C / 400°F oven for 1–2 minutes, then add the mozzarella and return briefly to the oven to melt before finishing with sun-dried tomato, pesto and basil.
Can I make them gluten free?
Yes—use ready-rolled gluten-free puff pastry. Gluten-free pastry often puffs less and browns faster, so reduce the baking time by a couple of minutes. The bites still work well and make a great gluten-free option.
Other topping ideas
If you want to vary the toppings, swap mozzarella for brie, camembert or a thinly sliced meltable cheese such as gouda or applewood. Try different sauces like chutney, red pesto, cranberry jelly, chilli jam or mustard. Finish with a crunchy element such as pickled vegetables, bacon bits, or thin slivers of beef or smoked salmon.
More party appetizer ideas
Try other crowd-pleasers such as cranberry brie bites, sticky crispy chicken wings, vegetarian sausage rolls, a sausage roll wreath with honey-mustard glaze, lamb samosa cups, chocolate-cheesecake stuffed strawberries or a festive punch to accompany your spread.
The Caprese Pastry Bites Recipe
Caprese Pastry Bites
By Nicky Corbishley
These puff pastry Caprese bites, made using ready-rolled puff pastry, are quick, simple and eye-catching. Perfect for any party table.
Prep Time: 10 mins • Cook Time: 12 mins • Total: 22 mins • Serves: 20 caprese bites
Course: Appetizer • Cuisine: American, British, Italian
Ingredients
- 400 g (14 oz) ready-rolled puff pastry
- 1 egg, lightly whisked
- 10 mozzarella pearls (use vegetarian mozzarella if needed)
- 5–7 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh basil pesto
- 20 baby basil leaves, or a few large leaves torn
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F (fan). Line a baking tray with parchment or a silicone mat.
- Unroll the pastry and brush with the whisked egg. Slice the pastry in half widthways and place one half on top of the other so you have two layers with egg wash in the middle and on top.
- Cut into roughly 20 small squares (4 by 5). Place the squares on the prepared tray.
- Bake for 10 minutes until golden and puffed. Remove from the oven.
- Slice each mozzarella pearl in half (tip: trim a tiny bit off the rounded side so the cheese sits better). Place a piece on each pastry puff and return to the oven for 1–2 minutes to melt the cheese slightly.
- Top each puff with a piece of sun-dried tomato, a small dollop of pesto and a basil leaf. Serve immediately.
Notes
Tip: Slicing the mozzarella pearls in half and trimming a small piece off the curved end helps the cheese sit flat on the pastry so it won’t fall off during melting.
Make ahead
Bake the pastry squares and cool them. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to two days. Reheat for 1–2 minutes at 200°C / 400°F, then add cheese and finish as directed.
Gluten free option
Use ready-rolled gluten-free puff pastry. It may not puff as much and will brown faster, so reduce baking time slightly.
Alternate toppings
Swap the mozzarella for brie, camembert or thinly sliced meltable cheeses. Try chutney, red pesto, cranberry jelly, chilli jam or mustard as the sauce element, and add crunch with pickled veg, bacon bits, or slivers of meat or smoked fish.
Nutritional information (per caprese bite)
Calories: 129 kcal • Carbohydrates: 9 g • Protein: 2 g • Fat: 9 g • Saturated fat: 2 g • Cholesterol: 9 mg • Sodium: 70 mg
Nutrition information is an approximation.