• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • About
  • Browse Recipes
  • Resources
  • subscribe
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
Life Currents
Home » Shrimp Caprese Skewers

Shrimp Caprese Skewers

December 28, 2018 by Debi 8 Comments

  • Share
Jump to Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission.

Caprese has always been one of my favorite salads. Ripe tomatoes, delicious fresh mozzarella, fragrant basil, drizzled with balsamic glaze. Then add in a delicious perfectly cooked shrimp, and you have a winning Shrimp Caprese Skewers appetizer for any party!

Shrimp Skewers Ripe tomatoes, delicious fresh mozzarella, fragrant basil, drizzled with balsamic glaze.

We appreciate your support

Please let me know if you have any questions about this recipe. I read all the comments myself and I try to help as soon as I can. I have readers from all levels of comfort and experience in the kitchen on my site, and I’ve tried to answer some of your questions already in the post. But if I’ve missed anything, please feel free to leave a comment and ask.

Shrimp Caprese Skewers Appetizer Recipe - perfect for a New Year's Eve party, football party, or any party!

Simple appetizer

I also think these shrimp caprice appetizers are fun in that you can serve them at almost any point in making them.

Simple as mozzarella, basil, and tomato. Or, go with everything: shrimp, mozzarella, basil, tomato, and balsamic glaze.

Looking for other great shrimp appetizers? Try my Shrimp in Cajun Spice Oil, Cheesy Shrimp Dip, and Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp.

Top these with a fun Mozzarella Cheese Skull for a great Halloween appetizer.

Appetizer Skewers with mozzarella, basil, and tomato

Frozen Seafood

We were told by a fishmonger that all seafood is frozen once it’s caught.

Just think about how far it has to come from the ocean to the store, and how that shipping would go if they didn’t freeze it.

So, if you’re buying the stuff from the “fresh” counter, the only things you don’t know are, how long it’s been defrosted, or even how many times it’s been defrosted and refrozen.

So, I always buy frozen seafood, and this includes shrimp.

appetizer Skewers with tomatoes, basil, mozzarella and balsamic glaze

Count per pound is on the bag

I like 16-20 count per lb. for this recipe, also called extra jumbo shrimp.

This number is called the count of the shrimp, and it tells you how many individual shrimp there are in one pound of shrimp.

It’s read as “16 to 20 shrimp per pound”, so the smaller the number, the bigger the shrimp.

It makes it nice and easy to get the pound of shrimp you’ll need for this recipe.

And, don’t worry if you have a couple more or a couple less. Cooking is mostly just “near-enough” measurements.

In general, the advice is 1 pound of raw unpeeled shrimp per person. That would be about 16 shrimp if you buy the 16/20 per pound jumbo shrimp. Use more or less to your liking.

Shrimp Caprese Skewers - I also think these appetizers are fun in that you can serve them at almost any point in making them.

How to thaw shrimp

I like to buy peeled and deveined shrimp. Which are really easy to prepare.

Thaw frozen shrimp overnight in the refrigerator.

Or, my preferred method because it’s so easy is to thaw them when you need them and only as many as you need: Remove the shrimp from the bag and thaw them in a colander or strainer under cold tap water.

Change the water a couple of times, and they should defrost in about 3 minutes total.

You’ll be able to tell they are defrosted when they are pliable and no icy spots remain.

Use thawed shrimp immediately. And be sure to never refreeze them.

Tail on shrimp

Shrimp will often come with the tail on.

After you defrost the shrimp, it’s really easy to remove the tail.

I snap my fingernail into the underside of the tail shell, and peel back the tail shell. Just takes a second. And, it generally comes off in one piece.

I think removing the tail shell makes it easier to eat them.

Though if you want a fancy look you can leave the tail shell on.

Sheet pan cooked shrimp

Sheet pan shrimp

The sheet pan baking of these shrimp mean just 5-10 minutes of prep time, and just 8 minutes to bake them.

These shrimp would be great for dinner or as an appetizer on their own.

Make up some pasta, toss in these shrimp, some garlic and olive oil, and you have a super easy and delicious dinner.  

Likewise, you could serve these sheet pan shrimp with some tortillas for tacos.

Or some cocktail sauce for shrimp cocktail.

mozzarella, basil, and tomato

Caprese Skewers

These skewers come together easily, just line up your ingredients and skewer them on some fun party skewers.

Drizzle some glaze on top.

Now you have a delicious and easy party appetizer. And for another fun party Caprese idea, check out my Mini Sandwich Bites.

And this appetizer will work at any party, from a New Year’s Eve party to a football tailgate party to a birthday party. It fits in from fancy to just hanging out.

Balsamic glaze

Balsamic glaze is also called balsamic syrup, and can easily be purchased at most grocery stores.

Just look where they sell the balsamic vinegar, and other vinegars, and you’ll probably see it there.

You can also make your own balsamic glaze.

Simply cook equal parts sugar to balsamic vinegar, until the sugar is dissolved, and the mixture is syrupy.

Let’s keep in touch

If you like seeing my recipes subscribe via email in the upper right.
Or, connect with me on your favorite social media channel for recipes, photos, & much more:
Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter!
And find my shop on Amazon for recommendations on cool tools

If you try this recipe,
please come back & leave a comment below letting us know how it goes.
Share a picture & tag @lifecurrents on Instagram.
Or you can upload a “tried it” photo (I would love to see)
via the pin.

Then, these Shrimp Caprese Skewers come together easily, just line up your ingredients and skewer them on some fun party skewers. Drizzle some glaze on top. Now you have a delicious and easy party appetizer.
Don’t forget to pin this recipe

Shrimp Caprese Skewers Recipe

Then, these Shrimp Caprese Skewers come together easily, just line up your ingredients and skewer them on some fun party skewers. Drizzle some glaze on top. Now you have a delicious and easy party appetizer.

Shrimp Caprese Skewers

Debi
Ripe tomatoes, delicious fresh mozzarella, fragrant basil, drizzled with balsamic glaze. Then add in a delicious perfectly cooked shrimp, and you have a winning appetizer for any party!
4.89 from 9 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe
Prevent your screen from going to sleep.
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 8 minutes mins
Total Time 13 minutes mins
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Servings 20 servings
Calories 109 kcal

Ingredients
  

For shrimp:

  • 1 pound raw shrimp thawed & peeled
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon dried basil
  • Few cracks of fresh black pepper

For skewers:

  • 20 Grape tomatoes
  • 20 Fresh basil leaves
  • 20 Fresh mozzarella balls Ciliegine, boconccini, or pearls
  • 20 Wooden skewers
  • Balsamic glaze
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
 

For Shrimp:

  • Preheat oven to 450º F. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil, parchment paper, or a Silpat baking mat.
  • Place peeled shrimp in a bowl, add in oil, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, basil, and freshly cracked black pepper. Toss to combine, and pour out onto the prepared sheet pan, arranging shrimp in a single layer.
  • Bake in preheated oven, about 6-8 minutes, or until just until pink and firm throughout. (Shrimp can be served hot at this point, for dinner or as an appetizer, or allow to cool to room temperature for Shrimp Caprese Skewers).

For skewers:

  • Skewer a shrimp, grape tomato, basil leaf, and fresh mozzarella ball onto a wooden skewer, wrapping the shrimp around the tomato if desired.
  • Drizzle balsamic glaze over the skewers, and garnish with freshly ground black pepper.

Nutrition

Calories: 109kcalProtein: 9gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 197mgPotassium: 60mgVitamin A: 165IUVitamin C: 3.3mgCalcium: 137mgIron: 0.6mg

Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations, and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.

Keyword caprese, shrimp
Tried this recipe?Mention @LifeCurrents or tag #LifeCurrents!
  • Share

Filed Under: Appetizers, Budget, Seafood, Thanksgiving Tagged With: appetizers, Cooking, Food, gluten-free, healthy, mozzarella, recipe, seafood, shrimp, Snacks, appetizers, tailgating, tailgating, tomato

You May Also Like

square crop of a bowl of cookie dough ice cream.
Cookie Dough Ice Cream
square crop of a sliced loaf of bread on a cutting board with a bread knife to the right.
Cottage Cheese Dill Bread
square crop of a slice of cake with a fork in front of the whole cake.
Coconut Almond Torte
about debi

ABOUT DEBI

Hello! I’m Debi, the girl behind Life Currents where I write about mainly healthy vegetarian dishes. My husband eats meat, so occasionally I share some of his dishes as well. And, I’ll share tasty treats and projects that we do. Read more...

Previous Post: « Spinach Mushroom Gratin
Next Post: Salmon with Blueberry Sauce »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Helene D'Souza

    December 31, 2018 at 8:34 am

    5 stars
    Love the seasoning in your shrimp caprese! I totally wish I could try this now.

  2. Stephanie

    January 5, 2019 at 8:48 am

    5 stars
    This looks so good! I am definitely going to be trying these. We are always looking for more ways to cook shrimp!

  3. Lisa@Lisa's Dinnertime Dish

    January 6, 2019 at 12:01 pm

    5 stars
    I love this twist on traditional caprese! It’s perfect party food!

  4. Angela

    January 7, 2019 at 6:35 am

    5 stars
    So fun! Im having a cocktail party in a couple weeks and these would be perfect~ Thanks!

  5. Jennifer Stewart

    January 9, 2019 at 9:44 am

    5 stars
    Not only are these perfect for party appetizers, but I can make a meal out of these!

  6. deb

    April 14, 2023 at 12:41 am

    how many of these would be good per person there are going to be 5 adults and 1 child plus 1 vegetarian child for the ones without shrimp.

  7. Debi

    April 14, 2023 at 5:30 am

    Deb, I guess it depends on if you’re serving them as an appetizer or a main, how much these people eat, and what else you’re serving. For a main dish, I often see 1 pound of raw and unpeeled shrimp per person. That would be about 16 shrimp if you buy the 16/20 per pound jumbo shrimp. If you’re serving them as an appetizer, you’d probably want less than that, maybe half as much. Personally, I can’t eat that much, and typically for dinner, I eat about 5 shrimp, plus the other sides. So, anywhere from 5 to 16 shrimp per person, depending on how you’re going to serve them.

  8. Deedee

    June 30, 2024 at 9:38 am

    5 stars
    Tried these for first time last night for an appetizer party and they were a huge hit.
    The only thing I did different was pan fried the shrimp as a hot day and in a rush. I had the shrimp in the colander after thawing and taking the tails off and before turning the burner on I added the oil and spices and tossed them enough in it and enough oil dripped through that when I turned the burner on med- high the shrimp cooked perfectly in about 3 minutes each side. Set them aside in separate container to cool and took all to party and shrimp was perfect temperature to add to skewers then drizzled bought balsamic glaze on them. They were absolutely delicious and first appy gone.
    Thanks for fantastic recipe

4.89 from 9 votes (3 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Hi! I’m Debi, the girl behind Life Currents, where I write about mainly healthy vegetarian dishes with some great desserts and other goodies mixed in! Read More >>>

Most Popular Recipes

square crop of a glass of iced coffee with a mocha drizzle and a cloth napkin behind it.
square crop of a bowl of lemon cottage cheese pudding with a spoon on the side.
square crop of creamy dressing in a glass jar with fresh cilantro and limes around it.
looking down on a bowl with two scoops of coconut sorbet in it.
square crop looking down on a small white bowl filled with ranch and surrounded by vegetables and a lemon wedge.
a Chocolate Cream Cheese Cupcakes with a bite missing so you can see the filling.
A chip that's been dipped in cheese and the bowl of cheese is behind it.
looking fown in a cast iron skillet filled with White Bean Sun-Dried Tomato Gnocchi and a wooden spoon sticking out.
a white bowl filled with rice pudding that's topped witha s prinkle of cinnamon and there's a spoon in the pudding.

Footer

SEEN ON

as seen on

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission.

This month’s featured recipes: Bourbon Banana Bread, Crescent Roll Chicken Squares, Pecan Pie Muffins, and Flourless Chocolate Cookies.

Want to tip me? You can Buy Me a Coffee! And thanks!

© 2025 lifecurrentsblog.com. All rights reserved. Find my Privacy Policy Here.

  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Flipboard
  • Mix
  • Threads
  • X
  • Email

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.