Caprese Cold Sliders with Balsamic Glaze - Sweet dinner roll smeared with pesto, topped with creamy mozzarella, and tomato with a drizzle of balsamic glaze! A perfect appetizer!
Who else is excited about summer?? Now that the weather is warm, it's a perfect time to recreate the Caprese sliders that I've had in Connecticut. During my visit to my sister, we grabbed a quick bite from a food truck at my brother-in-law's brewery (yes, he owns a brewery! Pretty cool, right?! Powder Hollow Brewery).
I ordered Caprese sliders from Macken's Sliders food truck with pink guava passion fruit sour beer from Powder Hollow Brewery. And it was so delicious that I decided to recreate this dish!
What is Caprese salad?
Caprese salad is a simple Italian salad. It has fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and sweet basil. It is usually sprinkled with salt, olive oil, or balsamic vinaigrette.
What is the Caprese slider?
It is a slider inspired by the flavor of Caprese salad. It is pretty much the same ingredients and places them between the sweet dinner rolls. The only difference is that I smear the roll with pesto instead of using basil leaves.
What are cold sliders?
Cold sliders are sliders with no cooked/hot components. There are some Caprese slider recipes where they melt the cheese but I find cold sliders to capture the flavor of Caprese salad better. When they melt the cheese, it reminds me of the flavor of the Margherita pizza. Because the sliders are cold, it's a perfect appetizer for BBQ parties or any gatherings during warm weather. It is also great for a light summer lunch!
Why use pesto instead of basil in the Caprese Cold Sliders?
Although basil has its distinctive floral flavor, it's not enough to flavor the whole roll. It needs more salt and flavoring. Since the main ingredients in pesto (basil and olive oil) echoes the original flavor of the Caprese salad, it makes perfect send to use pesto in the sliders.
I personally LOVE the pesto from Costco (photo above). This is my favorite pesto of all time and it is worth getting the Costco membership!
What type of bread should I use?
- Sweet dinner roll - I use dinner rolls that are equivalent to Hawaiian roll from Trader Joe's. The sweet flavor and airy texture compliment the flavor of Caprese sliders well.
- Potato roll - It's another great option if you are looking for a little more savory flavor.
- Baguette or French roll - The hearty bread can sustain the moisture from the tomato and fresh mozzarella. So it's a great option if you are looking to make this ahead.
Balsamic glaze for the slider
Balsamic glaze is made from simmering the balsamic vinegar and sweeten with sugar, honey, or maple syrup. It has the consistency of thick syrup and it's sweet yet boasts the tangy flavor of balsamic vinegar.
Many people use balsamic glaze and balsamic reduction interchangeably. Balsamic reduction is also made by simmering the balsamic vinegar and intensify its flavor. Because the balsamic vinegar has high sugar content, it's sweet in flavor and can be used in place of balsamic glaze.
I use store-bought balsamic glaze but here is a great recipe if you want to make it your own.
Tips on making Caprese Cold Sliders with Balsamic Glaze
- Place the sliced mozzarella on a clean kitchen towel or dry paper towel to absorb excess moisture. Fresh mozzarella has high water content and you don't want your bread to be soggy.
- Try making the slides with an Heirloom tomato. I find heirloom tomato to be less acidic than regular tomato and great in these sliders.
- Sprinkle some salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes for extra flavor. The mild heat from red pepper flakes makes these sliders extra tasty!
- Use store-bought balsamic glaze. If you want to enjoy these sliders in less than 10 minutes, the store-bought balsamic glaze is the way to go.
- Choose the right bread! If you are making this and eat them right away, use sweet dinner rolls. But if you are thinking to make this ahead of time, hearty baguette bread is a better choice. Since you won't get the sweetness from the roll, don't be shy about using an extra drizzle of balsamic glaze though!
When to serve Caprese Cold Sliders with Balsamic Glaze
These cold sliders are crowd-pleasing appetizer and perfect for a quick and light meal!
- BBQ party
- Summer party
- Game watching party
- Quick, easy, and light meal
Looking for more tasty appetizers?
Vegetarian Caprese Sandwich with Balsamic Glaze
Sweet dinner roll smeared with pesto, topped with creamy mozzarella, and tomato with a drizzle of balsamic glaze! A perfect appetizer!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 6 sliders 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Assemble
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 6 sweet dinner roll, cut in half
- 4 tablespoons pesto of your choice
- 1 to 2 fresh mozzarella cheese balls, sliced
- 2 small tomatoes, sliced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 to 3 tablespoons balsamic glaze
Instructions
- Place the sliced mozzarella cheese on a clean kitchen towel or paper towel to absorb its access water.
- Slice the dinner roll in half. Slice the tomato and set it aside.
- Spread 1 teaspoon of pesto on the bottom of each roll.
- Spread 1 teaspoon of pesto on the top part of each roll. Set them aside.
- Place the sliced mozzarella cheese and tomato on the bottom of each roll.
- Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- Drizzle with balsamic glaze.
- Top with the other half of the roll and serve right away.
Notes
- Please refer to the "Tips on making Caprese Cold Sliders with Balsamic Glaze" section above.
- Due to the moisture in tomato and fresh mozzarella cheese, I don't recommend making these ahead of time. These can be made in less than 10 minutes. If it's for a party, I would prepare tomato and mozzarella and assemble right before serving.
Keywords: Caprese Cold Sliders with Balsamic Glaze, Caprese sliders, Caprese, Sliders, Appetizer
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