Marinated Mozzarella Balls

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• If you are after an easy appetizer, you can't get any simpler than these marinated mozzarella balls. These Italian-inspired appetizers are a crowd-pleaser!
• All you need to do is marinate creamy fresh mozzarella balls (bocconcini) in a simple infused oil of herbs, chili, and garlic and let it stand for at least 30 minutes at room temperature before you serve.
• These are not only great as an appetizer, but they can also be tossed into salads, pasta, or used as a topping on pizzas, bruschetta. 

Ingredients

Extra virgin olive oil - is a light flavored oil that won't overpower the other ingredients.

Cherry bocconcini - these fresh mozzarella cheese balls are about the size of a cherry and are perfect for serving as an appetizer.

Fresh red chili adds flavor, heat, and color to the dish. If you want it to be spicy, add one or two small red chilis, these are usually hotter than most. 

Or, if you are just after the flavor and very little heat, use a large red chili with the seeds removed. 

And if you don't like chili, leave it out.

Fresh garlic, basil, parsley, lemon juice, and dried oregano are great flavor combinations that go well with the creaminess of the bocconcini. 

Salt for seasoning, and it also helps bring out the other flavors.

Step By Step Instructions

1. Drain, rinse and use a paper towel or clean tea towel to dry the bocconcini and place it into a medium-size mixing bowl.
2. Peel and crush the garlic, add it to the bowl with the bocconcini.
3. Finely chop the basil and parsley and add it to the bowl along with the dried oregano.
4. Finely slice the chili and add to the bowl. If you don't want the heat from the chili, cut it in half lengthwise, then scrape away the seeds and membrane before finely slicing.
5. Add all the remaining ingredients and mix well to make sure they are all coated in the oil. 
6. Cover and store in the fridge for at least two hours. Serve at room temperature.  

• Note: When chilled, the olive oil will solidify but becomes liquid again when allowed to come to room temperature.

Expert Tips

• You can prepare and leave them out at room temperature for about 30 - 60 minutes. If you don't plan on serving them after this time, put them in the fridge. 
• These marinated mozzarella balls can also be made up to 48 hours in advance and stored in the fridge until needed. 
• Chilled mozzarella balls need to be removed from the fridge about 1 hour before serving so that they can come to room temperature.

Variations

• Use dried herbs if you don't have fresh basil or parsley. Use one teaspoon dried basil and one teaspoon of dried parsley.
• Don't have fresh chili, use 1 -2 teaspoons of red pepper flakes.

Serving Size

A serving is about 4 mozzarella balls.

Calories Per Serve

Each single serving is about 189 calories with most of the oil drain off.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this fresh mozzarella appetizer with crusty bread or mini toasts, or you can;

• Pour these into a large dish and serve with sourdough bread to mop up the flavored oil.
• Put them on toothpicks and pass them around on platters.
• Use them to make a caprese salad.
• Thread them onto skewers with olives or cherry tomatoes to make bocconcini skewers.
• Toss them into salads or pasta.
• Use them as a topping to make bruschetta with mozzarella.
• Put them on a charcuterie platter.
• Put them on a pizza.
• Use them in toasted sandwiches.
• Don't discard the oil. Use it as a salad dressing, make a pasta sauce, for dipping oil, like this Italian bread dipping oil or make crostini.

Storage

Marinated mozzarella balls should be stored in the fridge up until about one hour before you intend to serve them.

FAQ

More Snack Ideas

• Puff pastry sausage rolls
• Mini bacon cheese quiche
• Easy pork spring rolls
• Chicken meatballs
• Caprese crostini
• Baked ham and cheese pinwheels
• Cherry tomato and bocconcini skewers
• How to make baguette crostini
• Puff pastry tomato tartlets