Italian
Oven Tomato Mozzarella Bites
Cherry tomatoes and mozzarella cubes roast briefly until the cheese softens and the tomatoes blister. A drizzle of balsamic finishes a warm savory snack.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 12 min
- Total
- 22 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Photo: stu_spivack (CC BY-SA). Source
Why you’ll love it
- Roasts quickly on one small sheet pan.
- Uses familiar tomato and cheese flavors.
- Warm cheese makes it feel more filling.
- Short bake keeps tomatoes juicy, not dry.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a small baking sheet with parchment.
- 2
Halve any large cherry tomatoes; leave small ones whole.
- 3
Cut mozzarella into 3/4-inch cubes.
- 4
Toss tomatoes and mozzarella with olive oil, salt, and pepper on the sheet.
- 5
Bake 10 to 12 minutes until tomatoes blister and cheese softens.
- 6
Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and tear basil over the top.
- 7
Serve warm with toothpicks if desired.
Pro tips
- Pat mozzarella dry so it browns instead of watering the pan.
- Do not overbake or the cheese will fully melt and spread.
- Add basil only after baking so it stays bright.
Easy substitutions
- fresh mozzarella
- ciliegine or low-moisture cubes
- balsamic vinegar
- a squeeze of lemon
- basil
- oregano
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container up to 2 days.
Reheating
Warm at 350°F for 5 minutes until cheese softens again.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 190
- Protein
- 11 g
- Carbs
- 6 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
Moderate · Oven · Vegetarian
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From the kitchen
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A heavy 12-inch skillet
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An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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