Caprese Christmas Wreath Recipe

With the holiday season comes time for friends and family to get together. And if you're hosting, it's all about finding the perfect menu to put on a spread that will impress your guests. The good news is that it doesn't have to be complicated or hard! With a few clever recipes, you can put together a holiday meal in just minutes that's sure to please everyone in attendance. This recipe for a Caprese Christmas wreath by food photographer Petar Marshall should definitely be added to that menu.

"Caprese combines the most delicious flavors of fresh mozzarella, fresh tomatoes, and fresh basil," says Marshall. "It's light and easy and makes for a great appetizer for everyone to enjoy." The best part? It's already dressed up for the occasion thanks to its stunning natural colors. And even better, you can pull off putting together a festive Caprese wreath in a matter of just 10 minutes without even turning on your oven.

Ready to dive in and make this festive holiday appetizer? Begin by gathering your ingredients ahead of time. For this recipe, you'll need one (3-ounce) container of fresh basil, one (10-ounce) container of cherry tomatoes, five whole tomatoes on the vine, and two (8-ounce) balls of fresh mozzarella. "Be sure you're buying the basil right before you plan to use it," says Marshall. "Fresh basil doesn't last very long, so you want to be sure to plan ahead for freshness."

Once you've done your shopping and your ingredients are ready, it's time to start putting together your holiday platter. Don't worry, it only takes a few minutes! First up, it's time for basil. Pluck the basil leaves from the stems and lay them out into a circle around the outer edge of the platter. This will serve as the base of the wreath, offering a beautiful pop of green color, freshness, and delicious flavor for your Caprese spread. 

Once the basil has been added, next up are the tomatoes. Slice the tomatoes and lay them out in a circle. Place them on top of the basil with a slight overlap, but don't cover the leaves completely. Marshall chooses to use fresh tomatoes on the vine and cut them into thin slices. However, you could choose to ditch the sliced tomatoes and only use cherry tomatoes if you prefer.

Of course, it wouldn't be Caprese without fresh mozzarella. Slice the first mozzarella ball into small slices and create a layered circle around the inside of the tomato layer. Place the second ball of mozzarella in the center of the platter. Lastly, add the cherry tomatoes to the platter to fill in any gaps. Use additional fresh basil leaves to finish garnishing the wreath. It's that easy! Serve this Caprese Christmas wreath on its own, or offer sliced French bread, baguette, or crackers to go along with it.