Caprese Ladybug Appetizer

These adorable ladybug appetizers are the perfect bite-sized treat, made with simple ingredients like crackers, cheese, and veggies.

mini caprese appetizers made to look like ladybugs.

Caprese Ladybugs

Add a touch of whimsy to your next get-together with these adorable ladybug appetizers – perfect for a backyard barbecue or fresh lunch for spring or summer.

These bite-sized wonders are a breeze to make, and the best part? You can totally customize them!

Cherry tomatoes make the ladybug bodies, black olives make perfect heads, and for the spots, unleash your inner artist! Black sesame seeds or even finely chopped olives work great. Chives, fennel sprigs, or cilantro make awesome antennae (we used thinly sliced cucumber – it’s surprisingly realistic!). Let your imagination run wild with this nature-inspired treat!

These are also the components of a classic caprese salad: tomatoes, mozzarella, and fresh basil. It’s one of my favorite flavor combinations! Especially with a touch of balsamic vinegar!

This is a fun recipe to get the kids involved – they’ll have a blast coming up with all sorts of fun ladybug designs! Prep everything ahead of time, then assemble right before serving for maximum freshness and crunch.

Related: For another fun ladybug snack, check out our Strawberry Ladybugs recipe too!

close up of caprese ladybug appetizers.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 of a cucumber
  • 1 bunch fresh basil
  • 12 Ritz crackers
  • 6 slices mozzarella cheese
  • 1 tsp. balsamic glaze
  • 1 tsp. black sesame seeds
  • 10 black olives
  • 6 cherry tomatoes

Ingredients to make ladybug caprese appetizers.

Instructions

  1. Place mozzarella cheese on a clean cutting board or countertop and cut out circles that match the size of your crackers. A shot glass or small round cookie cutter could work for this. Place one slice of cheese between two crackers, then one more slice of cheese on top, to form the base of the appetizer.
  2. Cut cherry tomatoes in half and drain or gently squeeze out any excess juice. Place one basil leaf on top of each cracker base and then one tomato half on top of the basil.
  3. Cut the black olives in half. Use the halves without the hole to make the ladybug’s head. Cut each of these halves so that they have a flat base to sit on the cracker, and the top is still round. Slice the remaining olives into thin strips and use those to separate the wings of the ladybug. Sprinkle the tops of the tomatoes with balsamic glaze and sprinkle with black sesame seeds, to make the ladybug’s spots.
  4. Peel the cucumbers so that you have strips of peel to use for the antennae of the ladybugs. Slice the peel part of the cucumber into straws. Slice the rest of the cucumber into semi-circles and place them on a platter to serve the appetizer. Sprinkle the cucumbers with coarse salt and black sesame seeds and place them on the serving platter in between the ladybugs, as edible greenery.

4 step photo collage showing how to make ladybug appetizer.

Prep Tips

  • Yield – The recipe as written makes 6 servings, just to give you an example. However, you can easily increase the amount you make by using more of each ingredient.
  • Crackers – You really can use any kind of cracker for this recipe! We used a round butter cracker (like a Ritz cracker) but you can use square crackers too, such as saltines or Triscuits.
  • Cheese – Like the crackers, you can customize this recipe with your favorite type of cheese, even cream cheese spread. You can also go dairy-free and use hummus or another similar type of spread.
  • Herbs – We have lots of fresh Thai basil in the garden right now (it loves hot weather!), but you can use another type of fresh herb that you prefer or have on hand, such as mint, parsley or cilantro.
  • Storage – This appetizer is best enjoyed immediately. If stored, the crackers will soften and lose their crunchy texture.

top down view of tomato ladybugs appetizer.

More Easy & Fresh Appetizer Recipes To Try

Ladybug Appetizer Recipe (Printable Recipe Card)

If you tried this recipe and liked it, please rate it!

Want to Save This Recipe?

Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!

Save Post

By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from The Soccer Mom Blog

mini caprese appetizers made to look like ladybugs.
Print Recipe
No ratings yet

Caprese Ladybug Appetizer

These adorable ladybug appetizers are the perfect bite-sized treat, made with simple ingredients like crackers, cheese, and veggies.
Prep Time30 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: caprese, crackers, tomato
Servings: 6
Calories: 50kcal
Author: Stacey aka the Soccer Mom
Cost: $12

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Place mozzarella cheese on a clean cutting board or countertop and cut out circles that match the size of your crackers. A shot glass or small round cookie cutter could work for this. Place one slice of cheese between two crackers, then one more slice of cheese on top, to form the base of the appetizer.
  • Cut cherry tomatoes in half and drain or gently squeeze out any excess juice. Place one basil leaf on top of each cracker base and then one tomato half on top of the basil.
  • Cut the black olives in half. Use the halves without the hole to make the ladybug's head. Cut each of these halves so that they have a flat base to sit on the cracker, and the top is still round. Slice the remaining olives into thin strips and use those to separate the wings of the ladybug. Sprinkle the tops of the tomatoes with balsamic glaze and sprinkle with black sesame seeds, to make the ladybug's spots.
  • Peel the cucumbers so that you have strips of peel to use for the antennae of the ladybugs. Slice the peel part of the cucumber into straws. Slice the rest of the cucumber into semi-circles and place them on a platter to serve the appetizer. Sprinkle the cucumbers with coarse salt and black sesame seeds and place them on the serving platter in between the ladybugs, as edible greenery.

Notes

Nutrition information is per serving (1 ladybug cracker) and is an estimate.

Nutrition

Calories: 50kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 0.2mg | Sodium: 166mg | Potassium: 56mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 185IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg

Pin our Caprese Ladybugs on Pinterest:

caprese ladybugs appetizer Pinterest image.

You might also like:

tomato, mozzarella, pesto dip served with sliced bread

Hot Caprese Dip Appetizer

Stacey aka the Soccer Mom
Latest posts by Stacey aka the Soccer Mom (see all)

Share this post:

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

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

Recipe Rating