Caprese Stuffed Avocados with Spicy Balsamic Glaze

What do you do when you have a fresh shipment of California Avocados, some delicious mozzarella, a bursting basil plant, some fresh tomatoes and a craving for something easy and delicious?

You make the most delicious Caprese Stuffed Avocados with a spicy balsamic drizzle, of course!

I became obsessed with making balsamic glazes and drizzles after having some of Maria’s Caprese Garlic Bread (best garlic bread ever fyi).  Seriously, y’all go check out that garlic bread recipe, it’s absolutely phenomenal.  Reducing balsamic vinegar makes it thicker and makes it sweeter.

For these appetizers, I wanted to take the traditional caprese recipe and turn it on its head with a new presentation, and a killer spicy, tangy, delicious drizzle.  The smell in my house while I was simmering the sauce and reducing it… yowza!  My mouth was literally watering in anticipation.

These are quick and easy to throw together, so they’re perfect for an impromptu gathering, a football party, a summer’s here bash, or just because you have an afternoon free to hang out with friends and neighbors.

The flavors are bright and fresh, the creaminess of the avocados pairs beautifully with the spicy balsamic glaze and the zingy basil.  You could even take these up a notch by grilling the avocados first; like we do with the black bean pico stuffed avocados and the spicy grilled shrimp quesadillas!

The only thing you need time to prep is the spicy balsamic glaze, but that’s ready in less than 30 minutes, and you can do that while you prep the tomatoes and mozzarella!

I foresee a lot of these being made this summer, and if you’re serving a big crowd, you could even cut the avocados up and serve everything on toothpicks and skewers with a fun drizzle bottle or ladle so that guests can control the amount of glaze!

Disclosure: This recipe was created and inspired by my partnership with the California Avocado Commission. I’m honored to be a compensated 2014 brand ambassador for CAC. All opinions expressed are my own. For more great recipes visit the California Avocado Commission website and follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

Caprese Stuffed Avocados with Spicy Balsamic Drizzle

Simple and delicious Caprese Stuffed Avocados with a spicy balsamic glaze

Print Recipe

Prep Time:30 minutes mins

Total Time:30 minutes mins

Ingredients

Spicy Balsamic Glaze

• 1 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
• 2 teaspoons chili garlic paste

Stuffed Avocados

• 6 Avocados
• 10 oz grape tomatoes
• 10 fresh mozzarella
• 1 bunch of fresh basil

Instructions

Spicy Balsamic Glaze

• Pour the balsamic vinegar into a saucepan over medium heat, whisk in the chili garlic paste and bring to a bubble.
• Reduce the heat to a simmer
• Simmer, whisking frequently, until the vinegar has thickened and reduced by 1/2
• Pour into a glass container to cool

Avocados

• Dice the tomatoes, chop the mozzarella, tear or chop the basil leaves and mix together
• Slice the avocados in half, remove the pit
• You can spoon the mixture into the avocados as they are, or scoop out a bit of the avocado to make room for more of the caprese mixture.
• Spoon the caprese mixture into the avocado halves
• Drizzle the glaze over just prior to serving.

Notes

If you want to take this appetizer up a notch, grill the avocado halves while the balsamic glaze is reducing. This will make the avocado creamier.
Don't drizzle the glaze over the avocados until you're ready to serve them.

This makes more glaze than you'll need, but I like to taste test while prepping {so none goes to waste around here!}

Servings: 1 dozen Avocado Halves

Author: Rachel

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