This antipasto platter is an excellent appetizer for parties with a variety of tasty meats, cheeses, olives, and more to snack on! It's super simple to assemble, and you don't have to cook a thing! You can even prepare all the ingredients the day before, which means more time to spend at your party!
Easy Italian Antipasto Platter
I am a grazer who loves to grab a bite here and there while socializing, so naturally, I love a good charcuterie board, cheese platter, or antipasto platter! With a variety of nuts, cheeses, meats, and olives, I'm a happy camper (and even happier that it takes almost no effort on my part to prepare).
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What Is Antipasto
Antipasto is the singular form of the Italian term 'antipasti' that refers to an appetizer in Italian cuisine. The word "antipasti" translates to "before the meal" in English, meaning it is usually served before the main course. In Italy, antipasto dishes are meant to stimulate the appetite before the meal and are often served with a glass of wine.
Antipasto platters typically consist of a selection of cured meats, cheeses, marinated vegetables, olives, and pickles or pickled vegetables.
🥘 Antipasto Platter Ingredients
The great thing about an antipasto platter is that the specific ingredients used are totally up to you! If you have a favorite cured meat or a preferred variety of cheese, you can feel free to swap things out as you see fit.
Veggies, Nuts, & Honey
- Nuts - 4 ounces of assorted nuts like almonds, pistachios, pecans, or macadamia nuts.
- Olives -1 cup of olives (I used kalamata, black olives, and castelvetrano).
- Mushrooms - 4 ounces of marinated mushrooms (or artichoke hearts, or both).
- Honey - ½ cup of honey, fig jam, or your preferred dip or spread.
Meat
- Genoa Salami - 4 ounces of Genoa salami (assortment - dry, hard, Genoa).
- Soppressata Salami - 4 ounces of soppressata salami.
- Calabrese Salami - 4 ounces of calabrese salami (mild (dolce) or hot (piccante)).
- Hot Capicola - 4 ounces of hot capicola (aka capocollo, or coppa).
- Proscuitto - 4 ounces of Proscuitto.
Cheese
- Mozzarella Pearls - 8 ounces of mozzarella pearls. You can marinate them if desired.
- Aged or Hard Italian Cheese - 6 ounces of aged or hard Italian cheese like Pecorino Romano.
- Semi-Soft Cheese - 6 ounces of semi-soft cheese (like fontina or brie; I also included cubes of Swiss and Colby Jack).
- Soft Cheese - 6 ounces of soft cheese like gorgonzola.
Optional Items
- Dill Pickles - 4 ounces of petite dill pickles.
- Roasted Red Bell Peppers - 4 ounces roasted red bell peppers (you can find these prepared and jarred at your local grocery store).
- Pickled Asparagus - 4 ounces of pickled asparagus.
- Pickled Cherry Peppers - 2 ounces of pickled cherry peppers (or pepperoncini or giardiniera mix).
- Crackers - 12 ounces of crackers (Triscuit, wheat thins, grissini breadsticks, cheese whisps).
- Fresh herbs - Fresh sprigs of herbs like mint, basil, rosemary, thyme.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make An Italian Antipasto Platter
Once you've selected your ingredients, it's all about presenting them in an organized way that is appealing to the eye. You will need a serving platter,
Plan for about 3-5 different ingredients per person if the platter is served before a full meal. For larger gatherings or if it's the main appetizer, you will need to increase the quantities accordingly.
- Bowls. Begin by placing the 4 ounces (226.8 grams) of nuts, 1 cup (135 grams) of olives, 4 ounces (113.4 ounces) of marinated mushrooms, ½ cup (169.5 grams) of honey, and 8 ounces (226.8 grams) of mozzarella pearls in small ramekins or bowls. Then, spread the bowls around a decorative tray or serving platter.
- Meats and cheeses. Arrange the meats and cheeses around the bowls. Rolling or folding the meats makes for a better presentation. (4 ounces (113.4 grams) of genoa salami, 4 ounces (113.4 grams) of soppressata salami, 4 ounces (113.4 grams) of calabrese salami, 4 ounces (113.4 grams) of hot capicola, 4 ounces (113.4 grams) of Proscuitto, 6 ounces (283.5 grams) of aged or hard Italian cheese, 6 ounces (56.7 grams) of semi-soft cheese, and 6 ounces (170.1 grams) of soft cheese).
- Fill and serve. Fill in any remaining spaces with any optional ingredients you would like to use, including 4 ounces (113.4 grams) of petite dill pickles, 4 ounces (113.4 grams) of roasted red bell peppers, 4 ounces (113.4 grams) of pickled asparagus, 2 ounces (56.7 grams) of pickled cherry peppers, 12 ounces (340.2 grams) of crackers of sliced bread, or fresh herbs, and serve.
🥗 What To Serve With An Antipasto Platter
If you'd like to stick with the Italian theme, you could start your meal with antipasto and some crispy risotto balls with a side of marinara for dipping! Red wine is also a classic pairing, and my fruity red wine sangria is always a crowd favorite! Enjoy!
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💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- My butcher block cutting board that covers the stove top is what I used here, which gave me lots of room and was perfectly portable, too!
- The mozzarella pearls can be marinated in an Italian dressing before assembling if desired.
- For dipping, you can also add small bowls of spreads like hummus, tapenade, or olive oil with balsamic vinegar.
- Sprigs of fresh herbs like basil, thyme, or rosemary can be used to add elegance and a pop of color to your platter. They are also useful for filling in any blank spots!
- If you'd like to prepare your platter in advance, slice and portion all of the individual ingredients and keep them covered in the fridge for up to 24 hours. You should wait to add nuts, bread, and/or crackers until just before serving.
🥡 Storing
With the exception of nuts, which can be stored at room temperature, any leftover ingredients should be stored separately in an airtight container in the fridge. How long they will last will vary by ingredient, so you should refer to their original packaging.
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📖 Recipe Card
Antipasto Platter
Ingredients
Veggies, Nuts, & Honey
- 4 oz nuts (assorted - almonds, pistachios, pecans, macadamia nuts etc)
- 1 cup olives (I used kalamata, black olives, and castelvetrano)
- 4 oz marinated mushrooms (or artichoke hearts, or both)
- ½ cup honey
Meat
- 4 oz genoa salami (assortment - dry, hard, Genoa)
- 4 oz soppressata salami
- 4 oz calabrese salami (mild (dolce) or hot (piccante))
- 4 oz hot capicola (aka capocollo, or coppa)
- 4 oz Proscuitto
Cheese
- 8 oz mozzarella pearls
- 6 oz aged or hard Italian cheese (like Pecorino Romano)
- 6 oz semi-soft cheese (like fontina or brie, I also included cubes of Swiss and Colby Jack)
- 6 oz soft cheese (like gorgonzola)
Optional Items
- 4 oz petite dill pickles
- 4 oz roasted red bell peppers
- 4 oz pickled asparagus
- 2 oz pickled cherry peppers (or pepperoncini, or giardiniera mix)
- 12 oz crackers (Triscuit, wheat thins, grissini breadsticks, cheese whisps)
- herbs (optional - mint, basil, rosemary, thyme)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- Begin by placing the 4 oz nuts, 1 cup olives, 4 oz marinated mushrooms, ½ cup honey, and 8 oz mozzarella pearls in small ramekins or bowls. Then, spread the bowls of ingredients around a decorative tray or serving platter.
- Arrange the meats and cheeses around the bowls. Rolling or folding the meats makes for a better presentation. (4 oz genoa salami, 4 oz soppressata salami, 4 oz calabrese salami, 4 oz hot capicola,4 oz Proscuitto, 6 oz aged or hard Italian cheese, 6 oz semi-soft cheese, and 6 oz soft cheese).
- Fill in any remaining spaces with any optional ingredients you would like to use, including 4 oz petite dill pickles, 4 oz roasted red bell peppers, 4 oz pickled asparagus, 2 oz pickled cherry peppers, 12 oz crackers, or herbs, and serve.
Notes
- My butcher block cutting board that covers the stove top is what I used here, which gave me lots of room and was perfectly portable too!
- The mozzarella pearls can be marinated in an Italian dressing before assembling if desired.
- For dipping, you can also add small bowls of spreads like hummus, tapenade, or olive oil with balsamic vinegar.
- Sprigs of fresh herbs like basil, thyme, or rosemary can be used to add elegance and a pop of color to your platter. They are also useful for filling in any blank spots!
- If you'd like to prepare your platter in advance, slice and portion all of the individual ingredients and keep them covered in the fridge for up to 24 hours. You should wait to add nuts, bread, and/or crackers until just before serving.
- To store: With the exception of nuts, which can be stored at room temperature, any leftover ingredients should be stored separately in an airtight container in the fridge. How long they last will vary by ingredient, so you should refer to their original packaging.
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