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For my recent Girls’ Night, I made easy-to-grab antipasto skewers as one of our appetizers. These appetizer skewers are the best appetizer because they are like a mini charcuterie board on a fork! Bursting with savory Italian flavors, this appetizer uses green olives or kalamata olives, salami or pepperoni, fresh mozzarella, sweet red peppers, and brightened with a fresh basil leaf in each bite. Continue reading to learn our family’s antipasto skewers recipe.
What Are Antipasto Skewers?
Antipasto skewers are inspired by the classic Italian tradition called “antipasto”, which means “before the meal.” During our travels in Italy, we learned antipasto traditionally consists of cured meats, cheeses, olives, and marinated vegetables. They’re the perfect appetizer to serve for a large crowd, or for guests to enjoy if they want to grab some quick finger food with one hand, while enjoying a drink in the other.
Why Antipasto Skewers Are the Perfect Appetizer
- Effortless Elegance: They are colorful and elegant when served on nice little skewers such as these with minimal effort.
- Customizable: You can mix and match ingredients to suit dietary preferences or restrictions.
- Quick and Easy: They’re ready in under 30 minutes and the perfect appetizer to make ahead of time.
- Guest Friendly: Antipasto skewers served on smaller forks are easy for guests to grab and carry.
- They Make Great Leftovers: If you have any antipasto skewers left over, simply store these and create an antipasto salad the next day!
Essential Ingredients for Antipasto Skewers
Antipasto skewers are highly customizable and easy to construct in different ways. To get you started, you will need a few key ingredients from the store:
1. Different Meats
- Salami slices, prosciutto, or pepperoni add savory richness.
2. Cheese
- Mozzarella slices or plain mozzarella balls (bocconcini), cubes of provolone.
3. Vegetables & Fresh Herbs
- Cherry tomatoes, marinated artichoke hearts, sweet red peppers, basil leaves, sun-dried tomatoes.
4. Olives
- Green or black olives bring a briny kick.
NOTE: Some hosts also enjoy adding cheese tortellini to their antipasto skewer recipe. However, I opt to not include these since pasta can be very filling for guests, leaving little room for the main meal! However, if you wish to include tortellini, these also make delicious antipasto skewers.
How to Assemble Antipasto Skewers
- Gather Ingredients: You’ll need bamboo skewers, wooden skewers, or cocktail sticks. I prefer to assemble ours on small cocktail sticks they can be consumed in one bite.
- Prep Ingredients: Slice and separate meats, cheeses, and vegetables into bite-sized pieces.
- Assemble: Thread ingredients onto skewers in a visually appealing order. For ours, I assembled: Mozzarella + Cured Meat + Basil + Mozzarella + Sweet Red Pepper + Olive. The order I selected was very intentional. I added 2 mozzarella balls to give each bite a smooth finish, the basil was placed in the middle to create a fresh burst of flavor in center, away from the brine of the olive. The sweetness of the red pepper balanced the brine of the olive perfectly!
- Drizzle and Garnish: Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle with Italian herbs. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve.
Tips for Perfect Antipasto Skewers
- Prepare Ahead of Time: If you’re hosting an event, I recommend making these 24 hours in advance and storing them in an airtight container. This will allow flavors to blend together and make day-of hosting so much easier.
- Use Fresh Ingredients: For the best outcome, use high-quality, fresh ingredients for the best flavor. Ex: Fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, marinated peppers and olives.
- Balance Flavors: Include a mix of salty, tangy, and creamy elements. I prefer sweet red peppers over roasted for a balance of flavors as well (this will ensure skewers are not too salty)
- Use Small Skewers: Choose skewers that are sturdy, yet small. You will be able to assemble these faster, and guests can consume these easier, without feeling like they’re trying to devour an antipasto kabob.
- Serve Chilled: Keep skewers in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve.
Pairing Suggestions
Antipasto skewers pair beautifully with:
- Wine: A crisp Pinot Grigio or a bold Chianti.
- Cocktails: Aperol spritz or Negroni.
- Mocktails: Sparkling water with a splash of lemon or lime.
the PERFECT HOSTING ACCESSORY
Wine Glass Bamboo Charcuterie Topper
I love providing my guests with these adorable wine glass charcuterie toppers. They fit nicely over a standard white wine glass, allowing guests to nibble, mingle, and drink all with one hand. Order these for your next party here on Amazon.
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Easy Antipasto Skewers – The Perfect Appetizer Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 oz package of fresh mozzarella balls
- 4 oz kalamata olives
- 4 oz green olives
- 4 oz thin sliced salami
- 4 oz thin sliced pepperoni pairs well with kalamata olives
- 9 oz hot & sweet peppers
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
Instructions
Prepare Ingredients:
- Rinse fresh basil leaves. Slice hot & sweet peppers.
Assemble Skewers:
- Start with a mozzarella ball, add a folded uncured meat of your choice, basil leaf, followed by a second mozzarella ball to create a smooth finish, then a sliced hot & sweet pepper, finished with an olive of your choice.
- TIP: If you do not want your skewer to be too strong of a brine taste, green olives pair well with salami for a more subtle finish. The buttery flavors of kalamata olives create a smoother finish for pepperoni skewers. If you enjoy brine and salt flavors, feel free to alter meats and olives as desired.
Optional Ingredients:
- If the ingredients you purchased were already marinated, you may not need to include this step. However, for a brighter Italian finish, drizzle good quality olive oil on top of all assembled skewered with a few dashes of Herbes de Provence / Italian seasoning. Store in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve. Enjoy!
Nutrition
This looks so yummy! I think I have the perfect idea for date night in for Valentine’s Day. The simplicity in this is amazing. And yet, looks so delicious and appealing on the eye.
Love antipasti! (Olives in them in particular) but have never had them in skewers, this is a better way to serve them as one can have all the flavors in one take. Love your take on this!
Okay, HOW CUTE are those little wine glass topper charcuterie boards?! I need these in my life ASAP for my next dinner party, they’re totally going to up my hosting game.
This is seriously the cutest (and smartest) appetizer idea! Who does like an assortment of antipasti — and with such lovely presentation, too.
These are so cute and a perfect appetizer for any occasion to be honest. I haven’t made any antipasto skewers before, so I am surely going to make this next month for a party we are having. Thanks for sharing this
Love how you combined fresh mozzarella, olives, and salami on these antipasto skewers!
The balsamic drizzle tip is a great addition to this simple appetizer love it for parties. Thanks ~
I love pasta, and I love antipasti! And these skewers look so yummy and nutritious. I`ll save this recipe for my birthday party in March. Thank you for the idea.