Italian Antipasto Platter
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When I think of Italian appetizers, my mind immediately goes to vibrant antipasto platters brimming with peppers, olives, artichokes, and tomatoes in every form (fresh, roasted, or sun-dried). I always think of the off-the-menu pickled veggies they bring out at one of my favorite restaurants, Carbone. And of course, no Italian spread is complete without the country’s famous cured meats and cheeses like salami, pepperoni, pecorino, and mozzarella.
This antipasto platter includes classic elements like bruschetta, fresh burrata drizzled with olive oil and pecorino, and warm focaccia. I also add a simple marinated tomato and mozzarella perline salad — the pearls of mozzarella soak up all the olive oil and herbs beautifully. To finish, I fill in the board with prosciutto, mortadella, and salami, plus marinated artichokes, pepperoncini, olives, anchovies, and slices of garlicky toasted bread. Follow the steps below for my foolproof Italian antipasto platter that looks impressive but comes together effortlessly. If you’re planning a little dinner party or get-together, serve it with slowly simmered 4-meat bolognese sauce or this spicy rigatoni recipe to round things out.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Effortlessly impressive. It looks like it took hours to put together, but most of the ingredients just need arranging, not cooking.
- Perfect for entertaining. Whether it’s a casual dinner party or a holiday gathering, this platter sets the tone for a great meal.
- A taste of Italy at home. Each element – from the burrata to the artichokes – brings the vibrant, rustic flavors of Italy straight to your table.
What is Antipasto?
Antipasto, an Italian-style hors d’oeuvres. It typically contains a variety of meats, cheeses, and vegetables. “Antipasto” literally translates from Italian to “before the meal” in English.
Basic Antipasto Formula
I like to include at least 1 of each element on my antipasto platters:
- salty (a cheese and a meat) +
- sweet (a dip or nuts) +
- spicy (a pickled pepper) +
- sour (something pickled)
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
- Genoa Salami – Genoa salami is readily available at many grocery stores and markets. It’s a dry, spiced, cured, uncooked salami made from pork and seasoned with garlic, salt and black and/or white peppercorns and red or white wine with a smoky aroma. Read more about Charcuterie board meats and salumi here.
- Prosciutto – This salty, silky meat is made from curing the whole hind leg of a pig. Prosciutto is a whole muscle salumi served sliced paper-thin.
- Pepperoncini – This Italian hot chili pepper is a light yellowish green color with a mild heat. The pickled pepper adds a great level of acidity when served with cheeses or on sandwiches. Pepperoncini are between 100–500 SHU (Scoville units).
- Marinated artichokes – Quartered artichoke hearts are marinated in a seasoned olive oil mixture. I like serving them with this antipasto spread because they pair well with garlic bread, Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How to Prep an Antipasto Platter in Advance
You can assemble most of your platter up to a few hours in advance. Cover it tightly and refrigerate, then let it sit out for about 30 minutes before serving so the cheese softens the flavors can really shine.
Pro tip
I like to serve toothpicks on the side of this spread since many of the small dishes and elements included are finger foods. Don’t forget to set out a small bowl so people can discard used toothpicks and olive pits!
How to Make an Antipasto Platter
Preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC). In a small bowl stir together the butter, olive oil, garlic and parsley until completely combined.
Use a knife to spread the mixture over each half of the bread.
Bake until the bread is golden brown and crisp, about 15 minutes. Slice into 1” slices for serving.
Add the bruschetta to a small bowl and the marinated tomato and mozzarella salad to another.
Add the burrata to a dish and drizzle with olive oil (this cheese tends to spread out). Arrange on the platter then place the pecorino on another side of the board. Add olive oil and balsamic vinegar to a small dish for dipping.
Arrange the salami and mortadella on the platter followed by pepperoncini, artichokes, olives, anchovies, nuts on the platter.
Wrap the prosciutto slices around the breadsticks and add to the board with the Foccocia and garlic bread slices. Garnish with basil and oregano.
Tips and Tricks for This Spread
- While this spread may seem fancy and expensive, it can be created for a reasonable price and most of the ingredients can be found at Trader Joe’s or local grocery stores.
- When serving antipasto, I’ve found that it’s all in the art of the plating so I make sure to place the various components with care.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
Add any dips or small appetizers to small bowls then choose a few high-quality meats and cheeses. Fill in the platter with colorful vegetables, olives, and bread or crackers. Arrange everything on a large board or platter and serve.
You can assemble most of your platter up to a few hours in advance. Cover it tightly and refrigerate, then let it sit out for about 30 minutes before serving so the cheese softens the flavors can really shine.
Go for a mix of mild and bold flavors like creamy mozzarella or burrata, salty pecorino, rich provolone, or aged parmesan pair beautifully with salty cured meats like prosciutto, soppressata, or spicy calabrese salami.
Serve your platter at room temperature for the best flavor. If you have leftovers, store everything separately in airtight containers (meats and cheeses in one, marinated veggies in another) Enjoy within 2 to 3 days.
Antipasto is Italian and traditionally includes marinated vegetables, cheeses, and cured meats served before a meal. Charcuterie is French and focuses mainly on cured meats and cheeses.
Other Recipes to Try
If you enjoy this antipasto platter recipe, I recommend checking out some of these:
- Arancini
- Quick Braised Baby Artichokes with Burrata
- Garlic Butter Tomato Cheese Bread
- Whipped Spiced Ricotta Toast
- 10 Best Charcuterie Board Meats
Tried it? Loved it? Tweaked it? Leave a review below and tell me how it went – I’m all ears (and always hungry).
Italian Antipasto Platter
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Ingredients:
For the marinated tomato and mozzarella salad:
- 12 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
- 6 ounces perline mozzarella
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- Kosher salt, to taste
For the garlic bread:
- 1 loaf ciabatta bread, halved lengthwise
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
For assembly:
- Bruschetta
- 4 ounces burrata
- Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed
- 8 ounces pecorino cheese, cut into chunks
- Balsamic vinegar, as needed
- 2½ ounces sliced Genoa salami
- 2 ounces shaved mortadella
- 1 (8-ounce) jar Pepperoncini, drained
- 1 (4-ounce) jar marinated oil-packed artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
- ½ cup canned Italian olives, drained
- 1 (2-ounce) tin anchovies
- ½ cup marcona almonds or walnuts
- 2 ounces San Daniele prosciutto
- Breadsticks, for serving
- Focaccia bread, cut into strips
- Basil leaves, for garnish
- Oregano leaves, for garnish
Instructions:
For the marinated tomato and mozzarella salad:
- In a medium mixing bowl, toss the tomato, mozzarella, oregano, basil and crushed red pepper together. Season to taste with salt.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.
For the garlic bread:
- Preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC).
- In a small bowl stir together the butter, olive oil, garlic and parsley until completely combined. Use a knife to spread the mixture over each half of the bread.
- Bake until the bread is golden brown and crisp, about 15 minutes. Slice into 1” slices for serving.
For assembly:
- Add the bruschetta to a small bowl and the marinated tomato and mozzarella salad to another.
- Add the burrata to a dish and drizzle with olive oil (this cheese tends to spread out). Arrange on the platter then place the pecorino on another side of the board. Add olive oil and balsamic vinegar to a small dish for dipping.
- Arrange the salami and mortadella on the platter followed by pepperoncini, artichokes, olives, anchovies, nuts on the platter.
- Wrap the prosciutto slices around the breadsticks and add to the board with the Foccocia and garlic bread slices. Garnish with basil and oregano.
Notes:
Nutrition:
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