Say hello to your new favorite holiday appetizer: antipasto skewers!! Completely customizable and universally loved by all, these skewers are the perfect start to any meal!
Here’s why we love them so much:
- Make ahead friendly: you can make the skewers up to 3 days in advance, then wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed
- No cooking require
- Light, flavorful small bites, great as an appetizer before a big holiday meal
- Mix and match: use your favorite Italian cured meats, cheeses, vegetables, and olives to make a little something that everyone will love! (Always make a few vegetarian skewers if there are non-meat eaters enjoying as well!
Perhaps the most fun part? Turning them into a beautiful Christmas wreath!
What Is Antipasto?
Antipasto means “before the meal” and is often enjoyed as the first course in an Italian meal.
When we hear the word ‘antipasto’ the first thing that comes to mind is an assortment of cured meats, cheeses, vegetables, and olives. Antipasto can be served on a salad, piled high in a sandwich, on a charcuterie board, or as seen here with skewers!
What Is Mortadella?
It’s a gift from above, that’s what it is. Seriously, if you’ve never tried mortadella, you absolutely must. It is, without a doubt, our favorite Italian cured meat.
Mortadella is an Italian cold cut made from pork scraps and studded with pistachios. It gets its silky smooth texture from being mixed with pork fat.
Yep, you read that correctly. When you slice into mortadella, you’ll see that it’s speckled with green (pistachios) and white (pork fat). It is totally and completely luxurious, and the king of all cold cuts!
Where can I buy mortadella? Head to your local Italian specialty grocer! Don’t forget to ask them to slice it thin!
Ingredients For Italian Antipasto Skewers
The beautiful thing about antipasto skewers is that they are completely customizable! Stick to a few of your favorite Italian cold cuts, two different cheeses (please let one of them be fresh mozzarella or bocconcini), assorted vegetables like olives (black or green), roasted peppers, marinated artichoke hearts, and last — but perhaps most important — fresh basil.
Do not underestimate how important the fresh basil is! Brightens and livens up the flavors!
Here’s the break down of exactly what we use, but feel free to mix and match with your favorite antipasto ingredients:
- Cured meats: Mortadella (this one is non-negotiable), Prosciutto, Salami, Pepperoni
- Cheese: fresh bocconcini (small balls of fresh mozzarella cheese) and 3 pepper provolone or gouda
- Vegetables: roasted red peppers, cherry tomatoes, marinated artichoke hearts, and black olives (any olives will work, you just want something briny!)
- Fresh basil
We recommend ¼ – ⅓ lb of each cold cut to make about 3 dozen skewers, enough for 8-10 guests.
How To Make Antipasto
First, let’s give three cheers for the fact that this is totally make ahead friendly!! Once assembled, simply wrap with plastic wrap, then refrigerate until needed. You can make this up to 3 days in advance!
First, grab a bunch of skewers or toothpicks. Next, lay out all the ingredients in front of you.
From here it’s about mixing and matching. You can make each and every skewer the same, or…. mix-and-match as you build! That’s our preferred method.
Takeaways: make sure each skewer has at least 1 fresh leaf of basil, 1 cheese, and 2 cured meats. Fill the rest of the skewer with veggies and olives!
Turn It Into A Wreath For Holiday Meals
Tell me this antipasto wreath isn’t the cutest, most festive holiday appetizer you’ve ever seen!
Here’s how to make it at home.
- Assemble all the antipasto skewers.
- Grab a round serving board or tray. If it’s not safe for olive oil (such as marble or other sensitive material), place a layer of parchment paper down first. (see above)
- Place the skewers on the board in a single layer forming a circle, leaving a whole in the center.
- Add another layer of skewers on top, forming a beautiful holiday wreath, perfect for Christmas!
When you’re finished assembling the antipasto board, throw any leftover ingredients in a little bowl, then place in the center of the wreath with a few extra toothpicks or skewers on the side (pictured below with bocconcini and black olives). People can grab extras of what they like most!
Variations on Antipasto Skewers
- Drizzle the entire board with balsamic vinegar or Italian dressing (olive oil, vinegar, and Italian seasoning will do the job in a pinch!)
- Use any Italian cold cuts or deli meats you love most: turkey, roast beef, porchetta, soppresata, speck — the world is your oyster!
- Can’t find bocconcini balls? Use fresh mozzarella that is torn or cut into bite size squares.
- Add roasted meats such as turkey, chicken, or pork. Cube any leftovers, then toss in Italian dressing before adding to skewers!
- Use up dried or marinated vegetables lying around the fridge or pantry: sun dried tomatoes, pepperoncini, or marinated mushrooms are great!
- Add small marinated fish, such as anchovies or sardines for a salty bite!
- Craving carbs? Add tiny cubes of focaccia to the skewers! Who wouldn’t love that?!
We are obsessed with these skewers! They are so fun, so festive, and so loved by everyone! We see these appearing at any and all future gatherings in the Well Seasoned house, so get ready for more!
If you make these Antipasto Skewers, please let us know by leaving a review and rating below!
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For more holiday appetizers, check out the following recipes:
- Phyllo-wrapped feta with truffle honey
- Homemade ricotta
- Baked pita bites with cream cheese, smoked salmon, and dill
- Fried goat cheese balls
- Mushrooms on toast
- Roasted grapes crostini with whipped ricotta
Antipasto Skewers Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- ⅓ lb mortadella
- ⅓ lb prosciutto
- ⅓ lb salami
- ⅓ lb pepperoni
- 8 oz bocconcini or fresh mozzarella, cut into small cubes
- 8 oz provolone or gouda spicy if you like heat!
- 12 oz jar of roasted red peppers
- 12 oz jar of marinated artichoke hearts
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
- ½ cup olives any variety
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Assemble all the antipasto skewers. Lay out all ingredients in front of you, then prepare the skewers. We like each skewer to have at least 1 fresh leaf of basil, 1 cheese, and 2 cured meats. If a piece of basil is too large, cut it in ½ or ⅓ so it's comparable in size to the other ingredients. Fill the rest of the skewer with veggies and olives! Continue assembling skewers until all ingredients are used.
- Grab a round serving board or tray. If it's not safe for olive oil (such as marble or other sensitive material), place a layer of parchment paper down first. Place the skewers on the board in a single layer forming a circle, leaving a whole in the center large enough for a small bowl.
- Pile another layer of skewers on top, forming a beautiful holiday wreath! When you're finished assembling the antipasto board, throw any leftover ingredients into a tiny bowl, then place in the center of the wreath with a few extra toothpicks or skewers on the side.
- Serve immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed. Allow antipasto to come to room temperature before serving.
Notes
- We recommend ¼ – ⅓ lb of each cold cut to make about 3 dozen skewers, enough for 8-10 guests.
- Skewers can be assembled up to 3 days in advance, then wrapped with plastic wrap and refrigerated until needed. Allow skewers to come to room temperature before serving.
- Variations on antipasto skewers:
- Drizzle the entire board with balsamic vinegar or Italian dressing (olive oil, vinegar, and Italian seasoning will do the job in a pinch!)
- Use any Italian cold cuts or deli meats you love most: turkey, roast beef, porchetta, soppresata, speck!
- Can’t find bocconcini balls? Use fresh mozzarella torn or cut into bite size squares.
- Add roasted meats such as turkey, chicken, or pork. Cube any leftovers, then toss in Italian dressing before adding to skewers!
- Use up dried or marinated vegetables lying around the fridge or pantry: sun dried tomatoes, pepperoncini, or marinated mushrooms are great!
- Add small marinated fish, such as anchovies or sardines for a salty bite!
- Craving carbs? Add tiny cubes of focaccia to the skewers! Who wouldn’t love that?!
What a great idea! Love the wreath and its portable. Where did you get the skewers? They are so cute. Will have to try this for when we can have parties again. ☺️
Hi Camero! Yes, we thought the wreath as a great little touch! I went ahead and added links to purchase the skewers in the post, but I’ll link them here as well. They might also be available at your local grocery store! Good luck and definitely let me know what you think!! xo, Ari