What’s better than antipasto? Your own personal antipasto skewers! Customize these fun appetizers with your choice of cold cuts, cheese and veggies and watch them fly off your serving platter.
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Why we love this recipe
Everyone loves a beautiful antipasto, that glorious platter full of cheese, deli meats, pickles and veggies.
And you know what I love? Making miniature versions of my favorite bigger meals (looking at you, caprese salad skewers!), and that’s exactly what these cute antipasto skewers are.
They are super easy to make, endlessly customizable, and who doesn’t love delicious appetizers on skewers?
Ingredients you need
Ingredient notes and substitutions
This selection above is just a sample of the many delicious things you can skewer! Here are a few other ideas.
- Deli Meats: Ham, Salami, Prosciutto, Turkey…pretty much any meat that you can find at the deli counter of your supermarket will work. You can also leave out the meat entirely for any vegetarian friends in your crowd.
- Veggies: Artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes, cucumber and squash slices, mushrooms, peppers (cooked or raw)…any veggie that you can make bite-sized and skewer!
- Cheeses: Mozzarella Balls, chunks of provolone, cheddar, Monterey Jack, Swiss…you get the idea!
- Marinated Veggies: Antipasto usually has some kind of marinated item, and if you don’t go for the traditional olives 🙋🏼♀️🙋🏼♀️ marinated artichoke hearts, pickles or jarred peppers are also great.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities and nutritional information.
How to make this recipe
All you need is an assortment of your favorite antipasto items a pretty platter and a pile of these.
(And just for the record, regular old long toothpicks will work just as well. Or those kind with the frilly cellophane ends. You be you, toothpick-wise.)
Now for the antipasto part. You want three or four things per skewer, and go for a mix of something salty and something sweet or creamy on each one, just to even things out. So for example, a folded slice of salami, a cherry tomato, a pickle and a cheese cube.
Etcetera. I’m a great believer in following your heart when it comes to antipasto, even if some of the items that I spear on my skewers probably aren’t completely authentic.
PRO TIP: Make some of these skewers vegetarian by leaving out the meat and adding on some extra cheese or veggies!
If you want to be super-fancy, you can offer up a basket of thinly sliced Italian or French bread alongside your platter of antipasto skewers, but honestly? Folks will probably be perfectly happy just slurping the antipasto goodness right off those skewers exactly as they are.
And if you really, really need to have those cute little skewers as much as I did, you can find a set of 200 bamboo skewers right here.
Other appetizer recipes we love!
Could you leave us a review?
If you try this recipe, we would love to hear how it came out for you! I’d be super grateful if you could leave a star rating (you pick how many stars! 🌟 ) and your thoughts in the Comments section.
PrintAntipasto Skewers
What’s better than antipasto? Your own personal antipasto on skewers! Customize these fun appetizers with your choice of cold cuts, cheese and veggies and watch them fly off your serving platter.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Your choice of the following
- 4 slices of folded pieces of ham (you can also use salami, prosciutto, roast beef, etc)
- 4 balls of mozzarella (or any other cheese you like!)
- 4 cherry tomatoes
- 4 marinated artichoke hearts
- 4 olives
- 4 baby pickles (sweet or dill)
- 4 roasted peppers
- 4 pepperoni slices
- 4 folded slices of provolone
Instructions
- Spear three to four assorted antipasto ingredients on each skewer or toothpick, alternating salty items like deli meats and pickled veggies with sweeter and creamier items like cherry tomatoes and mozzarella cheese.
- Arrange skewers on a platter and serve!
Notes
-
- Deli Meats: Ham, Salami, Prosciutto, Turkey…pretty much any meat that you can find at the deli counter of your supermarket will work. You can also leave out the meat entirely for any vegetarian friends in your crowd.
-
- Veggies: Artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes, cucumber and squash slices, mushrooms, peppers (cooked or raw)…any veggie that you can make bite-sized and skewer!
-
- Cheeses: Mozzarella Balls, chunks of provolone, cheddar, Monterey Jack, Swiss…you get the idea!
-
- Marinated Veggies: Antipasto usually has some kind of marinated item, and if you don’t go for olives 🙋🏼♀️🙋🏼♀️ marinated artichoke hearts or jarred peppers are also great.
Brianna says
Such a cute appetizer and I love how it’s easy and you can mix and match! You could even do a make your own skewer type situation. This is a new go to for me!
Charleen says
Do you dry the pickles off when making ahead for an event so the juice doesn’t run all over everything else?
Hi Charleen! Yes, definitely give them a pat with a paper towel for exactly that reason – good call! :)
Cathy says
Oh I adore all things pickled and sour!
Same!!! :)
BigMama says
This recipe is a life saver. I was looking for a no bake light appetizer and here it is! Can’t wait to try it.
I’m so glad you liked it! It’s one of our faves. :)
Jules says
Those are quite adorable, not just for the choice of toothpicks (although I must confess to a compulsive attraction towards any cute toothpick and swizzle stick I encounter) but they are “pretty food” and since we eat with our eyes first, I now have a new easy way to entertain and come off looking impressive. I must ask you Kate, what did you do to the mozzarella balls in the picture? They look like they were rolled in herbs or perhaps pepper? I could not quite tell. Thanks in advance ~ J
Kate says
Hi Jules! You have a sharp eye :) – I did roll them in a little olive oil and some oregano. Although ground pepper would be a nice addition too!
Lynn Biasini says
I am late weighing in on this, BUT I love the skewering idea, and ordered the little bamboo thingies from L & T because I absolutely LOVE them!! You (and YOUR MOM) are so full of great ideas!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks!!
Kate says
Aww! My mom and I both thank you – happy skewering!!
Joanne says
Those ARE pretty! ANd definitely warrant a place on the holiday table!
Kate says
And extra points for easiness, in my book. Happy easy holidays!
Karen Nelson says
“full service, public skewer announcement”!
That’s great.. made me laugh!
…and great, easy recipe! gonna go on a pick hunt:-)
Kate says
Hurray! Pretty toothpicks make life happier…it’s the little things!
Chris Rawstern says
If you love cool toothpicks, try pickonus.com – all sorts of wonderful lengths, ends and types to choose from. I LOVE that place – and love this dea for antipasto, too! Another public skewer announcement.