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.
Okay, so for me this one started with the pretty skewers. I was looking for pretty toothpicks for some recipe or another that I can’t even remember now, and I couldn’t find anything besides plain old run of the mill toothpicks. The perfectly straight, non-festive variety.
And at some point I mentioned this to my mother, who of course knew the exactly place to find exactly the adorable little skewers I had in mind. After that, there was nothing to do but turn my next antipasto into antipasto skewers!
Here’s how you make antipasto skewers!
As we are smack in the middle of holiday party season, this recipe is going to be your good friend. All you need is an assortment of your favorite antipasto items (more on those later), 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 I like to have a mix of something salty and something sweet or creamy on each one, just to even things out. So, here are some ideas:
Folded pieces of ham, salami, prosciutto, roast beef, etc
Little balls of mozzarella
Cherry tomatoes
Marinated artichoke hearts
Olives
Baby pickles (sweet or dill)
Roasted peppers
Chunks of cheddar or jack cheese
Pepperoni slices
Folded slices of provolone
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.
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 them here. This has been a full-service, public skewer service announcement, from me to you!
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)
- 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!
Charleen says
Do you dry the pickles off when making ahead for an event so the juice doesn’t run all over everything else?
Kate Morgan Jackson says
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!
Kate Morgan Jackson says
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.
Kate says
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.