24 Irresistible Antipasto Recipes
The term antipasto means "before the meal." In Italy, this table-served starter can be as simple as a bowl of olives, or it can take shape as a platter of assorted cured meats, cheeses, and vegetables served family-style. It can also be small-bite appetizers, little dishes meant to awaken the senses without spoiling the appetite. From sausage-stuffed fried olives to prosciutto-topped crostini and herbed ricotta, these are the best of Food & Wine's antipasto recipes.
Caprese Salad
Matt Taylor-Gross
Caprese salad comes from the island of Capri in Italy and captures the feeling of enjoying a long, lazy summer lunch while you're on vacation. This is an incredibly simple salad that's dependent on using the best quality ingredients.
Sausage-Stuffed Fried Olives
Buttery, mild Castelvetrano olives add just enough salt and tang to these fried sausage snacks that pair beautifully with a crisp martini or chilled glass of wine. Use a high-quality Italian sausage for the best texture and flavor.
Fritto Misto with Calabrian Chile A?oli
A festive mix of shrimp, calamari, anchovy-stuffed olives, and paper-thin lemon slices are dredged in a Pernod-spiked batter and fried to crispy, golden perfection. Jarred Calabrian chiles add a fruity heat to the creamy a?oli dipping sauce.
Herbed Ricotta with Grilled Bread
Former F&W culinary director at large Justin Chapple makes this simple herbed ricotta for almost all of his parties because it's such a crowd-pleaser. It's decadent spread on toasted bread but also delicious served with crudités.
Tomato Bruschetta
Matt Taylor-Gross
This timeless Italian antipasto comes together in just minutes, making it easy on the host. It’s a great way to show off tomatoes when they are ripe and in season, whether they came from your garden, the farmers market, or the grocery.
Fried Zucchini Blossoms with Prosciutto and Mozzarella
In this recipe, delicate zucchini blossoms are stuffed with melty mozzarella and salty prosciutto before being lightly battered and fried into a crispy melt-in-your-mouth treat.
Tuna Tartare with Cacciatore Vinaigrette
For her Tuna Tartare with Cacciatore Vinaigrette, 2018 F&W Best New Chef Kate Williams creates a decadent appetizer of finely chopped sashimi-grade tuna, homemade anchovy breadcrumbs, and a zingy vinaigrette.
Salted Anchovies, Salsa Verde, Bread, Butter
Chef Missy Robbins found inspiration for this dish in Italy: “Perhaps my biggest aha moment in Italy was the discovery of anchovies doused in an eggy salsa verde. This is not a combination that had ever crossed my mind before and when put atop a chunk of hearty bread swathed with creamy butter, the flavor experience was transformative in its simplicity."
Antipasto Salad with Bocconcini and Green-Olive Tapenade
? Greg DuPree
Chef Nancy Silverton is an Italian cooking expert, getting the biggest flavor from the simplest ingredients. She does just that with this hearty salad, which combines crisp iceberg lettuce, milky mozzarella, spicy-tangy peperoncini, and salty olives and salami.
Erbazzone Reggiano (Emilian Spinach and Cheese Pie)
Flavorful and filling with a light, almost cracker-like crust, this rustic spinach pie relies on simple ingredients for an impressive finish. Because the spinach gently steams within the crust, it retains its fresh, verdant flavor even after cooking.
Grilled Artichokes with Herby Lemon A?oli
"Artichokes are at their best — and easiest to prepare — when cooked quickly over a hot fire, particularly when served with luscious lemon a?oli made with the smoky juices and pulp of grilled lemons," says cookbook author Paula Disbrowe. "You can serve the creamy dressing on the side for dipping, but I prefer to toss it with the artichokes so it seeps into every crack and crevice."
Seafood Spiedini
Fish with a firm structure, like tuna and mahi-mahi, holds up best when cut into pieces and skewered. Italian chef Daniele Uditi uses swordfish for these herb-lashed skewers.
Focaccia with Roasted Squash
Chef Michelle Gayer tops her sensational focaccia with sweet, tender strips of roasted butternut squash scattered with thyme and drizzled with honey.
Buffalo Mozzarella with Neat and Messy Roasted Tomatoes
Rome-based cookbook author Rachel Roddy serves tomatoes roasted two ways here for a range of delicious tomato flavor as well as a beautiful presentation paired with rich buffalo mozzarella.
Fava Bean Crostini with Prosciutto and Mint
Garlicky and bright, these crostini are fabulous for entertaining. You can prepare the fava-ricotta pesto in advance and top the toasts just before guests arrive. If you love Parmigiano-Reggiano, follow chef Andrew Carmellini's suggestion to "go heavy with the shaved cheese."
Michael Symon's Arancini
Arancini, the crispy-on-the-outside and cheesy-on-the-inside fried rice balls, are the ultimate cocktail hour snack. Star chef Michael Symon makes his risotto the day ahead for easy prep and then breads the mozzarella-filled balls just moments before frying to get that perfect, crunchy crust.
Herbed Chickpea Bruschetta
The key to these delicious bruschetta from chef Nancy Silverton is lots of olive oil. After she bakes the chickpeas with a variety of flavorings — including onions, pancetta, and carrots — she purees them with a good amount of oil, spreads the puree on toasts, and drizzles with a little more oil.
Pinzimonio with Tonnato Sauce
? Anna Williams
Pinzimonio is a super-simple Italian dish of raw vegetables served with seasoned olive oil for dipping. In his clever variation, chef Nate Appleman replaces the olive oil with tonnato, a creamy sauce made with tuna and lemon.
Ricotta and Roasted Tomato Bruschetta with Pancetta
Peak-season tomatoes make all the difference in this simple bruschetta from cookbook author Susan Spungen. They’re the perfect accompaniment to a bowl of soup or a large salad. To turn them into two-bite hors d’oeuvres, simply cut the bruschetta crosswise into strips.
Warm Olives with Rosemary, Garlic, and Lemon
Chef Marc Murphy serves these olives warm to accentuate the marinade's lemony flavor.
Pan-Fried Scamorza with Arugula Salad and Two Pestos
Italian visual artist Rosita Missoni loves pan-frying scamorza, a firm Italian cow's-milk cheese, to give it an irresistible crust. She serves it with roasted tomatoes, a simple arugula salad, and both a sun-dried tomato pesto and an arugula pesto.
Red Pepper Jelly with Grissini and Montasio Cheese
Grissini are svelte, super-crunchy Italian breadsticks. Chef Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson serves them with a sweet-tart red pepper jelly (a recipe handed down from his grandmother) and wedges of Montasio cheese.
Grilled Zucchini with Fresh Mozzarella
The delicate taste of fresh mozzarella offers a delicious counterpoint to the garlic and vinegar-macerated zucchini. However, if you prefer a stronger cheese flavor, try goat cheese instead.
Beef Carpaccio with Crispy Capers and Rosemary
In this elegant starter, super-thin, melt-in-your-mouth beef tenderloin is seasoned with fruity olive oil and lemon juice and topped with fried capers and rosemary.
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