How to Make an Italian Antipasto Platter + VIDEO

Learn to how to make your own Italian antipasto platter with this instructional post and video. Learn how to arrange meats, cheeses, olives, etc. and garnish it to make it a beautiful appetizer for entertaining. It’s low-carb and gluten-free without crusty bread.

Italian Appetizers

I just LOVE Italian food and was raised on it. My mother (R.I.P.) was an Italian immigrant and an excellent home cook! I ate very well growing up and learned a lot about how to make delicious Italian recipes.

Antipasto is my absolute favorite Italian appetizer. It has all of cured Italian meats and cheeses I love plus olives, marinated artichoke hearts and roasted peppers! I made a beautiful Snowy Antipasto Wreath for Christmas that I’m quite proud to share with my readers.

When I have some extra time, I’ll make my own roasted peppers using red bell peppers. They’re easy-to-make and taste so much better than the jarred ones you by at the store.

What’s fun about making your own antipasto platter is that you can add all of your favorites. There are no hard rules.

For example, if you want to add Chorizo sausage instead of salami you can or you could add kalamata olives instead of green olives. Add and delete what you like.

The way to make an amazing antipasto platter is to use quality ingredients. The better the quality, the better it’ll taste. Trust me, it makes a huge difference.

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links which means, if you make a purchase, I’ll receive a small commission.

What is an antipasto platter?

“Antipasto” is the Italian word for “before the pasta” and it’s an appetizer that is eaten before the pasta course in Italy. It’s similar to a charcuterie board and is basically the Italian equivalent. It has become very popular in America. 

How much does an antipasto platter cost?

Buying an antipasto platter from a grocery store or an Italian deli can cost $40-80 depending upon the cost of living of the area.

Like anything else, it’s cheaper to buy the ingredients and assemble it yourself. It’s easy to do. Assembling the antipasto platter yourself will likely cost less than half what you’d pay buying the platter from a store. 

What goes in an antipasto platter?

Although the traditional antipasti is made with Italian ingredients, don’t limit yourself to only Italian ingredients. There are many great choices that are Mediterranean that will pair well with it.

Italian Antipasto platters contain:

• variety of meats such as Italian ; cured meat: prosciutto, salami, soppressatta, pepperoni, etc.
• Italian cheese such as mozzarella, provolone cheese, Parmesan or parmigiano reggiano, Pecorino, etc.
• roasted peppers, green olives, artichoke hearts, cherry peppers, marinated eggplant or mushrooms, cherry tomatoes or giardiniera
• Italian bread, Crostini, or breadsticks
• Marcona almonds
• garnish with fresh basil, fresh parsley, rose cut cherry tomatoes

How do you put an antipasto platter together?

First, fill small serving/dipping bowls with olives, artichoke hearts, roasted peppers or anything wet and place them on a large platter.

Next, roll the prosciutto slices and place them on the platter.

Then, fold or roll the salami and place them on the platter.

Next, cut the cheeses into bite-sized pieces and place them on the platter.

Last, garnish the platter with fresh rosemary, basil or parsley.

Where can I find antipasto ingredients for cheaper?

I get my meats and cheeses from Costco to make antipasto. It’s about half the price or less than the grocery store. Because I don’t want a quart of marinated artichokes, I’ll by the olives, artichoke hearts, roasted peppers, etc. from the grocery store.

You’ll likely have leftovers but, the marinated veggies and olives will last a very long time in your refrigerator.

Here are the brands I buy and love:

• Cittero or Veroni (prosciutto)
• Galbani (marinated mozzarella balls) I only use Galbani ricotta cheese for my famous Baked Ziti
• various brands for hard cheeses
• Columbus (salami)
• Bellino (roasted peppers) much better than Cento in my opinion
• Cento (artichoke hearts, pepperoncini, mushrooms)

What to serve with an antipasto platter:

• fresh bread, crostini or breadsticks, or crusty bread
• Olive tapenade, Easy Caponata Recipe (Sicilian Vegetable Appetizer or Side Dish) Greek tzatziki or Lebanese baba ganoush is a great option although not, Italian they are Mediterranean recipes that pair well.
• Italian Garlic Chili Oil is perfect because you’ll have the bread for dipping.
• A glass of wine (gotta have your favorite red wine (or white if you prefer.) Good wine pairing will depend upon which cheeses and meats you choose.
• Aperol Spritz

What does Antipasto mean in Italian?

Antipasto in Italy is any appetizer served before the pasta course. Therefore, bruschetta or fried calamari could also be an antipasto.

But in America, it’s almost solely known as the classic antipasto platter above.

It’s popularity is easy to understand. This is a wonderful appetizer tray for any time of year but, particularly for Christmas especially using the fresh rosemary garnish. It reminds us of Christmas tree branches.

You can make a DELCIOUS and affordable antipasto platter with quality ingredients yourself. Now get to it.. wink, wink.

Basic Tips for How to Pair Wine with Cheese

Pairing wine with cheese is all about balancing flavors. Here are some quick tips

1. Soft cheeses (Brie, Camembert): Pair with light, fruity wines like Chardonnay or Champagne.
2. Hard cheeses (Cheddar, Parmesan): Go with bold reds like Cabernet Sauvignon or Zinfandel.
3. Blue cheeses (Gorgonzola, Roquefort): Sweet wines like Port or Sauternes work best.
4. Goat cheese: Sauvignon Blanc complements the tanginess.
5. Fresh cheeses (Mozzarella, Ricotta): Light white wines like Pinot Grigio or unoaked Chardonnay are perfect.

Balance acidity and intensity—strong cheeses need bold wines, while milder cheeses pair well with lighter options!

Leftovers

Store leftovers in airtight containers in your refrigerator for several days. However, it’s best to eat fresh mozzarella as close to buying it as possible because it’s highly perishable and loses flavor each day it sits in your refrigerator.

You may also like:

Snowy Christmas Antipasto Wreath

Easy Italian Roasted Red Peppers

Marinated Mozzarella Pearls Recipe