Antipasto Skewers

I’m famous for my antipasto skewers!

They might just be the perfect party appetizer ~ they work for gatherings big and small, they’re fun to make, and they’ve got tons of personality. Antipasto skewers can double as a salad course, and they’re completely portable. At this point, if I don’t bring them, people complain.

When you do them right, the colors really pop and they’re an adventure to eat ~ like a mini charcuterie platter on a stick!

The hardest part of assembling these easy skewers? Opening all those little jars and containers.

I like to make my antipasto skewers an hour or two ahead, then cover the tray with a damp towel and pop it in the fridge to keep everything fresh. The sky’s the limit when it comes to what you can skewer, but I tend to stick with classic antipasto favorites ~ cured meats, olives, cheeses, artichoke hearts, marinated mushrooms, and plenty of pickled things. That way you know every bite works.

You can make your skewers all identical, but where’s the fun in that? I go a little willy-nilly so no two skewers are alike ~ it’s half the fun to grab one and see what you get.

How to Build a Better Antipasto Skewer

You’ll find everything you need for these appetizer skewers at a regular grocery store. If yours has an olive bar, start there ~ they’re a goldmine for bite-sized antipasto ingredients, and you can buy just what you need.

• OLIVES ~ always pitted. Stuffed olives are a built-in flavor bonus.
• CHEESE ~ choose one firm cheese you can cube, then add mozzarella balls for contrast.
  • Skip very aged cheeses ~ they tend to crumble on the skewer.
• MARINATED VEGGIES ~ instant flavor boosters. Think artichoke hearts, mushrooms, roasted peppers.
• PICKLED ~ gherkins, pepperoncini, jalapeños…anything with a little zip.
• CHERRY TOMATOES & BASIL ~ these bring freshness and a pop of color that keeps everything from feeling too heavy.
• ITALIAN MEATS ~ salami, prosciutto, etc. add savory depth and that satisfying chewy bite.
• TORTELLINI ~ everybody hopes they get one on their skewer!
• UNEXPECTED EXTRAS ~ roasted garlic cloves, caper berries, even a stray chili pepper if you’re feeling brave;)
• COLOR + TEXTURE ~ mix it up ~ that’s what makes these antipasto skewers as eye-catching as they are delicious.

Antipasto skewers are customizable

This is one of those “recipes” that’s really more inspiration than instruction. Keep everything bite-sized and go with what you love. It helps to stick to a theme ~ Italian, Greek, Mediterranean, even vegan ~ so everything feels cohesive.

I brush my skewers with an olive oil marinade

I like to blend extra virgin olive oil with dried Italian herbs, and a bit of sea salt. I lightly brush the skewers right before serving. It gives them extra flavor and a pretty gloss.

Reusable cocktail skewers

For appetizers like antipasto skewers I like re-usable metal cocktail picks. Look for ones that are 4-6″ long.

Longer skewers can be served on a bed of greens for a salad course, or a light dinner!

Featured comment

“I have been making these skewers since you first posted them! I’m making a bunch today for New Years Eve, I just leave off the basil and they stay perfect in the fridge. I do cover them with a damp towel . I’ve made it a point to track down every ingredient you used in yours, and everybody loves them, thank you!” ~Jen

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Antipasto Skewers

4.41 from 5 votes

I make these colorful and fun antipasto skewers all the time ~ everybody gets their own personal antipasto selection right on a stick ~ from game days to holidays, these are everybody's favorites!

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Prep Time:25 minutes minutes

Cook Time:0 minutes minutes

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Equipment

• 4"-6" cocktail picks I use this style

Ingredients

 

• fresh mozzarella balls, medium sized, or ciliegine
• hard cheese, cut in cubes, avoid aged cheeses that can crumble
• fresh basil leaves
• pitted olives, black, green, or stuffed!
• pepperoncini, look for small peppers
• pickled onions
• gherkins
• cherry tomatoes
• marinated artichoke hearts, halved or quartered
• small tortellini, cooked al dente
• assorted Italian cured meats like salami, pepperoni, and prosciutto

seasoned oil for brushing

• extra virgin olive oil
• dried Italian herb blend
• sea salt

Instructions

• Open all your containers and set up a work assembly line. Have a hand towel nearby as your hands will get a little bit oily.
• Drain cans that need to be drained, and spoon out some of the ingredients so you have easy access.
• Be sure to leave enough room at the bottom of each skewer so that people can pick them up easily. I like to start with something dry like a cherry tomato for ease of handling.
• You can make all the skewers alike, or thread them randomly. Fold the basil leaves in half, and then in half again if they are large. If they are small they can go on as is.
• Fold sliced round meats like salami the same way as the basil. For prosciutto cut it and then roll or fold until it becomes a neat little package.
• If anything is too large, cut it so that it is roughly the same size as everything else. I cut artichokes in half or even in quarters. I sliced larger marinated peppers in half. Just use your judgement, and don’t worry if some things hang out a little, that’s part of the charm of these skewers!
• If you're feeding a crowd, make these up to a couple of hours ahead, but no more.  You want everything to be fresh.  Cover with a damp towel and put in the refrigerator.  The basil will definitely wilt if you make these too far in advance, so leave it off if in doubt.
• Transfer the skewers to a clean serving tray right before serving. Stir the herbs and salt into the olive oil and brush over the skewers.

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Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Italian American

Author: Sue Moran

Keyword: antipasto, appetizer, entertaining, skewers

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

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