An antipasto platter is simply a colorful cheese board with an Italian flair and lots of delicious cheeses, meats, marinated veggies, nuts and fruits ~ this easy appetizer is a Mediterranean feast!
Whatever your entertaining style, it pays to know how to assemble a great Mediterranean inspired antipasto platter. It can be humble or extravagant; both have their charms. It can fill a giant board or be contained on a single dinner plate for two ~ all the food groups are in there, count ’em!
An antipasto platter is an entertainer’s dream ~ in one fell swoop you can feed a roomful of hungry guests, and it looks so spectacular on your table. You’ll use seasonal fruits to customize it for dinner parties or holidays all year long.
related: How to Make an Epic Cheese Board
Antipasto platter ingredients
You have choices here, so don’t stress about specifics. I like to divide the ingredients into sub groups:
the cheese
Serve a variety, I like to use at least three types.
- a hard cheese, could be Asiago, Provolone, or Parmesan. If the cheese is younger you can cube it. Or if it is aged you can break it into bite sized crumbles or shave it into thin slices.
- a soft cheese like mozzarella ciliegine, or cherry sized balls that can be served marinated. You could also use burrata (mozzarella with a creamy liquid center) or even ricotta.
- a blue cheese, which in Italy would be gorgonzola. I love gorgonzola dolce: it’s sweet and creamy, offering a milder taste that pairs well with fruits and honey.
the meats
Go for different textures for your antipasto platter: prosciutto is light and delicate, while hard salami is nice and chewy.
- Prosciutto: a delicate salty dry-cured ham that’s shaved paper thin. I like to drape it down on the platter in loose folds.
- Genoa salami: soft and mild, served thinly sliced. I like to fan out the slices so they’re easy to grab.
- Hard salami: artisanal salami logs have a firmer texture and a more pronounced, robust flavor. They can be hard to slice, so I pre-slice the logs to get things started.
- Other Italian cold cuts like soppressata, and capicola. Consider rolling the slices into little cigars for a fun presentation.
marinated and pickled veggies
Choose one or two, or three! These will be most likely from a jar or the olive bar at your supermarket.
- marinated artichokes: I make my own and they are fabulous if I do say so myself, so much better than store bought. In fact my latest batch of homemade marinated artichokes was the inspiration for today’s antipasto platter, so they got center stage!
- pickled peppers: I find my bright red and yellow peppadew peppers at my supermarket’s olive bar ~ this way I can take just the amount I need. They’re hollow so you can also stuff them if you like (try seasoned ricotta or cream cheese.)
- olives: an olive bar will be your best option, you can pick and choose from different varieties. If your olives have pits be sure to warn your guests, and provide a little bowl for the pits.
- pepperoncini: from the jar or olive bar.
- marinated mushrooms
nuts & jams
- toasted almonds: see my recipe for Dark Roasted Almonds. Also Marcona almonds, while Spanish not Italian, are amazing.
- Spiced Pecans: not Italian, but also be delicious.
- honey: honey goes especially well with strong cheeses to balance out their flavor. Try Hot Honey infused with red pepper flakes!
- fig jam: a classic pairing with the cheeses and meats on your platter. Try my Cardamom Fig Jam.
fresh fruit
Fruit plays an important role in a antipasto platter because it balances out all the rich meats and cheese. This is where I might veer from a strict Italian theme ~ go with what is seasonal in your area for best quality. My local Whole Foods had currants so I ran with it!
- grapes are the perfect fruit for platters, just make sure they’re seedless.
- figs can be dried or fresh.
- apples or pears
- berries of all types
- cherries
- tangerines or clementines
- pomegranate
breads & crackers
Note: make sure to serve enough bread or crackers to handle all your cheese. Either refill as needed, or serve a separate basket of crackers and bread on the side of your antipasto platter.
- toasted slices of baguette
- flatbread crackers (nice and strong for your marinated items)
- water crackers or others appropriate for soft cheeses and spreads
antipasto platter vs charcuterie board vs cheese plate?
ANTIPASTO PLATTER: originating from Italy, antipasto means before the meal. These platters feature a variety of Italian cured meats, cheeses, marinated vegetables, and olives, offering a range of flavors and textures to stimulate the appetite.
CHARCUTERIE BOARD: a French tradition emphasizing cured meats such as salami, prosciutto, and pâtés. While cheeses and accompaniments like pickles, mustards, and breads may be included, the spotlight remains on the meat selections.
CHEESE PLATE: the focus here is on the cheese, as the name implies! It can also include fruits, nuts, crackers, and spreads but the primary focus is on showcasing different cheese varieties, with other items serving to complement them. A cheese plate draws on English and French traditions.
organizing an antipasto platter
Use small bowls to corral small or wet items like nuts or marinated peppers. In this case I piled my marinated artichokes in the largest bowl to anchor the platter, right in the center.
Plan to place food that needs to be cut or sliced along the outside of the platter where it can be easily accessed.
Use pieces of parchment paper to protect your board and add visual interest under your cheeses.
Provide toothpicks or small appetizer forks where appropriate for convenience. Small spoons are helpful with some marinated or pickled veggies.
play with color on your antipasto platter
An antipasto platter offers an opportunity to play with color and texture, so have a little fun with it. Keep it in mind when choosing your ingredients, for instance I marinate plain white mozzarella balls in a bright green basil oil, and when I’m choosing my grapes I go for the deepest blue. And remember, color often equates to big flavor in food! The deep blue of your grapes, for instance, signals healthy antioxidants found in the skin that help protect the heart, fight cancer, and boost immunity.
more appetizer platters to try
- Grand Aioli
- Burrata Platter
- Fresh veggies and dip ~ the spring edit!
- Festive Olive Wreath Appetizer
- Holiday Appetizer Wreath
- How to Make an Epic Cheese Board
Antipasto Platter
Ingredients
cheeses ~ choose 3- 4
- 5 ounces gorgonzola cheese
- 5 ounces hard or aged cheese, cubed or whole for slicing
- 5 ounce wedge of soft cheese
- 1 cup mozzarella balls, marinated in basil oil, see recipe here
meats ~ choose 2-3
- 1/4 lb prosciutto
- 1/4 lb Genoa salami
- 1 small hard salami
marinated and pickled veggies ~ choose 2-3
- 1 cup marinated artichokes
- 1/2 cup assorted olives
- 1/2 cup pickled peppadew peppers
- 1/2 cup roasted red peppers
- 1/2 cup marinated mushrooms
seasonal fruit ~ choose 2-3
- 1 small bunch grapes
- 1 pomegranate
- 2 tangerines or clementines
- 1 bunch currants
- 1 cup berries
- 1 apple or pear
- 3 figs
nuts ~ choose 1
- 1/2 cup roasted almonds or marcona almonds
- 1/2 cup toasted walnut halves
- 1/2 cup pistachios in their shells
bread and crackers ~ choose 2-3
- slices of toasted baguette
- flatbread crackers
- nut and seeded crackers, see recipe here
- bread sticks
Instructions
- Choose your largest bowl to anchor the platter in the center. I use it for marinated artichokes. Place other small bowls for olives, nuts, and jam around the platter to give you a beginning structure.
- Place cheeses that need to be sliced or cut around the edges for easy access. Next add your meats. I fan out slices of salami, and drop delicate prosciutto into loose folds. For hard salami I pre-slice half of the log and fan the slices out attractively.
- Make sure you've left space for bread or crackers. Usually I plan to refill these, or place a separate basket or refills nearby. Unless you have an enormous platter you likely won't have enough room for all the bread and crackers you'll need.
- Fill in remaining spaces with fruit, keeping color balance in mind. For maximum impact place color opposites together, i.e. green olives next to roasted red peppers, or blue grapes next to orange cheddar cheese.
- Now you can garnish with sprigs of fresh herbs or edible flowers if you like, and if there is room on your platter.
