How To Build The Best Antipasto Platter (2024)

There’s nothing better than watching a guest’s eyes light up when they see a beautiful antipasto platter! And since it’s made ahead of time, it’s equally wonderful for anyone hosting since it allows them to relax and engage with their guests.

The Italian antipasto platter is a wondrous thing!

With an array of items to choose from, including pickled veggies, crackers, salty cured meats, olives, and more, there’s something here for everyone!

There is one thing I’d like to address here though: You do not need to be a food stylist to create a beautiful antipasto board.

There are a few tips and tricks I’ve picked up along the way and I’m thrilled to share them with you here so you can build the best antipasto platter ever.

Recipe Ingredients

All ingredients for this recipe are shown in the pic below and special notes are made in this bulleted list to assist you.

• Cheese. Pick at least 3 cheeses with varying flavors and textures. I used provolone, Parmigiano Reggiano, and marinated fresh mozzarella balls.
• Meat. I love to offer a selection of cured meat on my antipasto platter. I used Genoa salami, prosciutto, bresaola, coppa, and hard soppressata.
• Pickled vegetables. I selected and assortment of pickled pepperoncini, pickled cherry peppers stuffed with prosciutto, and roasted red peppers. Feel free to add others, such as pickled green beans or pickled Italian eggplant.
• Marinated vegetables. Artichoke hearts, lupini beans, sun-dried tomatoes, and marinated mushrooms are all great choices, but feel free to choose others!
• Olives. I used an assortment of red, green, and black oil-cured olives but use any combination you’d like.
• Fresh ingredients. When I can find them, I love to use fresh cherry tomatoes on the vine. They make for a beautiful presentation. I also used fresh oranges to scatter about. If you can find them with their leaves on, even better! Fresh grapes would also be great here.
• Dried fruit. I used dried figs to fill in gaps on my antipasto board, but any dried fruit such as dried apricots or dates would also work well.
• Crackers. I used grissini, or long Italian breadsticks but taralli or other crackers would also be great.
• Garnish. Fresh herbs like rosemary, basil, or thyme make for a beautiful presentation.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to make it

Building an antipasto platter or charcuterie board may look intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. Here I’ll walk you through how to build the best-looking (and tasting) antipasto platter ever!

• Select a board. The board does not need to be anything fancy and you don’t need to spend a ton of money. I’ve found some of the best deals on boards at Home Goods and Home Sense. They’re also a great place to find Italian ingredients such as breadsticks and marinated or pickled veggies. Get one that’s large enough to hold a good assortment of food. The one I use is 16″ by 24″.
• Gather your ingredients. Use my recipe ingredients as a starting point and feel free to tweak to your own liking. I try and follow this ratio when selecting items: 7 types of vegetables (pickled or marinated), 5 types of meat, 3 types of cheese, 2-3 types of olives, and 2-3 fruits or fresh vegetables.
• Pick a centerpiece. I like to pick a large bowl and use that as a centerpiece around which to build. For this antipasto board, I used a wooden bowl that I filled with fresh mozzarella balls.
• Stagger small bowls. Fill a variety of smaller bowls with your pickled and marinated items and stagger them around the board.
• Place your cheeses. I cut about half of each block of hard cheese and placed them on opposite sides with their tips pointing toward the centerpiece.
• Roll and place the meat. Depending on the type of meat you’re using, you can either roll it up (works well for salami), or shape into a flower or nest (works well for prosciutto). Place the meat around the board in various areas.
• Fill in any gaps. Use your fruit and vegetables to fill in any gaps. If using dried figs, you may wish to cut them in half as I’ve done here for an even better presentation.
• Garnish. While garnishes are optional, they do add great color. I used rosemary but parsley and/or basil would work well too.
• Serve! I recommend building the antipasto platter before your guests arrive so you can just kick back and enjoy yourself, however, you can also make ahead. Cover the board in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator, then remove 30 minutes before serving. Consider serving with some Italian aperitivo co*cktails, such as the Aperol Spritz, Hugo Spritz, or Bellini.

More for your antipasto platter

• Caponata – Sicilian eggplant spread.
• Cherry pepper spread – Spicy pepper spread with cherry tomatoes and spicy peppers.
• Peperonata – Sweet and sour soft pepper condiment.
• Artichoke pesto – a delicious artichoke and cheese spread.