Recipes Appetizers Antipasto 21 Irresistible Antipasto Recipes By Food & Wine Editors Updated on March 10, 2023 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop styling by Audrey Davis The term antipasto means "before the meal." In Italy, this 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. 01 of 21 Antipasto Salad © John Kernick At tiny Frasca Food and Wine, 2005 F&W Best New Chef Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson is famous for his Friulian food. When Frasca moved to a bigger space, he opened a casual cafe serving dishes like chopped salads made with greens grown on the roof. Get the Recipe 02 of 21 Sausage-Stuffed Fried Olives Victor Protasio 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. Get the Recipe 03 of 21 Fritto Misto with Calabrian Chile Aïoli Jose Mandojana / Food Styling by Robyn Valarik / Prop Styling by Christine Wolheim 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 aïoli dipping sauce. Get the Recipe 04 of 21 Herbed Ricotta with Grilled Bread © Abby Hocking 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. Get the Recipe 05 of 21 Salad of Pink Radicchio, Citrus, and Mushroom Bagna Cauda Gentl & Hyers In this recipe from Cooking with Mushrooms by Andrea Gentl, melted anchovies and porcini mushroom powder lend a savory depth to nutty brown butter bagna cauda, yielding a powerhouse sauce that's perfect for drizzling on a wintery salad. The sweetness of vibrant Cara Cara oranges mellows the bitter radicchio and adds a pop of color. Get the Recipe 06 of 21 Fried Zucchini Blossoms with Prosciutto and Mozzarella Greg Dupree 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. Get the Recipe 07 of 21 Ricotta and Roasted Tomato Bruschetta with Pancetta © Johnny Miller 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. Get the Recipe 08 of 21 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. Get the Recipe 09 of 21 Grilled Artichokes with Herby Lemon Aïoli Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop styling by Audrey Davis "Artichokes are at their best — and easiest to prepare — when cooked quickly over a hot fire, particularly when served with luscious lemon aïoli 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." Get the Recipe 10 of 21 Seafood Spiedini © Abby Hocking 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. Get the Recipe 11 of 21 Focaccia with Roasted Squash © Con Poulos Chef Michelle Gayer tops her sensational focaccia with sweet, tender strips of roasted butternut squash scattered with thyme and drizzled with honey. Get the Recipe 12 of 21 Warm Castelfranco with Vincotto and Blu di Bufala © Chris Court This simple and magical combination of ingredients from chef Carlo Mirarchi includes Castelfranco (a mild radicchio), vincotto (aged vinegar), and the superb blue cheese blu di bufala. It's a very Italian dish, but Mirarchi gives it a personal imprint by adding fish sauce to the dressing. Get the Recipe 13 of 21 Fava Bean Crostini with Prosciutto and Mint © Chris Court 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." Get the Recipe 14 of 21 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. Get the Recipe 15 of 21 Herbed Chickpea Bruschetta © John Kernick 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. Get the Recipe 16 of 21 Toasted Pistachio-Cheese Arancini © Ditte Isager This recipe for arancini — fried risotto balls — comes from bakery owner Renato Poliafito, who got it from his Sicilian cousin Emanuele Sanfilippo. These arancini are the size of tangerines, filled with creamy, cheesy rice, studded with nuts and green peas, and encased in a great crunchy crust. Get the Recipe 17 of 21 Salted Anchovies, Salsa Verde, Bread, Butter Abby Hocking 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." Get the Recipe 18 of 21 Warm Olives with Rosemary, Garlic, and Lemon © Quentin Bacon Chef Marc Murphy serves these olives warm to accentuate the marinade's lemony flavor. Get the Recipe 19 of 21 Fennel and Citrus Salad with Mint © Con Poulos For his light, simple salad, chef Matthew Accarrino of San Francisco's SPQR mixes grapefruit and orange segments with shaved fennel and a sweet-tart honey-lemon dressing. Get the Recipe 20 of 21 Red Pepper Jelly with Grissini and Montasio Cheese © Anna Williams 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. Get the Recipe 21 of 21 Grilled Zucchini with Fresh Mozzarella © Emma Lee 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. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit