Cold Appetizers

By Food & Wine
Updated January 17, 2017
CON POULOS
Want to have all your appetizers prepared ahead of time? These elegant and delicious cold appetizers are easy to prepare and store in the refrigerator until your guests arrive. Whether you're serving a celery and olive antipasto with ricotta salata or a spicy black bean dip with cotija cheese, these appetizer recipes will help you get a successful start to any dinner or party.
Start Slideshow

1 of 12

Fresh Mozzarella

© Tara Fisher
Go to Recipe

Warm, tender, milky mozzarella is easier to make than you might think. Plus it takes just 20 minutes.

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 12

Antipasto Salad with Salami & Green Olive–Marinated Bocconcini

© Chris Court
Go to Recipe

Inspired by the antipasti at Italian-American restaurants, Silverton developed a sophisticated version for her cookbook A Twist of the Wrist. It features shredded iceberg lettuce, salami and petite mozzarella balls (bocconcini), which she loves because each is a perfect little bite.

3 of 12

Cold Peanut-Sesame Noodles

Go to Recipe

The secret to Andrew Zimmern's cold noodle recipe, inspired by the ones he had in China's Sichuan province, is the oil that gets drizzled on top. Made with chiles, Sichuan peppercorns and lots of spices, it is called Ma La ("numbing and spicy").

Advertisement

4 of 12

Antipasto Chicken Salad

Go to Recipe

Serve this chicken salad as an antipasto at your next dinner party and wow all of your guests (who will likely keep asking for more).

5 of 12

Lemony Tuna and White Bean Antipasto Salad

Go to Recipe

This quick and easy main-course salad offers all the variety and freshness of a great antipasto. The quality of this dish ultimately depends on the quality of the tuna: Using an Italian or Spanish variety packed in olive oil makes the salad extraordinary.

6 of 12

Antipasto Pasta

Go to Recipe

This hearty, fast and easy pasta is a terrific combination of spicy, salty, sweet and briny flavors.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 12

Tuna-and-Apple Crostini

Con Poulos
Go to Recipe

This lovely, sophisticated take on an open-face tuna sandwich includes sliced tart green apple and a little parsley. Try it with a sparkling rosé.

8 of 12

Pickled Shrimp and Cucumber Spears

Go to Recipe

The shrimp and cucumbers need to marinate overnight, so plan accordingly.

9 of 12

White-Bean and Prosciutto Bruschetta

Go to Recipe

Strips of prosciutto top each toast and are topped in turn with a mound of creamy white beans and sprinkling of crisp red onion. If you like, serve these with the Bruschetta Duet to make a tantalizing trio.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 12

Ricotta and Roasted Tomato Bruschetta with Pancetta

JOHNNY MILLER
Go to Recipe

Peak-season tomatoes make all the difference in this simple bruschetta from author Susan Spungen. They're the perfect accompaniment to a bowl of soup or a large salad, or, to turn them into two-bite hors d'oeuvres, simply cut the bruschetta crosswise into strips.

11 of 12

Spicy Black Bean Dip with Cotija Cheese

Go to Recipe

If you can't find cotija cheese, try its slightly softer sister cheese, queso fresco.

12 of 12

Fennel, Apple and Avocado Crudo

CON POULOS
Go to Recipe

Pink peppercorns (no relation to the black or white variety) are slightly spicy but fruity, with a mild citrus taste. Here, they flavor the salt sprinkled on a supereasy vegetable crudo.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Up Next

By Food & Wine