Antipasto means "before the meal." In Italy it is the spread that comes out first: cured meat, cheese, bread, and a lot of things preserved in vinegar and oil, like olives, artichokes and pickled mushrooms. It is there to wake up your appetite, not to satisfy it.
It looks like a charcuterie board, but it is not one. A charcuterie board is built around the meat. An antipasto platter is built around the jars: the pickled, marinated and roasted vegetables that make it taste Italian. Get those right and the rest is easy.
Serves 8 as a starter. About 30 minutes. No cooking.
In many Italian-American families the antipasto comes out at Thanksgiving and Christmas too, before the main event. Here is what to put on one, the full recipe, how much to buy, and how to lay it out so it looks generous without much work.
Start with the jars: the vegetables make the platter
Italians have names for the things in jars: sott'aceti, pickled in vinegar, and sott'oli, packed in oil. They are the heart of a good antipasto, because they bring the acid that cuts through salami and cheese. Plan on three or four:
- Pickled mushrooms. Funghi sott'aceto are an antipasto classic. Our pickled crimini are the obvious choice: whole small caps that sit where an olive would, in a mild white wine vinegar brine with thyme.
- Marinated artichoke hearts. Soft, tangy, and usually the first thing to go.
- Roasted red peppers. Sweet, soft, and the brightest color on the platter.
- Olives. Two kinds, not six: one green and buttery like Castelvetrano, one dark and wrinkled.
- Giardiniera or pepperoncini. Crunch and a little heat.
Whatever you buy, read the jar. The vegetables should look firm and whole through the glass, the liquid should be clear, and the ingredient list should be short enough to read in one breath.
Want a centerpiece? Thick coins of pickled king oyster, with truffle oil in the jar, are the showpiece of any platter. And white shimeji belongs right next to the burrata and prosciutto, which are exactly what it pairs best with.
"I ordered the 4-pack and liked the crimini and king oyster the most."
— Lauren B., Golden Grove customer
One note on the word "marinated". In the US, jarred mushrooms are sold as both marinated and pickled, and they are not the same thing. Marinated mushrooms usually sit in oil with vinegar and herbs, and are soft. Pickled ones sit in a vinegar brine and stay firm. Both belong on an antipasto platter, but the pickled ones do the sharp, palate-cleansing work.
To have all three on one platter, mix them in a single Build Your Variety Pack.
What else goes on an antipasto platter
Cured meats
Pick three: prosciutto di Parma, a salami such as Genoa or soppressata, and something different, like mortadella, coppa or bresaola. Fold or ruffle them rather than laying them flat.
Cheese
Pick two or three. One fresh: mozzarella, bocconcini or burrata. One aged and firm: Parmigiano-Reggiano broken into chunks, or aged provolone. A pecorino if you want a third.
Bread
Grissini, toasted crostini or torn focaccia. Bread is filler in the best sense: it makes everything else go further.
Something fresh or sweet
Cherry tomatoes, melon, figs or grapes. One is enough.
Something to drizzle
Good olive oil over the mozzarella, and a little aged balsamic or honey near the hard cheese.
Antipasto platter recipe
For 8 people as a starter. About 30 minutes, no cooking.
Ingredients
- 3 oz (85 g) prosciutto
- 3 oz (85 g) Genoa salami or soppressata
- 3 oz (85 g) mortadella or coppa
- 8 oz (225 g) fresh mozzarella balls, or 1 burrata
- 4 oz (115 g) Parmigiano-Reggiano or aged provolone
- 1 jar pickled crimini
- 1 jar marinated artichoke hearts
- 1 jar roasted red peppers, sliced
- 1 cup mixed olives
- ½ cup pepperoncini or giardiniera
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- Grissini, crostini or focaccia
- Fresh basil, good olive oil, and aged balsamic or honey
Method
- Drain the jars. Tip the mushrooms, artichokes and peppers into separate sieves for five minutes, then put the mushrooms back in the fridge until the end.
- Place small bowls on the platter first, spaced apart, for everything wet.
- Add the cheese. Break the Parmigiano into rough chunks and put the mozzarella in its own dish with olive oil and black pepper.
- Fold the meats loosely and lay them in rivers between the bowls and the cheese.
- Fill the bowls with the artichokes, peppers, olives and pepperoncini.
- Stand the grissini in a glass, fan the crostini along one edge, and tuck tomatoes and basil into the gaps.
- Add the pickled mushrooms last, straight from the fridge. Drizzle balsamic or honey near the hard cheese and serve.
Serving a crowd standing up? The same ingredients go on a stick: here is our antipasto skewers recipe.
How much to buy
As a starter before dinner, plan on about 2 to 3 ounces of meat and cheese combined per person, plus the vegetables and bread. If the platter is the meal, double it.
For the jars, one jar of each vegetable covers a platter for six to eight people. A jar of our pickled mushrooms holds 250 g (about 9 oz) once drained, which is plenty for one platter with some left over for the week.
Tips for a better platter
Put wet things in bowls
Brine and oil travel, and they will soften bread and crackers within minutes. A small bowl keeps each one where it belongs.
Add the pickled mushrooms last
Drain them for five minutes and add them straight from the fridge. Cold, they taste brighter.
Take the cheese out early
Take it out of the fridge 30 to 60 minutes before serving, so it has flavor.
Make it ahead, but not all of it
Slice and wrap the hard cheese the day before. Lay out the platter a few hours ahead, cover it and keep it in the fridge, then take it out 30 minutes before guests arrive and add the bread and the mushrooms.
Watch the clock
Don't leave the finished platter out for more than two hours. For a long party, set out half and refill from the fridge.
Leftovers? Make antipasto salad
The leftovers from an antipasto platter are an antipasto salad waiting to happen. Chop everything into bite-sized pieces and toss it with greens or pasta. For four people:
- A head of romaine, chopped, or 8 oz (225 g) short pasta, cooked and cooled
- 4 oz (115 g) salami and 4 oz (115 g) provolone, cubed
- A handful of mozzarella balls
- Half a jar of pickled crimini, halved
- Roasted peppers, artichoke hearts and olives, chopped
- Dressing: 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1 tbsp mushroom brine and a pinch of dried oregano
The brine is already seasoned with garlic and herbs, so taste before you add salt.
Antipasto platter questions
What is the difference between antipasto and charcuterie?
Charcuterie is French and centers on cured meats. Antipasto is Italian and leans on vegetables preserved in vinegar and oil, with meat and cheese alongside.
How far ahead can you make an antipasto platter?
Prepare the parts the day before, then assemble a few hours ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Add the bread and the pickled mushrooms at the last minute.
How much antipasto do you need per person?
About 2 to 3 ounces of meat and cheese combined per person as a starter, plus vegetables and bread. Double it if the platter is the meal.
What vegetables go on an antipasto platter?
Pickled mushrooms, marinated artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, olives, giardiniera or pepperoncini, and fresh cherry tomatoes.
The short version
Three meats, two or three cheeses, bread, and three or four jars of things in vinegar and oil. Put the wet things in bowls, lay those out first, and add them cold. The jars are what make it an antipasto, so buy good ones.
Our pickled crimini is the one to start with. Add king oyster for a centerpiece, or mix both in a variety pack. Building a board instead? Here are the best pickles for a charcuterie board, and board ideas for Thanksgiving and Christmas.