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Hungry Healthy Happy » Recipes » Party Food

How to Make an Antipasto Platter

Updated: Nov 4, 2024 · Published: Dec 9, 2019 · Written by Dannii Martin · This post may contain affiliate links which earn us commissions if purchases are made · 15 Comments

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Antipasto platter with a text title overlay.

Learn how to build the ULTIMATE Antipasto Platter in this post. It is so simple to make, with a little something for everyone, and the perfect food to put out at a party. This antipasto appetiser platter is a huge crowd pleaser - cheese, meat, pickles, crackers, vegetables and fruit. This Antipasto board has everything!

A mix of antipasto on a long wooden board.

We love to host a dinner party, especially around Christmas time. Whilst this wouldn't be the main meal, we love putting something like this antipasto tray together to put out with drinks when guests arrive. Our kids also LOVE this way of eating.

When we are busy in the kitchen cooking up a storm, our guests can mingle and make up their own little antipasto plate. But it also makes a great date night board.

Antipasto translates to "before the meal" and it's the perfect dish to share. It is always made up of a selection of meats, cheeses, olives, pickles and various breads and crackers. It's really easy to adapt and use your favourite ingredients, or things you know your guests will love. We are sharing lots of antipasto platter ideas.

Looking for some other food to serve up at a party? Why not try our creamy Cranberry and Brie Bites, easy Cheese Straws, tasty Paprika Chicken Skewers or our impressive Grazing Platter. 

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  • How to Make an Antipasto Platter
  • Frequently Asked Questions
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How to Make an Antipasto Platter

Cheese

Variety is the spice of life, especially when it comes to an antipasti platter, so try to use as many different cheeses as you can fit on your board. We like a chunky hard cheese, like a Parmesan and a soft cream cheese for balance.

You can then add a soft creamy goats cheese and a blue cheese for lots of added flavour. Why not add your favourite mature cheddar and some fresh mozzarella balls too? Burrata is also a great addition to an Italian antipasto platter.

A small dish with a dollop of cream cheese next to a small block of hard cheese.

Cured Meat

Arrange some slices of cured meat around the antipasto board next to the cheese. This makes it easy for your guests to pick up and add to bread with the cheese.

Choose a few different meats, so you can arrange them in different ways - folded, swirled, roses etc. We added prosciutto and salami, but other hams and chorizo would work.

A selection of three cured meats on a white plate.

Fruit and Vegetables

The meat and the cheese can get a little heavy, so add some fruit to the antipasto appetizer platter to cut through it. Figs go really well with cheese and they look beautiful on a antipasti board. Other fruit that works well is apple or pears and grapes.

We also like adding marinated vegetables like mushrooms, asparagus and bell peppers.

Sliced cucumber, cherry tomatoes, sweet peppers and figs on a white plate.

Pickles and Preserves

Aren't cheese and pickles just the perfect combination? Anything goes here - olives, roasted red pepper, chillies, mushrooms, artichoke hearts and sun-dried tomatoes - the key is lots of different textures. You can put these kind of veggies in little bowls so they don't all roll around.

Olives, peppers, mushrooms, artichokes and chillis arranged on a blue plate.

Chutney

Your guests will appreciate a chutney/jam to go with the meat and cheese. We usually make a batch of our Christmas Chutney that everyone loves (it's not just for Christmas), but you can use your favourite.

A spicy tomato or caramelised onion chutney goes down well too. We also like a little bowl of honey to drizzle over the meat and cheese, as the sweetness cuts through the creaminess and salitness.

A jar of chutney with a small wooden spoon in it.

Bread

Now you have all those meats and cheeses on the antipasto platter, you need something to pile them on top of. We add some slices of ciabatta, breadsticks and some black pepper crackers. You could also add our Melba Toast, focaccia or Bagel Crisps.

A ciabatta, some bread sticks and some crackers on a blue wooden surface.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you make an antipasto platter in advance?

You don't want to make it too far in advance, because the cheese will start to sweat and then bread and crackers will dry out. But you can assemble the platter 30 minutes before your guests arrive so everything is nice and fresh. The cheese is best when it is at room temperature anyway.

What board to serve an antipasti platter on.

You need to make sure it is big enough for the amount of guests you have. You could use a chopping board or pizza board if you only have a couple of guests. But you might want to invest in a large party sized platter.(AFF) You could even use a baking tray and having the sides means that nothing would fall off the edges - that is handy if you are transporting it.

How to store antipasto leftovers.

If there is anything leftover (not usually a problem that we have), then wrap up the cheeses individually and the meats and put them back in the fridge. Put all the pickles back in their jars and cover the chutney with some foil. The crackers will probably be a bit stale by that point. Leftovers are also delicious chopped up and put in an antipasto salad.

Meats, bread, olives, figs, cheese peppers and mushrooms on a wooden board.

More Party Food Recipes

  • A grazing platter containing various meats, cheeses and vegetables.
    Grazing Platter
  • A selection of tapas dishes spread out over a large wooden table
    10 Easy Tapas Recipes
  • A vegetarian charcuterie board on a wooden surface.
    Vegetarian Charcuterie Board
  • Cranberry and Brie Bites on a wooden serving board.
    Cranberry Brie Bites

If you’ve tried this antipasto platter, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.

Recipe

An antipasto platter containing fruit, vegetables, cheese and meats.

How to Make an Antipasto Platter

By: Dannii Martin
Learn how to build the ULTIMATE Antipasto Platter in this post. It is so simple to make, with a little something for everyone, and the perfect food to put out at a party.
5 from 18 votes
Pin Print Save recipe Saved!
Course: Appetizer, Lunch
Cuisine: Italian, Mediterranean
Prep: 10 minutes mins
Total: 10 minutes mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 400kcal
Allergens:
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Dairy
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Gluten
An illustration of a cow's head.
Meat

Ingredients

  • Selection of cured meats
  • Cheese - (hard and soft options)
  • Fruit and vegetables, such as: cucumber, tomatoes, peppers, figs, grapes
  • Pickles and Preserves, such as: olives, roasted red pepper, chillies, mushrooms, artichokes and sun-dried tomatoes
  • Different breads and crackers
  • Chutney

Instructions

  • Arrange all the items on a large serving board and enjoy.
  • Make sure the dry ingredients (bread, crackers) aren't next to the wet ingredients (fruit, veg) or they might get soggy.

Nutritional Information

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 400kcal

The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.

As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.

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Comments

  1. Scarlet says

    December 11, 2019 at 5:33 pm

    What a gorgeous antipasto platter and as the wife of an Italian, I can say it is full of authentic fabulous antipasto!

    Reply
  2. Priya Shiva says

    December 11, 2019 at 1:58 pm

    I'm in love with this Antipasto platter! Thank you sharing the steps to make it.

    Reply
  3. Kelly Anthony says

    December 11, 2019 at 1:43 pm

    5 stars
    This antipasto platter is sure to be a big hit this holiday season for any upcoming party. I love how colorful it is with lots of yummy options.

    Reply
  4. Anita says

    December 11, 2019 at 12:33 pm

    5 stars
    This is a nice tutorial to create a fabulous antipasto platter. This will come in handy when trying to create my own platter for Christmas. :)

    Reply
  5. kim says

    December 11, 2019 at 12:06 pm

    5 stars
    What a fabulous spread! This is so perfect for the holidays and it's on my must make list!

    Reply
  6. Jo Allison says

    December 11, 2019 at 11:16 am

    5 stars
    Antipasto platter is always a hit with our guests too! Love your tips and suggestions, they will come super useful this coming weekend!

    Reply
  7. Whitney says

    December 10, 2019 at 6:34 pm

    5 stars
    This is so helpful! I am making my first one this weekend! Looks very delicious too.

    Reply
  8. Irina says

    December 10, 2019 at 6:33 pm

    5 stars
    Your antipasto platter looks amazing! Thank you for your great tips. It is a great idea for upcoming holidays. Pinning!

    Reply
  9. Toni says

    December 10, 2019 at 6:27 pm

    5 stars
    This is such a great idea for holiday entertaining! Love everything in this platter!

    Reply
  10. Michelle says

    December 10, 2019 at 5:00 pm

    5 stars
    Love it! I love cured meat and cheese (especially salami!), and the other fresh elements you added make it even more amazing!

    Reply
  11. Tara says

    December 09, 2019 at 8:40 pm

    5 stars
    Very pretty! Thanks for all of the useful tips.

    Reply
  12. SHANIKA says

    December 09, 2019 at 8:28 pm

    5 stars
    I've always wanted to make a nice platter for Gatherings and this recipe looks so easy and delicious! I need to try this!

    Reply
  13. Sapana says

    December 09, 2019 at 6:31 pm

    5 stars
    I love how easy it is to make this platter -- with so much variety and flavor. Thank you!

    Reply
  14. Veena Azmanov says

    December 09, 2019 at 6:08 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious platter which brings me into a party or picnic mood. Everything on this platter is very special and I love all of it.

    Reply
  15. Beth says

    December 09, 2019 at 5:48 pm

    5 stars
    I know this is meant to be shared as an appetizer but I think I could eat this all myself as a meal! So delicious!

    Reply
5 from 18 votes (5 ratings without comment)

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My name is Dannii. Here you will find easy family recipes with a healthy twist.

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