Antipasto Salad Platter

Name: Antipasto Salad Platter
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 (16 oz.) jar sliced mild banana peppers, drained; 8 oz. white mushrooms, quartered; 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved; 2 (8 oz.) mozzarella balls in brine or marinade, drained; 1 (12 oz.) jar marinated quartered artichokes, drained; 1 (6 oz.) can whole black olives, drained; 1/4 cup julienned sun-dried tomatoes in oil; 1/4 cup fresh chopped Italian parsley; 1/2 cup olive oil; 1/4 cup red wine vinegar; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1 tsp. Italian seasoning; 1/2 tsp. red chili flakes; 2 tsp. honey; Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper

posted by Katya on Dec 27, 2022 1 comment »

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1 reviews

Deconstructed antipasto platter in a salad form. It’s incredibly easy to make and serves well as an appetizer or as a side salad.

This antipasto salad platter is perfect for a side dish or appetizer for a large crowd and you can bring it with you to a potluck or dinner party. It’s also great for holidays served alongside White Cheddar Cranberry Dip and Parmesan Cheese Crisps.

This traditional salad is easy to prepare and should be refrigerated 24 hours in advance to let all the flavors combine. Serve it with breadsticks or focaccia bread for a delicious meal.

What is an Antipasto Salad Platter?

While a traditional antipasto platter is very much like an Italian charcuterie board, this version tosses all those tasty ingredients into one big bowl along with the dressing.

Bring it out to the table on a large platter and allow your family or guests to scoop it onto their plates alongside crostini, focaccia, or breadsticks.

The best part about this salad is that when the ingredients have time to marinate with the dressing overnight, the flavors really pop!

This Italian salad would also pair wonderfully with a good cheese platter or a serving platter filled with fresh fruits. Put out all three platters for a delicious appetizer array at a holiday party.

Ingredients

These antipasto ingredients are easy to find at the grocery store any time of the year because most of them are jarred. That means you can make a big platter in winter as easily as you can in summer.

Salad:

Sliced mild banana peppers
White mushrooms
Cherry tomatoes
Mozzarella balls
Marinated artichoke hearts
Whole black olives
Julienned sun-dried tomatoes in oil
Fresh Italian parsley

Dressing:

Olive oil
Red wine vinegar
Garlic cloves
Italian seasoning
Red chili flakes
Honey
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

How to Make Antipasto Salad Platter

This salad is incredibly easy to make. There are only three steps which means you can have it prepped and ready to put in the fridge in just a few minutes.

Combine the salad ingredients in a large bowl.

Whisk together the dressing ingredients and toss with the salad.

Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours. Before serving taste and adjust salt and pepper.

Recipe Tips

These tips and tricks will help you make the best Italian antipasto salad platter.

Swap out the peppers. You can use whole or sliced pepperoncini instead of or in addition to the banana peppers.
Use sweet tomatoes. Use the sweetest tomatoes available, such as cherry or sugar bombs (grape tomatoes on the vine). Store tomatoes at room temperature for best flavor.
Mozzarella balls. Marinated mozzarella balls are much more flavorful to use rather than mozzarella in brine. Although, if you can only find regular mozzarella balls, they will still work fine.
Serve as an appetizer or side salad. This antipasto salad recipe can be an appetizer alongside focaccia, breadsticks, crostini, or as a side salad.
Marinating is the key. If you don’t have time to allow the salad to sit in the fridge for 24 hours, try to let it marinate for as long as possible, even if it’s only for 30 minutes. It will still taste amazing and you can cut down on the waiting time.

Variations

Antipasto salad is the traditional first course of an Italian meal and there are as many varieties as there are Italian grandmothers. Here are some options to get you started.

Add pasta or tortellini to make this salad even more filling.
Chickpeas are a delicious addition to any salad.
Use buttery green olives or your favorite olives instead of black olives.
Roasted red peppers from a jar are a great addition.
Fresh herbs add a little brightness and color variation to your salad.
Diced red onion is slightly spicy and pairs well with the sourness of the dressing.
Substitute this dressing with a simple balsamic dressing which you can buy or make yourself.
Cherry peppers are spicy and another good option.
Add in-season fresh vegetables to make this dish even heartier and more delicious.

How to Make This Salad Ahead of Time

This is a great salad to make ahead of time, and in fact, you should! When you make the salad 24 hours ahead of when you need it and let it sit in the fridge, it becomes even more delicious.

Chop the ingredients and toss them in a bowl with the dressing, cover, and refrigerate. Doing this allows the flavors to marinate and the ingredients to soak up all the goodness.

This salad will keep well in the fridge for up to 2-3 days before the vegetables, especially the tomatoes begin to break down and soften.

This also means all you need to do to get it ready to eat is pull it out of the fridge. It saves at least a few minutes of prep time so you can focus on making other dishes or just get right to eating!

How to Serve

There is no wrong way to serve the perfect antipasto platter. It’s perfect during the holiday season to bring to a party or during a light summer meal.

If serving as an appetizer, it pairs well with the following:

Garlic bread
Bread crisps
Sliced baguette
Foccacia bread
Breadsticks
Baked Italian crackers

Or serve this simple tossed salad with main dishes like:

Storing Tips

Refrigerate: Store this traditional antipasto salad in an airtight container or in a bowl covered in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.

Freeze: Freezing isn’t a great option because the texture of these particular ingredients won’t be very good when thawed. When you want to eat more of this salad, you can quickly throw it together and enjoy.

FAQs

Is this antipasto salad platter vegetarian?

Yes, but you can add genoa salami, soppressata, thin layers of salty prosciutto, or other dried and cured Italian meats.

Does antipasto salad have lettuce?

This one doesn’t, but you can add a simple spring mix, arugula, or a big pile of lettuce underneath the rest of the marinated ingredients.

What kind of cheese should I use to make this antipasto salad platter?

You can use soft cheeses like balls of mozzarella, chunks of provolone cheese, Parmesan, Gruyere, Havarti, or other Italian cheese varieties.

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