135 italian appetizer recipes

Crisp Belgian endive leaves loaded two ways: smoked salmon with creamy Taleggio and fennel, or bresaola with roasted peppers and sun-dried tomatoes. No-cook Italian appetizers in 20 minutes.

Italian sausage simmered in tomato sauce with white wine, fresh mushrooms, and oregano. Seared first, then braised low for an hour. A savory hot appetizer.

Italian rice and endive soup with fresh tomatoes, carrots, and basil. A light vegetarian meal ready in 45 minutes, simmered in vegetable stock with curly endive for a pleasantly bitter depth.

This tantalizing pesto sauce full of flavor is perfect for soups or with pasta to make a main dish.

Italian no-cook tomato cucumber summer salad with red onion, basil, parsley, and a touch of red pepper flakes. Italian-style topping for bruschetta or tossed cold with pasta.

Soup Royale, the Italian napkin soup with a savory Parmesan-egg dumpling poached in a napkin, then sliced into cubes for a clear chicken-and-beef broth. Vintage technique that yields elegant restaurant-style soup.

Microwave Italian tomato sauce with olive oil, garlic, basil, and oregano, ready in under 10 minutes. No stirring, no stovetop. A quick base sauce for pasta, pizza, or chicken Parmesan.

Provençal aioli platter: poached cod, beef carpaccio, blanched vegetables, baby potatoes, and hard-boiled eggs arranged around homemade garlic aioli. The summer party centerpiece.

Rolled calzone stuffed with pesto, ham, capicola, provolone, roasted red peppers, and pepperoncini. Homemade herb pizza dough baked golden and sliced into pinwheels.

A Roman-style spicy bruschetta with fresh parsley, basil, garlic, and red pepper flakes in olive oil and red wine vinegar. No tomatoes here, just a punchy herb topping on grilled country bread. Vegetarian.

Homemade garlic-rosemary focaccia split and filled with basil pesto, sliced mozzarella, and fresh tomatoes. Italian sandwich perfection built from pizza dough in about an hour.

Condimento Pugliese: roasted red pepper spread with olive oil and red pepper flakes. A chunky Italian condiment for crostini, pasta, or bruschetta. Five ingredients, no cook.

Ligurian caviar is an Italian olive paste spread blended with capers and red pepper flakes. A briny, spicy vegetarian crostini topping that keeps in the fridge for two weeks.

Orecchiette dell'ortolano: Italian gardener's-style pasta with broiled eggplant, fire-roasted peppers, asparagus, and fresh fava beans tossed with olive oil and garlic.

Rustic Italian focaccia topped with roasted red peppers, slow-cooked onions, tomatoes, and fresh basil. Garlic-infused olive oil dough hand-kneaded and dimpled for crispy edges.

Porcini mushroom crostini with shiitake, cream, garlic, and Asiago cheese broiled on Italian toast. A rich, earthy Italian appetizer with deep mushroom flavor from dried and fresh fungi.