135 italian appetizer recipes

Pop the Cork Pasta Crunch: deep fried corkscrew macaroni tossed in Parmesan, Italian seasoning, and garlic salt. A crispy, addictive party snack or appetizer.

Italian sausage bread stuffed with hot sausage, mozzarella, Romano cheese, and eggs rolled in bread dough. A savory jelly-roll appetizer that freezes well.

Baked mushroom pate with cream cheese, Italian herbs, and a full pound of fresh mushrooms. A rich, savory vegetarian appetizer served at room temperature with crackers.

Stuffed mushrooms with Parmesan, garlic, bread crumbs, and fresh parsley baked until golden. A classic Italian-style appetizer that comes together with just a few pantry staples.

Low-fat marinated vegetable platter with crisp broccoli, carrots, celery, red pepper, olives, and artichoke hearts in tangy Italian dressing. Make-ahead appetizer that gets better as it chills.

Baked Clams Casino with littleneck clams on the half shell topped with garlicky, paprika-seasoned bread crumbs and crispy bacon. A classic Italian-American appetizer served with lemon wedges.

Italian seafood antipasto with canned tuna, crisp raw vegetables, briny capers, and olives for a light no-cook lunch or appetizer ready in 10 minutes.

Crispy baked rice squares made from leftover rice, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, and Italian herbs. A 6-ingredient snack or appetizer that uses up day-old rice.

Pesto stuffed mushrooms filled with basil pesto, Italian bread crumbs, and horseradish. Serve hot from the oven or cold with pimento for a versatile party appetizer.

Marinated shrimp kabobs with picante sauce and Italian dressing, threaded with broccoli florets and cherry tomatoes. A make-ahead cocktail appetizer with three-color visual punch.

Onion caviar with black-eyed peas, sweet Vidalia onions, green bell pepper, pimentos, and garlic in Italian dressing. A Southern marinated appetizer or side dish, best made overnight.

Scampi Principessa with butterflied shrimp poached in white wine, flambéed with aquavit, then served in cold yogurt sauce. An elegant Italian-Scandinavian appetizer ready in 20 minutes.

Dried tomato crostini with sun-dried and fresh tomatoes, olives, capers, balsamic vinegar, and garlic on toasted baguette. An Italian bruschetta-style appetizer with optional melted cheese.

Parmesan toasts rub Italian bread with raw garlic, drizzle with olive oil, top with parmesan and fleur de sel, then oven-bake until golden. Easiest appetizer going.

Ham and Swiss appetizer pizza on a prebaked Italian bread shell with Dijon mustard and scallions. A 5-ingredient party snack that bakes in under 10 minutes and tastes like a hot ham and cheese sandwich in pizza form.

Quick pita bread pizza topped with pan-fried eggplant, roasted red pepper, pepperoni, and spaghetti sauce. A Greek-meets-Italian snack or appetizer baked in just 5 minutes.