90 italian appetizer recipes

Italian asparagus. How to cook asparagus Italian-style. Classic flavor-packed cold marinated asparagus with an onion, caper, lemon and mint dressing. Perfect to make ahead and serve anytime with simple ingredients. It's even vegan and vegetarian.

Rich and packed with flavor but without the unhealthy fats. Slightly sweet carmelized onions and sundried tomatos topped with cheese on crispy toast (crostini).

In Italian, “crostini” means “little toasts.” Crostini are made by slicing a French or Italian bread stick or baguette. Then rubbing with garlic and olive oil and toasting or grilling until crisp.

Italian-seasoned popcorn tossed with garlic-oregano butter and grated Parmesan cheese. A savory 3-ingredient snack ready in 15 minutes that beats plain buttered popcorn every time.

Garlic toast brushed with slow-infused garlic olive oil and baked until pale gold. A three-ingredient Italian appetizer base ready for grilled red peppers or any topping.

Insalata verde e rossa, an Italian red and green salad with dandelion leaves, watercress, and radishes in olive oil and red wine vinegar. A bitter greens salad with peppery bite.

Classic Italian antipasti platter with roasted red peppers, marinated vegetables, olives, and Parmesan served with crusty bread for an elegant no-cook appetizer.

Mushroom mozzarella bruschetta made with cream of mushroom soup, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, and melted mozzarella on toasted French bread. A cheesy, savory appetizer baked until bubbly.

This is a basic risotto rice . Many ingredients may be added, such as green onion, peas, sliced mushrooms, clams, shrimp, lean hamburger or chicken.

Fresh mushroom slices marinated in olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic, chilled until tangy and tender, perfect with breadsticks.

Refined Verona-style antipasto with paper-thin prosciutto, crunchy celery root matchsticks, and Parmesan wedges on bitter radicchio for an elegant Italian starter.

Saffron risotto in the simple Milanese tradition: rice toasted in butter and onion, simmered in saffron-laced broth, finished with parmesan. Golden, fragrant, and unfussy.

A rustic Sicilian appetizer of pan-fried eggplant simmered in a sweet-and-sour sauce with olives, capers, pine nuts, and tomato. Served at room temperature for bold Mediterranean flavor.

Roasted bell pepper rolls stuffed with tuna, capers, and parsley in a lemon-garlic olive oil marinade. An elegant Italian appetizer that can be assembled a day ahead.

Concia is a Roman Jewish dish of fried zucchini layered with garlic, fresh basil, and white wine vinegar. A make-ahead antipasto that improves overnight.

Olive Profumate: oil-cured black olives marinated with fennel seeds, orange zest, and sliced garlic. A no-cook Italian appetizer that keeps for two weeks in the fridge.