28 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.

Eat heartily, accompanied by much loud Italian conversation. In fact, I typed this accompanied by much loud Italian conversation. My parents were here, and both were shouting instructions over my shoulder. They disagreed about the arrangement of the lettuce - my mother said that the hole in the middle of the platter was necessary; my father insisted that it wasn't, saying you can just dump the tuna on top of the lettuce. I finally had to give up on this reply until they went home. So now, in the peace and quiet of the aftermath, I've finished it. Hope you had a wonderful holiday.

Mortadella is one of the most popular cold cuts we have in Italy. It's a typical product from northern Italy, made of pork meat, little chunks of porkfat and spices. It's tasty and savoury, the perfect filling for a sanwich, and ideal for stuffings. It's definitely my favourite 'salume' ! Try it in this recipe, it's a special starter - delicate and sofisticated - and it's EASY to prepare! I found this recipe on the website of a famous producer of traditional Italian cold cuts.

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

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.

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.

Roman-style concia: zucchini slices fried golden in olive oil, then layered with garlic, basil, and vinegar. An old-world Italian appetizer that improves as it sits.

Tiny baby zucchini halves hollowed out and stuffed with a sauteed filling of garlic, shallot, Roma tomatoes, and fresh parsley. An elegant room-temperature appetizer from the Silver Palate.

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.

Overnight starter pizza dough baked on a stone for a chewy, blistered crust with real pizzeria flavor. Just flour, water, yeast, and salt. Save a piece of dough as your next starter.

Fig and ricotta crostini with fresh basil ribbons and aged balsamic vinegar on toasted baguette. Elegant five-ingredient Italian appetizer ready in 20 minutes.

Classic Italian balsamic bruschetta with ripe Roma tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic and Parmesan on toasted French bread. Essential summer appetizer for tomato season.

Mango and prosciutto bites: salty Italian cured ham wrapped around sweet ripe mango chunks, served with lime wedges. Three-ingredient party appetizer.

Crispy baked polenta triangles topped with roasted red peppers, fresh basil, and Parmesan. A light, low-fat Italian appetizer with golden crunch and creamy center.