53 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.

Saltimbocca alla Romana: pounded veal layered with prosciutto and fresh sage, seared in butter and finished with a dry white wine pan sauce. The classic Roman trattoria dish.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Marinated olives with garlic, orange zest, and fennel seeds warmed in olive oil. An Italian-style appetizer that improves with time. Ready in hours, not days.

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.

Grilled polenta topped with charred radicchio, olive oil, and a drizzle of vinegar. A rustic Italian antipasto where crispy-edged polenta meets the bitter smoky bite of grilled chicory.

Italian marinated sun-dried tomatoes preserved in olive oil with basil, garlic, and red pepper flakes. A homemade antipasto topping for bread, pasta, and charcuterie boards.