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This easy Antipasto Wreath is made with ready-to-eat ingredients and is simple to customize using your favorite Italian snack foods!

Appetizer Skewers are wonderful finger food for game day, New Year’s Eve, or any gathering of friends or family. Plated on a round serving dish with some herbs make a holiday-worthy, edible wreath that’s as irresistible to the eye it is to the palate!

Close view of Appetizer kabobs on a round white plate.
Table of Contents hide
1 Why You Must Make
2 Ingredient Notes
3 Tips for Making Appetizer Skewers
4 How to Make
5 Frequently Asked Questions
6 You Might Also Like:
7 Easy Antipasto Wreath Recipe

Why You Must Make

  • No cooking is needed to make these charcuterie skewers.
  • They typically can be made the day before making them perfect for parties.
  • They look gorgeous on a serving plate!

Ingredient Notes

  • Cherry or Grape Tomatoes – Look for red, unblemished tomatoes
  • Greek Olives – Pitted olives work best. A combination of black and green looks festive.
  • Small Fresh Mozzarella Balls – Look for an 8-ounce package of Ciliegine, which are about the same size as the tomatoes.
  • Sliced Salami – Whole Foods had mini-sliced salami that was the perfect size. If you use larger salami, slice it into smaller pieces or fold it into quarters.
  • Fresh Rosemary and Sage – Adds greenery to the “wreath.”
  • Balsamic Vinaigrette – Use my recipe or use a drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Overhead view of kabob appetizers on a white plate.

Tips for Making Appetizer Skewers

  • Use the ingredients that are available to you. Varying the meat, cheese, herb garnishes is all fine.
  • Look for skewers with a pointed end so you can easily pierce ingredients like tomatoes and cheese cubes/balls. I used 7-inch apple sticks that were in the produce section.
  • Arrange your ingredients in the same order for the prettiest presentation on your serving tray.
  • PRO-Tip: Make an antipasto wreath by alternating skewers with long sprigs of fresh rosemary. It takes a little time to get them just right, but it’s a great look for holiday parties.
  • Alternate the ingredients according to color when threading them on the kabobs. For example, place a white mozzarella ball between a red tomato and salami slice to have a nice contrast in colors.
  • Leave enough of each skewer free of ingredients so it can be used as a handle.
  • Here are some other ingredients you can use for these skewers: cooked tortellini, melon balls, prosciutto, other cured meat, artichoke hearts, roasted red bell peppers, strawberries, and/or fresh herbs like basil.

How to Make

  1. Set up an assembly line to streamline the process. Start with a pile of wooden skewers, then have bowls filled with the other ingredients in the order you plan to thread them on the skewers.
  2. As mentioned in the tips above, attempt to have some contrast between each ingredient. Dark next to light, round next to flat.
  3. Arrange the skewers like spokes of a bike tire on a large round plate or platter. Adding a long sprig of rosemary between each kabob gives a wreath-like appearance.
  4. If you want to make them ahead, do not drizzle with the vinaigrette until you’re ready to serve. Store covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator.
2 antipasto skewers on a white appetier plate with a garnish of rosemary.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Antipasto Skewers?

Antipasto is Italian for “before the meal.” It refers to hot or cold appetizers including cheeses, marinated vegetables, smoked meat, fish, and olives. When these are threaded onto skewers, you get antipasto skewers or kabobs.

Can You Make Appetizer Skewers in Advance?

Generally, these can be made the day before and kept overnight in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap. Just drizzle with your dressing before serving. If you’re using ingredients that wilt easily, like fresh basil, it’s best to make them on the day you plan to serve.

Where Can You Buy Skewers for Appetizers?

Many grocery stores carry wooden skewers along with specialty stores like Sur la Table. You can use straight wooden skewers or bamboo skewers with a knotted loop on one end.

How to Serve Appetizer Kabobs?

They can be lined up on a tray or arranged in a circle on a round plate. If you use long skewers and only load up half with ingredients, they can be placed in a container like a flower arrangement.
Make sure your appetizer plates are large enough to hold the kabobs. Have extra vinaigrette available to drizzle on the skewers.

You Might Also Like:

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Appetizer skewers arranged in a weath pattern on a serving plate
The Recipe:

Easy Antipasto Wreath Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes
Additional Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Yield 16 skewers

Antipasto ingredients on skewers and arranged on a round platter to resemble a holiday wreath.

Ingredients

  • ½ pint grape tomatoes
  • 32 Greek olives, half green and half black
  • 8 ounces Ciliegine mozzarella balls
  • Package of mini salami slices (Fiorucci brand) or 16 slices salami
  • 16 long sprigs of rosemary (about 3 grocery store packages)
  • Sprigs of sage, optional
  • Homemade Balsamic Vinegar or drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil
  • 16 wooden skewers

Instructions

  1. Thread a tomato, a salami slice, a green olive, a mozzarella ball, another salami slice, and then a black olive onto a skewer.
  2. Repeat until all the skewers are loaded, leaving a space at the blunt end of the skewer open as a handle.
  3. Arrange the skewers in a circle on a round serving plate with the pointed end at the center.
  4. Tuck sprigs of rosemary between each pair of skewers. May add sage, too, if desired, for visual interest.
  5. Drizzle with homemade vinaigrette or oil and vinegar right before serving.

Notes

Inspired by This Healthy Table.

Cubes of Provolone or Mozzarella may be used instead of fresh Mozzarella.

Prosciutto may be used instead of Salami.

Recommended Products

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

2 skewers
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 208Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 605mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 11g

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© Liz Berg
Cuisine: American, Italian-American / Category: Appetizers