Easy and elegant antipasto tray for your upcoming party including a recipe for marinaded cheese. Beautiful and colorful antipasto is a simple way to take your party spread into a special occasion.
Who doesn’t love a good party with good friends and good food? Now that we are officially in our new house I can’t wait to get settled and do some entertaining. I’ve been brushing up on my appetizer game and making easy things to munch on while we unpack.
I made this beautiful antipasto platter and it was perfect because it literally took minutes to put together. The hard part can be done ahead of time so it’s a great addition for a party spread that won’t have you stressing.
Antipasto is Italian and translates to before the meal. It usually consists of meats, olives, peperoncini, anchovies, cheeses, or vegetables in oil and vinegar. It is something I fell in love with when I went to my first “real” Italian restaurant in college. I love the variety of flavorful bite size morsels so much I could almost skip the pasta. Almost.
Antipasto can be an appetizer served before a formal Italian dinner or an addition to a party of small bites. Antipasto platters are a great way to add a variety of color and texture to your table as well because there is such a diverse array of foods you can add to it.
I added 3 of my favorites to this simple platter: meats and marinaded cheeses and vegetables. I picked up hot salami and pepperoni from the deli meat counter along with cheddar (not Italian of course but you can swap it for Mozzarella or provolone) and Montamore a sweet fruity Italian inspired cheese. I also grabbed a jar of Giardiniera, Italian marinated vegetables, and another of stuffed olives. The marinated vegetables were near the olives at the grocery store.
The meats I simply arranged in alternating sections on the tray, the cheeses I marinated along with some cream cheese using marinade recipe and the Giardiniera I poured straight from the jar into the tray.
The salami and pepperoni are hearty with a bit of a kicks, the cheeses are creamy and full of flavor from the marinade and pimentos, and finally the cauliflower, carrots, and peppers bring it home with a tangy crunch.
Be sure and put this easy antipasto tray on your next party’s menu and you and your guests will be glad you did. Happy entertaining!
