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.
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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!
