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This stunning Italian antipasto board is the perfect way to impress guests or elevate any casual gathering. With a colorful spread of cured meats, marinated veggies, artisan cheeses, and herby dressing, it’s full of flavor and texture in every bite. The wreath-style presentation makes it extra festive, ideal for holidays or special occasions. Whether served as a starter or centerpiece, this antipasto board delivers that rustic, Italian charm and satisfies every snacker at the table.
This antipasto tray is not only a classic Italian starter but is also a great menu item for Christmas or Thanksgiving with all the irresistibly cute, bite-sized morsels.
If you like this, also try sweet onion honey glazed ham or a Thanksgiving charcuterie board. This Christmas tree charcuterie board is fun too.
Why You’ll Love It
It’s easy to assemble: No cooking required, just arrange and serve, swapping in your favorite meats, cheeses or veggies if you like.
Visually impressive: The wreath design makes this board look beautiful and festive.
Packed with variety: Something for everyone—meats, cheeses, veggies, and olives.
Great for make-ahead: Prepare the dressing and ingredients in advance for easy setup.
Perfect for entertaining: A crowd-pleasing appetizer that invites grazing and sharing.
Italian Antipasto Board Appetizer Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Cherry tomatoes: Juicy and bright, marinated for extra flavor.
Peppered salami: Adds a bold, smoky bite to the outer edge.
Asparagus: Blanched and crisp, wrapped in capicola for a unique bite.
Capicola: A flavorful cured meat that pairs well with cheese and veggies.
Gournay cheese: A soft, herbed cheese that adds richness.
Marinated artichoke hearts: Tangy and tender, great for contrast.
Pepperoni: A classic cured meat, sliced thin for easy layering.
Rosemary: Adds aroma and a fresh, herbal element.
Blue cheese stuffed olives: Creamy, salty, and perfect for snacking.
Kalamata olives: Briny and bold, a Mediterranean staple.
Sun dried tomatoes: Rich and chewy, full of concentrated tomato flavor.
Parmesan cheese: Sharp and nutty, sliced thin for texture and taste.
Extra virgin olive oil: Forms the base of the dressing.
Rose wine vinegar and balsamic vinegar: Add tang and depth to the dressing.
Garlic, oregano, fennel, parsley, black pepper: Seasonings that bring out Italian flavors in every bite.
How to Make an Italian Antipasto Board
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Make the dressing: Whisk olive oil, vinegars, garlic and seasonings in a bowl.
Marinate the tomatoes: Let them soak in the dressing to absorb flavor.
Blanch the asparagus: Boil briefly in salted water, then cool.
Create the salami wreath: Shingle slices in a circle on your board.
Wrap the asparagus: Fill capicola slices with cheese and asparagus, then place over the salami.
Add vegetables and meats: Arrange artichokes, pepperoni and rosemary around the wreath.
Fill the center: Pile in olives, sun dried tomatoes and marinated tomatoes.
Finish with parmesan: Add shaved cheese and drizzle with dressing.
Substitutions and Variations
Change the meats: Try prosciutto, soppressata or bresaola for variety.
Use different cheeses: Burrata, provolone or fresh mozzarella would all be great here.
Add extras: Include roasted red peppers, nuts or pickled veggies for even more color and flavor. More options are marinated mozzarella balls, cured meats like Mortadella and Italian meats like hard salami or genoa salami, fresh basil, nuts like Marcona almonds, pickled red onion or pickled garlic cloves, pepperoncini, fig jam, olive tapenade or Sicilian orange marmalade, roasted red bell peppers, sweet cherry peppers, or peppadew peppers, smoked salmon, boiled egg slices, giardiniera, red seedless grapes, anchovies or marinated mushrooms, provolone cheese or hard cheese like Parmigiano Reggiano.
Serving Suggestions
With other appetizers: Antipasto skewers or an pineapple cranberry brie crescent ring would be good on your platter, too.
With cocktails: Sip an Italian margarita, passion fruit martini or cranberry orange prosecco punch.
How to Store an Antipasti Board
Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eat within a day or so.
Freeze: I don’t recommend freezing this antipasto board.
Top Tips
Use a large round board: A wooden pizza peel or round tray makes a great base.
Cut everything into bite-sized pieces: Makes the board easy to graze without extra prep.
Build in layers: Start with larger items like meats and add smaller components in between.
Keep it chilled: If prepping ahead, cover and refrigerate until just before serving.
Holiday Antipasto Wreath FAQs
Once prepared, you can cover the platter with plastic wrap. That way it should be good for a day or so in the refrigerator. Don’t add bread or crackers to the platter else they are going to get soggy. With meat and cheeses you won’t want to keep it at room temperature too long.
I love this fancy bamboo large serving platter, but you can use anything from a metal tray to a wooden chopping board or cheeseboard, or even a large ceramic or porcelain platter. Don’t forget to offer utensils, as well as small plates and napkins.
You don’t even have to serve slices of bread, although you can if you wish. Other good choices include chips, flatbread crackers or mini breadsticks.
No, although they are similar. Technically ‘charcuterie’ is a French word for cooked meat and cheese is not a traditional component of such a platter. However, in reality a lot of people do add cheese to their boards to add variety. Antipasto, on the other hand, is an Italian term and it is traditionally a selection of both cold meats and cheeses, although there are other themes for this party appetizer platter. Some people might like a seafood-based platter, for example, or one with fresh fruits. It is the traditional first course of an Italian meal or dinner party.
Italian Antipasto Board Appetizer Recipe
Italian Antipasto Board
Equipment
- Serving Platter Large
Ingredients
- ½ Cup cherry tomatoes
- 9 Ounces salami, peppered, thinly sliced
- ½ Bunch asparagus
- 6 Ounces capicola
- 6 Ounces cheese, gournay
- 1 Can marinated artichoke hearts, 12 Ounce can
- 9 Ounces pepperoni, sliced
- rosemary, fresh
- ½ Cup olives, blue cheese stuffed
- ½ Cup kalamata olives
- ¼ Cup sun dried tomatoes
- 6 Ounces parmesan cheese, romano
For the Dressing
- ½ Cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ Cup wine vinegar, rose
- 3 Cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- ½ Teaspoon salt
- ½ Teaspoon oregano
- ½ Teaspoon fennel seeds
- ½ Teaspoon parsley
- ¼ Teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Combine olive oil, rose wine vinegar, minced garlic, balsamic vinegar, salt, oregano, fennel, parsley, and black pepper in a bowl and whisk.
- Marinate tomatoes in the dressing for 1 hour. Set aside ¼ cup to use as dip for bread.
- Bring 3 cups of salted water to a boil. Blanch the asparagus (2 minutes) Then drain and set aside to cool.
- Use a circle shaped platter or wooden cutting board as a base for the wreath. Lay the peppered salami slices in a circle around the outer rim of the platter in a shingle pattern.
- Slice the asparagus into 3” spears. Slice the capicola into 3” wide sections. Add 2 teaspoons of gournay cheese to the center of each slice. Place 3 to 4 asparagus in the center, then tightly wrap with the capicola. Lay the capicola wrapped asparagus in a starburst pattern over the peppered salami.
- Slice the marinated artichokes into quarters and place between the asparagus.
- Slice the pepperoni into thin rounds, then place at the base of the asparagus. Create a circle with the pepperoni.
- Arrange the rosemary over the pepperoni in a shingle pattern to create a wall in the center of the platter. Fill the center with sundried tomatoes, blue cheese stuffed olives, marinated tomatoes, and kalamata olives. Drizzle dressing over the top.
- Thinly slice parmesan and place in a starburst pattern around the outer edge of the wreath.
- Plate any extra ingredients and drizzle with dressing. Serve with sliced bread.
Notes
Cut everything into bite-sized pieces: Makes the board easy to graze without extra prep.
Build in layers: Start with larger items like meats and add smaller components in between.
Keep it chilled: If prepping ahead, cover and refrigerate until just before serving.
Nutrition
A Sicilian antipasto board appetizer is a thrilling, inviting sight for anyone coming to your holiday party. You can rustle up this fun holiday antipasto wreath in minutes to add charm to your festive table. It is full of Italian cheese, a variety of meats, fresh herbs, fruits like fresh figs and sometimes a variety of breads. This is the perfect antipasto platter it is a great option for a family gathering and part of a delicious holiday meal.
Other Recipes to Try
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
Love this board idea. Cheese and cold cuts – you can’t go wrong!
I love this recipe, it’s so easy and it was so fantastic! My kids loved it too!
The perfect appetizer for any party!
Sooo good – that dressing OMG. We loved it!!
This really took me back to when I used to live in Italy – made this for a happy hour, and served with some Aperol Spritz, and it was so good!
I just made this for a get-together. I thought there was no way mine would come out as nice as yours, but it looks pretty close! Thanks for the great directions and photos. I got so many compliments!
So easy and it looked fabulous. This is my new go-to appetizer.
This antipasto board was the perfect Christmas activity for my tweens to put together for our holiday open house. It was a hit!
This looks so good! I could eat this all by myself 🙂