Some entertaining recipes are designed to impress. Others are designed to make your life easier. Our Chopped Antipasto Platter does both.
Instead of arranging every slice of salami, folding prosciutto into elegant ribbons, and carefully placing olives around a board, we take all those beautiful antipasto ingredients and chop them into easy, bite-sized pieces. Then we pile everything onto a platter over a generous slick of good olive oil and finish with even more.
The No-Cook Appetizer Anyone Can Make
The result is colourful, casual, delicious—and wonderfully low maintenance.
Salami, capicola, prosciutto, olives, roasted red peppers, marinated artichoke hearts, pickled garlic, pickled asparagus, and creamy mini bocconcini come together in a platter that feels abundant without requiring any actual cooking.
Every scoop delivers a little bit of everything: salty cured meat, creamy cheese, briny olives, sweet peppers, tangy pickles, and rich olive oil.
How Pickled Ingredients Create an Instant Dressing
Ingredients are flexible, so use what you love or what you already have in the refrigerator. The one thing I always recommend is including at least one pickled or marinated ingredient. The tangy brine mingles with the olive oil to create a simple, flavourful dressing that brings the whole platter together.
Why Chopping Changes Everything
A traditional antipasto platter is beautiful, but it can be surprisingly fussy to assemble. Chopping everything into bite-sized pieces changes the experience completely. Instead of choosing one ingredient at a time, guests can scoop up a little of everything in every bite.
The olive oil gathers the flavours from the roasted peppers, marinated artichokes, olives, and pickled vegetables. Those briny, tangy juices become a naturally flavourful dressing—especially when soaked up with warm crusty bread.
It’s casual food designed for sharing.
The Perfect Potluck, Picnic, or Party Appetizer
Please, Make It Your Own! This is more of a formula than a strict recipe. Swap ingredients according to what you have, what you love, or what’s left over after a party.
Try adding:
• Marinated mushrooms, pickled onions, pepperoncini, sun-dried tomatoes, marinated mozzarella, Grilled zucchini, roasted or spicy eggplant, marinated feta, cubed provolone, fresh basil, oregano or Italian parsley, crushed red pepper flakes, or lemon zest.
The key is balance:
• Something salty: cured meat, olives, or cheese
• Something creamy: bocconcini, mozzarella, or feta
• Something bright: pickled vegetables or marinated ingredients
• Something rich: plenty of good olive oil
• Something to scoop: crusty bread, crackers, or crostini
A Casual Antipasto Platter Without the Styling Stress
This is my kind of entertaining: relaxed, generous, and completely unfussy.
It’s perfect for anyone who doesn’t cook, anyone who panics when asked to bring something to a potluck, or anyone staring at pile of leftover charcuterie after a party, wondering what to do with it.
It also travels beautifully. I packed the leftovers for a beach picnic, added a loaf of crusty bread and a bottle of red wine, and called it a perfect afternoon.
No cooking. No complicated presentation. No rules.
Just chop, pile, drizzle, and enjoy.
Why I Love It
I love recipes that make entertaining feel more accessible. You don’t need culinary skills—or even a perfectly styled charcuterie board—to bring something delicious to the table. This platter is forgiving, flexible, portable, and packed with flavour. It’s proof that even easy entertaining – can still feel special.
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Chopped Antipasto Platter
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: serves 8
Description
Our easy Chopped Antipasto Platter is a no-cook appetizer made with cured meats, olives, marinated vegetables, bocconcini, and olive oil. Perfect for potlucks, picnics, parties, and easy entertaining.
Ingredients
- 4 ounces salami, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 4 ounces capicola, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 3 ounces prosciutto, roughly torn or chopped
- 1/2 cup black olives, pitted and halved
- 1/2 cup green olives, pitted and halved
- 1/2 cup roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
- 1/2 cup marinated artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
- 1/4 cup pickled garlic, drained and halved
- 1/2 cup pickled asparagus, drained and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 8 ounces mini bocconcini, quartered
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Chop Everything: Chop the salami and capicola into easy bite-sized pieces. Roughly tear or chop the prosciutto. Chop the olives. Chop the roasted red peppers and the artichoke hearts. Halve or chop the pickled garlic if the cloves are large. Cut the pickled asparagus into bite-sized pieces. Quarter the mini bocconcini.
- Build the Platter: Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of olive oil onto a large, shallow platter. Spread the oil across the surface. Layer all the chopped antipasto ingredients over the olive oil. Drizzle the remaining olive oil generously over the top. Finish with fresh herbs, black pepper or lemon zest.
- Serve: Allow your platter to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving so the flavours can mingle. Also can be prepared a couple of hours in advance, hold in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Then allow to stand to come to room temperature, about 20 minutes. Serve with crusty bread for scooping up every last bit of the olive oil and antipasto juices.
Notes
Serving Suggestions. Turn this platter into an effortless meal or entertaining spread with:
- Warm crusty sourdough
- Grilled focaccia
- Garlic-rubbed crostini
- Red wine or chilled sparkling water
- A simple green salad
- Fresh melon or grapes
- Grilled chicken
- Marinated shrimp
- Bellini Peach Raspberry Iced Tea
- Fresh summer fruit for dessert
- For a picnic, pack the chopped antipasto in a sealed container and hold the bread separately. Assemble just before serving—or enjoy it straight from the container at the beach, park, cabin, or campsite.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Chopping
- Cuisine: Italian
