Antipasto Skewers are easy to assemble and great for lunch or as a side to your favorite dinner. This combination of cheese, tortellini and vegetables is delicious together and has something for everyone.
These are also so versatile, you can add your favorite Italian meats or even seafood if you want to play with the ingredients. Perfect finger food for your next gathering!
Antipasto Skewers
Antipasto Skewers are like a salad on a stick, think how much easier it is to have a drink in one hand, and an easy-to-eat salad in the other.
I am excited about summer so we can have dinner outside and eat without any utensils, just pick up your food and it is ready to go. These appetizer skewers will be on regular rotation at our house this year!
Having a party is so fun, but if you’re the one hosting it can be stressful when you have to get food and drinks prepared and do the clean up after.
This is one party food you don’t have to stress over, just slide all your ingredients on a skewer, throw it on a platter, and drizzle some dressing on.
There is no clean up and it takes less than ten minutes to make, add this antipasto skewers recipe to your bookmarked list, you’re going to want to have this one ready as soon as the weather warms up and the pool opens.
What kind of appetizer is antipasto?
Antipasto is usually a cold appetizer that is easy to eat while waiting for your main course. In Italian cuisine it is generally some time of meat and cheese with a vegetable or two sometimes, basically an Italian version of charcuterie.
What is the definition of antipasto?
Antipasto literally means, “before meal”, so it is anything eaten before the main meal, usually it is used with Italian menus and means an Italian appetizer.
I even consider it a salad course and serve something like this Burrata Caprese Salad.
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Ingredients Needed
Tortellini – I like to use the cheese stuffed ones but feel free to experiment with other flavors. Just be sure to cook and cool before marinating and eating.
Cucumber – You can use the mini, English, or regular cucumbers. I like to use the mini or English because you don’t have to peel them. If they are wide, feel free to cut them in half.
Tomato – Use cherry tomatoes or other small tomatoes. If they seem too large to bite or you are worried about choking, feel free to cut them in half.
Spinach – Use fresh and not frozen leaves. Be sure to rinse and dry really well before using. If you don’t like spinach, try fresh basil leaves.
Mozzarella – Use the fresh cheese. If you can find the individual balls (mozzarella Bocconcini work best!) If you can’t find the smaller balls of cheese, feel free to cut a large ball into bite-sized pieces.
Roasted Red Peppers – You can find these in the jarred section of your grocery store, next to the pickles!
Olives – I use a combination of stuffed green and Kalamata olives. Feel free to use your favorite. Garlic stuffed ones would be great on these!
Dressing – Use your favorite Italian dressing like this red wine vinaigrette, or this balsamic vinaigrette. Or use a simple combination of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. You can also use pesto!
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How to make Antipasto Skewers
First: Cook the tortellini according to package directions. Rinse in cold water to cool. Marinate the cooked/cooled tortellini and mozzarella balls in the dressing.
Second: Wash and prep/slice the remaining ingredients while the tortellini is marinating. Soak the wooden skewers in water as well.
Third: After the mozzarella balls and tortellini are marinated, you can assemble the skewers alternating the ingredients until the skewer is full. Keep filling skewers until all the ingredients are used or the skewers are used up.
Fourth: Drizzle with extra dressing if desired. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Enjoy!
For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
More items to add to these Tortellini Skewers
- basil leaves instead of spinach
- black olives instead of kalamata or green
- marinated artichoke hearts
- drizzle with a pesto sauce instead of dressing
Tapas Tips & Tricks
- You will have enough ingredients to make more than 10 skewers, but to simplify for the recipe I am giving measurement for 10.
- Pre-marinated mozzarella balls can save you some time.
- Feel free to substitute your favorite vegetables with the ones I have listed. You can also put them in any order you desire.
- You may wish to have more dressing on the side if you are eating ingredients off a plate.
- You may also wish to have Italian cold cuts, cooked chicken, or even shrimp for more protein!
- Soak skewers in water to make adding the ingredients easier.
- Marinate the cheese and tortellini for 1 -2 hours or overnight for best flavor.
If you love this recipe as much as I do, please write a five-star review in the comment section below (or on Pinterest with the “tried it” button – you can now add pictures into reviews, too!), and be sure to help me share on facebook!
I always like to see how people change up antipasto dishes, so make sure you come back to the comments and let me know what you made your antipasto kabobs with!
More Finger Foods
- Antipasto Platter
- Mediterranean Salad Stacks
- Reuben Skewers
- Caprese Pasta Salad
- Hawaiian chicken skewers
Antipasto Skewers
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons Italian dressing
- 2-3 mini cucumbers or you may quarter regular sized cucumber
- 1 pt. Cherry tomatoes you will not need all of these
- 10 Mozzarella cheese balls or any small size mozzarella ball available
- 10 large green olives stuffed with pimentos
- A handful or two of spinach leaves
- 10 cheese tortellini
- 10 Kalamata Olives
- 4 oz roasted red peppers
Instructions
- Cook and then cool tortellini according to package directions.
- Marinate the cooked and cooled tortellini in 3 tablespoons of Italian dressing for an hour.
- Marinate the cheese balls in 3 tablespoons of Italian dressing for an hour.
- While marinating prepare the vegetables and other ingredients for the skewers.
- The cherry tomatoes, olives and spinach leaves are set to go (I wash the tomatoes and spinach leaves, then let dry).
- Slice the mini cucumbers into ½ inch thick slices.
- Cut the roasted red peppers into bite sized pieces. You can add more than one to each skewer.
- After the mozzarella balls and tortellini are marinated, you can assemble the skewers alternating the ingredients until the skewer is full. I added two cucumbers per skewer but the amount of each ingredient is entirely up to you.
- I started with the cucumber slice, then the cherry tomato, followed by the mozzarella ball, the green olive, two pieces of spinach, then add the tortellini, the Kalamata olive and top off with the roasted red pepper.
- Enjoy! Serve with additional Italian dressing on the side if desired.
Notes
- You will have enough ingredients to make more than 10 skewers, but to simplify for the recipe I am giving measurement for 10.
- Pre-marinated mozzarella balls can save you some time.
- Feel free to substitute your favorite vegetables with the ones I have listed. You can also put them in any order you desire.
- You may wish to have more dressing on the side if you are eating ingredients off a plate.
- You may also wish to have Italian cold cuts, cooked chicken, or even shrimp for more protein!
- Soak skewers in water to make adding the ingredients easier.
- Marinate the cheese and tortellini for 1 -2 hours or overnight for best flavor.
Nutrition
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