So getting the chance to talk about antipasto with culinary icon, TV host, restaurateur and Italian cooking authority Lidia Bastianich felt a bit like coming home for a refresher course in celebration, abundance and simplicity.
That reassurance matters because for many home cooks, an antipasto spread can feel especially intimidating. What actually belongs on the platter? How do you balance flavors? What if you’re hosting a big crowd—or just a couple of guests—and don’t want to overthink it or overspend? And how do you make it feel festive without adding more stress to an already busy holiday season?
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Antipasti, the plural form of the word antipasto, literally means “before the meal" in Italian. The term refers to the small bites served ahead of the main course. An antipasto spread is typically a mix of salumi (cured meats), cheeses, vegetables, salads and preserved items.
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What’s the Difference Between an Antipasto Platter and a Charcuterie Board?
Antipasto platters have long been part of Italian food culture, and while some may resemble the charcuterie boards all over your Insta feed, the two are not quite the same. As Bastianich explains it, antipasti is a broad, welcoming category comprising any number of small, flavorful Italian bites meant to awaken the appetite and set the tone for the meal.
Photo by Steve Giralt for 'Lidia’s Celebrate Like an Italian'
“They’re both delicious,” Bastianich says, “but they come from different places.” For her, an antipasto spread celebrates the sensibility and ingredients specific to the Italian table: regional cheeses, salumi, marinated or roasted vegetables, and whatever else the season or the cook inspires. Charcuterie boards, on other hand, often draw on an international pantry. Think: French Camembert paired with Spanish jamón.
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Bastianich often sets up her antipasto away from the main dining area so guests can nibble, mingle and ease into the evening while she finishes cooking the rest of the meal. “It’s a great way—especially if you have 20 or 30 people—to create a display where people can congregate,” she explains. Unlike passed hors d’oeuvres or plated starters, an antipasto spread encourages movement, conversation and a relaxed, help-yourself rhythm that takes pressure off the host.
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The Essential Elements of an Antipasto Platter, According to Lidia Bastianich
Photo by Steve Giralt for 'Lidia’s Celebrate Like an Italian'
To assemble your spread, aim to include at least one food item from each of the six categories below, adding or swapping as needed depending on the size of your guest list, your guests' dietary considerations, your time constraints and your party budget.
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Cured meats
Photo by Steve Giralt for 'Lidia’s Celebrate Like an Italian'
Prosciutto: dry-cured Italian ham with a delicate, salty-sweet flavor.Capocollo: cured spicy pork shoulder or neck.Mortadella: mild Italian sausage studded with cubes of fat and pistachios.Genoa salami: Coarsely ground, garlicky pork salami with a tangy, slightly acidic flavor.Soppressata: rustic, Italian dry-cured salami with a bold, peppery flavor.
Bastianich recommends setting out a few cheeses of various flavors and textures. For a crowd, ideally, you'd include two hard or semi/hard cheeses (one cow’s milk, one sheep’s milk), a blue cheese and a soft cheese. If you're hosting a smaller gathering, choose the one or two options you prefer.
Hard/semi-hard cow’s milk: Parmigiano Reggiano, Grana Padano, Montasio, caciocavallo, provoloneHard sheep’s milk: Pecorino RomanoSoft: Taleggio, mozzarella, RobiolaBlue: gorgonzolaRelated: You Can Get These Gorgeous Charcuterie Boards Shipped to You Overnight—and They’re ‘Shark Tank’ Approved
Pickled and marinated vegetables
Photo by Steve Giralt for 'Lidia’s Celebrate Like an Italian'
Marinated artichoke heartsOlivesRoasted peppersStuffed peppersPeperonciniPickled vegetables, like eggplant slices or mushrooms
Carbs provide a neutral base to carry other flavors, add crunch or chew, and help balance stronger tastes, like salumi or cheeses. “With a nice selection, you could almost have a meal right there,” Bastianich laughs. Here are some popular options:
Taralli: crunchy ring-shaped crackers from southern Italy, often flavored with fennel or black pepper.Slices of crusty breadBreadsticksFocacciaSeafood
Canned mackerelCanned anchoviesCanned tuna tossed with white beans, thinly sliced red onion and a splash of olive oil and vinegarOctopus and potato saladShrimp and bean salad
Seasonal vegetable salads
This category offers a creative way to highlight freshness, color and texture, making the antipasto spread feel vibrant and rooted in the current season. These salads, Bastianich notes, hold up beautifully at room temperature and can be made ahead of time.
Red cabbage salad. “It lasts even the next day—it’s better, even,” she says of this dish.Beet salad with seasonal fruits like apples or cranberriesCarrot and orange saladBastianich loves to serve bubbles with this course. The light effervescence cuts through the richness of the meats and cheeses, refreshing the palate between bites. “Prosecco is ideal, and it’s not expensive,” she says.
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Lidia Bastianich's 3 Top Tips for the Best Antipasti Spread
Courtesy Lidia Bastianich
2. Don’t overthink the presentation
Most of us neither own nor need a giant collection of matching dishes and serveware. “You don’t have four sets of 24 plates,” Bastianich says. She encourages home cooks to use whatever they have: large platters, a big wooden cutting board, those odd little salad plates packed away in your hall closet... The key is abundance and accessibility, she notes.
3. Save yourself the fussing
Antipasti should feel festive and generous. “Make yourself comfortable," she says. "Eat whatever you want, however you want to eat it."
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• Lidia Bastianich, legendary chef, TV personality, restaurateur and the author of 16 books, including the most recent, Lidia’s The Art of Pasta
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