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  4. 15 Italian Appetizers to Make ASAP

15 Italian Appetizers to Make ASAP

Updated August 11, 2022
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Garlic Knot Chicken Parmesan Sliders image
Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Prop Styling: Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland; Food Styling: Anna Theoktisto

Searching for a delicious way to start any gathering off on the right foot? Look no further than our best Italian appetizer recipes. Whether you're on the hunt for a classic dish worthy of a traditional bistro (you can never go wrong with classic focaccia bread—it's just a fact) or something a little more Italian-adjacent, we've got you covered with our best crowd-pleasing Italian appetizers. 

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Garlic Knot Chicken Parmesan Sliders

Garlic Knot Chicken Parmesan Sliders image
Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Prop Styling: Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland; Food Styling: Anna Theoktisto

Garlic Knot Chicken Parmesan Sliders Recipe

Chicken Parmesan meets a garlicky, buttery roll in this super simple yet impressive recipe. Everything comes together quickly with the help of pizza dough, but you could also use dinner rolls like Hawaiian rolls to skip a step and save time.

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Classic Focaccia Bread

mr - Classic Focaccia Bread Image
Credit: Jen Causey; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Kay Clarke

Classic Focaccia Bread Recipe

Our classic, standard focaccia recipe yields an oily (but not overpowering!) and flavorful loaf that's super crisp on the bottom, just like a really good pizza crust. If you have the right tools, focaccia isn't difficult. Letting the dough sit overnight helps it relax and will make a better bread.

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Fontina-And-Kale Mini Meatballs

Fontina-And-Kale Mini Meatballs image
Credit: Meredith Food Studios

Fontina-And-Kale Mini Meatballs Recipe

These easy, cheesy meatballs are perfect for anything from a holiday party to a tailgating get-together—especially if you need to have a keto-friendly appetizer in the mix. The blend of Italian sausage and lean ground beef provide a great, flavorful base that isn't overly greasy, and the kale and Fontina combo is a surefire crowd-pleaser. 

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Cheesy Stuffed Pizza Crust Ring

MR-Cheesy Stuffed Pizza Crust Ring
Credit: Aaron Kirk; Prop Styling: Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland; Food Styling: Robin Bashinsky

Cheesy Stuffed Pizza Crust Ring Recipe

You know how as soon as you grow into a fully formed adult human, you realize that the best part of a delivery pizza is the part you've been foolishly tossing aside (for your parents to eventually graze on)? Well we decided to make up for lost years by making this cheesy stuffed crust ring, no pizza necessary. Of course, we all know the only thing better than a standard hand-tossed pizza crust is a stuffed crust. 

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Pesto Bruschetta

Pesto Bruschetta
Credit: David Malosh; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps

Pesto Bruschetta Recipe

Spread pesto over country bread and top with bell pepper, tomato, and feta to prepare this flavorful bruschetta. 

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Rosemary Focaccia Bread

Rosemary Focaccia Bread
Credit: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham

Rosemary Focaccia Bread Recipe

Pair flavorful Rosemary Focaccia Bread with Turnip Green Pesto for a mouth-watering appetizer.

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Baked Italian-Style Cauliflower

Baked Italian-Style Cauliflower
Credit: John Autry; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross

Baked Italian-Style Cauliflower Recipe

We love a healthy twist on a hearty classic, and this cauliflower-centric recipe is no exception. This tasty Italian-style dish combines cauliflower with beef, tomato-based sauce, cheese, and more.

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Arancini (Cheesy Italian Rice Balls)

Arancini (Cheesy Italian Rice Balls)
Credit: Thomas J. Story

Arancini (Cheesy Italian Rice Balls) Recipe

For perfectly fried, mozzarella Arancini, dip a rice ball into flour and shake off any excess. Dip floured ball into egg, allowing any excess to drip off. Finish by coating completely in breadcrumbs. Repeat.

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Fried Calamari with Roasted Garlic and Lime Aïoli

Fried Calamari with Roasted Garlic and Lime Aïoli

Fried Calamari with Roasted Garlic and Lime Aïoli Recipe

Start with a package of frozen calamari, fry in peanut oil, and serve with a flavorful garlic and lime mayonnaise mixture for an impressive appetizer. 

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Roasted Asparagus with Walnuts, Parmesan, and Cherry Tomatoes

Roasted Asparagus with Walnuts, Parmesan, and Cherry Tomatoes
Credit: Jennifer Causey

Roasted Asparagus with Walnuts, Parmesan, and Cherry Tomatoes Recipe

Serve with grilled flank steak or chicken breasts, and you'll have a fantastic weeknight dinner. Use asparagus that are medium-thick for this recipe--not pencil-thin spears. If you'd like to try this with a raw tomato sauce (especially when the fruits are at peak sweetness), just decrease water to 1 tablespoon and process all sauce ingredients together. For a less expensive and equally savory alternative to Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, try sheep's milk pecorino Romano.

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Caprese Salsa

Caprese Salsa image
Credit: Kelsey Hansen; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Julia Levy

Caprese Salsa Recipe

We loved the classic caprese salad so much, we transformed it into a vibrant summer "salsa," so that we could top just about everything with it. The simple, but so satisfying, flavor combo of ripe, juicy tomatoes, fresh basil, and rich mozzarella cheese is the perfect path to amping up any number of your favorite summertime staples.

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Mini Caprese Bites

Mini Caprese Bites
Credit: William Dickey; Styling: Rose Nguyen

Mini Caprese Bites Recipe

Serve these mini tomato and mozzarella skewers in individual glasses as an appetizer at a seated dinner party, or arrange on a platter for your buffet. Fresh mozzarella bites, tomatoes, basil, and balsomic join forces for a summery, adorable appetizers that will have your guests swooning.

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Caprese Tomato Salad

Caprese Tomato Salad

Caprese Tomato Salad Recipe

Make this crisp, fresh tomato salad for your next summer cookout. If you can't find smaller basil leaves, you can gently tear the larger leaves in half.

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Herbed Goat Cheese and Ricotta Mini Pies

Herbed Goat Cheese and Ricotta Mini Pies image
Credit: Time Inc. Video Studio

Herbed Goat Cheese and Ricotta Mini Pies Recipe

Why settle for a piece when you can have the whole pie? Filled with fresh herbs and cheesy goodness, these savory mini pies are the perfect dish for any brunch gathering. Using store-bought pie dough keeps this recipe super simple to make, but feel free to use your favorite homemade pie dough if you prefer. 

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Grilled Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Grilled Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Grilled Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms Recipe

If you're looking for an easy crowd-pleaser, grilled portobello mushrooms are the way to go. These giant portobello mushrooms are stuffed with some incredibly tasty ingredients like cheese, tomatoes, and fresh herbs, and are then grilled to absolute perfection.

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    1 of 15 Garlic Knot Chicken Parmesan Sliders
    2 of 15 Classic Focaccia Bread
    3 of 15 Fontina-And-Kale Mini Meatballs
    4 of 15 Cheesy Stuffed Pizza Crust Ring
    5 of 15 Pesto Bruschetta
    6 of 15 Rosemary Focaccia Bread
    7 of 15 Baked Italian-Style Cauliflower
    8 of 15 Arancini (Cheesy Italian Rice Balls)
    9 of 15 Fried Calamari with Roasted Garlic and Lime Aïoli
    10 of 15 Roasted Asparagus with Walnuts, Parmesan, and Cherry Tomatoes
    11 of 15 Caprese Salsa
    12 of 15 Mini Caprese Bites
    13 of 15 Caprese Tomato Salad
    14 of 15 Herbed Goat Cheese and Ricotta Mini Pies
    15 of 15 Grilled Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

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