A time-honored Italian tradition in our home and at many formal Italian meals is to serve an antipasto platter. We have one for nearly every get-together we have.
Now if you aren’t Italian, or maybe even if you are, the antipasto platter really isn’t much of a traditional salad.
Antipasto Salad Cups are made of chopped salami, prosciutto, soppressata, mozzarella cheese, peppadew peppers, and artichokes. The best way to eat a salad with your fingers!
Instead of a bed of leafy greens, think more of a flavor-packed pile of cured meats studded with peppers and the occasional pickled vegetable. It is absolutely delicious and 100% addictive! Fair warning, you can easily fill up on this before the main event.
Make sure you PIN Antipasto Salad Cups!
Antipasto literally means “before the pasta.” That said it isn’t always served with pasta. Kind of goes in line with the idea that isn’t really a salad. But sometimes it is even served in the salad, like my Antipasto Pasta Salad.
And in our home, the leafy green salad complete with a Garlic Balsamic Dressing or Creamy Italian, actually comes after the main course and before dessert, presumably Tiramisu. That is just how you do it!
While I love the traditions we have at home, there comes a time or a day where you decide to try something new. This happened to me recently.
Don’t get me wrong, I love the cherished array of cured meats and veggies just fine but, I wanted to find a new way to present and eat our antipasto salad.
The chance presented itself after hubby came home with Puff Pastry Shells instead of Puff Pastry Sheets (for Citrus Sausage Tartlets).
This minor mishap sparked an idea and I was determined to use them one way or another. I had to use them and came up this idea. Why not stuff these flaky and tender pastry cups with the antipasto.
I would like to pat myself on the back for this one, but the real thanks goes to hubs.
I call this recipe Antipasto Salad Cups, but the truth is that the vessels you are looking for in the frozen food aisle are actually “shells”.
If you buy cups, great, they are much smaller and bite-sized, perfect for things like Chocolate Mousse, but not big enough to fill with a good array of chopped antipasto.
The items in the recipe are what we typically have for our antipasto platter, but the truth of the matter is, you can mix and match however you see fit. I know folks who throw whole or sliced black olives into the mix.
Chopped sun-dried tomatoes marinated in olive oil could be a fun addition too.
Check out some of my other favorite Italian Dishes!
- Bolognese Sauce
- Best Italian Meatballs
- Lemony Artichoke Pesto
- Creamy Vodka Sauce
- Easy Marinara Sauce Recipe
- Veal Ragu
Antipasto Salad Cups
Ingredients
- 12 frozen puff pastry shells
- 2 ounces genoa salame chopped
- 2 ounces prosciutto chopped
- 2 ounces sopressata chopped
- 2 ounces mozzarella cheese diced
- 4 peppadews minced
- 1/2 cup marinated artichokes drained and chopped
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
Instructions
- Prepare frozen puff pastry shells according to package directions. Allow to cool.
- Combine remaining ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Spoon mixture into each cup.
- Enjoy your Antipasto Salad Cups!
*Antipasto… unless you are really against pasta 😉
A delicate looking, delightful feast on a plate. Pinning!
Thank you! I loved pairing “heavy” meats and cheese with flaky puff pastry- a nice mix.
Wow. I want to eat at your house. All kidding aside, this recipe looks DELICIOUS. Going to pin it for later!
If you are ever in Baltimore Kim, you look me up. Invite for dinner is made!
Look so yummy! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Thank YOU for coming by!
Love antipasta salad and this is really cute in the puff pastry cup.
Stopping by from the DBB
Thank you for swinging through!