Italian Appetizer Recipes That Say “Buon Appetito” to Your Dinner Guests

Bring a little bit of la dolce vita to your dining room with these savory snacks inspired by our favorite Italian and Italian-American restaurants.

Cantaloupe and Mozzarella with Prosciutto and Basil

Pink, white, and orange paint a pretty picture on this antipasti platter.

Marinated artichoke hearts, Parmesan cheese, and parsley come together in just a few minutes to make the tasty topping for this easy, crowd-pleasing appetizer. Serve at room temperature or broil the crostini for a few minutes so the cheese melts.

Thin slices of eggplant become tender and silky as they roast on top of chewy focaccia dough. Emmentaler cheese adds a wonderfully nutty flavor.

Simmer dried figs in spiced red-wine vinegar to make them plump and tangy, then wrap in pancetta and bake.

These lacy, crispy cheese morsels require only two ingredients.

Use a hot grill to char halved plum tomatoes and thick slices of country bread for this bruschetta. Combine the tomatoes with minced garlic, red-wine vinegar, red-pepper flakes, and fresh basil before mounding on grilled bread.

Anchovies, garlic, butter, and olive oil: There's nothing demure about this Italian classic. Serve the dip warm with raw vegetables.

Herbed olives instantly elevate any gathering.

Often called arancini, these breadcrumb-coated fried rice balls are a popular Italian appetizer. Here, juicy little pomegranate seeds offset the richness of the risotto's Parmesan and fontina cheeses.

Meatballs coated in marinara sauce, smothered with cheese, and sandwiched in brioche rolls are a party-perfect nibble.

Savor the delights of tender little artichokes in this preparation that poaches and then fries the thistles in the same pan along with fragrant cloves of garlic.

Sage and Vin Santo complement the earthiness of this chicken-liver spread.

Hungry barhoppers are treated right in Venice, where drinks can be chased with freshly made snacks known as cicchetti, such as these. Try broiled green figs sprinkled with fennel seeds and wrapped in pancetta.

The essential Sicilian dish relish composed of eggplant, tomatoes, raisins, and pine nuts gains depth here from unsweetened cocoa powder.

Top these mini pizzas with olives, artichoke hearts, mozzarella, and red-pepper flakes. You can use store-bought or homemade dough to make this sure-to-go-fast appetizer.