32 Easy Italian Appetizers to Kick Off Any Meal

These Italian appetizers are the perfect starter for your pot of pasta.

Italian cuisine is always a hit, after all. so you might as well turn the meal into a feast!

From quick weeknight dinners to Friday night parties, everyone will be excited to try these finger foods.

The amount of flavor on this list is incredible!

So get ready to enjoy favorite flavors like basil, tomato, and parmesan. Yum!

From bruschetta to meatballs, these snacks will disappear in a jiffy. Finish planning your menu with one of these Italian appetizers.

1. Caponata

Caponata is a savory dip that sits beautifully on top of crusty bread and crispy crackers.

With olives, eggplant, tomato, and more, there is a myriad of flavors to delight your tastebuds.

With so many vegetables represented in one dish, you know it will be good.

2. Spiedini

Spiedinis are delicious meat and onion kebabs. The beef is perfectly breaded and then placed on the skewer with flavorful onion and currant.

This delicious dish is the perfect starter for any meal! It’s the perfect on-the-go food, too.

3. Crostini

Crostini is a classic finger food that pairs well with any meal, Italian or not! Enjoy toasted bread brushed with olive oil any time of the day.

It’s incredibly simple to make and also very rewarding. There is a reason they say bread is better than cake. It goes well with a meal or is enough by itself.

4. Bruschetta

Bruschetta is a classic tomato-based salad that is the perfect first course for your Italian dinner.

Fresh basil and tomato bring a completely crave-able flavor you are sure to love.

Try this dish by itself, or use it as a topper for small slices of bread.

5. Focaccia

Focaccia flatbread is a great way to start baking bread at home! This recipe is fully customizable with various herbs and spices to truly make this dish your own.

With a crispy outside and soft center, this bread may become your new favorite recipe.

There isn’t anything better than the smell of freshly baked bread in your home.

6. Italian Meatballs

Meatballs are great on spaghetti, but they also stand beautifully on their own! These perfectly spiced meatballs are a great appetizer for any occasion.

Bake these savory bites for an experience you won’t want to miss. With these meatballs on your plate, you may not even notice the main dish.

7. Marinated Mozzarella 

High-end salad bars always feature glistening pearls of fresh mozzarella, and now your kitchen table can, too!

This recipe teaches you how to get that five-star flavor at home.

With fresh olive oil and plenty of seasoning, these marinated mozzarella balls are a party in every bite!

Pair with a fresh salad or grape tomatoes for the full Italian experience.

8. Italian Green Beans

Parmesan cheese makes everything better, including green beans! Try these fresh green beans sauteed with bread crumbs and parmesan for a new go-to recipe.

I love when recipes taste great and are easy to make. This is one of those!

Give your traditional green bean recipe a break and try these Italian style green beans instead.

9. Antipasto Platter

Charcuterie, anyone? This antipasto platter has all of your favorite cured delicacies.

Salami, olives, and cheese adorn a plate for a smorgasbord of complementary flavors.

Enjoy this platter as an appetizer, side, or light lunch. It is perfect for grazing lightly or indulging.

With all of those yummy ingredients, everyone will find a combination to love.

10. Margherita Flatbread

The fresh ingredients are what make this delicious flatbread pizza. Slices of homegrown (or store-bought!) tomatoes smother the top of a homemade flatbread.

Pair them with fresh basil, olive oil, and cheese, and you’ll have the freshest pizza pie known to man.

Enjoy this as an appetizer, the main course, or even both!

11. Italian Pizza Bites

If you love pizza rolls, get ready to make your own with these pizza bites! The fun and convenience of a slice of pizza are conveniently baked into a bite.

These bites are stuffed with your favorite pizza toppings and topped with a sprinkle of cheese. Bet you can’t eat just one!

12. Eggplant Parmesan Poppers

Poppers are made to party, and these eggplant parmesan poppers are no exception.

Pop these on the table during your next potluck and watch them disappear.

Enjoy these flavorful, cheesy poppers any day of the week. Try them as an appetizer, but I won’t tell if you serve them as your meal.

13. Italian Tomato Salad 

There isn’t a better time of year than when the tomatoes start to ripen.

Use up your garden supply with this Italian tomato salad and enjoy the fresh flavor of this fruit.

Take this salad on your next picnic and cool off with its refreshing flavor. Fresh onion, basil, and parsley season these tomato slices to perfection!

14. Tuscan Truffles

With three kinds of cheese, you know these truffles have to be amazing!

Goat cheese, mascarpone, and, of course, parmesan, come together to create these delicious truffles.

If you thought truffles were only sweet, think again! These savory truffles are incredibly satisfying and absolutely irresistible.

15. Chicken Florentine Flatbread 

Take all the flavors of chicken florentine and pile it high on a delicious flatbread. Juicy chicken on a soft and buttery crust? What more could you ask for?

Cut this flatbread into generous pieces. Everyone will be begging for more! Your favorite dish just got a lot better with this chicken florentine flatbread.

16. Caprese Skewers 

Everyone loves Caprese salad! Now, you can take your favorite dish on the go with these Caprese skewers.

It’s all of your favorite ingredients with the added convenience of a stick.

Combine the flavors of mozzarella, tomato, and basil in this unique recipe. You will never eat Caprese salad the regular way again.

17. Tomato Panzanella Salad 

Panzanella salad is a sophisticated dish that’s perfect for your next brunch or dinner party.

With its simple flavor and beautiful display, tomato panzanella salad is perfect for every occasion.

Make a big batch and keep it in your refrigerator. You’ll have this great dish ready to go at a moment’s notice to enjoy throughout the week.

18. Italian Cheese Pull-Apart Bread 

This Italian cheese pull-apart bread is sinfully delicious. Enjoy the flaky, buttery, bread base that’s smothered in stretchy melted cheese.

This dish takes the dinner roll to a whole new level.

Not only is cheese pull-apart bread delicious, but it’s also simple to make with ingredients you probably already have.

Nothing is holding you back from enjoying this dish tonight!

19. Antipasto Salad

If you loved the antipasto platter, you’ll flip for this antipasto salad. Save room on the table by mixing all of the ingredients together!

This dish has all of your favorite antipasto ingredients, but combines them to forkable perfection in a tossed salad.

This way, you’ll get a little bit of each ingredient in every bite.

20. Marinated Olives 

Take all of the flavors of a good olive up a notch with this fragrant marinade. All the traditional Italian spices are represented in this irresistible side dish.

Olives are a great source of healthy fats and a great alternative to carbs in a side dish. When serving Italian, that can be a rare find!

21. Antipasto Skewers 

From platters to salads and now to skewers, antipasto is a popular combination in Italian cuisine.

With all of those classic, fresh ingredients, how could it not be?

Take this dish on the go with these antipasto skewers.

They’re the perfect way to serve antipasto as an appetizer at a party where people will want to snack as they move around.

22. Calzone Pinwheels

Since this recipe includes fillings rolled up in dough, I think they should be called stromboli pinwheels.

But that’s a matter of calzone vs. stromboli, which is a whole other post.

And luckily, no matter what you call these, you’ll love them.

Feel free to customize them or use the recipe as is. It’s pretty darn delish!

23. Italian Vegetarian Stuffed Mushrooms

These stuffed mushrooms are an elegant dish that can be served on your fanciest of occasions. 

With fresh herbs, shallots, and plenty of parmesan cheese, these mushrooms charm every guest.

Try this delicious blend of flavor for dinner tonight. You won’t be disappointed!

24. Ravioli Nachos

This twist on classic ravioli is an easy way to get a lot of great color and flavor onto any plate.

It’s a beautiful merging of two favorite dishes– ravioli and nachos.

Top baked ravioli with all of your favorite nacho toppings. From green onions and tomatoes to the mandatory cheddar cheese, this dish is the best of both worlds!

25. Caprese Flatbread

With basil, pesto, tomatoes, and mozzarella, this Caprese flatbread is loaded with fantastic ingredients.

Make it in minutes and have a delicious meal or appetizer.

The crusty flatbread is the perfect base for this pizza-like dish. Caprese flatbread is the perfect dish to slice up and share with friends!

26. Arancini Balls 

Arancini are cheese-stuffed rice balls that melt in your mouth. With sweet peas and ham, this may be your new go-to recipe for comfort food.

Try these warm, gooey treats straight off the stove and fall in love with their savory, creamy centers. This recipe makes enough to share, but you don’t have to.

27. Pizza Sticks

Who doesn’t need another way to serve pizza? Instead of entire slices, make this pizza dish in a rectangle and cut into small slices.

This is the perfect way to serve pizza to your younger guests who may not need as much, or to incorporate pizza goodness into a larger meal.

28. Italian Roasted Cauliflower 

Roasted vegetables always make a great side, and cauliflower is no exception.

With its firm texture and mild flavor, this veggie holds up well in the oven and is easy to season.

Give your cauliflower a makeover with these Italian seasonings and be blown away at just how delicious and simple this side dish is.

29. Cheese Twists

Everyone loves a cheese cracker, and these cheese twists are a homemade version that put store-bought brands to shame.

Kick Goldfish and Cheez-Its to the curb when you try this warm and fresh version of a cheese cracker, shaped in a whimsical twist!

30. Spaghetti Fritters 

If you have leftover spaghetti noodles, you have to try these pan-fried spaghetti fritters. The results are finger foods that save you the mess of the real dish.

Fry small portions of pasta together into finger-sized patties and serve the sauce on the side as a dip. This makes a great appetizer or easy weeknight dinner!

31. Zucchini Garlic Bites 

Send out summer with this delicious twist on your garden’s zucchini harvest.

From loaves of bread to bites, zucchini is a highly versatile vegetable that you can use in countless ways.

For this recipe, combine shredded zucchini with parmesan cheese and fresh herbs for a crispy, savory bite that carries marinara sauce well.

32. Whipped Ricotta Crostini

This is a fancy name for a fancy dish that you can make in 5 minutes. Top warm, crusty pieces of bread with deliciously light and flavorful whipped ricotta cheese.

Serve the bread with a variety of different toppings each person can use to customize their slice. What better starter for your Italian dinner?