Antipasto Skewers are a simple, yet elegant appetizer that is perfect for any party! Made with fresh mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, tortellini and served with a cheesy pesto sauce, this is one party appetizer that everyone loves.
Serve these Tortellini Skewers alongside Spicy Sausage Cups, Stuffed Mushrooms, and Mini Tacos for a spread that everyone will rave about.
Antipasto Skewers
If you are looking for a perfect appetizer, these Antipasto Skewers are it.
They only take minutes to make, you can change up the ingredients based on what you have, and everyone loves them.
They remind me of a combination of an antipasto platter and Caprese salad—which happen to be two of the best creations ever. Fresh tomatoes, soft mozzarella, tender cheese tortellini, and savory salami. WOW! These skewers are loaded with flavor. Throw in a side of pesto for dipping, and the flavors in this simple appetizer truly explode.
These Tortellini Skewers only take minutes to whip up, yet are impressive enough for cocktail parties, festive enough for holiday parties, and light enough for summer gatherings. My kids even love to have them in their school lunches.
I am telling you, you will be the hit of the next party if you bring these Antipasto Skewers. And it can be our little secret how easy they are to make.
Ingredients
Take my recipe as inspiration, and create your own spin on Antipasto Skewers. Anything you like on an antipasto platter can be used for this appetizer. I like to mix and match textures and fresh and hearty items to create a balanced bite.
- Tortellini–I prefer cheese tortellini to not compete with the other flavors, but you can use any tortellini you like. In fact you can omit the tortellini altogether if you need a gluten free or low carb appetizer.
- Cherry or Grape Tomatoes-The tomatoes add a fresh burst of flavor these skewers.
- Spinach or Basil–You can use spinach leaves or basil leaves on these Tortellini Skewers. I personally prefer spinach to a large basil leaf. And I love how much color the greens bring to these skewers. Paired with the tomatoes, they look like a perfect festive Christmas appetizer.
- Fresh Mozzarella–Mini mozzarella balls are absolutely divine on these skewers. They are creamy and pair perfectly with the tortellini, tomatoes, and pesto. However, you can use cubes of Provolone or Asiago if desired.
- Meat–Thin slices of salami, pepperoni, or proscioutto add heartiness and additional flavor. Of course if you are meatless, omit the meat altogether. You can also prepare half of your skewers with meat and half without for a party, so meat eaters and vegetarians can both enjoy.
- Optional Add-Ons–I keep these skewers simple, more like a Caprese Skewer. But feel free to get creative and on things like Kalamative olives, artichoke hearts, sun dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, and/or pepperoncini.
How To Make Antipasto Skewers
The first step to preparing the appetizer skewers is to prepare the tortellini. You can opt to use frozen or fresh tortellini and simply cook according to package instructions. To give our appetizer more flavor and to keep the tortellini from getting gummy or sticky, toss the cooked tortellini with a bit of prepared pesto after cooking. If you don’t like pesto, toss the tortellini with a bit of olive oil. Let the tortellini cool slightly, and then it is time to assemble the appetizer.
Preparing these skewers is as easy as threading the ingredients on the skewers in an alternating pattern. I prefer to separate the warm tortellini with a fresh ingredient, such as tomato, spinach, or cheese. I prefer 6 inch skewers for appetizers, but feel free to use 4 inch or 8 inch skewers if that is all you can find.
At this point you can serve your Tortellini Skewers immediately, or wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days before serving cold at a party. I also like to serve with additional pesto on the side for dipping.
Easy and delicious!
More Holiday Appetizers
Antipasto Skewers
Ingredients
- 20 ounces cheese tortellini fresh or frozen
- 1/4 cup prepared pesto plus additional for serving if desired
- 24 grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes
- 24 mini fresh mozzarella balls
- 48 spinach or basil leaves
- 24 slices pepperoni
Instructions
- Prepare tortellini according to package directions.
- Toss cooked tortellini with prepared pesto.
- Skewer the tortellini onto mini cocktail skewers along with tomatoes, mozzarella, spinach/basil, and pepperoni.
- Refrigerate for up to 2 days until ready to serve or serve warm immediately.
- Serve with additional pesto if desired.
Notes
- You can use fresh or frozen cheese tortellini.
- Use 4, 6, or 8 inch skewers. I prefer 6 inch skewers for appetizer.
- If you don't care for pesto, simply toss your prepared tortellini with a bit of olive oil after cooking.
- You can use spinach leaves or basil leaves on these Caprese Skewers. I personally prefer spinach to a large basil leaf.
- Salami, pepperoni, or prosciutto are all good options to use on your skewers or you can omit the meat altogether for a meatless appetizer.
- Feel free to add kalamative olives, pepperoncini peppers, or artichoke hearts to these skewers if you like.
- These tortellini skewers are safe to keep at room temperature for 2 hours.
This post was originally published in December 2018, but has been updated in December 2019 with new tips.
Kristen Chidsey
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What size skewer do you recommend for these? I found cute bamboo ones but they are 6 inches and i’m not sure if that will be long enough.
Hi Denise! I have used 6 or 8 inch skewers with success. If you feel your skewer is too crowded, just omit one tortellini from the skewer. Enjoy!
I’ve made caprese pesto skewers many times, but never with tortellini – sounds so yum! I want to make these for NYE, do you think I could use sundried tomatoes in oil instead of the pepperoni? Have a vegetarian coming 😁
Hi Nora! Sundried tomatoes sounds like a PERFECT addition to these skewers.
Finally, a HEALTHY appetizer idea for New Year’s Eve that’s easy to make! Thank you!!
YAY!!! So happy to help!