This quick and easy antipasto board shaped like a Christmas wreath appetizer is sure to add cheers, nibbles, and noshes to any festive Christmas potluck or party.
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This recipe brought to you by DeLallo Foods
A few years ago I was pulling together some of my favorite antipasto ingredients to make my usual charcuterie board for my holiday party when inspiration struck. Why go same-same when I could go ho-ho-holiday and create a festive and creative Christmas themed appetizer?!?
A red and white candy cane would be cute, but how would the black and green olives and artichoke hearts fit in? Okay, so how about mimicking a Santa Claus face? Too much artistic talent and patience required there.
No. I needed fast and easy. And that’s how under the guiding light of the bright star of night, this Christmas wreath antipasto appetizer was born—obviously not in a manger, but in my kitchen.
What’s On this Antipasto Christmas Wreath Appetizer
Known in French as a charcuterie board (traditionally focusing more on meats and cheese), antipasto is the Italian flavored version of the little bites and goodies one enjoys before nibbling before the first course of the Italian meal. Antipasto can include meats and cheese, but the real heroes are briney olives, marinated artichokes, mushrooms, peppers and nuts.
One of the best things about this Christmas wreath appetizer is you can go as big or as small with your ingredient list as you like. Use an assortment of olives by themselves. Or, add as many pickled and brined antipasti, sausages, and cheeses as you can fit on your holiday platter.
This board features ingredients from one of my favorite partners, DeLallo Foods. DeLallo imports their products from Italy so you know everything from their olives to cheeses, pasta to sauces, are always authentically Italian and of the highest quality.
I kept this Christmas charcuterie board edited to my favorite antipasto ingredients:
- Blue cheese stuffed green olives because they’re my favorite—hello! cheese!
- Pitted calamata Greek olives because who doesn’t love them
- Pitted Castelvetrano green olives for that tangy bite
- Tender leafed marinated artichoke hearts that are always the first to disappear
- Tangy hot and sweet red cherry pepperazzi
- Italian style marinated mushrooms
- Marcona almonds for crunch
- Salty, crunchy Parmesan cheese chunks
- My dad’s favorite part of any appetizer: Slices of tender salami
How to Make the Christmas Herb Wreath
Fresh herbs create the edible green base to this wreath-y appetizer and keep with the Italian tradition of flavor and freshness.
Choose an assortment of Mediterranean-flavored fresh herbs, or use just one to keep things easy. I like to use rosemary because I can snip it straight from my garden—even in the winter. Rosemary also mimics a real wreath’s fir branches oh so very nicely.
- Place half of the herbs in a circle, hiding the cuts of the stems in concentric layers with the green sprigs leafy out to the edges to create the outline of the ring. Save a few sprigs to intersect between the antipasto ingredients after plating them to bring the greens to the forefront. This will make the wreath look more authentic.
- Place the green olives on my wreath first.
- Next, nestle in black olives, sliced salamis, and the red peppers alternating side to side for a natural flow in the display.
- Lastly, add smaller almonds in groups of 2-3 to add variety to the wreath’s shape.
- Tuck the artichoke hearts randomly about (I like to group them too) and stuff a few more herbs here and there for texture.
Fresh Herbs to Use As Wreath
- Rosemary
- Bay leaves
- Basil
- Parsley
- Thyme
If prepping ahead, make this wreath the day of the party with sturdy herbs like rosemary and bay leaves that won’t wilt over time and for maximum freshness.
More Party Appetizer Recipe Ideas
- Caramelized Onion And Mushroom Crostini
- How To Make An Instagram-Worthy Charcuterie Board
- How To Make An Awesome Antipasto Salad Platter
- Melted Mozzarella Caprese Crostini Toasts
- Garlic Butter Pepperoni Pizza Rolls
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
How to Make an Antipasto Christmas Wreath Appetizer
Ingredients
- 3 ounces fresh herbs on the stem such as rosemary
- 5 ounces DeLallo pitted Castelvetrano olives
- 5 ounces DeLallo pitted Calamata olives
- 5 ounces DeLallo blue cheese stuffed green olives
- 12 ounces DeLallo marinated artichoke hearts
- 8 ounces DeLallo red pepperazzi
- 8 ounces DeLallo Italian marinated mushrooms
- 9 ounces DeLallo sweet sopressata sausage , sliced
- 9 ounces Genoa salami , sliced
- 6 ounces Parmesan cheese
- 4 ounces Marcona almonds
Instructions
- On a large serving platter or wooden cheese board, layer half of the herbs in a full circle with the green sprigs leafing outward to the edges and the stems underneath the leafy parts to create the outline of the ring. Save a few sprigs to intersect between the antipasto ingredients after plating them to bring the greens to the forefront. This will make the wreath look more authentic.
- Place the green olives randomly on the herbs, then nestle in black olives, sliced salamis, and the red peppers, alternating side to side for a natural flow in the display. Add the almonds in groups of 2-3 to add variety to the wreath's shape. Tuck the artichoke hearts and mushrooms randomly about in groups. Save a few herb sprigs to intersect between the antipasto ingredients after plating to bring the greens to the forefront and make the wreath look more authentic. Set the cheeses, extra salami slices and any other ingredients off to the sides with crackers or breadsticks for serving.
Nutrition
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This recipe is sponsored by DeLallo Foods. As always, thank you for reading and supporting companies I partner with, which allows me to create more unique content and recipes for you. There may be affiliate links in this post of which I receive a small commission. All opinions are always my own.
Heidi – made this wreath for Christmas dinner and it was a hit! Of course, no one took a photo [big DUH!!], but it was very pretty. One comment that I will add to your instructions, is that if you buy the herbs a few days before making this wreath (as I did), then especially for the rosemary, trim the woody ends of the stems and sit them in a little bit of water, to keep them fresh. Overall, a big win and yes, I’ll bereprising this one for New Year’s!! Thanks – and hope that you had a great Christmas! Cheers, El
I love these photo worthy dishes!
Great feedback on the herbs!
a beauty, thank you, very creative appetizer wreath, I’m hosting so much appreciated