Description
Kebabs are great to serve as appetizers, and antipasto is a popular appetizer— so why not blend the two and create antipasto kebabs? Grilling your antipasto salad favorites gives them a warm, smokey mouth feel like no cold plate can offer. Think lightly crisped pancetta and melty mozzarella. And let’s not forget slightly charred olives and hot-off-the-grill mushrooms.
You may think, “can you grill pancetta?” or thought the only way to grill pancetta was to wrap it around shrimp or asparagus. However, it pairs excellently with antipasto staples to think outside the box at your next grill-out! Every yummy morsel is strung onto a stick that can be easily carried, even while holding your favorite beverage at a gathering— making it the perfect picnic food.
Ingredients
- 16 oz Monterey® Marinated Mushrooms*
- 8 oz pancetta
- 10 oz mozzarella cheese balls
- 10 oz jar of pitted olives
- 10 oz pack of cherry or grape tomatoes
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp salt
- A dash of pepper
*Purchase jars of our Marinated Mushrooms at participating Sam’s Clubs near you. Don’t live near one of those grocers? Make your own following our Marinated Mushrooms Home Canning recipe or substitute fresh whole mushrooms with our Monte’s Mushroom Marinade.
YIELD
- 8 kebabs
From small family gatherings to big summer cookouts, make as many or as few skewers as you prefer by doubling or tripling the recipe.
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine olive oil, herbs, and salt.
- If you are marinating your own mushrooms and not purchasing them pre-made, follow our Marinated Mushrooms Home Canning recipe or substitute fresh whole mushrooms with our Monte’s Mushroom Marinade.
- Rinse tomatoes and peppers.
- Add your mushrooms, olives, pepper, mozzarella cheese, pancetta, and tomatoes. Toss to evenly coat.* Let sit for 20 minutes to marinate.
*Should you not want to marinate the ingredients, you could string them on your skewers first and then baste them in your marinade to avoid sticky, slippery fingers! - Preheat the grill to medium.
- Pierce each ingredient onto your metal skewer*, alternating to add variety. For example, you may choose to start with a mushroom, then add an olive, followed by a tomato, then pancetta, and repeat. Try to mix/match the colors and create a balance of texture.
*If using wooden skewers, be sure to soak the sticks in water for about 20 minutes before adding your ingredients to the stick. This will prevent the wood from catching fire while you’re barbecuing. - Place antipasto kebabs on the grill and alternate from direct to indirect heat to get desired grill marks and doneness, usually four minutes on each side. Be sure to check out these grilling tips to understand the best cooking temperature and positioning on the grill.
- Sprinkle your finished kebabs with a dash of pepper and serve with your picnic favorites!
PAIRS GREAT WITH PASTA!
Do you know the difference between antipasto and antipasti? It’s simple— antipasto is the singular form of the word while antipasti are the plural form. It means “before the pasta.” So, if you’d like to be true to Italian tradition, follow this appetizer up with a big helping of pasta. Buon appetito!
SIMILAR RECIPES
If you love kebabs, you have to read our blog, 5 Mushroom-Inspired Kebabs to Create This Summer! Here are a few other kebab recipes, just for you!
Eager to keep on grilling? Here are more mushroom friendly-grill recipes to put your new skills to good use!
GIVE ME MORE KEBABS, PLEASE!
New to making kebabs or want some inspiration for creative combinations? Be sure to download our 10 Ways to Kebab ebook, which includes tips for temperature control, cutting, and stringing techniques to make brag-worthy kebabs!