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Easy Salami Appetizer

An easy salami appetizer is perfect for snacking and entertaining: slices of salami and cheese wrapped around an olive. These are always the first to disappear at any party!

plate of salami wrapped around an olive and cheese - easy party appetizer

This recipe was sponsored by Collective Bias, Inc. and Margherita Meats. I am super excited to share it with you, as it's one of our FAVORITE easy appetizers!

5 minute salami snack

This easy salami appetizer is made with just 3 simple ingredients: hard salami, slices of your favorite cheese, and olives.

This appetizer is my absolute favorite for several reasons:

  • It is tasty, absolutely addicting
  • It is so easy to makeno cooking or baking required
  • It is easy to transport – perfect to bring to a party or a potluck
  • You can make as many as you need (though I recommend making more rather than fewer!)
  • You can make a few different variations (read below for a few ideas!)
  • They are gluten-free, so they are great for gluten-free guests
  • They are the perfect finger food for a party  - like a mini charcuterie skewer!
  • They are always the first to disappear

salami olive appetizer on a party toothpick

To make these, gather your ingredients, and put your kids to work. 

Just kidding!

But if you’ve got kids age ~6 and older, they can definitely help make these. It is helpful to have all your ingredients set up before you start – then it takes just 5 minutes to make these.

More 5 minute appetizer ideas: Air Fryer Bagel Bites (so much faster than oven baked!)

Ingredients and how to prep these salami skewers

Get all your ingredients in order:

  • Drain the olives - use olives from the deli section, or use gourmet jarred olives instead of canned olives, those have more flavor!
  • Cut cheese slices into quarters - for harder cheese you might need to let it come to room temperature so it softens and doesn't break
  • Pick your favorite salami (I like Margherita Genoa and Hard Salami because they are the perfect size for wrapping around an olive)
  • Grab 40 decorative toothpicks (or as many salami snacks as you want to make)

ingredients to make an easy salami appetizer: salami, olive, cheese on a tray

Margherita Cracker Cut 8-oz packages are perfect for this salami appetizer. Each package comes with over 40 cracker-sized salami slices. This means that a package of Margherita Salami, 10 slices of cheese, and a small jar of olives is enough to make 40 little skewers, and will leave you with a few salami slices and olives for snacking while you’re putting these together.

Perfect!

If you want to use larger slices of salami:

  • Fold the salami in half, if you have thinly-sliced salami
  • Cut the salami in half or quarters, if you have thicker-cut salami

Related recipe: 4 Ingredient Fried Brie Appetizer

A few variation ideas for this appetizer:

  • Use different types of cheese. Some of my favorites are sharp cheddar, pepper jack, and provolone
  • Add a basil leaf to give it some fresh flavor
  • Swap a grape tomato for the olive
  • Serve these on their own, or arrange into an appetizer platter. Some ideas for your appetizer platter: cheese slices, crackers, cracker-cut Margherita Salami, dried fruit, nuts, grapes, hummus, crudités (raw veggies) to dip into hummus

appetizer tray with a plate of salami appetizers, hummus, crackers, salami, cheese, grapes

Other easy appetizers you will love:

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salami cheese and olives appetizer
Print Recipe
4.80 from 25 votes

Easy Salami Appetizer

An easy salami appetizer made with just 3 ingredients. These are always the first to disappear at any party.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time0 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Servings: 10 (4 pieces each)
Author: Kate
Cost: $9

Ingredients

  • 40 small salami circles - such as an 8-oz package Margherita Genoa Salami or Hard Salami
  • 10 square slices cheese - such as provolone, white cheddar, or Monterey jack (thin sliced works best for not breaking!)
  • 40 olives - without pits, drained (for more flavor, I recommend using deli olives or gourmet jarred olives instead of canned olives.
  • Optional ingredients: fresh basil leaves

Special equipment

Instructions

  • Cut the cheese slices into 4 pieces to make small squares. If your cheese is hard, you might need to let it come to room temperature so it bends without breaking.
  • Wrap a piece of cheese and a piece of salami around an olive, and skewer onto a decorative toothpick. Repeat to make 40 pieces.
  • Serve immediately, or keep refrigerated until serving, up to 48 hours. To serve, arrange on a plate, or serve as part of an appetizer platter with crackers, cheese, more salami, hummus, grapes, and crudités for dipping.

Notes

  • Salami: you can use larger slices of salami. If using thin salami, fold in half and then wrap around the olive. If using thick salami, just cut it in half or quarters, just big enough to wrap around the olive.
  • Cheese: most square slices of cheese are just the right size to cut into quarters and wrap around an olive.
  • Olives: make sure the pits are removed! If your olives are in olive oil, I like to pat them dry with paper towels so they are less slippery. Use good quality olives instead of cheap canned olives for best flavor.
  • Basil: if you want a fresh basil flavor, wrap a basil leaf around the olive too!
  • Swap the olive for a cherry tomato or a small piece of gherkin pickle, if you like.
4

Nutrition

Serving: 4pieces | Calories: 228kcal (11%) | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 12g (24%) | Fat: 19g (29%) | Saturated Fat: 9g (45%) | Cholesterol: 47mg (16%) | Sodium: 935mg (39%) | Potassium: 120mg (3%) | Fiber: 1g (4%) | Sugar: 1g (1%) | Vitamin A: 343IU (7%) | Calcium: 213mg (21%) | Iron: 1mg (6%)

The nutritional information displayed is an estimate and not to be used as dietary or nutritional advice. Consult a nutritionist or dietician for nutritional info based on the exact ingredients you use.

Comments or questions about the recipe?
Recipe Rating




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Boo Scruff

Sunday 24th of December 2023

Loved this appetizer, was easy, versatile and packed scrumptious flavor. Basically, because it was 3-4 ingredients, was able to use high grade olives, such as Jalapeno Stuffed Spanish olives, Bleu Cheese Stuffed olives. Better cuts of Salami, Margherita Genoa and Hard Salami next time will use ham and just cut small circles w/sm. cookie cutter, Swiss Cheese(imported) or Pepper Jack, Cheddar. Thanks for sharing

Elly

Monday 12th of September 2022

This was really good! Very simple to throw together we absolutely loved it. If you need a quick snack this works perfectly.

Marie

Sunday 14th of August 2022

This was so easy and actually looked great on the platter. Used a round platter and put them in a circle. Everyone loved them and they went quickly! Simply delicious. Thank you for this.

Kate

Tuesday 16th of August 2022

I can picture what you did, I bet it was a beautiful platter!! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. :)

Wendy Hampton

Saturday 1st of August 2020

What an easy appetizer! I made this for bunco and the troops LOVED them. I used cheddar, white american and pepperjack cheese slices for variety and they looked great on the tray. I bet it would be good with slices of pepperoni also. Thanks for sharing!

Kate

Saturday 1st of August 2020

So glad to hear you liked it! Pepperjack sounds great here :)

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