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This Salami Rose Appetizer is perfect for your next dinner party or for a romantic dinner for two. Made with hard salami, fresh basil, grape tomatoes, and cheddar cheese with black and green olives, it really sets a nice tone for a special dinner.
I actually saw this rose appetizer on one of my social networks this past year and just had to make one myself. They are quite easy to put together, with only a handful of ingredients. If you’re not a fan of tomatoes, you could use kalamata olives and cheese with the salami. Or tomatoes and olives!
This past summer, my husband and I were in Wisconsin where I bought some local cheddar cheese. I happened to still have the white cheddar with black and green olives, which paired perfectly for this appetizer. However, if such cheese isn’t an option, you could simply go with an aged white cheddar, mozzarella balls, or even Monterey Jack cheese.
When I host a dinner party for friends or family, I almost always prepare an appetizer. Sometimes, it’s a hot dip with crackers or a hard crusty bread. If I’m serving a larger meal, with many courses, however, I prefer to offer something less filling.
The dishes pictured above are from Pfaltzgraff, pattern Villa della Luna. I have been collecting it for years and enjoy using it for dinner parties. The Maison d'Hermine Campagne rooster napkins and tablecloth were purchased on Amazon.
Another idea is to make these for a wedding rehearsal dinner or bridal shower. This appetizer is small and simple, yet it packs a very special message to those at your table that says, “You are special” or even “I love and adore you.”
More Appetizers to Try
- Antipasto Skewers with Italian Dressing
- Baked Italian Zucchini Boats
- Baked Spinach Artichoke Dip
- Mozzarella Cheese Sticks
Ingredients for Salami Rose Appetizers
(See the full recipe at the bottom of this post.)
- hard salami (larger size works best)
- fresh basil
- grape tomatoes
- kalamata olives
- white cheddar cheese
Instructions for Making this Recipe
To begin, gather the ingredients so you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.
Prepare the Ingredients
Wash and pat dry the fresh basil, cherry tomatoes, and if desired, a handful of kalamata olives.
Using a knife and cutting board, slice the cheddar cheese into small bite-size cubes about 1″ in size.
You’ll also need some small skewer appetizer picks, so have those at the ready, too.
I used 4″ extra long Diamond toothpicks that I purchased at Walmart.
Form the Salami Roses
To make the roses, you’ll need 4 large pieces of salami for each rose. Place the salami on top of each other, staggering them so that about a half inch is showing for the bottom layers.
Once you have them in line, fold them in half.
Starting at one end, begin tightly rolling to form the rose bud.
Assemble the Appetizers
Once the rose is formed, attach it to the appetizer pick, pushing it all the way to the top, leaving enough space for the other items below it.
Next, place two basil leaves on the pick to create leaves on the stem.
After the basil, I like to add the square of cheese. Room temperature cheese works best, as it is less likely to crumble when you place it on the pick. Finish with the grape tomato or kalamata olive.
Place on a platter or tray and repeat with the remaining roses. To serve individually, place salami rose on a tapa or appetizer plate, one per guest.
This recipe is easily adaptable to serve as few or as many people as you desire. For ease of calculating, I’m basing ingredients on serving 6 people.
See more Appetizers Here. Browse Dinner Entertaining Ideas Here. View my post on Romantic Dinner Ideas Here.
Salami Rose Appetizers
Ingredients
- 6 oz hard salami the larger size works best
- .5 oz fresh basil
- 6 each grape tomatoes
- 6 each kalamata olives
- 2 oz white cheddar cheese cubed
Instructions
- To begin, gather the ingredients so you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.
Prepare the Ingredients
- Wash and pat dry the fresh basil, cherry tomatoes, and if desired, a handful of kalamata olives.
- Using a knife and cutting board, slice the cheddar cheese into small bite-size cubes about 1" in size.
- You'll also need some small skewer appetizer picks, so have those at the ready, too. (I used 4" extra long Diamond toothpicks that I purchased at Walmart.)
Form the Salami Roses
- To make the roses, you'll need 4 large pieces of salami for each rose. Place the salami on top of each other, staggering them so that about a half inch is showing for the bottom layers.
- Once you have them in line, fold them in half.
- Starting at one end, begin tightly rolling to form the rose.
Assemble the Appetizers
- Once the rose is formed, attach it to the appetizer pick, pushing it all the way to the top, leaving enough space for the other items below it.
- Next, place two basil leaves on the pick to create leaves on the stem.
- After the basil, I like to add the square of cheese. Room temperature cheese works best, as it is less likely to crumble when you place it on the pick.
- Finish with the grape tomato or kalamata olive.
- Place on a platter or tray and repeat with the remaining roses. To serve individually, place one for each guest on a tapa or appetizer plate.
- This recipe is easily adaptable to serve as few or as many people as you desire. For ease of calculating, I'm basing ingredients on serving 6 people.
