Picnic-Ready Italian Sub Skewers (Printable)

Savory Italian sub skewers with meats, cheese, and veggies, served alongside a creamy homemade aioli dip.

# What You Need:

→ For the Skewers

01 - 6 slices Genoa salami
02 - 6 slices deli ham
03 - 6 slices mortadella
04 - 6 small mozzarella balls (bocconcini)
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes
06 - 1 cup pepperoncini or mild banana pepper rings, drained
07 - 1 cup marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
08 - 1/2 cup pitted black olives
09 - 1/2 cup sliced roasted red peppers
10 - 6 small pieces romaine lettuce
11 - 6 bamboo or metal skewers

→ For the Homemade Aioli

12 - 1 large egg yolk
13 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
14 - 1 garlic clove, finely minced
15 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
16 - 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
17 - 1/2 cup neutral oil (sunflower or canola)
18 - Salt and pepper to taste

# Directions:

01 - On each skewer, thread a slice each of salami, ham, and mortadella (folded or rolled), followed by a mozzarella ball, a cherry tomato, a few pepperoncini rings, a piece of artichoke heart, an olive, a slice of roasted red pepper, and a piece of romaine lettuce. Alternate ingredients for a colorful presentation. Repeat with remaining skewers.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolk, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, and lemon juice until well combined. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil and then the neutral oil, whisking vigorously until the mixture thickens and emulsifies. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a small serving bowl.
03 - Arrange the skewers on a platter with the aioli on the side for dipping. Keep chilled until serving.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • They taste like a proper Italian deli counter but arrive at your picnic looking polished and intentional.
  • Everything comes together in 20 minutes with zero cooking, so you can make them the morning of and just keep them chilled.
  • That aioli is addictive enough that guests will ask for the recipe, and you'll love telling them how easy it actually is.
02 -
  • If your aioli breaks and becomes grainy, don't throw it out—start with a fresh egg yolk in a clean bowl, whisk it smooth, then slowly whisk in your broken mixture as if it were oil, and it'll come back together.
  • Soak bamboo skewers in water for at least 30 minutes before threading so they don't char or splinter, even though you're not cooking with them.
03 -
  • Toast your romaine pieces very lightly under a broiler for 30 seconds if you want them to stay crisp longer instead of wilting from the moisture of the other ingredients.
  • Make your aioli the night before and let it sit in the fridge—it actually gets more stable and more flavorful as it sits, so it travels better and tastes even better the next day.
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