Picnic-Ready Italian Sub Skewers (Printable Version)

Colorful Italian-style skewers with meats, cheese, and veggies paired with creamy aioli for easy, flavorful bites.

# What You’ll 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 fresh 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

# Method:

01 - Thread ingredients onto each skewer in the following order: salami slice (folded), ham slice (folded), mortadella slice (folded), mozzarella ball, cherry tomato, pepperoncini rings, artichoke heart piece, black olive, roasted red pepper slice, and romaine lettuce piece. Alternate ingredients for visual appeal. Repeat with remaining five skewers.
02 - In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together egg yolk, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, and lemon juice until thoroughly combined. Slowly drizzle in extra virgin olive oil while whisking continuously until mixture begins to thicken. Gradually add neutral oil while maintaining vigorous whisking until full emulsification is achieved. Season with salt and pepper to taste and transfer to a serving bowl.
03 - Arrange assembled skewers on a serving platter with aioli bowl positioned alongside for dipping. Maintain at cool temperature until ready to serve.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • They're completely prepared ahead of time, so you can actually enjoy your picnic instead of fussing in the kitchen.
  • The homemade aioli tastes like a restaurant secret, but it takes barely five minutes and impresses everyone.
  • Each skewer is a little flavor explosion—salty meats, briny peppers, creamy cheese—without any heaviness.
02 -
  • If your aioli breaks—meaning it separates instead of thickening—don't panic; start with a fresh egg yolk in a clean bowl and slowly whisk the broken aioli into that, and it'll come back together.
  • Threading everything the night before is completely fine, but wait to add the romaine lettuce until a few hours before serving, or it'll lose its crunch.
03 -
  • Soak bamboo skewers in water for at least 30 minutes before using so they don't char or splinter if you're grilling nearby, even though these aren't cooked.
  • If you're making these for a really hot day, assemble them and then freeze the platter for an hour before serving—they'll stay cool longer and taste even fresher.
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