Picnic Italian Sub Skewers (Printer-Friendly)

Savory Italian skewers with meats, cheese, and veggies paired with creamy homemade aioli, perfect for picnics.

# 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 such as sunflower or canola
18 - Salt and pepper to taste

# Steps:

01 - Thread each skewer alternately with folded salami, ham, and mortadella, followed by mozzarella ball, cherry tomato, pepperoncini rings, artichoke heart, black olive, roasted red pepper slice, and romaine piece. Repeat layering pattern with remaining skewers for colorful presentation.
02 - Whisk together egg yolk, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, and lemon juice in a medium bowl until combined. Slowly drizzle in extra virgin olive oil while whisking vigorously, then add neutral oil in thin stream, continuing to whisk until mixture thickens and emulsifies. Season with salt and pepper to taste and transfer to serving bowl.
03 - Arrange assembled skewers on serving platter with aioli bowl positioned alongside for dipping. Keep chilled until ready to serve.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Zero cooking required means you spend time enjoying people instead of hovering over a stove.
  • The homemade aioli tastes so good you'll wonder why you ever settled for store-bought mayo.
  • They're perfectly portable—pack them in a container and you've got a meal that actually feels special.
02 -
  • If your aioli looks grainy or separated after adding oil, start fresh with a new egg yolk in a clean bowl and whisk in the broken aioli very slowly—it often comes back together.
  • Soak bamboo skewers in water for thirty minutes before using or they'll char and splinter, even though you're not cooking them.
03 -
  • Use metal skewers if you have them—they're reusable, they don't splinter, and they conduct heat if you ever want to grill these, which actually isn't bad.
  • Thread ingredients loosely rather than packing them tight, so each bite has flavor contrast instead of a compressed mouthful.
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