Picnic-Ready Italian Sub Skewers (Print version)

Savory Italian meats, cheese, and veggies layered on skewers, served with creamy homemade aioli.

# 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 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 - Thread each skewer with folded salami, ham, and mortadella slices, alternating with mozzarella ball, cherry tomato, pepperoncini rings, artichoke heart, black olive, roasted red pepper slice, and romaine lettuce piece. Repeat layering pattern with remaining five skewers for colorful, balanced presentation.
02 - In medium bowl, whisk together egg yolk, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, and lemon juice until combined. Slowly drizzle extra virgin olive oil while whisking vigorously, then add neutral oil in same manner 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 at center for dipping. Refrigerate until service time to maintain optimal freshness and flavor.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They're completely ready to eat right now, no cooking required, which means you can actually enjoy your gathering instead of sweating in the kitchen.
  • The homemade aioli tastes so silky and garlicky that people will genuinely ask if you learned to cook professionally over the weekend.
  • You can prep everything an hour ahead and keep them chilled, making last-minute entertaining feel effortless.
02 -
  • If your aioli breaks (gets grainy or separates), start with a fresh egg yolk in a clean bowl and slowly whisk in the broken mixture—it'll come back to life like magic.
  • Soak bamboo skewers for 20 minutes before using if you're threading anything that might splinter, or just use metal ones and skip that step entirely.
  • Don't thread everything the day before because the tomatoes will weep and make the skewers soggy, but assembling an hour or two ahead works perfectly.
03 -
  • If you're worried about the aioli breaking, use an immersion blender instead of whisking by hand—it emulsifies more reliably and you'll never have a broken batch again.
  • Toast your garlic for the aioli in a tiny pan with a splash of olive oil for 30 seconds before mincing it if you want something mellower and sweeter rather than sharp and raw.
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