• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

VegKitchen logo

  • Vegan Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Baking and Sweets
    • Breakfast
    • Main Dishes
    • Pasta and Noodles
    • Salads
    • Sandwiches and Wraps
    • Sauces, Dressings, and Condiments
    • Side Dishes
    • Soups, Stews, and Chilis
    • Snacks and Dips
    • Desserts
    • Drinks
    • Canning and Preserving
    • Cheese-y Delights
    • Global Recipes
    • Raw Vegan
    • Slow-Cooker
  • Vegan Living
    • Vegan Substitutions Guide
    • Green Kitchen
    • Healthy Eating Tips
    • Food and Produce Guides
    • Vegan Food Hacks
    • Kid Friendly
    • Vegan Product Reviews
    • More Vegan Living
  • About
  • Shop Cookbooks
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Vegan Recipes
  • Vegan Living
  • Cookbooks
  • About Us
  • Freebie!
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Vegan Recipes
    • Vegan Living
    • Cookbooks
    • About Us
    • Freebie!
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Vegan Food Hacks

    Vegan Antipasto Platter & Pasta Dinner

    Published: Jun 3, 2017 · Updated: Aug 18, 2021 · This post may contain affiliate links.

    If it’s summer, chances are that company will be coming at some point, and that you’ll have to gather your resources and brain cells to make a last minute-meal. Whether it’s the in-laws or friends you haven’t seen in forever, you’ll want that meal to be a crowd-pleaser, designed to impressed.

    The dilemma is that it is summer, after all, and you don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen. A vegan antipasto platter can be the answer to your warm-weather entertaining quandaries. Served with fresh bread and pesto, it can make an almost instant lunch for four to six. Add a big pot of spaghetti or linguini with good store-bought sauce, and it becomes a fantastic dinner.

    No one will suspect that you didn’t really slave over a hot stove for hours, because it all looks and tastes so appealing! And since you’ve saved all this time and effort, you can add some grilled vegetables and/or plant-based proteins if you’re feeding a larger crowd and are inclined to outdoor cooking. 

    And of course, you don't have to save this company. It's easy and fast enough for a weeknight meal for the family as well.

    Vegan antipasto platter

    What you need

    For the antipasto: Here are some possible components of appetizing and beautiful platter. Choose 8 or so. What's nice is that only a handful need any cutting or prep at all!

    • Fresh bell peppers or jarred roasted red peppers (drained), cut into strips
    • Cured olives, black and/or green
    • Baby carrots
    • Sliced red onion
    • Marinated artichoke hearts
    • Pepperoncini or other hot peppers
    • Cherry tomatoes
    • Cut celery stalks
    • Chickpeas
    • Diced vegan cheese
    • Pickled garlic (from the olive bar)
    • Pickled giardiniera (from the olive bar or a jar)
    • Small slender green beans, trimmed
    • Baby spinach or mixed baby greens to line the platter

    For the pasta

    • 1 pound spaghetti or linguine
    • 28-ounce jar good-quality marinara sauce
    • 15- to 16-ounce can diced tomatoes
    • Vegan Parmesan for topping, homemade or store-bought

    Other

    • Fresh whole grain baguette (or other bread)
    • Vegan pesto
    • A good wine never hurts, right?

    Vegan antipasto platter & pesto

    What to do

    1  If you’re adding pasta to the meal, start bringing a large pot of water to a boil and cooking the pasta while preparing the antipasto. Otherwise, skip this step.

    2  Arrange the antipasto ingredients of choice on a large platter.

    3  Put store-bought or homemade pesto into a small bowl; cut the baguette into slices and place on a platter or in a bowl.

    4 When the pasta is done, drain it and return it to the pot. Stir in the pasta sauce and diced tomatoes. Warm up as needed. Transfer to a large serving bowl. Garnish with thinly sliced basil leaves, if using.

    5  Serve the pasta and let everyone take what they wish from the antipasto platter.

    Vegan antipasto and pasta dinner'

    Photos: Evan Atlas

    • Make life easier with more of our Vegan Dinner Hacks.

    More recipes you may enjoy

    • 25+ Vegan Valentine’s Day Desserts
    • 11 Best Vegan “Cheese” Recipes
    • Vegan Christmas Cookies
    • Vegan Jalapeno Poppers

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    nicole malik from vegkithen.com

    Hi, I'm Nicole! I'm the creator behind VegKitchen, and the author of the popular cookbook, Weeknight One Pot Vegan Cooking. Learn more about me here.

    More about me →

    vegan substitution chart

    Featured Recipes

    • Vegan Vodka Pasta
    • Vegan Banana Cake
    • Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookies
    • Farro Bowl
    • 14 Creative Kale Salads
    • Vegan Hummingbird Cake

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    • Shop Cookbooks
    • Free Vegan Cheat Sheet
    • About Us
    • Work with Me
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use

    Still hungry? Check out our delicious family of blogs.


    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2021 Hook & Porter Media