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Ultimate Make-Ahead Gluten-Free Appetizer Platter

This is the ultimate blueprint for a stunning, stress-free gluten-free appetizer platter designed for hosting. It features a variety of make-ahead dips, crunchy vessels, prosciutto-wrapped bites, and marinated items that can be prepared over several days, allowing flavors to develop and freeing you to enjoy your own party.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 8
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: American, Mediterranean
Calories: 1800
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • For the Sun-Dried Tomato & Herb Goat Cheese: 8 oz soft goat cheese, 1/3 cup finely chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, 2 tbsp fresh basil chopped), 1 tsp fresh thyme (chopped
  • For the Everything Bagel Smoked Salmon Spread: 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • For the Roasted Red Pepper & Walnut Dip: 1 cup jarred roasted red peppers drained
  • For the Crunchy Vessels & Dippers: 1 bag sturdy gluten-free crackers, 1 English cucumber sliced into thick rounds), 2 heads endive (leaves separated
  • For the Prosciutto-Wrapped Bites: 1/2 lb thinly sliced prosciutto, 1 honeydew melon or 1/2 cantaloupe scooped into 1-inch balls), 8-10 fresh figs (halved
  • For the Marinated Olives & Vegetables: 2 cups mixed olives, 1 cup mini mozzarella balls ciliegine

Equipment

  • Mixing bowls
  • Food processor or blender
  • Airtight containers
  • Serving platters and bowls
  • Knife and cutting board
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Parchment paper
  • Large jar or container for marinating

Method
 

  1. Two Days Before: In a large jar, combine all marinated olive ingredients (olives, mozzarella, tomatoes, olive oil, lemon zest, rosemary, red pepper flakes). Stir, cover, and refrigerate.
  2. Two Days Before: Prepare chosen dips. For goat cheese spread, mix all ingredients in a bowl, form into a log, wrap, and refrigerate. For salmon spread and red pepper dip, blend ingredients in a food processor until smooth, transfer to containers, and chill.
  3. One Day Before: Prepare prosciutto bites. Tear prosciutto slices into halves or thirds. Wrap each melon ball and fig half with prosciutto. Place in a single layer in an airtight container with parchment paper between layers. Refrigerate.
  4. One Day Before: Wash and thoroughly dry endive leaves. Slice cucumber. Store in separate containers lined with a damp paper towel to maintain crispness. Refrigerate.
  5. One Day Before: Select and set out all serving platters, bowls, and utensils.
  6. Party Day (2 Hours Before): Remove dips, marinated items, and prosciutto bites from refrigerator to allow them to come to room temperature.
  7. Party Day (1 Hour Before): Assemble platters. Place bowls of dips on platters first. Arrange crackers, cucumber rounds, and endive leaves around them. Fill gaps with prosciutto bites and marinated olives and mozzarella. Garnish with extra herbs if desired.
  8. Just Before Serving: Drizzle extra olive oil over goat cheese or marinated items. Add a final crack of black pepper. Serve immediately.

Notes

This platter is highly customizable. Swap fruits based on season (e.g., use grapes instead of figs). For nut allergies, omit walnuts from the red pepper dip. Components can be stored separately: dips for up to 3 days, marinated items for up to 5 days, and prosciutto bites for 1-2 days. For extra crunch, consider baked polenta rounds or baked cheese crisps as alternative gluten-free vessels. A high-quality store-bought gluten-free dip can be added to supplement the spread.