With all of the elements of a baked Italian sub layered with crescent roll dough, these Antipasto Squares make a delicious, easy lunch or fun party appetizer.
Buy extra crescent dough sheets and make this Cold Veggie Pizza Appetizer, too – always a hit!
Pillsbury Antipasto Squares
These antipasto squares are basically like a baked Italian sub and we love them in my house! These appetizer squares are layered with provolone cheese, ham, salami, and pepperoni between sheets of crescent dough. Perfectly cheesy, a little gooey, and oh-so-good.
Crescent antipasto squares are an amazing lunch or dinner option, but are also perfect cut into smaller squares for grab-and-go party food, and especially popular on game day.
Just note that once you cut the squares, any liquid from the meats and veggies will seep out. There is no avoiding this and the bottom of the dough may become slightly soggy. But, they still hold together great and they’re just as delicious at room temperature as they are fresh out of the oven.
Ingredients Needed
These hot antipasto squares are layered with Italian meats, cheese, canned peppers, and just a few other ingredients.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Crescent roll dough – Look for the rolls of crescent dough sheets, not regular crescent rolls.
- Provolone cheese – Sliced fresh from the deli, if possible, for best melting.
- Meats – Equal amounts of pepperoni, ham, and Genoa salami make the layers of these antipasto squares.
- Peppers – Jarred roasted bell peppers and pepperoncini add tang to the appetizer.
- Egg – Beaten egg is combined with pesto and Parmesan for basting on the dough before baking.
- Pesto – You can either grab a jar at the store or use our homemade pesto sauce recipe.
- Parmesan cheese – Freshly grated for optimal flavor.
Easy Variations
Antipasto squares are a versatile party appetizer that can easily be customized to your preferences or what you have on hand.
- No pesto? No problem. If you don’t want or don’t have the ingredients for the pesto topping, just brush the top lightly with an egg wash or olive oil. You can even add a sprinkling of sesame seeds for a fun twist.
- Switch up the cheeses and meat. The insides of these antipasto squares are entirely customizable. You can opt to use Swiss instead of provolone (or both) or a different type of cheese and whatever Italian meats you prefer.
- Use puff pastry. If you want a thinner, lighter crust, you can use puff pastry sheets instead of crescent dough.
How to Make Crescent Antipasto Squares
These Italian sub squares are easy to prepare and assemble. Then they just need 45 minutes or so to bake. Here’s a summary:
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Prepare the crescent dough. Press one can of crescent dough into the bottom of a greased baking dish. Make sure the dough goes up the sides about an inch high.
- Layer the ingredients. Layer half of the cheese on top of the dough. Then layer the pepperoni, ham, and salami over the cheese. Add the sliced peppers and top with the remaining provolone cheese. Place the second can of crescent dough on top, pinching the edges to make a sealed package.
- Bake. Whisk together the egg, pesto, and parmesan cheese. Brush over the top of the dough. Cover the pan with nonstick foil. Bake for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake an additional 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool for 15 minutes then cut and serve.
Tips for Success
For perfectly baked, cheesy antipasto squares, keep these things in mind.
- Where can I find crescent dough sheets? These will usually be in the refrigerated section next to the crescent rolls. If you can’t find the dough sheets, you’ll need to buy the regular perforated crescent rolls and pinch the seams together well.
- Allow to sit before cutting. Once the antipasto squares come out of the oven, resist the urge to cut them immediately. Waiting 15 minutes will allow the centers to solidify just a bit and give you cleaner squares when you do cut them.
- Reduce the sodium. This is a salty appetizer – there’s just no avoiding it with all the cured meats and cheeses. You can reduce the salt a bit by using reduced sodium meats and cheeses.
Serving Suggestions
Crescent antipasto squares are typically served as an appetizer, but can easily be turned into a meal with a side salad, pea salad, or macaroni salad.
These disappear quickly on game day but work for parties year-round. The best part is that they’re equally delicious at room temperature and are fine to sit out for a few hours in a party setting.
How to Store & Reheat
- Make Ahead. If you want to cut down on prep the day of your party, you can assemble antipasto appetizer squares up to 24 hours in advance. Assemble as directed then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in the fridge. Allow to come to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before baking.
- How to store. Baked and cooled antipasto squares can be refrigerated for up to 3 days tightly wrapped in foil or in an airtight container.
- How to reheat. I suggest reheating in the oven instead of the microwave, so the dough can crisp up a bit instead of become soggy.
- Can I freeze these? Yes, you can freeze baked antipasto squares. Allow to cool completely then wrap in freezer-safe foil and transfer to a freezer-safe bag. They’ll keep frozen for up to 3 months.
More Antipasto Recipes:
- Antipasto Charcuterie Board
- Caprese Skewers
- Mini Tortellini Kabobs
- Giardiniera (Pickled Vegetables)
- Olive Tapenade
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Antipasto Squares
Ingredients
- 2 cans crescent roll dough sheets
- 8 ounces sliced provolone cheese
- 1/4 pound sliced deli pepperoni
- 1/4 pound sliced deli ham
- 1/4 pound sliced deli Genoa salami
- 12 ounces jarred roasted bell peppers (drained and thinly sliced)
- 1/2 cup jarred pepperoncini (drained and sliced)
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon pesto sauce
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.
- Unroll one of the rolls of the crescent dough and press it into the bottom of the baking dish, making sure the dough goes up the sides of the pan about 1-inch high.
- Layer half of the cheese on the bottom. Top with the pepperoni, then ham, then salami. Add the sliced red bell peppers and pepperoncini. Finally, add the remaining provolone cheese on top.
- Unroll the second crescent dough and place it on top, try the best you can to pinch all the edges of the dough together to make a sealed package.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, pesto, and parmesan cheese. Brush this mixture all over the top of the dough.
- Cover the pan with nonstick foil (or spray a piece of foil with cooking spray), and place it spray side down on top of the dish.
- Bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 15-20 minutes until deep golden brown.
- Let cool for 15-20 minutes, cut, and serve.
Could you use pizza pastry instead of crescent pastry
Served this at a party, it was a big hit!
Everyone loves this recipe!! If you can’t find the Pillsbury Crescent Sheets…just use Crescent Rolls and pinch the seams together. A perfect appetizer , or a snack for boat rides , or lunch and salad for week-end guests.
We’ve made these before and they are always a hit. Sometimes it’s hard to find the pillsbury dough sheets so when I spot them at the store, I stock up! Lol.