Picnic Ready Italian Sub Skewers (Printable)

Savory Italian sub ingredients stacked on skewers served with creamy aioli, perfect for outdoor meals.

# 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 fresh 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 - On each skewer, thread a slice each of salami, ham, and mortadella folded or rolled, followed by a mozzarella ball, cherry tomato, pepperoncini rings, artichoke heart piece, olive, roasted red pepper slice, and romaine lettuce piece. Alternate ingredients for vibrant visual presentation. Repeat assembly with remaining five skewers.
02 - In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together egg yolk, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, and fresh lemon juice until well combined. Slowly drizzle in olive oil then neutral oil while whisking vigorously until mixture thickens and emulsifies completely. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then transfer to a small serving bowl.
03 - Arrange assembled skewers on a serving platter with aioli positioned alongside for dipping. Refrigerate until ready to serve to maintain optimal temperature and freshness.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Zero cooking means more time enjoying company instead of sweating over a stove.
  • That creamy homemade aioli tastes like restaurant-quality magic but takes just minutes to whisk together.
  • They look restaurant-fancy enough to impress, but nobody needs to know how simple they actually are.
  • Everything can be assembled ahead, making them the ultimate stress-free entertaining move.
02 -
  • Aioli breaks when oil goes in too fast or when ingredients are cold—room temperature changes everything, and patience is your real secret ingredient.
  • Soaking bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes before using them prevents charring and splintering, even though you're not cooking these.
03 -
  • If your aioli looks thin or broken after five minutes of whisking, you're probably using cold ingredients—let the bowl sit out for 20 minutes and try again with a fresh yolk.
  • Use a wooden skewer poked through folded meats first—it acts like a pilot hole and keeps everything else from slipping around as you thread.
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