For many, the festive season is synonymous with generous platters of cured meats, cheeses, and preserved vegetables. Inspired by the simple, flavour-packed traditions of Spanish and Italian cuisine, these antipasti or tapas selections are often the perfect start to a celebratory meal.
A Culinary Education in Mediterranean Flavours
The writer's own culinary journey began unconventionally in the 1990s, learning from a friend with connections to London's renowned River Café and Moro restaurant. This experience fostered a deep appreciation for the effortless simplicity and robust flavours of Spanish and Italian food, where preserved meats like prosciutto, coppa, and chorizo form a delicious cornerstone.
With supermarkets now offering a wide array of pre-packaged charcuterie selections, we put 10 different antipasti and tapas packs to the test. The overall quality was high, featuring wafer-thin slices of well-cured meat. However, it was noted that information on animal welfare was often sparse, and products free from nitrates and nitrites were difficult to find.
The Top Supermarket Antipasti Picks
After a thorough tasting, two selections stood out from the crowd for different reasons.
Best Overall: Waitrose No 1 Antipasto Misto
Priced at £4.80 for 120g (£4 per 100g), this pack earned four stars. It contains three quintessentially Italian cured meats: PDO Prosciutto di Parma, salame brianza, and coppa, all made from Italian pork. Praised for its delicate, wafer-thin slices and great value, Waitrose also commits to specific sourcing standards and improved traceability.
Best Bargain: Brindisa Iglesias Spanish Charcuterie Selection
Available for £8.50 for 200g (£4.25 per 100g) at Ocado, this three-star selection offers excellent quality for the price. It includes exquisite, deeply cured serrano ham, chorizo, salchichón, and lomo, all individually packed. Produced by the heritage Salamanca brand Cárnicas Iglesias since 1928 using Spanish pork, the tender slices are noted for melting in the mouth.
Other Notable Contenders
The tasting also highlighted several other noteworthy platters from across the retail spectrum.
The Duchy Organic Antipasto Misto from Waitrose (£5 for 90g) scored four stars, offering a rare high-welfare option with classic Italian flavours and a subtle sweetness.
Trealy Farm's Monmouthshire Sharing Box (£23.50 for 270g) was the only independent product tested, proving that outstanding charcuterie can be made in the UK. Its six snack salamis, air-dried ham, and beef bresaola have outstanding depth of flavour, though the price is high.
M&S's Italian Antipasto Selection (£5.50 for 110g) and Tesco Finest Italian Antipasto Platter (£6.95 for 188g) both received three stars, offering classic quality and good value, with the Tesco pack praised for its generous party size.
Three-star offerings also included selections from Morrisons The Best (£3.50 for 100g), Sainsbury's (£3 for 120g), and Co-op (£4 for 120g), each providing tasty, straightforward options.
Rounding out the list was Asda's Exceptional Italian Gran Antipasto (£3.97 for 120g), a two-star selection where the coppa was noted as the standout, albeit slightly salty.
Building the Perfect Festive Platter
Whether you're planning for the limbo days between Christmas and New Year or any festive gathering, a well-curated charcuterie board is a crowd-pleaser. This taste test confirms that high-quality, flavourful options are available at most supermarkets, catering to both premium and budget-conscious shoppers. For those looking to avoid additives, prosciutto cured simply with salt remains a reliable and delicious choice.
