574 appetizer recipes

Crisp-fried pasta nibbles boiled until almost tender, then deep fried until golden and crunchy. Sprinkled with garlic salt for an addictive party snack.

Homemade potstickers from scratch: hand-rolled dough wrappers filled with pork, napa cabbage, ginger and water chestnut, pan-fried crisp then steamed tender. Served with a soy, chili oil and vinegar dipping sauce.

Mediterranean style marinated feta cheese and toasted-spiced pita bread triangles are a great pair, delicious and tasty appetizer. Or they can be served as a main course.

Stuffed poblano chiles filled with ripe olives, ricotta and Monterey Jack, baked and finished with a quick olive mole sauce of tomato, cumin, chili powder and beef stock.

Moroccan fava bean puree (bessara): dried favas simmered with garlic and cumin, blended with olive oil, served with Arab bread and a cumin-cayenne spice dip.

Chestnut soup with roasted chestnuts, sauteed onion and celery, simmered in a blend of water and apple juice with soy sauce and nutmeg. A naturally creamy vegetarian soup with no dairy.

Eggplant relish with baked eggplant, hard-boiled egg, green pepper, and onion ground together with vinegar and garlic. A cold Eastern European-style spread for bread and crackers.

Microwave broccoli spears topped with a creamy lemon-ginger butter sauce made from scratch. A fast vegetable side dish with bright citrus flavor.

Pesto mushroom caps stuff fresh button mushrooms with homemade basil pesto and crown each one with a walnut half, then bake until hot and fragrant. A 10-minute vegetarian appetizer that punches way above its weight at a cocktail party.

Baked Buffalo-style hot wings tossed in a butter and red pepper sauce glaze. A game-day appetizer with crispy skin, bold heat, and a classic bar-food finish that skips the deep fryer.

Mini crab cakes baked in muffin tins with a panko-parmesan crust and creamy cream cheese filling. Lemon-orange-scented appetizer bites for cocktail parties, showers, and holiday gatherings.

Baked brie wrapped in puff pastry with crumbled blue cheese and chopped walnuts pressed on top. Golden, flaky, and melty with a sharp, nutty bite.

Spiced shrimp with broiled polenta stacks lemon-sage shrimp onto crisp-broiled polenta rounds, finished with crumbled prosciutto. An elegant, quick New Year's Eve appetizer or small-plate main.

Parchment wrapped chicken: tender chicken strips marinated in ginger-soy, tossed with bean sprouts, scallions, and walnuts, folded into parchment parcels and steamed. A classic Chinese restaurant appetizer made at home.

Cream cheese and Parmesan stuffed mushrooms with a hint of nutmeg and Worcestershire, baked until golden. A crowd-pleasing appetizer with just 7 ingredients.

Grilled polenta topped with charred radicchio, olive oil, and a drizzle of vinegar. A rustic Italian antipasto where crispy-edged polenta meets the bitter smoky bite of grilled chicory.