508 appetizer recipes

Classic brown lentil dhal simmered with turmeric, topped with ghee-fried onions and garam masala for authentic Indian flavor in under an hour.

Piperies Orektiko, a Greek roasted pepper salad with oven-blistered sweet peppers, onion, oregano, and olive oil vinaigrette. A simple mezze appetizer.

Serve as an appetizer spread on thick slices of country-style white bread, or flat pita bread, or use as a side dish to accompany grilled or roasted meats.

Antipasto pasta salad with salami, provolone, garbanzo beans, olives, and mushrooms in a lemon-garlic-basil dressing. A make-ahead party dish that gets better as it chills.

No-bake butterscotch chow mein candy clusters with salted peanuts. Only 3 ingredients melted in a double boiler and dropped on wax paper. A classic holiday candy that kids love to make.

A vibrant Moroccan-style salad of grilled and skinned bell peppers, fresh tomatoes, and Spanish onion dressed in a simple garlic, olive oil, and vinegar vinaigrette. Served chilled for a refreshing side dish or starter.

Greek onion soup with yogurt, potato, garlic, marjoram, and bay leaves simmered in stock. A creamy, tangy vegetarian soup ready in 30 minutes that's lighter than classic French onion.

Pimento-stuffed olives wrapped in sharp cheddar dough with a kick of cayenne, baked until golden and puffed. A retro cocktail party appetizer that never goes out of style.

Savory palmiers made with puff pastry rolled around honey mustard, prosciutto, and Parmesan. Baked golden and flaky for an elegant appetizer.

A simple and delicious recipe that can be served with pasta, polenta or as a soup!

Homemade deviled ham spread with warm spices, hot mustard, anchovy paste, and a whisper of sherry. Skip the canned stuff and make a version that actually tastes like something.

Baked Indian-spiced mung bean paté with cauliflower, ginger, jalapeño, cumin, and turmeric. Vegan, gluten-free, and makes stunning little tarts or a sliceable loaf.

Moroccan cucumber salad tosses grated cucumber with olive oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, and za'atar, then garnishes with cured black olives. Bright, refreshing North African side ready in minutes.

Roasted eggplant tahini pate with garam masala, shallots, garlic, and lemon. A creamy, smoky spread served with pita bread. Vegan and naturally gluten-free.

Escargot and spinach: tender snails sauteed with garlic, pine nuts, feta, and a splash of Pernod, then chilled. An elegant make-ahead French appetizer with a Mediterranean, anise-kissed twist.

You don’t need an ice cream maker to make this, but you do need a food processor. I use a banana and a small amount of honey to sweeten the yogurt. (See the banana-only variation on this recipe below.) You can serve it like soft-serve ice cream, or let it freeze solid so that it’s more like regular frozen yogurt.