90 appetizer recipes

These delicious meatballs can be used as a simple appetizer or can accompany pasta to complete a main dish.

Vegan pasta and red kidney bean salad with diced zucchini, green pepper, tomato and green olives, bound in eggless mayonnaise with chili powder, coriander, paprika and sage. A protein-rich room-temperature salad for picnics and potlucks.

Curried spinach and chickpea soup with pearl barley, half the chickpeas pureed for a creamy base, the other half left whole for bite. Vegetarian, high-fiber, lightly spiced with curry powder and cumin.

Quick herbed white bean dip with cannellini beans, garlic, lemon, olive oil, cumin, and oregano. The 10-minute Mediterranean appetizer that's lighter than hummus and just as versatile.

Samoosa pastry is the homemade South African version of samosa wrappers, made by stacking oiled and floured dough rounds, par-baking, then peeling into thin sheets. Crisp, flaky pockets ready for any savory filling.

Triple onion walnut pate blends sweet caramelized red and yellow onions with scallions, walnuts, hard-cooked eggs, and asparagus into a rustic vegetarian spread for crackers or bread.

Homemade whole wheat crackers: a nutty, crisp copycat-style cracker with wheat germ, brown sugar, and butter. Rolled thin on the sheet pan, scored into squares, and baked in 8 minutes flat.

A scrumptious dessert dish made with applesauce, graham crackers and toasted almonds.

Moroccan tagine of okra and tomatoes uses a clever string-the-okra technique to keep pods whole while poaching in spiced tomato sauce. A vegetarian Maghreb classic served hot or warm.

Crisp grilled prawns glazed with lemongrass and ginger meet julienned green mango tossed in a tangy Thai dressing. Every bite balances bright lime, crunchy peanuts, and fresh herbs.

Crunchy caramel-coated Corn Chex mixed with toasted coconut, peanuts, milk chocolate morsels, and raisins. An addictive sweet-salty party snack mix that disappears fast.

Crispy baked rice cups filled with creamy guacamole and salsa, a vegetarian Mexican appetizer with edible cheddar-cumin shells. Bite-size party food made in a mini muffin tin.

Moroccan-style cooked tomato and green pepper salad with cumin, garlic, chili, and lemon juice. Served warm or cold as a side dish or mezze appetizer.

Crispy oven-baked fish fingers coated in toasted whole-wheat breadcrumbs, served with a tangy yogurt-Dijon dipping sauce. A healthier homemade take on the freezer-aisle classic.

Zucchini halves stuffed with their own sauteed pulp, tomato sauce, garlic, and matzo meal, then baked until tender. A simple Passover-friendly appetizer that's naturally vegan.

Pea and carrot salad with lovage tosses steamed fresh peas and baby carrots in a creamy mayo-yogurt dressing with Dijon mustard. The herb lovage adds a celery-like depth you won't get from parsley.