148 appetizer recipes

Sharp cheddar fondue with apple juice, Dijon mustard, and onion powder served with crusty bread cubes and blanched vegetables. A fall-inspired cheese dip ready in 30 minutes.

Ricotta-stuffed zucchini flowers filled with creamy ricotta, Asiago, chopped almonds, basil and parsley. Delicate squash blossoms baked until warm, elegant enough for company, easy enough for a summer Tuesday.

Spicy chicken tortilla soup where crushed tortilla chips simmer right into the broth, thickening it and lending a toasty corn flavor. Chipotle and cayenne bring the heat, lime and cilantro the bright finish.

Italian rice and endive soup with fresh tomatoes, carrots, and basil. A light vegetarian meal ready in 45 minutes, simmered in vegetable stock with curly endive for a pleasantly bitter depth.

Zucchini boats loaded with sauteed mushrooms, onion, garlic, and thyme in herbed breadcrumbs, topped with Parmesan and baked until golden. A vegetarian appetizer or side.

A scrumptious appetizer made with a delicious spinach filling everyone will love.

Vietnamese vegetable spring rolls (cha gio chay) with cellophane noodles, tofu, shredded potato, tree ear mushrooms, and leeks wrapped in crisp rice paper. Fried shatter-crisp on the outside, tender and fragrant inside.

Lightly flour-dusted artichoke hearts cooked in butter in the microwave until lightly browned, then finished with vinaigrette. A quick appetizer or vegetable side ready in 30 minutes.

Clams casino tops half-shell clams with a garlic-green pepper butter and seasoned breadcrumbs, then bakes hot until the topping turns golden. A New England Shore Dinner appetizer that brings the briny bite of fresh clams alive.

Insalata verde e rossa, an Italian red and green salad with dandelion leaves, watercress, and radishes in olive oil and red wine vinegar. A bitter greens salad with peppery bite.

Fettunta Toscana is Tuscan grilled bread rubbed with raw garlic and topped with fresh tomatoes, basil, and olive oil. The original Italian bruschetta, simple and seasonal.

Turnip soup simmered in chicken consomme with bright green peas and buttery croutons. A light, elegant French-style starter that highlights an underused root vegetable.

Moroccan tomato and roasted green pepper salad from Fez with cumin, paprika, preserved lemon, and olive oil. A smoky, bright North African appetizer or side dish.

Hot rough tomato soup simmered with fresh tomatoes, ghee, dried red chiles, whole cloves, peppercorns, and bay leaves. An Indian-spiced, chunky vegetarian soup with real heat.

Green pea phyllo purses: crisp phyllo pouches stuffed with a bright Indian-spiced pea filling of ginger, jalapeño, cilantro, and mint. An elegant vegetarian appetizer.

Oven-roasted chili peanuts with cumin, dried red chilies, and chili powder. Raw peanuts baked twice until golden and coated in smoky, spicy seasoning.