106 appetizer recipes

Classic Oysters Rockefeller baked on the half shell under a buttery spinach topping spiked with Pernod and anchovy, layered with crisp bacon and a browned breadcrumb crust. The New Orleans appetizer, done right at home.

A classic Persian eggplant salad layered with golden fried slices and cool, garlicky yogurt. Topped with chopped walnuts and served chilled, this borani is a showstopping appetizer or mezze spread.

A Roman-style spicy bruschetta with fresh parsley, basil, garlic, and red pepper flakes in olive oil and red wine vinegar. No tomatoes here, just a punchy herb topping on grilled country bread. Vegetarian.

Salami roll-ups with cream cheese, avocado, tomato, and lettuce in flour tortillas. No-cook appetizer sliced into pinwheels, perfect for parties. Make ahead and chill.

Traditional Greek dolmas stuffed with rice, pine nuts, fresh herbs, cinnamon, and allspice, simmered in olive oil and lemon juice. This recipe makes about 50 stuffed grape leaves served at room temperature.

Savory crepes filled with wine-braised leeks, shiitake mushrooms, and herbs, topped with a rich red wine mushroom sauce. An elegant vegetarian main that impresses.

Roasted eggplant and yogurt spread, garlic-studded and perfumed with thyme and oregano, blended creamy with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon. A tangy, herby Mediterranean dip for pita, crackers, or toasted bread.

Turkish-style sauteed eggplant with a garlicky tomato sauce finished with vinegar. Salted and drained for silky, golden slices. Served warm or at room temperature.

So easy to make, and it is amazingly delicious, a beautiful way to cook these two root vegetables together, and tons of flavor.

A succulent and scrumptious dish that can be served over noodles or rice.

Vegan soya bean paté with sautéed onions, tomato paste, black olives, parsley, and toasted sesame seeds. A high-protein spread for crackers or toast.

Buttery garlic mushroom appetizer simmered low and slow with Italian dressing mix. Three ingredients, toothpick-ready, and they vanish off the platter in minutes.

Hand-rolled Greek stuffed grape leaves filled with seasoned beef or lamb, rice, currants, pine nuts, and mint. Simmered until tender and served with a classic avgolemono egg-lemon sauce. Makes 60.

Beignets d'escargots: snails soaked in herbed olive oil, coated in airy egg-white batter, and fried until shatteringly crisp. A classic French appetizer worth the effort.

Seafood crepes stuff thin pancakes with poached monkfish, scallops, and shrimp bound in a garlic-infused Gruyère cream sauce, then bake until bubbling. A French bistro starter or light luncheon dish that punches well above its ingredient list.

Moroccan spiced olives marinated in toasted cumin, fennel, coriander, cardamom, citrus, and garlic. Five-minute appetizer that improves for weeks in the fridge.