243 appetizer recipes

Microwave baked sweet potatoes deliver tender, fluffy potatoes in minutes. Scrub, pierce, arrange in a circle with space between them, and microwave to perfection. Quickest healthy side dish without firing up the oven.

Thai cucumber pickles, a quick sweet-sour-spicy side of sliced cucumber, red chiles, onion, and cilantro in a red wine vinegar brine. Five-minute condiment.

Steamed winter vegetables tossed in a warm orange, maple, and ginger glaze with toasted sesame seeds. Carrots, parsnips, broccoli stems, and cauliflower served hot or at room temperature.

Toasted pita chips split, cut, and bake pita bread into crisp triangles for dips, soups, and lunchboxes. Two ingredients, eight-minute bake, much better than store-bought.

Obatzda, the classic Bavarian beer cheese spread with ripe Camembert, cream cheese, butter, and caraway seeds. Rustic, pungent, and ready in 10 minutes. A beer garden staple.

Microwave-steamed globe artichokes with a zesty mustard dipping sauce made with brown mustard, Italian dressing mix, Worcestershire, and hot sauce.

Microwave chicken gravy with mushrooms, made with schmaltz and butter for deep flavor. Smooth, rich, and ready in 15 minutes with no stovetop babysitting needed.

This is truly an authentic Mexican recipe as her husband was from Mexico.

Smoked salmon canapes on crisp jicama triangles with lime-spiked Neufchatel cheese and cracked black pepper. A light, no-cook appetizer that looks like it came from a caterer.

Beef Cheese Ball: a vintage cream cheese spread blended with horseradish and chipped beef, then rolled in more chipped beef. Cocktail party classic, mixes in 10 minutes.

Broiled crab melts on Melba toast rounds with lime, green onion, and hot mustard, topped with bubbling Swiss cheese. A two-bite appetizer for parties, ready in 20 minutes.

Sun-dried tomato tapenade blends rehydrated tomatoes with black olives, capers, garlic, and lemon zest. A bright Provençal spread for bread, crackers, or grilled chicken.

Florida Keys black bean dip blended with balsamic vinegar, orange juice, red onion, and garlic. No-cook, five ingredients, ready in minutes.

Guacamole with serrano heat, white onion, and a surprise hit of pureed zucchini for body. Mexican-style avocado dip finished with tomato, green onion, and cilantro garnish.

Baid masluq, a Middle Eastern spiced egg dish with sumac, marjoram, and olive oil. Hard-boiled eggs crushed with a fork and seasoned, served as a mezze appetizer.

Bell pepper rajas broiled with melted Monterey Jack cheese, black olives, and red pepper flakes. A colorful Mexican appetizer ready in 15 minutes flat.