Appetizer recipe collection

This tasty treats made with smoked meat are especially good served with a dipping sauce of your choice.

Poor man's shrimp transforms cubed salmon into shrimp-like bites by quick-poaching in heavily salted water. A vintage frugal cooking trick that yields firm, pink, shrimp-textured salmon for cocktails or salads.

Italian-seasoned popcorn tossed with garlic-oregano butter and grated Parmesan cheese. A savory 3-ingredient snack ready in 15 minutes that beats plain buttered popcorn every time.

Pork potstickers with ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and sesame oil in wonton wrappers. Pan-fried then steamed in chicken broth with a soy-ginger dipping sauce.

Pseftokeftedes are Santorini tomato fritters mixing chopped Roma tomatoes, scallions, garlic, mint, and oregano into a pancake-style batter, fried crisp in olive oil. Vegetarian Greek meze.

Brie quesadillas with jalapeño-plum salsa bring creamy, buttery cheese together with sweet-tart stone fruit and a kick of chili. A 30-minute appetizer that punches way above its weight class.

Red devil eggs stuffed with deviled ham, mayo, mustard, Worcestershire, and grated onion. A retro appetizer with serious savory depth, ready in just 10 minutes.

Crostini topped with roasted red pepper strips and smoked mozzarella, broiled until the cheese melts into toasted baguette. Four ingredients for an easy Italian appetizer where the smoky cheese steals the show.

Bacon-wrapped rumaki with water chestnuts, pineapple, and bay scallops glazed in honey teriyaki sauce. A retro party appetizer that's crispy, sweet, and savory in one bite.

Russian pastries (pirozhki) with a tender cream cheese dough wrapped around savory ground beef, sour cream, dill, and chopped egg. Make-ahead friendly and freezer-stable for up to a month.

Saganaki, the classic Greek fried cheese appetizer made with kefalotiri or kasseri, pan-fried in butter until golden and finished with fresh lemon juice.

Salmon oysters are crispy pan-fried fritters made from canned salmon, eggs, flour, and baking powder. Shaped like oysters and fried golden. Serve with fries, coleslaw, and tartar sauce.

Salsa Bandera is a fresh Mexican salsa with chopped tomatoes, cucumber, radishes, cilantro, and a vinegar-lemon dressing. No cooking required, just chop, mix, and serve with chips.

Homemade salted eggs brined in rock salt water for three weeks until the yolks turn firm, golden-orange, and richly savory. Just three ingredients and patience. Serve quartered with rice or congee.

South African samoosa filling with mixed vegetables, curry leaves, cumin, turmeric, and green chili. A fragrant, spiced vegetable mixture ready to stuff into pastry triangles for traditional Indian-style samosas.

Chunky salmon and avocado dip with fresh lime, tomatoes, curd cheese, and Greek yogurt. No cooking required, just 10 minutes of prep for a crowd-pleasing appetizer.