135 italian appetizer recipes

Oysters Mosca: chopped fresh oysters cooked down with garlic, scallions, lemon, and Romano cheese, then spooned into puff pastry shells. The classic Italian-Creole New Orleans appetizer from the legendary Mosca's restaurant.

Italian-flavored shrimp dip with baby shrimp, cream cheese, sour cream, and Italian dressing mix brightened with lemon juice and chopped bell pepper. No-cook appetizer ready after a one-hour chill.

Bacon stuffed mushrooms with just three ingredients: mushroom caps, crispy bacon, and Italian breadcrumbs. A simple appetizer that disappears fast at any party.

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

Sliced ripe Roma tomatoes drizzled with olive oil, fresh minced herbs, and cracked black pepper. A 5-minute Italian appetizer or side with only 4 ingredients. Vegetarian and naturally low calorie.

Prosciutto di Parma with warm fig tartlets drapes salty-sweet prosciutto over individual pastry rounds baked with fresh fig halves. A stunning Italian appetizer for summer or early fall entertaining.

Broiled tomato mozzarella bruschetta with Roma tomatoes, fresh basil, capers, and balsamic vinegar on toasted Italian bread. Ready in 15 minutes as an appetizer or light meal.

Savory shrimp and Gruyere cheesecake on a buttery cracker crust, baked silky with sauteed shrimp and peppers, then chilled and served with warm Italian tomato sauce. A make-ahead party appetizer that wows.

Italian baked clams on the half shell stuffed with herbed bread crumbs, garlic, Romano cheese, basil, oregano, and lemon juice, finished with a splash of white wine. A classic Italian-American appetizer.

Smoked mozzarella focaccia topping with cherry tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, fresh basil, and garlic. Italian bruschetta-style appetizer ready in under 20 minutes.

Mini mushroom pizzettes topped with silky bechamel sauce, sauteed mushrooms, nutty Gruyere, and a snowfall of Parmigiano-Reggiano. A French-Italian hybrid appetizer baked to golden perfection.

Fried calamari done the simple way: fresh squid dredged in flour, fried golden, then hit with lemon, salt, and pepper. The classic Italian-American appetizer with no fussy batter.

Pizza stuffed mushrooms filled with Italian sausage, pepperoni, mozzarella, Parmesan, and seasoned crumbs. All the flavors of pizza in a bite-sized appetizer.

Easy cheesy snack bread: a yeasted sheet-pan flatbread loaded with cheddar, green chiles, pimentos, and Italian seasonings. A shareable party appetizer ready in an hour.

Rye bread topped with a spicy ground beef, hot Italian sausage, and melted Velveeta cheese mixture. Make-ahead freezer-friendly party appetizer that bakes up hot in 15 minutes.

Baked artichoke hearts au gratin with just four ingredients: canned artichokes in Italian dressing, melty mozzarella, and a crunchy french fried onion topping. A fast, cheesy appetizer or side.