Appetizer Recipes

Stuffed mushrooms with whole littleneck clams topped with a spicy horseradish, mayo, and hot sauce mixture, then broiled until golden. A bold seafood appetizer.

Classic moules mariniere steamed in white wine with onion, celery, and garlic. Just five ingredients and 20 minutes from start to finish for a simple French bistro dish at home.

Chicken liver pate with brandy, butter, and onion blended silky smooth. Six ingredients, 15 minutes active time, chilled overnight for the best flavor.

These were easy and so cute! I made 1/2 a recipe piped with tip 12 and got 25 mushrooms.

Steak and shrimp wonton filling with marinated beef, lemon-kissed shrimp, water chestnuts, and cilantro. A surf-and-turf twist for fried or boiled dumplings.

Stilton and cream cheese stuffed between toasted pecan halves for a savory, crunchy appetizer bite. Five ingredients, endlessly snackable, and perfect for cocktail parties.

Nutty cheese brulee: warm Brie drizzled with fruit or chocolate ice cream topping and a scatter of toasted pecans, microwaved until soft and served with crackers and fresh fruit. A 3-minute appetizer.

Packaged in attractive containers, these spicy nuts make delightful small gifts.

Old-fashioned chicken soup is comforting homemade chicken soup made fast in the microwave: a whole chicken simmered with carrot, celery and onion into a clear, soothing broth, strained and ready for noodles.

Marinated olives with garlic, orange zest, and fennel seeds warmed in olive oil. An Italian-style appetizer that improves with time. Ready in hours, not days.

Olive oil marinated mushrooms simmer button mushrooms in herbed wine vinegar with thyme, garlic, and brandy. A make-ahead antipasto that gets better after a night in the fridge.

Crispy fried onion patties made with flour, cornmeal, and hot sauce, dropped by the spoonful into hot oil. A quick, crunchy appetizer ready in 20 minutes flat.

The classic onion tea sandwich: thin sweet onion and mayonnaise on rounds of soft egg bread, with the edges rolled in minced parsley for a pretty green rim. A retro cocktail-party favorite.

French onion tart with a handmade butter pastry, slow-cooked onions, bacon, and a silky cream custard. Baked low and slow for a rich, golden filling.

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Italian sweet and sour onions braised in white wine vinegar, honey, and coriander. Cipollini-style agrodolce side dish simmered until glazed and tender.