Appetizer Recipes

Lomi lomi salmon spread with smoked salmon, cream cheese, lemon juice, and green onions. A Hawaiian-inspired appetizer that takes 10 minutes and pairs with crackers or melba toast.

Quick Rotel salsa made with canned Rotel tomatoes and chiles, fresh tomato, scallions, garlic, and lime juice. No cooking required. Mix and serve with chips, on salads, or over Southwestern dishes.

Homemade hummus made from dried chickpeas cooked from scratch, blended with tahini, fresh lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil. Cooking your own chickpeas gives a creamier, smoother dip than canned.

Easy cheddar and Swiss fondue melted in white wine or beer with just 6 ingredients. Smooth, creamy, and ready for dipping crusty bread in 25 minutes.

Moroccan-style cooked tomato and green pepper salad with cumin, garlic, chili, and lemon juice. Served warm or cold as a side dish or mezze appetizer.

Chili cheese ball with cream cheese, salsa, and Tex-Mex chili seasoning, rolled in shredded Monterey Jack or chopped nuts. A five-minute party appetizer ready for tortilla chips.

Crispy golden phyllo cups filled with a creamy smoked trout, horseradish and scallion mixture, topped with cool shredded cucumber. An elegant make-ahead appetizer that yields 48 bite-sized pieces.

Crispy fried tofu served with a Thai-style peanut dipping sauce made from garlic, cilantro root, chili, and rice vinegar. A spicy, tangy vegetarian appetizer or snack ready in 25 minutes.

Low calorie clam dip made with cottage cheese instead of cream cheese, canned clams, chives, and thyme. A lighter take on classic clam dip that's ready in 5 minutes.

Moong samosa filled with spiced mung beans, asafetida, mustard seeds, and amchur (green mango powder), deep-fried in ghee until golden. A vegetarian Indian snack with bold, tangy flavor.

Mormor's Swedish meatballs made with beef and pork, allspice and ginger, poached in water then baked in a brown sugar-butter-beef broth glaze. A Scandinavian grandmother's holiday recipe.

Traditional Japanese tempura with a light, crispy cold-water batter and homemade tentsuyu dipping sauce. Works for vegetables, shrimp, fish, and squid with authentic frying techniques.

Htipiti is a Greek whipped feta dip with fried hot peppers and olive oil, mashed by hand into a spicy, creamy spread. Serve with bread or crackers as a Macedonian-style meze.

Fiery hot broiled chicken wings coated in hot sauce, vinegar, and garlic. Just 5 ingredients and 14 minutes under the broiler for crispy, spicy wings. Works on the BBQ too.

Crispy golden crab and avocado fritters with salsa and green onions, fried to a crunch outside while staying creamy inside. Makes 4 dozen party-ready bites you can prep ahead.

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.