Appetizer Recipes

Leek and goat cheese tart with balsamic-braised leeks and cream layered over crumbled chevre in a pre-baked shell. An elegant French vegetarian tart with rich, tangy flavor.

Cold sauced shrimp appetizer in a creamy curry-chili sauce with horseradish, mango chutney, capers, and a kick of Tabasco. A make-ahead party dish that improves overnight.

Make-ahead bloomin' sauce and dip with sour cream, cream cheese, and picante sauce, ready for chips, pretzels, or fried onion petals. Five ingredients, one bowl, eight hours of fridge time to do its work.

Sesame ham and cheese bites: layered ham-prosciutto-Gruyere squares breaded with sesame seeds and parsley breadcrumbs, baked until golden and melty. Forty-eight bite-sized party appetizers.

Chunky guacamole salad with ripe avocados, garlic, tomato, green chili peppers, and lemon juice. Served on lettuce leaves with tortilla chips as a fresh Mexican-style appetizer or side.

Pennsylvania Dutch-style pickled eggs and beets in a sweet vinegar brine with brown sugar. The eggs turn a stunning deep magenta after soaking for two days.

Pumpkin and avocado oil soup blends pumpkin, fennel and potato into a silky pureed soup, with buttery avocado oil standing in for butter. A light, velvety vegan starter finished with a drizzle of oil.

Cheesy crab-topped English muffin bites with sharp Old English cheese and garlic. Make ahead, freeze, then broil straight from the freezer for instant hot appetizers.

Mexican beef dip bakes ground beef with taco seasoning, three cheeses including Velveeta, and picante sauce into a hot, scoopable appetizer. A crowd-feeding party dip.

Savory no-bake Danish blue cheese pie on a pumpernickel crumb crust, topped with fresh green grapes. A bold, tangy appetizer that doubles as an elegant cheese course.

Fish and leek chowder with shark, cod, and bay scallops in a white wine and tomato broth - lighter than cream-based versions and packed with flavor. Make-ahead friendly, ready in 50 minutes.

A silky 4-ingredient shrimp pate blended with cream cheese, butter, and a splash of brandy. Ready in 5 minutes flat, this elegant spread is the easiest appetizer you'll ever bring to a party.

Asparagus and crabmeat salad layers crisp-tender spears over butter lettuce, crowned with sweet lump crab folded into a tomato-Dijon mayonnaise. Elegant cold appetizer or light lunch that comes together in minutes with make-ahead dressing.

Olive cheese balls with cheddar cheese dough wrapped around pimento-stuffed green olives and baked golden. A make-ahead party appetizer that freezes well.

New Year's Eve polenta squares crisp tube polenta under the broiler, then top each bite with a tangy sun-dried tomato, caper, and parsley pesto. A make-ahead cocktail-party appetizer that feeds a crowd.

Provençal aioli platter: poached cod, beef carpaccio, blanched vegetables, baby potatoes, and hard-boiled eggs arranged around homemade garlic aioli. The summer party centerpiece.