Appetizer Recipes

Mini crab tarts in flaky pastry shells with Swiss cheese, cream cheese, nutmeg, and shredded carrots. Baked until set and golden for an elegant, bite-sized seafood treat.

No-cook rigatoni pasta tossed with raw tomatoes, sliced bell peppers, fresh basil, garlic, olive oil, and Parmesan. A fresh vegetarian summer pasta ready in 30 minutes.

Chocolate pecan cookie slices shaped into logs, baked, then cut on the diagonal and drizzled with white chocolate. A slice-and-bake method that yields 40 elegant cookies.

Vietnamese vegetable platter arranges fresh lettuce, cilantro, mint, basil, cucumber, scallions, and bean sprouts alongside rice rolls or grilled meats. The essential wrap-and-dip accompaniment.

Gloria's black bean soup simmers dried beans low and slow, then gets stirred thick with a blended sofrito of peppers, onion, garlic, cumin, and oregano. A rich, Cuban-style puréed bean soup.

Homemade cheese crackers made with sharp cheddar, flour, and butter, rolled thin and baked until crispy. Customize with curry powder, garlic salt, celery salt, or black pepper toppings.

An easy lamb canape: crisp celery-seed toast strips spread with a quick cooked-lamb-and-mayonnaise mixture and topped with pimiento. A smart, retro party bite for using up leftover roast lamb.

Cheese straws are a Southern cocktail-party classic: sharp aged cheddar and cayenne rolled into a buttery dough, fork-ridged, and baked crisp. Savory, spicy, and impossibly snackable.

Pecan stuffed mushrooms with cream cheese, crumbled bacon, chives, and white wine, broiled until bubbling. A make-ahead appetizer that's ready in 20 minutes.

Chinese mixed fruit dessert with grass jelly cubes, lychee, and mandarin oranges. Refreshing 3-ingredient cold dessert, perfect for hot summer days.

Curried egg and artichoke dip, a quick chunky party dip with chopped hard-boiled eggs and artichoke hearts in a curry-spiced sour cream and mayo dressing. No-cook appetizer ready in 10 minutes.

Cheddar cheese pretzels made with aged cheddar, butter, Dijon mustard, and cayenne, topped with poppy seeds. A savory make-ahead appetizer that keeps for days.

Crispy Korean-style fried wontons stuffed with seasoned ground beef, bean sprouts, green pepper, and sesame oil. Golden, crunchy appetizers with a savory soy-sesame filling.

Crispy bread-cup croustades filled with baby shrimp in a Swiss cheese sauce with lemon zest and Worcestershire. Makes 3 to 4 dozen freezer-friendly party bites.

Crystal-clear dumpling wrappers reveal a savory filling of shrimp, pork, mushrooms, and water chestnuts. These bite-sized dim sum gems steam in just minutes and disappear even faster from the plate.

Fiery hot salsa fresca with diced tomato, onion, sweet yellow and green bell peppers, and three habaneros for serious heat. Brightened with cilantro, oregano, and fresh lime juice. No cooking required.