Appetizer Recipes

Traditional British raised meat pie with pork, veal, and ham surrounding a line of hard-boiled eggs, sealed in pastry and set with savory gelatin. Served cold in slices.

Broiled crab melts on Melba toast rounds with lime, green onion, and hot mustard, topped with bubbling Swiss cheese. A two-bite appetizer for parties, ready in 20 minutes.

Cheddar cheese ball blends sharp cheddar with cream cheese, onion, Worcestershire, and Tabasco, then chills overnight and rolls in chopped nuts. Classic make-ahead party appetizer with crackers.

Mini sausage Reubens on party rye with smoked sausage, sauerkraut, Thousand Island, and bubbly Swiss cheese. Butter-toasted bread keeps them crispy under all that tangy, melty goodness.

Obatzda, the classic Bavarian beer cheese spread with ripe Camembert, cream cheese, butter, and caraway seeds. Rustic, pungent, and ready in 10 minutes. A beer garden staple.

Crispy chicken flautas rolled in flour tortillas and fried golden in two minutes flat, served with homemade guacamole loaded with jalapeno, cilantro, and fresh lime juice.

Sun-dried tomato tapenade blends rehydrated tomatoes with black olives, capers, garlic, and lemon zest. A bright Provençal spread for bread, crackers, or grilled chicken.

Australian savoury choux pastry puffs filled with a béchamel-style mixture and salmon, chicken, shrimp or asparagus. Elegant French-inspired party appetizer.

Microwave Italian tomato sauce with olive oil, garlic, basil, and oregano, ready in under 10 minutes. No stirring, no stovetop. A quick base sauce for pasta, pizza, or chicken Parmesan.

Khao-Tung Hna-Tung (Crusty Rice with Shrimp Dip). recipe

Crostini with chicken livers sauteed in butter and white wine, finished with cream and brown gravy, spread on thin toasted French bread. A rich Tuscan-style appetizer ready in 35 minutes.

Banana corn fritters balance sweet mashed banana and warm cinnamon against a smoky chipotle kick. Pan-seared golden, then oven-finished so they puff up light without deep-frying.

Spiced shrimp with broiled polenta stacks lemon-sage shrimp onto crisp-broiled polenta rounds, finished with crumbled prosciutto. An elegant, quick New Year's Eve appetizer or small-plate main.

Homemade salami from ground beef with curing salt, mustard seeds, coarse black pepper, and hickory liquid smoke. A three-day process baked low and slow.

Vegetarian steamed wontons filled with seasoned tempeh, mushrooms, scallions, and ginger in a tamari-honey glaze. Serve with sweet and sour sauce for a plant-based dim sum appetizer.

Classic French country pate with ground pork and veal marinated overnight in white wine and brandy, lined with fatback, and baked in a water bath until firm. A make-ahead appetizer.