Appetizers recipes

Broiled tomato halves stuffed with mashed avocado, melted Swiss cheese, and fresh basil. A spooky-themed Halloween appetizer for kids that's ready in 20 minutes with just 5 ingredients.

Ma-la cucumber fans with Szechuan peppercorns, chili flakes, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. A numbing-spicy Chinese cold appetizer with an elegant fan cut.

Molded borsch with diced beets set in a jewel-toned consomme gelatin ring, served cold with sour cream. A retro chilled appetizer that looks as stunning as it tastes.

Kipper pate slices layer creamy smoked fish on golden puff pastry, finished with a cool cucumber-mint dressing. A British appetizer that handles a dinner party with quiet confidence.

Chili cheese cubes are a vegetarian Tex-Mex appetizer of baked egg, Monterey Jack, sharp cheddar, and green chiles cut into bite-sized squares. Equally good hot or cold.

Shrimp porcupines: large shrimp wrapped in shaggy kataifi pastry threads and fried golden, served on a bed of bright purple cabbage-mayonnaise sauce. A showstopping appetizer with serious crunch.

Parmesan twists braid a buttery cheese-and-sour-cream dough into golden savory straws topped with caraway or poppy seeds. Crisp cocktail party appetizer that bakes in 10 minutes.

Chinese pickled pigs' ears simmered with ginger and vinegar, then chilled in a sweet-sour brine with cucumber, carrot, red onion, and bell pepper. A classic Cantonese cold appetizer.

Elegant black tie tomatoes topped with a yogurt-mayo dressing and a half teaspoon of black caviar each. Six-ingredient appetizer that dresses up halved tomatoes for cocktail parties.

Shellfish crepes with shrimp in vermouth, filled and topped with creamy Swiss cheese sauce, baked until bubbling and golden. A classic French bistro appetizer or elegant dinner party main.

Deep-fried banana peppers stuffed with taco-seasoned ground beef and melty cheese, dipped in a light cornstarch batter that fries up shatter-crisp. A handheld game-day appetizer.

Puff pastry twists filled with kalamata olive spread, sun-dried tomato, feta, and fresh parsley. A 30-minute flaky Mediterranean appetizer that bakes up golden and crisp, ready for wine and a crowd.

Cranberry-apple Stilton bites on Melba toast with port-braised fruit, creamy blue cheese, and chopped walnuts. A make-ahead holiday appetizer that balances sweet, salty, and funky in one bite.

Plump oysters nestled in shiitake mushroom caps and glazed with an Asian-inspired sauce of hoisin, oyster sauce, ketchup, and serrano chili. An elegant appetizer ready in just 30 minutes.

Italian-seasoned beef and sausage mixed with creamy ricotta and Parmesan, rolled in layers of buttered phyllo, and baked into a crispy golden strudel. A show-stopping dinner or appetizer.

Greek phyllo pastry nests filled with Parmesan, ricotta, and mint, baked golden, then topped with bubbly Kasseri cheese and a Kalamata olive. An elegant appetizer that stuns at any table.