227 starter recipes

Christopsomo: a traditional Greek Christmas bread with semolina, citrus zest from oranges and tangerines, currants, golden raisins, and a warming blend of cinnamon, anise, coriander, and cloves.

Chilled strawberry and white wine soup blended from fresh berries, lemon zest, and dry white wine. Elegant five-minute summer starter served cold in chilled bowls.

Homemade yogurt using a microwave with just skim milk and a spoonful of active yogurt as starter. A three-ingredient method that needs no special equipment beyond a microwave.

Spinach mousse made with blanched fresh spinach, egg whites and a drizzle of heavy cream, finished with a pinch of nutmeg. Cold, silky, no-cook starter for a French or Creole table.

Excellent as a cold remedy and as a starter to an Indian meal.

This quick and tantalizing chicken stock is the perfect starter for soups and gravy.

Puccia, traditional Italian olive-studded bread rolls from Puglia made with biga starter and whole wheat flour. Crusty, airy rolls with a long rise for deep flavor.

Elegant snow pea and pear salad on radicchio leaves with toasted walnuts and a light pineapple-yogurt dressing. A fresh, low-calorie starter ready in 20 minutes.

Chilled raspberry and red wine soup with cranberry juice, cinnamon, and a sour cream swirl. Refreshing summer dessert soup or unexpected starter, served cold.

Salt rising bread made with a potato-cornmeal starter fermented overnight. No yeast needed. A heritage Appalachian bread with a unique cheese-like aroma and dense crumb.

Chilled summer squash soup with fresh herbs: a silky cold soup of zucchini, crookneck, and pattypan squash pureed with basil, parsley, and buttermilk. A summer lunch or starter for six.

Turnip soup simmered in chicken consomme with bright green peas and buttery croutons. A light, elegant French-style starter that highlights an underused root vegetable.

Salt-rising bread made with a potato water starter fermented overnight. A heritage Appalachian yeast bread with a distinctive tangy flavor and dense crumb.

Chilled fruit soup with spiked melon: champagne-sweetened fruit broth ladled over vodka-and-tequila-marinated melon, grapes, and plums. A grown-up summer starter built for heat waves.

Spinach salad with mushrooms, mozzarella, and a warm anchovy-olive oil dressing served with grilled bread toasts. A bold Italian-style starter with rich umami.

This extravagant salsa is the perfect conversation starter at dinner parties. Can be served with tortilla chips and on burgers.