75 Easy New Year’s Eve Appetizers to Get the Party Started

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: sheet pan recipe, beginner-friendly, make ahead
• Serves: 4

This pot of comforting, soul-soothing soup is only one hour away. Roasting all the produce ahead of time concentrates its flavor in a way stovetop simmering can't. "Blend and top it with whatever pleases you," former PureWow senior food editor Katherine Gillen writes. "I chose a crunchy seed brittle, but croutons or cheese would be equally lovely."

Staying in for New Years? Try these NYE Movies!

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: high protein, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 6 to 8

These are everything you love about wings, minus the sticky hands. "These bites are spicy, tangy and perfectly tender," asserts recipe developer Erin McDowell. Serve them with plenty of ranch dressing and crunchy veggies.

To amp up the New Year’s spirit, turn your serving into a New Year's game! Set up a mini wing-eating contest and see who can devour the most bites in a set time. Or, for a spicier twist, arrange the bites by heat level and challenge your guests to taste-test their way through, starting mild and ending with the hottest. It's a playful way to spice up your party and keep the energy high!

Planning New Years Dinner?

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 8 to 10

The secret to a great party has nothing to do with booze. It’s oozy baked cheese served in a cast iron skillet, topped with honey and thyme. "This sweet and savory recipe looks fancy, but it couldn't be easier to make," McDowell assures.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 6

You’ve heard that the key to being a great host is to give your guests choices. Behold these deviled eggs with roasted garlic, sriracha or capers, which are just sophisticated enough for a New Year's Eve appetizer. Take your pick, or have all three.

Need NYE Outfit ideas?!

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, make ahead
• Serves: 6 cups

Strategically place bowls of these tasty homemade nuts around the living room for a fancy addition to your NYE party. A trio of fresh herbs (rosemary! oregano! thyme!) and a few pantry spices elevate them with minimal effort on your part.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 16

Monique Volz’s chic twist on avocado toast is worthy of being served on a silver platter. The sweet-tart pomegranate arils are the perfect wintry finishing touch, if you ask me.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 8

Even picky kids won't be able to turn down these souped-up potato chips. Serve them after a few rounds of cocktails to make sure everyone makes it to midnight (it'll be impossible for your guests to stop munching once they start).

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, no cook
• Serves: 4

Feel like you need something green to balance out the cheese, meat and alcohol? Try this gorgeous and festive salad board. All the toppings are easily accessible instead of trapped at the bottom of a serving bowl.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 8 to 10

You might want to keep this plate of savory goodness close to the kitchen. (It's safer there, right?) Once the bacon and alliums are cooked, you're more than halfway there.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegan, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 6

A snack vegan guests can eat that doubles as a gorgeous centerpiece. (You multitasker, you.) "My recipe for butternut squash 'fondue' is just as smooth, tangy and dippable as the cheese version, but about a billion times healthier," McDowell raves.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 6 to 8

Tiny fried balls of mozzarella cheese? Sign me up...and everyone else at the party, too. "Instead of the usual stick shape, I fried tiny balls of cheese for a bite-size twist," McDowell explains.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 6

Let this app do the heavy lifting for you. Guests can assemble their own crostini with toppings like olive tapenade, prosciutto and herbed cheese. Use store-bought onion jam instead of caramelizing your own to save time.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 8

On nights when appetizers are the main meal, hearty dishes are a welcome addition to the buffet. Case in point: eggplant Parm bites with marinara dipping sauce. The breading is equal parts cheesy and crunchy.

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 8

Free up some oven space, because the hostess with the mostest will definitely want to bake this goat cheese marinara dip. "The whole thing comes together in under an hour, and most of that is time spent baking in the oven," McDowell notes.

Toasting to the New Year? Try these Quotes!

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 12

Want to look fancy without putting in too much work? Try these French onion cups baked in puff pastry (the store-bought kind). They're loaded with all the beefy, Gruyère-kissed magic of the O.G. soup.

• Time Commitment: 55 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, gluten free
• Serves: 12

It’s only fair to have a few healthy options at the table, right? Thanks to their almond meal crust, these little guys are low in carbs, wheat-free and packed with protein. That's a win-win-win in my book.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 24 quesadillas

It's time to eat cheese like it's January 1. "I stuff wonton wrappers with my favorite fillings and lightly fry them until they are golden brown and crispy," McDowell explains. "Just don't forget the guacamole and salsa for dipping."

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 16

Extra cheese is the secret ingredient in Heidi Larsen’s addictive spinach and artichoke dip. The recipe calls for cream cheese, Swiss cheese and Parmesan cheese for good measure. I'll just need a spoon, thanks.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: no cook, <30 minutes, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 2 to 16

No party is complete without a charcuterie board, piled high with copious amounts of cheese. Take it up a notch and adorn it with fruit, cheese, cured meat and everyone’s favorite mini pickles, cornichons.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 8

Katie Workman's crostini is basically my dream New Year's Eve appetizer. It’s best served at room temperature, you can make it ahead of time and smoked salmon is involved—what's not to like?

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 16

I know you're not supposed to eat garlic at a party, but too bad. Midnight kiss, schmidnight kiss. You won't care once you get a taste of these buttery, cheesy masterpieces.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegan, make ahead, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 10

Prove to your guests that crudités are anything but boring—Gena Hamshaw's spicy harissa dip is as tasty as they get. Save the leftovers for January 1, since black-eyed peas are known to bring good luck for the year ahead.

• Time Commitment: 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, <30 minutes, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 1

What can you make with four ingredients and six minutes, you ask? The ultimate spicy grilled cheese, full of cheddar and tingly chilis. (It's a great pairing for bubbly, crisp Champagne, BTW.)

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 8

Sometimes the best New Year's Eve appetizers don't even involve cooking, like this massive mezze platter loaded with hummus, tabbouleh and lavash. All you'll need to do is assemble and let the compliments roll in.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy, vegetarian
• Serves: 24 tartlets

Mini phyllo dough shells make a seriously delicious base for Aida Mollenkamp’s savory Brie and cranberry tartlets. Try heating things up with a jalapeño garnish, or add spicy pepper jelly to the fruit filling.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 8

You already know that ham and pineapple make an amazing pair, so gussy up this classic combo in an Insta-worthy snack-etizer. "It’s like a really fancy Hawaiian pizza," McDowell asserts. "They have a little bit of protein, a little bit of richness and plenty of tartness from the pineapple."

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, vegetarian, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 40 pieces

The “blanket” of this beloved New Year's Eve appetizer is absolutely the best part, so make the filling a little healthier by subbing mini hot dogs with roasted carrots. The green goddess dipping sauce is sure to win people over, too.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 8

Set a few crispy shrimp aside for yourself, because this New Year's Eve appetizer will disappear in approximately five seconds. Dunk 'em in cocktail sauce, sweet chile sauce or nothing at all.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes (plus chilling time)
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, vegan, dairy-free
• Serves: 4

Plant-based cheese and cold risotto are the secret ingredients in these crowd-pleasers. Use your favorite plant-based mozzarella in the filling, and feel free to add nutritional yeast to the panko coating to drive the flavor home.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 8

The more dumplings, the better the party. Store-bought wonton wrappers make the folding process a total breeze, even if you're a newbie. (However, enlisting a friend or two to help won't hurt.)

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4

Quesadillas can be pressed and sliced on demand with this quick waffle maker hack. (Bonus: They look super cute.) The recipe calls for cheddar, avocado and salsa verde, but you can substitute any cheese and condiments that you'd like.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: high protein, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4

It’s a proven fact: Every cocktail party needs a good meatball on a toothpick. This Syrian-inspired riff is equal parts sweet, salty, sticky and swoon-worthy, so don't expect them to last long. (Seriously—make a double batch.)

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, <10 ingredients, gluten free
• Serves: 3

Eating chicken wings at a party can be awkward—where the heck do you put the bones? Enter cauliflower wings, which are lighter, plant-based and less messy. It's a New Year's Eve miracle.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, sheet pan recipe, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 8

This sheet pan pizza can be easily cut into small slices to serve a crowd, so one batch goes a long way. "This pie starts with a focaccia that's baked in an oiled sheet tray so the bottom of the crust gets crisp—like it's fried—while the inside stays chewy," McDowell explains.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours
• Why I Love It: make ahead, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 24 empanadas

Seasoned beef encased in store-bought pie crust will keep well in the freezer for up to three months. That means to can assemble these ahead and cook them right before your New Year's Eve party for convenience.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, vegetarian
• Serves: 8 to 10

Be prepared to share the recipe for these gooey, cheesy rolls, because everyone's going to be asking for it. All you need is five ingredients and 30 minutes to make what's essentially salty, savory monkey bread.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 10 to 12

These flaky, crisp homemade crackers are conversation-pausing swirls of goodness. Best of all, you only need grated Parm, bacon and store-bought puff pastry to pull them off. In the words of Ina Garten, how easy is that?

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: high protein, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 8

These panko-coated chicken breast bites are delightfully crunchy...and even better dipped in the homemade fusion hot sauce. (Think gochujang, canned chipotles in adobo and a few pantry staples.)

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, no cook, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 10 to 12

You only think cheese balls are outdated. These modern toppings will prove you wrong. Options include everything bagel goat cheese, lemon-dill cheddar and pomegranate blue cheese.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 12

Four ingredients (including easy frozen puff pastry) and 20 minutes? You can handle that. "They're cheesy, creamy, salty and crispy and the best accompaniment for red vino," McDowell claims.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 6

Nachos are great, but the toppings are rarely evenly distributed. With this sheet pan wonder, each bite offers the optimal ratio of fixings to chips. Make it now, then bookmark this recipe for the Super Bowl too.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 6 to 8

Don't have ramekins or mini pie dishes on hand? No worries: "It's easily modified to any size," McDowell says, "so you could even make it in a nine-inch square baking dish if that's what you have." The end result is a sweet-tart pie with a flaky crust that guests will clamor over, no matter how it's served.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, vegetarian, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 48 bites

I'd make two or three batches if I were you. The kids at your party will demolish the first in a few seconds flat. Feel free to make them ahead and skip the reheating step if you'd like; they're delicious both hot and at room temp.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours and 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, vegetarian, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 40 bites

I dare you to have just one (OK, five). My favorite thing about this New Year's Eve appetizer is that the Brie is really the only specialty ingredient. Odds are you already have the rest in your pantry or fridge.

• Time Commitment: 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, make ahead, no cook
• Serves: 4

Complete with pomegranate arils and toasted pumpkin seeds. If you want to make the guacamole ahead, top it with plenty of lime juice, then cover it with a tight layer of plastic wrap to keep it from browning before your guests arrive.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, <30 minutes
• Serves: 8

These sammies have a secret shortcut: store-bought rotisserie chicken. That's how they come together in a flash without you needing to cook anything. (The only "cooking" required is warming the Buffalo sauce on the stove.)

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 6

Could these salty-sweet gems be any more chic? I think not. Flaky salt, smoked paprika and fresh rosemary sprigs make them look way more sophisticated than they actually are.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 6 to 8

They're sort of like reverse pigs in a blanket, only classier. "I take bite-sized balls of premade pizza dough, wrap them with slices of salty prosciutto and coat them with Parmesan cheese," McDowell writes. "Just bake, serve and await the compliments."

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 12 pies

Presentation is everything, and the crust toppers on these teeny-tiny casseroles are so worth the effort. The leftovers will be perfect for packing in your kids' lunchboxes (if there are any, that is).

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 6 to 8

All the fixings of a traditional loaded baked potato, plus the irresistible crunch of a chip—nothing to dislike here. Even better, they bake in the oven on a sheet pan, so you won't need to worry about frying anything (or making a mess).

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, vegetarian, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 9 pastries

Let's face it: Everything tastes better on a stick...and with a sprinkle of flaky salt. Any store-bought cranberry sauce or jam is fair game for the filling, or you can show off with a homemade kind of your choice.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 8

You know that warm, cozy feeling you get when you're sitting by a roaring fire with a hot drink in hand and a blanket wrapped around you? That's what this app tastes like.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, gluten free, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 30 crostini

Get ready to make the toughest decision of your life: smoked salmon or cranberry-almond? Whatever you choose, these expertly topped spuds are an easy win for New Year's Eve.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, one pan, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4

You truly couldn't mess up this one-pan recipe if you tried. And even if you did, no one will complain about a skillet of bubbly melted cheese, right?

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, high protein
• Serves: 6

They're already coated in a sweet, hot, zingy glaze—think ketchup meets sriracha, rice vinegar and sweet chile sauce—but they'd taste great dunked in ranch dressing. (Garlic aioli would work, too.)

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, vegetarian
• Serves: 12

Spinach artichoke dip is a dependable home run—but I have a feeling no one will mind eating it wrapped in puff pastry. Once they're baked and golden brown, the low-brow appetizer gets a more sophisticated appearance.

• Time Commitment: 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, no cook, make ahead
• Serves: 12

This beauty's all about the add-ons. I'm talking kumquats, persimmons, apples and rosemary crackers, to name a few. Fresh citrus (like clementines) is a great component to add in the wintertime, too.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, high protein
• Serves: 8

You're seriously not ready for these three-ingredient gems. It's the ultimate cheater's New Year's Eve appetizer. Chalk the shortcut up to frozen, store-bought meatballs.

• Time Commitment: 5 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, no cook, <10 ingredients, <30 minutes
• Serves: 6 to 8

It's ready in five minutes flat—need I say more? Serve it with strawberries, graham crackers, pretzels or leftover sugar cookies from Christmas for dipping.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, vegetarian
• Serves: 8

BRB, drinking the horseradish dipping sauce straight from the bowl. Your guests' jaws will drop when they see this homemade riff on Outback Steakhouse's most famous appetizer hit the table.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, vegetarian
• Serves: 8 to 10

All in favor of making Brussels sprouts their own food group say aye. "Dish them up with tangy dipping sauce and cute toothpicks and then watch them disappear like magic," McDowell recommends.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 14

The key to the hostess drinking her Champagne cocktail while it's still actually cold? Fifteen-minute appetizers, of course. This beauty, starring store-bought pie crust and prepared cranberry sauce, is just the ticket.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 8

They're baked in the oven for maximum crispiness, minus the messy frying. "There's no need to peel your delicata squash," McDowell advises. "Its stripy skin is completely edible and adds a fancy flair to your rings."

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 6 to 8

Nothing puts me in the mood to celebrate like fried dough rolled in cinnamon sugar. If you're not into the chocolate dip, substitute canned dulce de leche (or have the churros plain instead).

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 2 to 4

Cheese, dough and honey—what's not to love? This 25-minute New Year's Eve appetizer is only five ingredients away, and it looks way fancier than it actually is.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, make ahead
• Serves: 4

Eat your heart out, Panera Bread. This iconic soup is always a guaranteed home run. (And don't even get me started on the garlicky sourdough breadcrumb topping.)

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, gluten free, vegetarian
• Serves: 4

Crispy spiced spuds doused in cilantro-garlic yogurt sauce? I'll take 500 of them, please. (P.S.: If you want them to be less spicy, use smoked paprika or Kashmiri red chili powder instead of red chili powder.)

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 1 to 2

Got 15 minutes? Then this classy-yet-simple starter is within reach. "You can pseudo-candy the bacon by whisking a bit of maple syrup and brown sugar together in a small bowl and drizzling or brushing it over the strips while they cook, once at the start and again after you first flip them," PureWow food editor Taryn Pire suggests.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours and 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: make ahead, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly
• Serves: 12 rolls

Meet my new favorite way to use up leftover sweet potatoes. These rolls are so much more exciting than that mini marshmallow-topped casserole you made for Thanksgiving (no offense).

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 12 waffles

Eat one whole and it's breakfast. Cut the waffles into sticks or quarters to dip into maple syrup instead, and you've got a New Year's Eve appetizer for the books. Use shredded Granny Smith apples for a pop of tartness.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, no cook, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 4 to 6

Quick, you have 15 minutes until the party and you need one more snack. Grab the food processor to quickly whip some feta for Maria Lichty’s delightful treat, and consider the crisis averted.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
• Why I Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 12

There's no need to wait for St. Patrick's Day to bust out this wintry, gluten-free gem. Think of the loaf as a giant, fig-studded, savory scone.

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 26 large or 52 small balls

This Indian-inspired twist on Italian rice balls will wow each and every one of your guests. Serve them with toothpicks and a bowl of aioli, or feature them on a charcuterie board.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
• Serves: 12 to 14

PSL season is year-round in my heart. Serve this simple dip, starring canned pumpkin purée, with pita bread, tortilla chips, crudités or crackers.