I totally get the impulse to make hosting easier with the help of store-bought snacks, but hear me out: There are tons of foolproof starters that are a breeze to pull off, and ten times more impressive than that store-bought guacamole. Here, you’ll find 51 savory appetizers that are guaranteed to impress and satisfy hungry guests, from easy skillet mushroom and gouda fondue to mini chicken shawarma. I love these recipes not only because they’re simple and delicious, but also because many of them are easy to make ahead and ideal for serving a crowd.
51 Savory Appetizers That Are Sure to Get the Party Started, from Make-Ahead Gems to Cheesy Delights
Hi, hostess with the mostest
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Published Jul 9, 2024
Kylie Mazon-Chambers/Liz Andrew/Erin McDowell
Cheesy
- Time Commitment: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, vegetarian
Warning: Once you start to snack on them, you might not be able to stop. Instead of the usual stick shape, this one calls for frying tiny balls of cheese for a dangerously poppable twist. Serve them with marinara or pesto for dipping.
2. Goat Cheese and Honey Bites
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, special occasion-worthy
I’ll bring the merlot, you bring these. You only need a log of goat cheese and two sheets of store-bought puff pastry to assemble them, plus a few pantry staples. Use hot honey for a delightful kick.
3. Baked Brie with Figs, Pistachios and Orange
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, <10 ingredients
This simple-yet-elegant savory appetizer will soon become your go-to for parties. It bakes to melty perfection in a miniature cast iron skillet and requires minimal hands-on work from the host.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, make ahead, crowd-pleaser
Want to see a magic trick? Set these minis out at your next barbecue and watch them vanish into thin air. Trading a skillet for a muffin pan results in drool-worthy crispy edges.
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, kid-friendly
These pizza-inspired starters are only four ingredients away, thanks to store-bought dough. Packed with soppressata and grated pecorino, the pinwheels can accommodate just about any cured meat or cheese, if you feel like substituting whatever’s in your fridge.
6. The Classiest Cheese Balls in the Universe
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, special occasion-worthy
When it comes to entertaining in the fall and winter, cheese balls are an easy home run. Try varieties like everything bagel seasoning with goat cheese, lemon-dill with cheddar and pomegranate with blue cheese.
7. Mozzarella-Stuffed Pizza Bread
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, <10 ingredients
Make this for your picky kids once and they’ll ask for it daily. Fortunately, it’s a breeze to prepare since it starts with store-bought pizza dough and jarred sun-dried tomato pesto. (It’s a great pairing for pasta or Caesar salad too, BTW.)
8. Cheesy Polenta Bites with Brussels Sprouts and Pancetta
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, <10 ingredients
Proof that polenta can be as crispy as it is creamy. These tiny bites are a lot like corner pieces of cornbread (tender on the inside, crunchy on the outside). Salty pancetta makes each bite even more irresistible.
9. Pimento Cheese-Stuffed Shishito Peppers
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, <30 minutes
Think of this unconventional savory appetizer as a classy remix of the humble jalapeño popper. Brownie points for making your own pimento cheese from scratch (with hand-shredded cheddar, of course).
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
Just as cheesy and indulgent as your favorite party dip, but infinitely more elegant. The store-bought frozen puff pastry can be our little secret—your guests wouldn’t mind the shortcut anyway.
11. Easy Skillet Mushroom and Gouda Fondue
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, vegetarian, special occasion-worthy
If you have a penchant for salty, umami-packed snacks, this decadent starter is the ultimate. After all, you’ll only need seven ingredients and 30 minutes to prepare it.
Vegetarian
12. Roasted Poblano and Corn Guacamole
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: make ahead, vegetarian, <30 minutes
Chunky guac stans, this one’s for you. The roasted corn not only offers plenty of texture (along with poblanos, avocados and red onion) in every spoonful, but also a pop of sweetness to this otherwise zesty, spicy app.
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, beginner-friendly
I hope you’re serving steak for the main course. The horseradish dipping sauce will taste great on that, too. But even if you aren’t, this savory appetizer is sure to get the party rolling.
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, kid-friendly
These poppable eggplant Parm bites are a worthy dish to serve with pizza at your next house party—just don’t forget a side of marinara sauce for dipping. (And a glass of red, obvi.)
16. Roasted Edamame
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients
Frozen edamame is transformed into a lip-smackingly salty snack in 25 minutes flat with the help of a few pantry staples. Might I suggest drizzling them with sriracha before serving?
17. Chopped Italian Salad Pizza
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, vegetarian
Don’t sweat the dough: The recipe calls for using the store-bought kind for minimal fuss. This pie is a great starter for cold soup, charcuterie, spaghetti and meatballs or pork chops.
18. Delicata Squash Rings with Garlic-Lemon Sauce
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, vegetarian
Onion rings but make them fashion. Don’t worry about peeling the squash; its stripy skin is totally edible, turns tender in the oven and looks photogenic. Don’t even get me started on the citrusy aioli.
19. Vegan Arancini
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes (plus chilling)
- Why I Love It: vegan, special occasion-worthy, <10 ingredients
If you’ve never had arancini before (aka cheesy Italian rice balls), you’ve been missing out. This plant-based version is made with risotto, panko and plant-based mozzarella. Your guests won’t know the difference, promise.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, beginner-friendly
These handhelds are packed with fresh herbs, Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs, so you know they’ll be tasty on their own. But just wait until you dunk them in the spicy yogurt dipping sauce.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
A half-hour in the oven takes artichokes from hard and fuzzy to crisp and golden brown. Pro tip: You’ll want to make a double batch of the lemon-garlic aioli.
Make Ahead
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, vegan
You can’t beat this classic snack mix recipe. These savory bar nuts will feel right at home at a cocktail soirée or portioned into snack packs for car trips and lunch boxes.
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
Believe it or not, Caesar salad (and lettuce in general) doesn’t need to be boring. The dressing calls on avocado instead of eggs for its creamy, rich texture.
24. 7-Layer Dip
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, no cook, make ahead
This just might be the easiest party dip of all time, considering all the components are store-bought. Better yet, you can assemble this savory appetizer up to 12 hours ahead and chill it until your guests arrive. Ta da!
26. Bacon-Wrapped Cheese Straws
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, <10 ingredients
If only they served this crispy number at bars instead of stale pretzels. I’m betting they’d totally complement a crisp IPA or wheat ale.
27. Italian Deli Pinwheel Sandwiches
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, make ahead, no cook
Nothing beats a savory appetizer that requires nothing but assembly. Pro tip: Toast each tortilla in a warm skillet before rolling the sandwiches—this will make them more flexible and less likely to tear.
28. Marinated White Bean and Tomato Salad
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
Five minutes of cooking + one hour of marinating = the easiest, most Insta-worthy canned bean salad you ever did see. It would taste divine paired with toasted baguette, steamed rice, pasta or arugula. Once you infuse the garlicky olive oil, you’re more than halfway to dinner.
29. French Onion Dip
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, kid-friendly
You can do better than soup mix and sour cream. “This recipe calls for julienned onions—aka long, thin matchsticks—but don’t be intimidated by the cheffy term,” PureWow senior food editor Katherine Gillen says. “When you julienne an onion, you make cuts from pole to pole (aka the root and stem ends), slicing parallel to the fibers of the onion. When you slice an onion, you make cuts perpendicular to the fibers, or orbitally through the middle of the root and stem.”
30. Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad Stuffed Peppers
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, high protein, beginner-friendly
Store-bought rotisserie chicken makes it so you won’t need to cook a thing to prepare this picnic-ready meal. If your kids aren’t into the bell pepper boats, serve the salad on its own or on potato buns.
31. Salami, Artichoke and Ricotta Pasta Salad
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
This Italian-inspired mélange can be served hot or cold, so feel free to prepare it ahead if you have time. (It’ll keep for up to five days in an airtight container—the longer it chills, the longer the pasta can soak up the dressing.)
High Protein
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, low carb, low sugar
In other words, it’s the most foolproof party appetizer of all time. Transform leftover ground chicken meatballs with a simple two-ingredient sauce that your guests will go gaga for.
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, crowd-pleaser
Few sandwiches scream summer as loudly as a lobster roll. Don’t let their small size disappoint you: Using tiny buns means that each bite offers the ideal ratio of meat to bread.
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
Don’t you hate when your chicken parm turns soggy under a boatload of sauce? You won’t have that problem with this clever iteration. That said, I wouldn’t blame you for topping the bites with melty mozzarella, if you feel so inclined.
35. Keto Guacamole Burger Bites
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why I Love It: low carb, keto-friendly, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
In case you’re serving barbecue, chops, fish or chicken for a main—but don’t want your guests to miss out on beef. They’re adorably tiny, so go ahead, have four.
- Time Commitment: 2 hours and 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, <10 ingredients
These little tofu nuggets can be served on top of a salad as a main course, on the side of pretty much anything or mixed into your favorite stir-fry or soup. Basically, it’s the most versatile, protein-packed recipe you’ll ever make.
37. Camarones al Mojo de Ajo (Shrimp in Garlic Sauce)
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
This savory appetizer is decidedly substantial—and only 15 minutes away. It starts with a simple garlic-lemon butter. Once fragrant, the shrimp are quickly sautéed, then served with rice, bread and lemon wedges.
- Time Commitment: 55 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, low carb, keto-friendly
The sauce is as simple as spiking melted butter with homemade everything bagel seasoning (which makes the dish virtually carb-free), although you could easily substitute the store-bought kind to save time. Serve them with plenty of ranch dressing.
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
BRB, drooling. Serve it as a side for eggs, add it to a sweet-and-savory breakfast sandwich or use it to garnish a next-level bloody Mary.
40. Beef Empanadas
- Time Commitment: 2 hours
- Why I Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients
Store-bought pie crust and packaged taco seasoning make these a breeze to assemble. Freeze a batch for up to three months, so you can bake them whenever a craving strikes.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, high protein
The star here is a bold herb sauce made with lemon juice, dill, garlic and Greek yogurt. Whether you assemble one pita sammy for cocktail hour or chow down on three, they won’t steer you wrong.
For a Crowd
42. Tater Tot Nachos
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, sheet pan recipe, kid-friendly
“Add your favorite salsa, a drizzle of sour cream, some scallions, pickled onions and cilantro, and you’ve officially made yourself the most over-the-top nachos ever,” Gillen raves. They come together on a sheet pan for easy cleanup. Sub ground beef, ground turkey or grilled chicken for chorizo if you’d like.
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, <10 ingredients
Just when you thought the beloved deviled egg couldn’t be improved upon, this recipe calls for buttery avocado. They’re a shoo-in for your next Sunday brunch gathering.
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <30 minutes, no cook
There’s no shortage of seasonal produce in this crowd-pleasing charcuterie board, which includes usual suspects like watermelon and peaches, as well as curveballs like golden raspberries and fresh figs. Serve the fruit and cheese alongside vino, crackers and cured meats.
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why I Love It: keto-friendly, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients
The first rule of savory appetizers: They all taste better on a stick. Here, it’s Brussels sprouts, prosciutto and pearl mozzarella. Serve the “sliders” with balsamic glaze for dipping.
46. Spicy Ricotta-Stuffed Phyllo Rolls
- Time Commitment: 55 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, vegetarian
If you can’t find pickled Peppadew peppers, substitute roasted red peppers instead. Whatever you use, dunk ’em in hot pepper jelly or sweet chili sauce for a punch of heat or serve them to the kiddos with marinara sauce or tzatziki.
47. Scallion and Chive Flatbread
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, special occasion-worthy
The quickest way to make a savory appetizer look fancier than it is? Edible flowers. Luckily, this easy riff on garden focaccia is just the vehicle for them.
48. Spicy Pineapple Prosciutto Tarts
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
How about a sweet-and-savory appetizer for balance? Here, pineapple is caramelized in brown sugar and topped with a generous dose of prosciutto, all on flaky, store-bought puff pastry. Pair the tarts with dressed greens, hot honey or burrata.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly
The word “bruschetta” often refers to tomato-topped bread when used stateside, but technically, the only must is grilled bread that’s been rubbed with garlic and topped with salt and olive oil. You can supplement with cheese, cured meat, veggies and beyond, hence this snackable masterpiece.
50. Pull-Apart Bread with Caramelized Onions and Goat Cheese
- Time Commitment: 3 hours and 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, vegetarian
This appetizer has holiday cocktail hour written all over it. The dough is extra moist, thanks to sour cream, while fresh herbs take the sweet onion filling over the top.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, special occasion-worthy
Round up the troops to devour this crowd-pleasing assortment of pan con tomate, patatas bravas, Spanish cheeses, cured meats and all the accoutrements. (Hi, ever-so-trendy anchovies.) Prep the bread and potatoes a day ahead to make assembly the day of a cinch.
