When it comes to hosting an unforgettable cookout, steaks and burgers are definitely important. But let’s face it: Everyone gets most excited for the starters. Whether you’re hosting an annual block party or just entertaining your roommates, here are 70 impressive summer appetizers that are a cinch to whip up, from DIY potato chips to mini lobster rolls. Bookmark these for every backyard gathering, dinner party, picnic or barbecue you attend and let the compliments roll in.
70 Summer Appetizers to Make for Every Barbecue and Picnic This Season
I'm here for the finger foods
•
Published Jun 3, 2024
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
1. Grilled Melon with Tahini, Chili Oil and Sesame Seeds
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: vegan, <30 minutes, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
Nutty, spicy and ridiculously refreshing, this summer appetizer deserves a spot on your picnic table. Cantaloupe or honeydew will work best; watermelon will work in a pinch, but it’s wetter and not as firm.
2. Spicy, Crunchy Sesame Cucumber Salad
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy, vegan, <10 ingredients
Shaving the cukes into ribbons makes for an elegant, unexpected presentation. The key is removing most of their excess water with a generous dusting of salt before mixing the salad, so the dressing doesn’t get diluted and the texture is crisp.
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, <30 minutes, make ahead, vegan
Need to occupy the kids while you set up the sprinkler? This garlicky, herby mix of cashews, almonds and walnuts is sure to keep them busy. (It gets its cheesy flavor from nutritional yeast, BTW.)
5. Kristin Cavallari’s Salmon BLT Salad with Spicy Tomatillo Ranch
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, high protein, beginner-friendly
Tomatillos are at their most delicious in early summer, so take advantage at the farmers market by using them in this hearty salad. Make a double batch of the dressing for drizzling over grilled corn, veggie burgers, chicken wings and summer pizza.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, vegan, kid-friendly
If you have an hour to spare and four russet potatoes on hand, this snack is within reach. They’ll blow the store-bought kind way out of the water. (Chalk it up to the Old Bay seasoning.)
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly, high protein
Party appetizers don’t get more iconic than deviled eggs. But I suggest you give them a modern makeover with roasted garlic, crispy capers and hot sauce.
8. Grilled Watermelon-Feta Skewers
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, vegetarian, beginner-friendly
Come summer, watermelon and feta beats tomato and mozzarella every time. (Don’t @ me.) Feta is also perfect for grilling, since it’s firm enough to hold its shape against the hot grates.
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, kid-friendly
Think of this layered masterpiece as a giant elote. The tortilla chips are buried in fresh corn, cotija cheese, homemade queso, sour cream, fresh cilantro and all the lime juice, so you’ll never pull a naked chip.
10. Mango Guacamole
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, no cook, vegan, make ahead
It turns out that this tropical fruit and buttery avocado have been soulmates for a looong time. The sweet mango is just the thing to balance spicy serrano chiles and acidic lime juice.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 35 minutes
- Why I Love It: vegan, <10 ingredients, no cook, make ahead
Lettuce? I don’t know her. Try a salad starring cucumber, the most refreshing vegetable around. They’re quick-pickled in rice vinegar with onion, garlic and fresh dill.
12. BLT Pasta Salad
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, make ahead
It’s crunchy, creamy and savory, just like the sandwich it was inspired by. Instead of simply using traditional mayonnaise, spruce up the dressing with Dijon mustard and apple cider vinegar for zing.
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, pescatarian, high protein
Behold: the quickest, most flavorful shrimp recipe you’ll ever make. Serve it with sliced baguette for soaking up all the leftover lemon-garlic butter.
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, special occasion-worthy, pescatarian
Few sandwiches scream summer as loudly as a lobster roll. Don't let their size disappoint you: Using tiny buns means that every bite has the perfect ratio of meat to bread.
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, vegetarian, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
Small hot dogs are the way to go in the winter (or for the Super Bowl). Once the weather’s warm, I lean on this baked carrot alternative instead—odds are you’re grilling plenty of meat for the main course anyway.
- Time Commitment: 55 minutes
- Why I Love It: keto, <10 ingredients, low carb, high protein
Nope, I’m *not* over everything bagel seasoning…and I’m pretty sure I never will be. Try it on buttery baked chicken wings instead of Buffalo sauce to give them some bonus crunch.
17. Caprese Salad with Zucchini
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, vegetarian, <10 ingredients
Who else has been counting the minutes until they can hit the summer farmers market? Pick the ripest zucchini, the juiciest tomatoes and the freshest basil you can find and you’re halfway there.
18. 15-Minute Gazpacho with Cucumber, Red Pepper and Basil
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: no cook, vegan, <30 minutes, beginner-friendly
This cold tomato soup is so chic and impressive that no one would believe how little effort it took to make. (Seriously—you basically just toss the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blitz it to perfection.)
19. Chopped Italian Salad Pizza
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why I Love It: vegetarian, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
It’s as simple to put together as a kale Caesar—but a million times more exciting. Picture dressed Bibb lettuce and microgreens on a layer of ricotta, all topped with pepperoncini, mozzarella and more fixings.
20. Coconut Shrimp
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
Even self-proclaimed seafood haters can get behind this famously crunchy summer appetizer. Each batch of shrimp only takes about four minutes to turn golden brown.
21. Mini Skillet Pizzas with Mushrooms and Roasted Tomatoes
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, vegetarian
Sure, I could tackle these tiny pies (which start with store-bought pizza dough) in my trusty cast iron skillet year-round. But I’ll be popping them on the grill come summer, thank you very much.
22. Julia Turshen’s Skillet Cornbread with Cheddar and Scallions
- Time Commitment: 55 minutes
- Why I Love It: vegetarian, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
Sharp cheddar cheese, tangy buttermilk and fresh scallions—need I say more? It’d taste divine as a side for homemade chili, but I wouldn’t blame you for noshing on it straight from the skillet.
23. Mini Peach Tarts with Goat Cheese and Honey
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, vegetarian, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
Who knew store-bought frozen puff pastry could do all this? These photogenic starters have alfresco dinner party written all over them.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly
Turn your backyard get-together into a Sicilian picnic with this epic charcuterie board. It’s loaded with herbed cheese, salami, prosciutto, sun-dried tomatoes, marinated artichoke hearts, olives and more.
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why I Love It: keto, low-carb, high protein, crowd-pleaser
If everyone has full-sized burgers coming their way, choose another app. But if you’re making fish, pork or chicken for the main, these are sure to scratch your guests’ itch for beef.
26. Grilled Peach, Chicken and Ricotta Pizza
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, high protein
Before you bake the pie in the oven, take the time to grill the fresh peaches and red onion on the barbecue. The char will give them that smoky flavor you crave.
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, vegan, crowd-pleaser
Speaking of grilled produce, you’ll never look at jarred salsa the same way again after trying this tropical rendition, featuring charred mangos, tomatoes, red onions, jalapeños and limes.
28. Salami, Artichoke and Ricotta Pasta Salad
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser
This 20-minute gem couldn’t be simpler, but salty salami, punchy artichoke hearts and a zingy balsamic vinaigrette make it beyond flavorful. Make it a day or two ahead to save time before your guests arrive.
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser
The cheeseburgers are shaking in their boots over these savory bites. These skewered sammies are loaded with cherry tomatoes, prosciutto and pearl mozzarella.
30. Rainbow Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: no cook, vegetarian, special occasion-worthy
There’s truly no better way to show off your farmers market haul than with this vibrant centerpiece. Think sliced baguette topped with seasoned ricotta and balsamic-kissed basil pesto, finished with fresh tomatoes.
31. Cauliflower ‘Potato’ Salad
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: low carb, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, vegetarian
Proof that the cruciferous veggie can do just about anything. Not only does this side skimp on the spuds, but it’s dressed in a tangy mix of Greek yogurt, sour cream and Dijon mustard instead of mayonnaise.
32. 15-Minute Mezze Plate with Toasted Za’atar Pita Bread
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy
Go ahead, have a pile of cold appetizers for dinner—I won’t tell. The only cooking this 15-minute masterpiece requires is toasting the za’atar-seasoned pita in a skillet.
34. Italian Deli Pinwheel Sandwiches
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why I Love It: no cook, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, <30 minutes
You can throw some deli meat between two slices of bread, or you can spend a few extra minutes rolling them into pinwheels on flour tortillas. The choice is yours...but I think it’s an obvious one.
35. Skillet Blueberry Cornbread
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
I’m most definitely whipping this up for the first alfresco brunch of the season. The brown sugar streusel puts the cornbread firmly between breakfast and dessert territories.
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: no cook, vegetarian, <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser
When the weather is particularly hot, I’m more in the mood for fresh produce than meat. Pair a few of your favorite cheeses with all the seasonal fruit you can get your hands on, from kiwis to cherries to cantaloupe.
37. 7-Layer Dip
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: no cook, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
It’s your pantry’s time to shine, considering that this recipe calls for canned refried beans, canned green chiles and store-bought taco seasoning. (It also calls for premade guacamole and salsa, so all you’ll have to do is assemble.)
38. Rainbow Collard Wraps with Peanut Butter Dipping Sauce
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: no cook, vegan, beginner-friendly
Portable? Check. Easy to assemble? Check. Can be made two days ahead of serving? You bet. These vegan handhelds are prime for a picnic or potluck. Pass the peanut butter dipping sauce, please.
39. Jalapeño-Avocado Mac and Cheese
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, high protein, special occasion-worthy
It’d be simply cruel to serve barbecue without a side of creamy mac and cheese. This one gets upgraded with briny pickled jalapeños, crisp green onions and mild avocado.
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: vegan, dairy free, special occasion-worthy
Aka liquid sunshine. As if cold soup (aka gazpacho) wasn’t summery enough, this take calls on mild yellow tomatoes, fresh peaches and bell peppers instead of standard tomatoes, cucumbers and onion.
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: vegetarian, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
You might not think fresh strawberries, balsamic vinegar and Brie belong together, but you’ll change your mind at first bite. The fruit is macerated in a mix of vinegar, olive oil, sugar and salt before crowning the crostini.
42. Spring Crudités with Romesco Sauce
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, vegan, beginner-friendly
Trade store-bought ranch dressing for a wow-worthy, robust romesco sauce made with roasted bell peppers, sweet-hot dried peppers, almonds, garlic and breadcrumbs. Your guests won’t miss it, promise.
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
Aren’t they adorable? Make these creamy, dreamy green gems once and you’ll have to whip them up for every future barbecue you ever host.
44. Serena Wolf’s Boss Bean Dip
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, vegetarian
Hi, 20-minute miracle. Each serving has 13 grams of protein and only 213 calories, so it’s cool if I devour the whole skillet for dinner, right? Serve it with tortilla chips, pita chips or sliced bell peppers.
45. Sweet-and-Sour Pork Skewers with Pineapple
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: high protein, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
The more char marks, the better. The grill will mellow the acidity of the pineapple, while also giving the pork a solid outer crust. Finish them with sliced scallions and a drizzle of sriracha.
46. Mexican Street Corn Deviled Eggs
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, vegetarian
Presenting your new go-to potluck contribution. Show up with these handhelds (complete with corn, red onion, cotija cheese and cilantro) and prepare to be hounded for the recipe.
47. 15-Minute Cucumber-Avocado Blender Soup
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, beginner-friendly, vegetarian
Two summer staples, one bowl. The soup comes together in minutes with creamy Greek yogurt, lime juice and lots of fresh mint and parsley, while the Asiago-encrusted bread only takes a few minutes to bake in the oven.
48. Grilled Corn with Spicy Aioli
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: vegetarian, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
Sure, corn on the cob is a side…if it’s plain. When it’s topped with four-ingredient sriracha aioli, it deserves your undivided attention.
49. Baked Mac and Cheese Bites
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, vegetarian, crowd-pleaser
They’re crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside and ever so cheesy. One batch makes a whopping 48 bites, but I have a feeling you’ll go through them quicker than you think (especially if there are kids at the cookout).
51. 15-Minute Buffalo Chicken Sliders
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, <30 minutes, high protein
How do they come together in a flash yet look so gourmet, you ask? By starting with the oldest cheat in the book: a store-bought rotisserie chicken. It’ll be our little secret.
52. Grilled Peach and Halloumi Salad with Lemon-Pesto Dressing
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, vegetarian
Place it in the center of the picnic table on a big platter and let the oohs and aahs commence. The grilled slabs of halloumi and peach halves offer just enough smoke to this summer stunner.
53. Roasted Poblano and Corn Guacamole
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: vegetarian, <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients
Roasted summer corn not only adds texture to this decidedly chunky guac, but it also offers a pop of sweetness to this otherwise zesty dip. Pile it onto a burger or slather it on a steak if you’d like.
54. Cuban Sliders
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
Sliders are an easy crowd-pleaser, but they’re even easier if you can make them all in one fell swoop. Just halve a pack of buns, nestle them into a pan, assemble the sammies and bake them to buttery perfection.
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, vegetarian, crowd-pleaser
With seasonings this flavorful, people will almost forget all about the main course. I’m talking lime-chili mayonnaise, smoked paprika and Parmesan cheese.
56. Shrimp Boil Skewers with Corn, Sausage and Potatoes
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why We Love it: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser, high protein
The heavily seasoned Cajun butter packs all the flavor of a traditional shrimp boil into a much less messy package. Layer your picnic table with newspaper, place the skewers on top and let your guests go to town.
57. Cheater’s Prosciutto Hawaiian Pizza
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser
Let this pie finally convert you to Team Pineapple on Pizza. Grilling the pineapple rings brings out their sweetness, making them just the match for salty prosciutto and peppery arugula.
Renée Kohlman/Vegetables: A Love Story
58. Sweet Potato Biscuit Rolls with Honey Butter Glaze
- Time Commitment: 2 hours and 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
These handhelds are light as a feather and impossibly tender. I suggest using them as slider buns, but they’re an ideal pairing for barbecue ribs or pulled pork, too.
Jerrelle Guy/Rodney Scott's World of BBQ
59. Rodney Scott’s Pimento Cheese
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: no cook, <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser
The key to this soul food recipe’s texture is shredding the cheese yourself, since pre-shredded cheeses contain added ingredients to prevent clumping. Scoop it up with pork rinds, celery stalks and crackers.
Photo/Styling: Katherine Gillen
60. Blueberry Streusel Corn Muffins
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
Behold: a cross between cornbread, blueberry muffins and coffee cake. I’m betting they’d pair beautifully with beef brisket, ribs and pulled pork alike.
Infraordinario Studio for Dalcò Edizioni S.R.L.
61. Vietnamese-Style Summer Rolls
- Time Commitment: 55 minutes
- Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, pescatarian, beginner-friendly
Light, refreshing and served with a sweet-and-spicy dipping sauce. In other words, they’re prime for kicking off an alfresco meal. (They’re also free of dairy, and could be gluten-free if you use a rice-based wrapper to roll them.)
Photo/Styling: Katherine Gillen
62. Whipped Feta Dip with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, vegetarian
Show off your farmers market tomato haul with this simple dish that’s equal parts creamy, crunchy and tangy. Wash it down with something crisp and bubbly.
63. Aloo Tikki Arancini with Saffron Aioli
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes (plus chilling time)
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
No one at your backyard dinner party will see this Indian-inspired twist on Italian arancini coming. Instead of breadcrumbs, mashed potatoes hold these risotto balls together.
Jonathan Meter/The Sweet Side of Sourdough
- Time Commitment: 15 hours and 40 minutes (includes resting time)
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
Psst: I found your weekend baking project. Dip it in pesto, add it to a charcuterie board or drag it through quality olive oil spiked with salt and pepper. Your guests will gobble up a loaf in 30 seconds flat regardless.
Jennifer Davis/The Southern Baking Cookbook
65. Bacon, Apple and Cheddar Waffles
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
Sure, you can serve them sliced with syrup and hot sauce for dipping...or you can use them in place of rolls for pulled pork sandwiches. The kids at the party will be psyched.
Erin Kunkel/Malibu Farm Sunrise to Sunset
66. Malibu Farm’s Vegan Chop Salad
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 50 minutes
- Why I Love It: vegan, dairy free, special occasion-worthy
Kale, quinoa, avocado, tomatoes, chickpeas—the gang’s all here. Substitute sweet potato for butternut squash in the off season; just don’t skip the marinated beets.
Photo/Styling: Katherine Gillen
67. Charcuterie Board Flatbread
- Time Commitment: 5 minutes
- Why I Love It: no cook, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, <30 minutes
Instead of fussing over assembling a Pinterest-worthy charcuterie board, opt for these burrata-topped cuties instead. You can even set out multiple cheeses, cured meats, fruits and spreads to let your guests make their own.
LOUISE HAGGAR/A SPLASH OF SOY
68. Gochujang Butter Charred Corn with Parmesan
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, vegetarian
Is this sweet-spicy corn the queen of all summer appetizers? I’ll let you be the judge, but with its eight ingredients and rich, garlicky topping, I think I already have my answer.
BAXTER MILLER/ED MITCHELL’S BARBEQUE
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, vegetarian
If you’re serving barbecued meats, I’d suggest you pair them with this iconic Southern recipe. Frying sounds complicated, but really all you have to do is season your tomatoes, batter them in flour, put them in oil and go. (Serve them with pimento cheese to go OTT.)
YUKI SUGIURA/LOVE JAPAN
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients
This summer appetizer calls for Kewpie mayo—which is rich and umami-forward—and a dusting of shichimi togarashi, a Japanese spice blend that contains chili flakes, seaweed and sesame seeds. If you don’t want to slice the corn into wedges, whole cobs will be just as delish.
