12 Easy Party Appetizers for Procrastinators
Impress your guests with these easy-to-make crowd pleasers.
Deviled Eggs
Deviled eggs aren't just for spring and summer picnics and potlucks. They're a hit at any gathering. This recipe for turning hard-boiled eggs into finger food is classic but adds a little kick from paprika and either cayenne or Tabasco.
Muhammara (Red Pepper and Walnut Dip)
Dips are a must on an appetizer table. Treat your guests to this one made with roasted red peppers, walnuts, pomegranate molasses, and seasonings. Serve it with raw or roasted vegetables, warm pita bread, or pita chips. Leftovers make a tasty sandwich spread.
Classic Cheese Ball
Go retro with this customizable cheese ball. Start with softened cream cheese and add shredded cheddar or any semi-hard cheese such as Gouda (smoked or not) or pepper Jack. You can add bacon for a savory treat or leave it out. Roll it all into a big ball and dip in crushed pecans for a nice presentation.
Chipotle-Lime Mixed Nuts
Simple seasoned mixed nuts coated with chipotle seasoning and lime go great with festive drinks. Switch it up and use chili powder, cayenne, Chinese five spice, or garam masala.
Easy Stuffed Stromboli
Use store-bought pizza dough to make quick work of assembling stromboli, or you can use homemade if you have a bit more time. Roll out the dough and fill it with whatever deli meats and cheeses you have on hand, add roasted red peppers and capers, then roll it up and bake.
Crab Fondue
This cheesy, full-of-crab fondue comes together in under 30 minutes. It's simple to make but guests will think it's something super special. Have plenty of day-old cubed French or Italian bread for dipping. If you don't want to keep a flame going on a fondue pot, serve the dip in a slow cooker on warm.
Prosciutto and Cheese Puff Pastry Pinwheels
An adorable and simple way to use puff pastry, these pinwheels are filled with creamy Italian herb spread made with fresh herbs, Dijon, and mayonnaise plus prosciutto and Parmesan cheese. Roll the filling in the puff pastry, chill, then slice into rounds before baking.
Slow Cooker Spinach Feta Dip
You can use fresh or frozen spinach for the dip, but if you use frozen you'll need to take the time to squeeze all the water out. Sauté the spinach in olive oil before adding it to the slower cooker with cream cheese, sour cream, and feta. Serve with pita chips and raw veggies.
Smoked Salmon and Goat Cheese Toasts
If you purchase the salmon already smoked, this is a simple yet elegant appetizer. Mix goat cheese, fresh herbs, lemon zest, and black pepper. Spread it on toasted baguette then top with thinly sliced salmon. This recipe makes 30 toasts, ideal for a party.
Cucumber Sandwiches
Nothing but assembly going on here, and the quaintness of cucumber sandwiches helps temper the richer fare often on an appetizer spread.
Mini Salmon Quiches
Frozen puffed pastry crust is the base of many quick and delicious appetizers. In this recipe, the pastry is cut and added to a mini muffin pan before being topped with filling. If you want to make them ahead, freeze the unbaked mini-quiches in tins, then pop them out and bag them. Put them back in the tins still frozen before baking.
Chutney Cheese Spread
Perfect for spreading over crackers or toasted thin baguette slices, this easy cream cheese spread packs retro pizzazz. Start with cream cheese, then top with Major Grey's or Trader Joe's mango chutney plus grated cheese.
