24 Quick Appetizers for Any Occasion

By

Food & Wine Editors

Updated on May 5, 2024

Bacon-Wrapped Scallops — Photo: Photo by Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

The best quick appetizers are the ones that come together in under an hour without much fuss because let's face it — there's so much more to do when hosting a meal or throwing a party! These Food & Wine appetizers prove that you don't have to sacrifice flavor or presentation for speed. Opt for classics like chicken liver pâté or Swiss cheese fondue, or try harissa-tinged deviled eggs or vibrant ceviche with craveable salsa macha for new spins on old favorites that are all ready in 35 minutes or less.

01 of 24

Crab Salad with Serrano and Kewpie Mayonnaise

Crab Salad with Serrano and Kewpie Mayonnaise — JENNIFER CAUSEY / FOOD STYLING BY VICTORIA GRANOF / PROP STYLING BY KARIN OLSEN

This quick and easy crab salad appetizer combines bright and acidic lime juice with cilantro, mint, and succulent crab meat. Serve it with toast points, crackers, or red and green endive spears.

02 of 24

Tomato Bruschetta

Tomato Bruschetta — Matt Taylor-Gross

Just about any summer cocktail party can use a platter of bruschetta. This appetizer comes together in just minutes, making it easy on the host. It’s a great way to show off tomatoes when they're ripe and in season, whether from your garden, the farmers market, or the grocery store.

03 of 24

Grilled Shrimp Cocktail with Fresh Tomato Cocktail Sauce

Grilled Shrimp Cocktail with Fresh Tomato Cocktail Sauce — Photo by Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Christina Brockman

Give shrimp cocktail a seasonal, smoky upgrade with this recipe, an ideal appetizer for summer dinner parties and cookouts. The shrimp are marinated in a bright lemon-garlic mixture that gets a kick from crushed red pepper. The cocktail sauce echoes the lemony notes from the shrimp and features a combination of fresh tomato and smoked sun-dried tomatoes.

04 of 24

Brussels Sprouts Baba Ghanoush

Brussels Sprouts Baba Ghanoush — Greg DuPree

After a whirl in the food processor, brussels sprouts and tahini come together to form a creamy dip. Chef Michael Solomonov serves it topped with more roasted brussels sprouts, hazelnuts, and warm pita for dipping at Zahav in Philadelphia.

05 of 24

Salmon Crudo

Salmon-Coconut Crudo Is the Perfect Winter Appetizer — Hugh Davison

The combination of raw salmon and citrus shines bright in this eye-catching appetizer from chef Kat Turner of Highly Likely in Los Angeles. Opt for salmon belly if available, as the extra fattiness pairs particularly well with the juicy grapefruit and spicy yuzu kosho, a Japanese condiment made from fermented chiles.

06 of 24

Shakshuka Deviled Eggs

Shakshuka Deviled Eggs — Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Shakshuka meets deviled eggs in this colorful snack. Instead of poaching eggs in a tomato-based sauce, you'll spoon a garlicky, slightly spicy tomato jam flavored with harissa and smoked paprika on top of deviled eggs. The yolks are pureed with mayo and plain yogurt for a creamy, perfectly balanced filling with a little bit of tang.

07 of 24

Tender, Sizzling Hush Puppies

Hushpuppies — Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

Chef Joe Kindred channeled childhood memories of eating hush puppies at seafood restaurants to create this recipe with a fluffy interior and a lacy, crisp crust. The secret to the hush puppies’ tender, light crumb? “To keep them extra crispy, I use frozen grated butter gently folded into the batter,” he says.

08 of 24

Tuna-Avocado Ceviche with Salsa Macha

Tuna-Avocado Ceviche with Salsa Macha — Jen Causey

This ceviche is great on top of tostadas or eaten like poke as an appetizer. And the best part is that you can make the salsa ahead of time, and stir it together with the remaining ingredients just before you're ready to eat.

09 of 24

Bacon-Wrapped Scallops

Bacon-Wrapped Scallops — Photo by Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

These two-bite quintessential cocktail party scallops are easy to prepare and ready in just half an hour. The bacon adds a nice smoky flavor, but you can also make this recipe with prosciutto or pancetta.

10 of 24

Fried Pickle Dip

Fried Pickle Dip — Food & Wine / Photo by Robby Lozano, / Food Styling by Melissa Gray / Prop Styling by Tucker Vines

Tangy from the mix of pickles, pickle brine, sour cream, and buttermilk powder in the ranch seasoning, this dip is definitely for pickle lovers. To mimic the crisp exterior of fried pickles, we used toasted panko that’s both stirred into the dip and sprinkled on top for a delicious crunch.

11 of 24

Garlic-Butter Steak Bites

Garlic Butter Steak Bites — Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Missie Crawford

A pan sauce made from roasted garlic, dry vermouth, butter, and Worcestershire envelops each cube of strip steak, ensuring every bite is as delicious as the last. Serve the steak bites as an appetizer with toothpicks, or enjoy over mashed potatoes or polenta.

12 of 24

Mini Deviled Crab Cornbread Muffins

Deviled Crab Stuffed Mini Cornbread Muffins — Kelly Marshall

At his dinner parties in Harlem, chef and cookbook author Alexander Smalls pairs creamy, slightly spicy, fresh deviled crab with tender corn muffins, barely sweetened with brown sugar and studded with corn kernels, for a quick one-bite appetizer.

13 of 24

Masala Mixed Nuts

Maneet Chauhan's Masala Mixed Nuts — Matt Blair

Peanuts, cashews, almonds, and walnuts are seasoned with a mix of spices, including mild Kashmiri chile powder and garam masala. You'll find yourself digging into the bowl of these extra crunchy fried nuts over and over again.

14 of 24

Classic Cheese Fondue

Classic Swiss Cheese Fondue — Julia Hartbeck

Steamed red-skinned potato chunks, grilled or toasted Tuscan bread cubes, and pear slices are all great for dipping in fondue cheese, which is ready in 15 minutes if you use a fondue pot or raclette grill.

15 of 24

Chicken Liver Pâté

How to Make Chicken Liver Pate — Diana Chistruga

Jacques Pépin's classic recipe for chicken liver pâté is silky-smooth, inexpensive, and simple to make — and perfect with a cocktail or glass of wine before a meal. Best of all, it comes together in just minutes.

16 of 24

Tomatillo Toasts with Prosciutto and Manchego

Tomatillo Toasts with Prosciutto and Manchego — Christopher Testani

Inspired by classic pan con tomate, a Spanish dish of bread rubbed with fresh tomato, former F&W culinary director at large Justin Chapple tops crunchy toasted bread with tangy grated tomatillos. To round the toast out, he also adds thin slices of prosciutto and shaved Manchego cheese.

17 of 24

Caviar Waffle Bites

Caviar Waffle Bites — Greg DuPree

Instead of serving blini alongside a tin of caviar, Justin Chapple makes these adorable handheld snacks. Waffles are cut into strips, and the pockets are filled with caviar, crème fraîche, and snipped chives to form the perfect pop-in-your-mouth morsel.

18 of 24

Mini Wedge Salads with Anchovy Dressing

Mini Wedge Salads with Anchovy Dressing — Greg DuPree

These mini wedges are coated in a creamy, anchovy-packed dressing and dredged in crunchy panko, making them easy to eat with your hands.

19 of 24

Roasted Tomato-Basil Hummus

Roasted Tomato Basil Hummus — © Sarah Bolla

Roasting peak-season tomatoes makes all the difference in this hummus from recipe developer Sarah Bolla. Serve alongside warm pita, or spread it over a flatbread with some toppings for a unique spin on pizza.

20 of 24

Warm Camembert with Wild Mushroom Fricassee

Warm Camembert with Wild Mushroom Fricassee — © Frances Janisch

Chef Daniel Boulud makes this oozy appetizer with Vacherin Mont-d’Or, a creamy cheese sold at top cheese shops. Camembert is as rich and runny as Vacherin Mont-d’Or, but much easier to find.

21 of 24

Red Wine Bagna Cauda with Crudités

Red Wine Bagna Cauda with Crudités — © Cedric Angeles

This garnet sauce is chef Chris Cosentino’s take on the classic Piedmontese anchovy and olive oil dip, enriched here with red wine. Italian for “hot bath,” bagna cauda is served warm with crudités. This version, with both oil-packed and marinated anchovies, doubles as a terrific sauce for grilled meat.

22 of 24

Bacon-Wrapped Cherry Peppers

Bacon-Wrapped Cherry Peppers — © Lucas Allen

This genius hors d'oeuvre from 2005 F&W Best New Chef Colby Garrelts calls for just three ingredients. The recipe comes together in only half an hour and can be made ahead of time, so it's great for parties.

23 of 24

Grilled Squash Ribbons and Prosciutto with Mint Dressing

Grilled Squash Ribbons and Prosciutto with Mint Dressing — © Con Poulos

The edges of these zucchini and summer squash ribbons become wonderfully charred and crisp when grilled.

24 of 24

Popcorn with Sesame-Glazed Pistachios

Popcorn with Sesame-Glazed Pistachios — © John Kernick

Mixing popcorn with glazed pistachios creates a sweet-salty snack that's fantastic with cocktails.

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Tell us why!

Related Articles

Carrots en Croute

Carrots en Croûte

Chhundo and goat cheese crostini

25 Timeless Bruschetta and Crostini Recipes

Deviled Crab Stuffed Mini Cornbread Muffins

Mini Deviled Crab Cornbread Muffins

Warm Crab Dip with Fresh Herbs

20-plus Hot Appetizers Bound to Be a Hit at Your Next Party

Cheese Croustades Recipe

This Easy, Elegant Appetizer Is an Entertaining Hero

Shrimp Toasts with Scallion-Chile Sauce

26 Terrific Toast Appetizers for Gatherings

Crostini with Lentil and Green Olive Salad

Crostini with Lentil and Green Olive Salad

Caviar-Topped Deviled Eggs

12 Deviled Egg Recipes From Classic to Caviar-Topped

Baked Sheep's Milk Ricotta With Dried Persimmons

Baked Sheep’s Milk Ricotta with Dried Persimmons

Classic Hummus

16 Amazing Hummus Recipes

Mushroom Toasts with Delice de Bourgogne

24 Fast French Appetizers for Your Next Party

Grilled Figs with Ham, Walnuts, and Mint Cream

Grilled Figs with Ham, Walnuts, and Mint Cream

Pork Belly, Shrimp and Pickled Tomato Pintxos Recipe

21 Spanish Small Plates, From Pintxos to Tapas

Sriracha-and-Wasabi Deviled Eggs

4 Ways to Transport Deviled Eggs

Sriracha-and-Wasabi Deviled Eggs

Sriracha-and-Wasabi Deviled Eggs

Bacon-Wrapped Cherry Peppers

18 All-American Appetizers