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20 Make-Ahead Hors d'Oeuvres for Thanksgiving

By

Food & Wine Editors

Updated on October 17, 2023

Musubi Lettuce Wraps — Photo: Photo by Caitlin Bensel / Prop Styling by Christina Daley / Food Styling by Ali Ramee

Alleviate some holiday stress by prepping your Thanksgiving hors d'oeuvres ahead of time. By the time your guests arrive for dinner, all you'll have to do is arrange the crudité platter. From savory dips to fantastic cheese-stuffed mushrooms and miniature deviled crab cornbread muffins, here are easy make-ahead appetizers for Thanksgiving.

01 of 20

Green Curry Deviled Eggs

Green Curry Deviled Eggs — Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Jillian Knox

This classic appetizer gets a fresh herby layer of flavor thanks to a curry paste filling, which comes together in no time in a food processor. Each egg gets a topping of crispy spiced puffed rice that delivers a contrasting, satisfying crunch. The filled eggs can be made ahead and refrigerated; garnish with the puffed rice mixture just before serving.

02 of 20

Crudité Platter with Pimiento Cheese and Shiro-Miso Dip

Fall Crudites Platter with Pimiento Cheese and Shiro Miso Dip — Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Roasted delicata squash, crisp raw vegetables, and two crowd-pleasing dips make this appetizer as beautiful as it is delicious. A citrus-spiked miso dip is a refreshingly light complement to the crudités, while a classic pimiento cheese is tangy, creamy, and satisfying.

03 of 20

Cheddar Cheese Coins

Cheddar Cheese Coins — Cheddar Cheese Coins.
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Thom Driver

These crisp and buttery crackers with a sharp cheddar bite are perfect for snacking on their own or served topped with prosciutto. Try variations with green chile and cornmeal, benne and black pepper, or bacon.

04 of 20

Musubi Lettuce Wraps with Pineapple Salsa

Musubi Lettuce Wraps — Photo by Caitlin Bensel / Prop Styling by Christina Daley / Food Styling by Ali Ramee

Musubi, the beloved Hawaiian snack made of Spam, sushi rice, and nori, happens to be a perfect holiday appetizer. In this version, sticky, sweet ham replaces the Spam and is topped with vibrant pineapple salsa. Prep the cabbage and toppings in advance and assemble just before serving.

05 of 20

Wild Mushroom Galette

Wild Mushroom Galette Recipe — Michael Piazza

This galette’s flaky crust stays crisp even when filled with creamy ricotta; be sure to use best-quality cheese and drain it overnight for superior results. Roasting the mushrooms reduces excess moisture and concentrates their meaty flavor, which pairs perfectly with the fresh thyme, rosemary, and sage.

06 of 20

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.

07 of 20

Classic Cheese Ball with Spiced Pecans

Classic Cheeseball — Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Kay Clarke

This iconic Southern hors d'oeuvre is a classic for good reason — it’s easy to put together, looks polished on a platter, and boasts an irresistible savory flavor. Be sure to take the cream cheese out of the refrigerator at least 30 minutes in advance so it has plenty of time to soften before mixing up the cheese ball.

08 of 20

Onion Jam and Goat Cheese Rugelach

Onion Jam and Goat Cheese Rugelach — Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Dickey / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis

The crescent-shaped cookies are typically layered with jam and chopped nuts and topped with a generous sprinkle of cinnamon sugar, but the dough makes a surprisingly compatible home for savory fillings. These are spread with a thick homemade onion jam flavored with balsamic vinegar, sumac, and coriander. Serve them as an hors d'oeuvre with a glass of sparkling wine.

09 of 20

Maw Maw B’s Preserved Figs

Maw Maw B’s Preserved Figs — Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Dickey / Prop Styling by Jillian Knox

This recipe showcases ripe figs simmered in a thick, sweet syrup. They’re perfect for serving as part of a cheese board. Make them up to a month ahead of time and store them in the fridge.

10 of 20

Za'atar-Spiced Beet Dip with Goat Cheese and Hazelnuts

Za'atar-Spiced Beet Dip with Goat Cheese and Hazelnuts — © Antonis Achilleos

Chef and food writer Yotam Ottolenghi takes fall flavors to the next level by pureeing roasted beets with garlic, chile, za'atar, and maple syrup. The dip can be made in advance, but hold off scattering on the roasted hazelnuts, goat cheese, and scallions until you're ready to serve — we like it with warm bread.

11 of 20

Mixed Nuts with Crispy Herb and Garlic

Mixed Nuts with Crispy Herbs and Garlic — Con Poulos

To make the most irresistible mixed nuts for the holidays, former F&W culinary director at large Justin Chapple first toasts garlic, sage, and rosemary in olive oil, then uses that fragrant oil to cook the nuts.

12 of 20

Red Pepper, Garlic, and Pecorino Gougères

Red Pepper, Garlic & Pecorino Gougères — © Maura McEvoy

Cookbook author Melissa Clark's savory cheese puffs are cleverly flavored with pureed garlic and red pepper for a make-ahead appetizer your guests won't be able to resist.

13 of 20

Bacon-Wrapped Dates

Bacon-Wrapped Dates — Abby Hocking

A perfect cocktail party snack, bacon-wrapped dates are chewy, crispy, sweet, savory, and smoky all at once. Plump and tender Medjool dates are stuffed with a mixture of blue cheese and cream cheese, and a toasted walnut stands in for the pit. Fresh goat cheese could easily be swapped for the blue cheese, and roasted, salted almonds can replace the walnuts.

14 of 20

Goat Cheese-Stuffed Mushrooms with Breadcrumbs

Goat Cheese-Stuffed Mushrooms with Bread Crumbs — © Frances Janisch

For these texturally satisfying bites, creamy chèvre is stuffed into cremini mushrooms and topped with crispy herbed breadcrumbs. You can make these a day ahead and refrigerate them without the breadcrumbs, then sprinkle the topping on before serving.

15 of 20

Crostini with Roasted Butternut Squash, Ricotta, and Preserved Lemon

Crostini with Roasted Butternut Squash, Ricotta and Preserved Lemon — © Guy Ambrosino

A preserved lemon relish adds a bright, salty note to these elegant crostini, balancing the flavors of creamy ricotta and sweet squash. Make the toppings a day in advance, then toast the baguette slices and reheat the squash when you're ready to serve.

16 of 20

Cauliflower Fritters

Cauliflower Fritters — © Akiko Ida & Pierre Javelle

To create these wonderful tapas, chef José Andrés makes a batter with crunchy nubs of chopped cauliflower florets, fries spoonfuls in a skillet, and then tops the fritters with yogurt sauce and a dollop of caviar. You can make these crispy bites early in the day and then reheat before serving.

17 of 20

Butternut Squash and Sage Wontons

Butternut-Squash-and-Sage Wontons — © Tina Rupp

"Wonton wrappers are terrific for making ravioli when you don't have time to make homemade pasta," says food writer Jill Donenfeld. The wontons here, filled with mashed butternut squash and roasted garlic, get nicely crispy when sautéed in a touch of oil, but they're also delicious simply steamed.

18 of 20

Sausage and Apple Stuffing Bites

Sausage-and-Apple Stuffing Bites — © Con Poulos

Since stuffing is one of the most popular parts of a Thanksgiving meal, try serving it as fun little hors d'oeuvre bites. Here, stuffing balls are made with sweet Italian sausage, homemade croutons, and chopped Granny Smith apple packed into muffin cups and baked until they're golden.

19 of 20

Mayan Pumpkin Seed Dip

Mayan Pumpkin-Seed Dip — © Con Poulos

This super-easy, thick pumpkin seed spread from the Yucatan, called sikil pak, might just be the new guacamole — it seems to be on Mexican menus all over the U.S. This orange zest-scented version comes from Top Chef finalist Mike Isabella.

20 of 20

Turkey Liver Mousse Toasts with Pickled Shallots

Turkey Liver Mousse Toasts — © Petrina Tinslay

This hors d'oeuvre is a Louisiana riff on traditional French chicken liver pâté. The Rushings create a silken mousse with livers from the quintessentially American bird, turkey, but you can also use chicken livers. Instead of cornichons, the little French pickles, the Rushings add a sweet and tangy Southern accent — pickled shallots.

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