From smooth and creamy hummus to crisp, cool salads, here are 20 appetizer recipes that we can’t stop making. They are easy to make, great for parties, and many are ideal for warmer-weather cookouts and BBQs.
Most people think of appetizers as the start of the meal, but after years of cooking and entertaining ourselves, they are also perfect for combining to make a main meal.
Some of my favorites right off the bat are the smoked salmon dip (we did live in the PNW, so this one had to make it, right?), our easy bacon-wrapped jalapeños, and our regular readers would be mad if I didn’t highlight our original hummus recipe! On a similar note, Joanne wouldn’t let me off the hook if I didn’t mention her guacamole. She makes it all the time, and it’s always one of the first things to go. Find all 20 appetizer recipes below!
Easy Smoked Salmon Dip
You’ll love our smoked salmon dip recipe. It’s incredibly creamy and absolutely delicious. I love serving it with thick kettle chips, crackers, sliced bread, or even spread onto bagels.
Easy Smoked Salmon Dip
I can’t get enough of this creamy, delicious salmon dip! We love smoked salmon and are always looking for more ways to use it. This smoked salmon dip has quickly turned into one of my favorite recipes!
Easy Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
My easy roasted red pepper hummus is made with sweet red bell peppers, chickpeas, garlic, and tahini. It’s super simple to make and tastes much better than the hummus you can buy at the store.
Easy Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
After falling in love with how easy it is to make hummus at home, we’ve been playing around with more of our favorite store-bought hummus flavors. I love roasted peppers, and am excited to share this roasted red pepper hummus recipe with you! It’s creamy, smooth, and so delicious.
Perfect Guacamole
My family swears by this guacamole recipe! The best, most authentic guacamole starts with fresh ingredients and a few simple tricks that guarantee perfect texture and flavor. All you need are avocados, onion, cilantro, lime, tomato, and salt. It’s so simple, and so good!
Perfect Guacamole
I’m not kidding when I say this homemade guacamole does not last long in my house. The whole family loves it so much my teenage niece has even made it her special dish for years (and that’s how you know it’s good!).
Seriously Good 7 Layer Dip
I’m planting my flag and declaring this the ultimate 7 layer dip. Arguably the best party appetizer you can serve, this dip features delicious layers of homemade black bean puree, guacamole, spiced sour cream, cheese, and more.
Seriously Good 7 Layer Dip
What makes this dip so delicious is the black bean puree, which we make from scratch. By cooking our own beans, we pack in so much flavor from fresh garlic, onion, and spices. It’s an easy step that makes all the difference in the world. Once you try seven layer dip made with this puree, I know you’ll never go back.
Easy Hummus (Better than Store-Bought)
My favorite hummus recipe! With a few simple tricks, you can make the best creamy, smooth homemade hummus, and yes, it’s better than store-bought.
Easy Hummus (Better than Store-Bought)
Hummus is a delicious spread (or dip) made from chickpeas, tahini, lemon, and spices. It is a popular dish in the Middle East and the Mediterranean. You can find it in most grocery stores, but trust me, you’ll want to skip those and make your own. Homemade hummus is just so much better!
Easy Bacon Wrapped Shrimp
These bacon wrapped shrimp are the ultimate party appetizer! They’re coated in a spicy maple glaze and are perfect for any party. With our recipe, you’ll have crispy bacon and perfectly cooked shrimp!
Easy Bacon Wrapped Shrimp
Our bacon wrapped shrimp recipe is incredibly easy to make! The shrimp are so juicy and flavorful. They are high on my list of favorite appetizer recipes! We coat them in an irresistible spicy maple glaze that will have everyone coming back for more.
Easy Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers
Learn how to make the easiest, most delicious jalapeño poppers! With my recipe, you’ll have perfect, bacon-wrapped poppers in no time. Make an extra batch because these fly off the plate!
Easy Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers
These bacon wrapped jalapeño poppers are shockingly good. I’ll take a few of these over the store-bought fried poppers sold in grocery stores any day! Thin bacon is the secret to these incredible cream cheese stuffed poppers. Its fat renders down into the filling and over the peppers. So good!
Chili Lime Shrimp Wonton Cups
These chili lime shrimp wonton cups are the perfect party appetizer! We bake wonton wrappers in the oven until crisp, fill them with arugula and lime sour cream, and then top them with a big juicy chili lime baked shrimp.
Chili Lime Shrimp Wonton Cups
These easy wonton cups are like mini shrimp tacos. The shrimp are spiced with chili powder, the lime brightens everything up, and the arugula keeps the whole thing fresh. So many of our readers have made these for parties with great success!
Hummus with Spiced Ground Beef, Feta and Mint
How to make hummus topped with spiced ground beef, feta cheese and mint.
Hummus with Spiced Ground Beef, Feta and Mint
A spiced up and easy ground beef recipe with cumin, coriander and spicy cayenne pepper that’s added to a big bowl of creamy hummus.
Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Verde
Our Mexican salsa verde recipe made with roasted tomatillos, chile peppers, and garlic is genuinely one of my favorite homemade salsa recipes! It’s easy, incredibly flavorful, and makes everything taste better. Trust me, once you try it, you’ll be hooked!
Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Verde
We shared this roasted tomatillo salsa recipe years ago, and so many of our readers have kept coming back to it over the years. This one is a keeper! To make this easy green salsa, we roast tomatillos alongside other ingredients like chiles and garlic, guaranteeing so much flavor!
Easy Homemade Ranch & Veggies
This homemade ranch dressing recipe is so easy and delicious that it will make you ditch the store-bought bottles for good. It’s extra creamy and perfect for salads and dipping!
Easy Homemade Ranch
I’ve always loved ranch dressing, and this homemade version is truly the best I’ve had. My homemade ranch dressing is incredibly simple to make and tastes so much better than what you can buy at the store (promise). Serve it with lots of colorful veggies for a super easy appetizer.
Feta Tzatziki
We love this thick, creamy tzatziki with feta cheese and fresh herbs! It’s delicious as a sauce or dip with veggies, pita chips, grilled meats, and sandwiches.
Feta Tzatziki
We absolutely love tzatziki sauce around here! It’s so versatile, and we’ll happily spoon it onto just about anything. This recipe takes classic tzatziki to the next level by adding tangy feta cheese for extra flavor and creaminess.
Easy Chickpea Salad
I can’t get enough of this easy chickpea salad recipe with lemon and dill. I’ve been making this delicious salad with chickpeas for years and fall in love all over again every time I do.
Easy Chickpea Salad
Thanks to the dill and lemon vinaigrette, this chickpea salad has the most delicious Mediterranean vibe. It’s super fresh, incredibly flavorful, and perfectly filling as a healthy, speedy lunch or dinner (thanks to those hearty chickpeas!).
Easy Sweet Chili Chicken Wings
Our Thai sweet chili chicken wings are out of this world delicious and so simple to make. You’ll bake the wings to sticky perfection and then toss them with even more delicious sticky Asian sweet chili glaze. So good!
Easy Sweet Chili Chicken Wings
Our sweet chili wings are sticky, sweet, and spicy, with a bit of crunch, thanks to a handful of chopped peanuts and sliced green onion sprinkled on top. They are easy, too. The sweet chili glaze only needs three ingredients!
Roasted Tomatoes with Ricotta and Mint
These roasted tomatoes with ricotta are perfect when served as an appetizer (or even dinner with toast).
Roasted Tomatoes with Ricotta
As they roast in the oven, the tomatoes release their juices, which taste incredible with creamy ricotta cheese. You have to serve this one family style right out of the baking dish – no fuss.
Easy Fruit Dip
This is the most delicious fruit dip recipe I’ve made! Our recipe combines cream cheese, cream, and orange. It’s insanely good!
Easy Fruit Dip
Imagine you’re at a party with a table filled with tempting treats. At one end, you see chocolate cupcakes. At the other end, there’s a bowl of this irresistible creamy fruit dip. Where will you find me? I’ll be practically attached to that fruit dip bowl, happily devouring it. Honestly, I hardly even need the fruit – this dip is so good that I could eat it with a spoon!
Cheese Pinwheels
Our easy cheese pinwheels made with puff pastry, two cheeses, and roasted red peppers are such a delicious appetizer! These cute little pinwheels fly off the plate!
These puff pastry pinwheels are high on my list of best hors d’oeuvres. They are simple, pretty on the plate, taste incredible, and are perfect for making in advance! In our recipe below, we spread puff pastry with Boursin cheese, add lots of parmesan, and top with roasted red pepper for sweetness and color.
Buffalo Chicken Pizza Sticks
Thanks to store-bought (or homemade) pizza dough, you can make this easy buffalo chicken pizza with shredded chicken tossed in buffalo wing sauce and cheddar cheese.
Buffalo Chicken Pizza Sticks
This buffalo chicken pizza is so incredibly easy. You can use homemade pizza dough or buy pre-made dough from the store.
Easy Spinach Artichoke DIp
My family and friends love this homemade spinach and artichoke dip so much! We serve it hot and make it with three cheeses! It’s so creamy and delicious!
Easy Spinach Artichoke Dip
We love this warm, gooey spinach and artichoke dip with not one but three cheeses, lots of artichoke, fresh spinach, and garlic. Serve this with pita bread, tortilla chips, crusty bread, or vegetables. It’s incredibly delicious and so creamy!
Cheese Dip
This cheese dip is so easy to make and impossible to resist. We combine tangy sour cream with lots of gooey mozzarella, plus fresh basil, and bake it until it’s bubbly and golden. It’s perfect with sliced bread, and don’t be surprised when it’s the first thing to disappear!
Cheese Dip
Every time we make this cheese dip, we’re asked for the recipe. And now, it is yours to share, too! It’s almost too easy to put together, requiring only stirring the ingredients in a bowl and baking in the oven until bubbly.