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With the holiday hustle and bustle in full swing, we know that party planning can be a stressful endeavor — and we’re here to take some work off your plate by offering our tastiest collection of holiday appetizers that are as easy as they are impressive. Made with minimal ingredients and relying on store-bought shortcuts, these recipes all come together in an hour or less. Choose from elevated classics like seared scallops with fennel-lemon relish and warm spinach-artichoke dip, or try new takes on familiar dishes such as butternut squash carpaccio and shakshuka-inspired deviled eggs. Whatever route you take, it’ll be festive, delicious, and quick.
Butternut Squash ‘Carpaccio’ with Coconut Milk
Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
For this seasonal Thai-inspired appetizer, steamed and seared planks of butternut squash are brushed with red curry paste and served on a pool of creamy coconut sauce enriched with fresh ginger, lime, and spicy jalapeños.
Dirty Martini Dip
Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Nicole Hopper / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle
If you take your dirty martini with a blue cheese-stuffed olive or three, this boozy and briny dip is for you. We soaked buttery Castelvetrano olives in gin and vermouth, then processed the brine with a creamy blue cheese base that’s the perfect match for crostini or ruffled potato chips.
Pepper Jelly Cocktail Meatballs
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
Inspired by slow-cooker grape jelly meatballs, this recipe coats these broiled pork and beef meatballs in a sticky, spicy-sweet sauce made with pepper jelly and chipotles in adobo sauce.
Grape, Walnut, and Labneh Crostini with Spicy Honey
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis
Roast red seedless grapes top toasted sourdough slices along with creamy and tart labneh, toasted walnuts, and a drizzle of hot honey for this near-effortless and elegant appetizer.
Air Fryer Burrata
Food & Wine / Photo by Brie Goldman / Food Styling by Lauren McAnelly / Prop Styling by Gabriel Greco
Coat cream-filled burrata with breadcrumbs and then bake it in the air fryer until it’s crispy on the outside and gooey inside. For a festive red-and-green holiday spin, serve it with marinara on one side and pesto on the other.
Caviar Waffle Bites
For this inventive and playful take on blini, strips of waffles house pockets of caviar, crème fraîche, and chives, making perfect grab-and-go appetizers.
Baked Goat Cheese with Herbs
Chris Simpson / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
Inspired by winters in Switzerland, this rendition of baked cheese from 2007 F&W Best New Chef Gavin Kaysen showcases creamy goat cheese baked until bubbly in olive oil and tart saba along with thyme, garlic, rosemary, and shallot.
Mushroom Flatbread with White Miso
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christine Keely
Top store-bought flatbread with a miso-cream sauce, oven-roasted mushrooms, and fresh arugula for a snack that’s fast, easy, and special enough for impromptu holiday entertaining.
Seared Scallops with Fennel and Lemon Relish
Food & Wine / Photo by Brie Goldman / Food Styling by Lauren McAnelly / Prop Styling by Natalie Ghazali
Quick-seared scallops get a tangy fennel-lemon relish for a light and festive starter. Sear over high heat for caramelized edges and a just-opaque center; the relish can be prepped ahead.
Spiced Carrots with Whipped Feta
Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Emily Neighbors Hall / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
Caramelize grated carrots in a pan with ghee and fry a combination of cumin, coriander, and Urfa pepper, then stir the toasted spices into the carrots for this earthy and sweet spread that’s delicious served with tangy whipped feta.
Shakshuka Deviled Eggs
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Heather Chadduck Hillegas
Give crowd-pleasing deviled eggs the shakshuka treatment by spooning smoky, garlicky harissa-spiked tomato jam onto each egg half. The velvety yolk filling includes tangy yogurt along with the usual mayo to balance the flavors.
Acorn Squash Saltimbocca
Acorn squash stands in for veal in this bold, earthy holiday appetizer. Brown butter-drizzled prosciutto perfumed with sage and caramelized sweetness.
Warm Spinach-Artichoke Dip
Made extra-rich and flavorful with four kinds of cheese — cream cheese, Gouda, mozzarella, and Parmesan — this crowd-pleasing baked spinach artichoke dip is especially effortless thanks to the use of frozen veggies.
Creamy Crab Canapés with Lemon and Caviar
Food & Wine / Photo by Fred Hardy Jr. / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling
These creamy crab canapés from chef Grant Achatz combine delicate lump crab, whipped cream, bright lemon zest, and luxurious caviar atop crisp brioche rounds for an easy, elegant appetizer that comes together in just 30 minutes.
Cheese Croustades
Josh Miller calls upon frozen mini phyllo pastry shells to make these croustades that are almost too pretty to eat. In each bite of the crispy pastry, guests will be rewarded with pops of cranberry brightness amid a fluffy goat cheese mousse.
Crudités Platter with Pimiento Cheese and Shiro-Miso Dip
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
In just one hour, you can put together this crowd-pleasing appetizer featuring two delicious dips with crisp raw veggies and roasted delicata squash. A citrus-spiked miso dip is a refreshingly light complement to the crudités, while a classic pimiento cheese is tangy, creamy, and satisfying.
Sausage-Stuffed Fried Olives
The subtle salt and tang of these stuffed Castelvetrano olives pair beautifully with the rich, fatty flavor of breaded and fried Italian sausage. Serve hot with a cold Martini.
Gambas al Ajillo (Shrimp in Garlic Sauce)
Diana Chistruga
Sauté shrimp in garlicky, spicy olive oil and then toss them with dry sherry, lemon juice, and a handful of parsley for a 20-minute starter that’s sure to please — don’t forget the crusty bread for soaking up the sauce.
Two-Bite Parmesan Biscuits
As if buttery biscuits weren’t delicious enough as is, this cheesy version includes a sizable wedge of Parmesan cheese. There’s a whole cup of ground cheese in the dough; more blankets the sheet pan to give the biscuits a crispy bottom crust, while the rest is sprinkled on top, turning delightfully golden in the oven.
Gouda Pimiento Cheese Dip
Food & Wine / Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Phoebe Hausser
This take on the classic Southern dip from chef Jeremy Salamon is leveled up with sweet piquillo peppers and nutty aged Gouda. Serve with crackers or crudités.
Hogs in a Blanket
Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle
Served with store-bought chutney mixed with whole-grain mustard and prepared with frozen puff pastry, this high-brow take on the classic snack swaps out the usual hot dogs for andouille sausage.
Mini Wedge Salads with Anchovy Dressing
Greg DuPree
Your holiday guests will delight in these personal wedge salads. A clever panko crust lets each guest enjoy their handheld salad in just a bite or two — no forks required.
French Onion Roast Beef Sliders
Chris Simpson / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis
Pair nutty Gruyère cheese with savory roast beef, sandwiched with the sweetness of Frenched onions and King’s Hawaiian rolls, for a melty and warm easy-to-share party food.
Garlic Butter Chicken Bites
Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
Coat chunks of boneless, skinless chicken breasts with a luscious lemon pepper and garlic butter sauce, and serve with toothpicks for an irresistible appetizer.
Mini Deviled Crab Cornbread Muffins
These cornbread muffin bites are a party staple for chef and cookbook author Alexander Smalls. Sweet, spicy, and earthy flavors come from a thoughtful blend of deviled crab, corn kernels, coriander, and brown sugar.
Scallop Crudo with Pecans and Ponzu Sauce
Con Poulos
This elegant appetizer from chef Eric Ripert comes together with only four ingredients in just 25 minutes. To make it, raw sea scallops are topped with a delicious combination of chopped toasted pecans, Japanese ponzu sauce, and aged balsamic vinegar.
Roasted Fingerling Potato and Pressed Caviar Canapés
Ellie Miller
Leave it to Jacques Pépin to create an hors d’oeuvre that’s as easy as it is impressive. Here, he tops roasted fingerling potatoes with sour cream and slender diamonds of pressed caviar for a party-perfect appetizer that’s ready in just 35 minutes.
