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  5. Asian-Inspired Starters and Sides to Liven Up Any Dinner Party

Asian-Inspired Starters and Sides to Liven Up Any Dinner Party

By Su-Jit Lin Updated May 18, 2022
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overhead view of Egg Rolls on black surface
Credit: Brie Passano

There's more to Asian-inspired appetizers and Asian side dishes than just spring rolls and lettuce wraps. Not to knock them—rice paper and lettuce wrap sides are versatile, healthy, and delicious. But within the range of Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, and Indian flavors (to name just a few), there's a whole world of range to uncover. Including flexible Asian vegetable side dishes, traditional Japanese appetizers, and modern takes on Chinese ingredients, here are some of the best sides and apps to serve up Eastern flair for your next get-together.

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Sticky Caramelized Shrimp Lettuce Wraps

Sticky Caramelized Shrimp Lettuce Wraps
Credit: Jenny Huang
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Save yourself the trouble of plates with these adorable, light, and easy-to-eat Vietnamese and Thai-inspired lettuce wraps sides. They're light and refreshing with fresh raw veggies like carrots, red radish, and of course, lettuce. And since you'll have carbs to spare, serving fragrant jasmine rice as lettuce wrap sides can help ground the dish.

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Mix-and-Match Air-Fried Egg Rolls

overhead view of Egg Rolls on black surface
Credit: Brie Passano
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You'll find egg rolls in Chinese, Vietnamese, and Thai cuisines, making them an ultimate and versatile Asian side dish. Once you master the technique, you can fill your rolls with what you like, including the Chinese combo of shrimp and cabbage. Rice vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic add a bite that balances beautifully with sweet chili, plum, or duck sauce.

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Matcha-Cucumber Crostini 

Matcha-Cucumber Crostini
Credit: Carson Downing
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A little bit of matcha infuses Asian flair into a traditional European appetizer. Cream cheese and goat cheese get a dose of this grassy green tea, while Lemon zest and cucumber make it even brighter. Honey contributes a hint of sunshine to this garden party on toast.

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Sweet and Spicy Summer Rolls

Sweet and Spicy Spring Rolls
Credit: Jim Krantz
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Take the traditional Vietnamese side dish and give it a contemporary pan-Asian twist. This recipe includes tropical elements like sliced mango and coconut, adds a hearty shredded broccoli slaw, and tofu for protein. Tossed in a creative ginger, wasabi, and lime dressing, it's a fun and different take.

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Steamed Dumplings

Steamed Dumplings
Credit: Andy Lyons
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This is one of those Chinese appetizers everyone gets excited about. Being able to present or pass around directly from the bamboo steamers is a bonus, lending more Asian style to your gathering while reducing your cleanup. Lemongrass and Ginger Pork or Cilantro-Lime Chicken fillings provide a dose of the unexpected, channeling Vietnamese and Thai influence.

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Cauliflower Samosa Nachos

Cauliflower Samosa Nachos
Credit: Andy Lyons
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Indian flavors bring warmth to your gathering, and this Asian vegetable side dish (or appetizer, you choose!) contributes comfort, too. This recipe for deconstructed samosas transforms cauliflower, potatoes, mango chutney, cilantro, and flaky pie crust into filling-heavy scoops.

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Smoked Almond Curry Bread 

Smoked Almond Curry Bread slices with chutney
Credit: Jason Donnelly
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Add some Indian to your side dish spread with a hint of curry, melted butter, and smoked almonds accented with dried currants to sweeten the bread and grace it with a pop of color. The spice level is mild and can be made even more so with the right spread, like a sweet chutney.

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South Indian-Style Macaroni and Cheese

South Indian-Style Macaroni and Cheese
Credit: Andy Lyons
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In an East-meets-West fusion, the addition of garam masala, turmeric, pepper, and garlic invigorates a classic comfort food. Serve this as a side dish, which is made rich and creamy with sharp cheddar and Asiago cheeses as well as milk and butter. Green peas provide a nice pop of refreshment.

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Tandoori-Spiced Chicken Pita Crisps with Cilantro Sauce

Tandoori-Spiced Chicken Pita Crisps with Cilantro Sauce
Credit: Jason Donnelly
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Crostini, bruschetta, topped toasts—the combination of a crispy baked bread base and flavor-dense topping is universal and timeless. Tender dark meat chicken is primed to absorb the ginger, Greek yogurt, coriander, cumin, and cinnamon marinade, enhanced by herbaceous cilantro sauce.

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Hoisin-Garlic Mushroom Appetizers

Hoisin-Garlic Mushroom Appetizers
Credit: Scott Little
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If you thought marinated mushrooms were just for Italians, try cooking them in hoisin sauce with garlic and red pepper. This flavorful Asian twist is sweet, savory, spicy, and astoundingly easy to put together, making it an easy go-to for your Asian appetizer spread.

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Spicy Tofu Triangles

Spicy Tofu Triangles
Credit: Mike Dieter
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Asian-inspired appetizers tend to have vegetarians covered, and this recipe is a perfect example of that. Spicy tofu triangles make for a great Asian vegetable side dish, with earthy shiitake mushrooms and refreshing water chestnuts. Sauces like hoisin and chili sauce make these healthy baked pockets infinitely poppable.

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Pork-and-Cabbage-Filled Buns

Pork-and-Cabbage-Filled Buns
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
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These Chinese dim sum-inspired buns are almost too cute to eat, with their sprinkle of sesame seeds and lovely golden tops. You'll want to make a big batch—the combination of soy- and sesame-flavored meat, mushrooms, and sweet cabbage with warm, milk-infused dough makes it even more irresistible.

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Ginger-Spiced Cucumbers

Ginger-Spiced Cucumbers
Credit: Kim Cornelison
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A dressing made of rice vinegar, mirin, sugar, and ginger sparks easy pizzazz to an Asian vegetable side dish salad that would be as at home at an outdoor barbecue as an indoor dinner party. And if you're wondering what to serve with lettuce wraps, this could also double as a filling.

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Vietnamese Beef Lettuce Wraps

Lettuce-Wrapped Vietnamese Beef
Credit: Kritsada Panichgul
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The key to fantastic Vietnamese side dishes and Vietnamese appetizers with grilled meats is a flavorful marinade. These lettuce wraps offer a recipe that includes lime juice, fish sauce, lemongrass, sugar, and garlic for a combination that results in a fantastic char. Top them with traditional lettuce wrap sides like carrots, fresh mint or cilantro, peanuts … or all of the above.

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    1 of 14 Sticky Caramelized Shrimp Lettuce Wraps
    2 of 14 Mix-and-Match Air-Fried Egg Rolls
    3 of 14 Matcha-Cucumber Crostini 
    4 of 14 Sweet and Spicy Summer Rolls
    5 of 14 Steamed Dumplings
    6 of 14 Cauliflower Samosa Nachos
    7 of 14 Smoked Almond Curry Bread 
    8 of 14 South Indian-Style Macaroni and Cheese
    9 of 14 Tandoori-Spiced Chicken Pita Crisps with Cilantro Sauce
    10 of 14 Hoisin-Garlic Mushroom Appetizers
    11 of 14 Spicy Tofu Triangles
    12 of 14 Pork-and-Cabbage-Filled Buns
    13 of 14 Ginger-Spiced Cucumbers
    14 of 14 Vietnamese Beef Lettuce Wraps

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    Asian-Inspired Starters and Sides to Liven Up Any Dinner Party
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