Recipes and Cooking Party Recipes Appetizers 29 Quick & Easy Party Food Ideas to Serve a Crowd By Wini Moranville Wini Moranville Facebook Instagram Website Food, wine, and travel writer Wini Moranville is the author of "Everyday French Cooking: Modern French Cuisine Made Simple." Over the past 25 years, she has written hundreds of articles, covering everything from Christmas Cookies to Cognac for Better Homes and Gardens, Bonjour Paris, Relish Magazine, and other national publications. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on August 26, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Jason Donnelly Sorry, but "lack of time" is no longer an excuse! Thanks to these easy party food recipes, you'll always have time to host friends for a casual nibbles-and-sips gathering. This best-ever collection of quick appetizers proves it. 01 of 29 Sweet-Spicy Barbecue Chicken Sliders View Recipe Andy Lyons Use deli chicken or leftover chicken to jump-start these easy appetizers for a crowd. Better yet, you can even assemble them up to 8 hours in advance. Then, simply pop them into the oven to bake while you're mixing up the party drinks. 02 of 29 Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus View Recipe Blaine Moats You're just 20 minutes away from this quick appetizer. Simply grill some asparagus, speed-cool it in ice water, and wrap with cheese and prosciutto. A simple drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar complete the elegant—yet hearty—bite. Balsamic Vinegar Substitute. 03 of 29 Mini Bacon-Mushroom Quiches View Recipe Dera Burreson It's hard to believe that these luscious mini-quiches can truly rank as easy party foods—but frozen puff pastry makes it so. While the hands-on time is only 30 minutes, they'll need to bake 12 minutes. Get them ready to pop in the oven a few minutes before guests arrive. 04 of 29 Meatball-Vegetable Kabobs View Recipe Andy Lyons Meatballs can definitely fall into the quick and easy appetizer camp—especially when you start with purchased meatballs. While the recipe calls for serving two kabobs as a main dish, one kabob per person brings a filling option to the hors d'oeuvres table. 05 of 29 Two-Tomato Bruschetta View Recipe Karla Conrad You know that baguette bread freezes well, right? Keep it on hand, and you can make this easy appetizer without schlepping to the bakery. Just let the bread thaw as you're stirring together the rest of the ingredients. Also remember these bites when you're scrambling for something to round out a simple soup supper. 06 of 29 Air Fryer Panko Coconut Shrimp View Recipe Carson Downing If you're looking for quick and simple hors d'oeuvres that can be made in your air fryer, check this one out! Our version combines a triple-hit of coconut—coconut, coconut milk, and coconut cooking spray—for a über-coconutty (and delightfully greaseless) version of the restaurant classic. How to Use and Air Fryer for Healthier Foods 07 of 29 Four-Cheese Pimiento Dip View Recipe Blaine Moats Add this to your file of easy appetizer recipes! The rich dip blends boldly flavored ingredients with four cheeses. Plus, optional stir-ins let you tailor it to your tastes. 08 of 29 Herbed Chicken Parmesan Sliders View Recipe Carson Downing When you're looking for quick and easy party appetizers that can also stand in for dinner, sliders are just the ticket! Simply round out the menu with a generous vegetable tray and some dips, cheeses, and crackers. 09 of 29 Ricotta, Gorgonzola, and Honey Spread View Recipe Blaine Moats Keep Gorgonzola on hand—it adds rich, intense flavors to all kinds of quick appetizers. Here, sweet honey makes a wonderful complement to the sharp cheese. 10 of 29 Fruit Platter with Maple Mascarpone Dip View Recipe Brie Passano Quick appetizers can be made even more speedy when you count on a few convenience products now and then. Case in point: While this recipe only takes 20 minutes, it will take even less time if you snag a selection of precut fruits from the produce department. The dip itself only requires two ingredients and takes about two minutes to make. 11 of 29 Fresh Arugula Bruschetta View Recipe Sara Remington Here's a quick and easy party food idea that takes just five ingredients (not including salt, pepper, and olive oil, which you likely have on hand). With goat cheese and arugula, it's also one of our more elevated options. We call that a win-win. 12 of 29 Matcha-Cucumber Crostini View Recipe Carson Downing When you're trying to come up with easy party appetizers that will truly turn heads, choose recipes with an off-the-beaten-path ingredient or two. That's the role of matcha powder here—it brings grassy, nutty, bittersweet notes that will fascinate your guests. 13 of 29 Mediterranean Salmon Spread View Recipe Jason Donnelly This next-level salmon spread gets extra brightness and intrigue thanks to some fresh mint in the mix. Although the easy appetizer takes just 15 minutes of your time, do plan ahead: It needs to chill for at least 2 hours. Conveniently, that's about the time it takes to chill this White Sangria, a perfect go-with. 14 of 29 Avocado-Poblano Salsa View Recipe Jason Donnelly With roasted poblanos and bell peppers this salsa is in a league of its own! While you can serve this quick appetizer as soon as you've stirred it together, you can also go the make-ahead route and chill it for up to two days. 15 of 29 Pickle Poppers View Recipe Hannah Bigot For this easy party food recipe, we've given the ol' ham-cheese-pickle rollup a major makeover! Start with baby dill pickles (sometimes called cornichons), fill them with a spicy cheese mixture, wrap them in ham, and bake. The slather of jam is optional, but once you try it that way, there's no going back! 16 of 29 Grilled Strawberry Salsa Fresca View Recipe Carson Downing Strawberries make a luscious and ripe stand-in for tomatoes in this quick, easy party food. You'll be surprised (and delighted) at how well the fruit pairs with hallmark salsa ingredients of cilantro, jalapeno, and lime juice. The combo delivers that sweet-tart-salty-spicy appeal that always hit the spot! 17 of 29 Avocado Pesto-Stuffed Tomatoes View Recipe Blaine Moats Your food processor can be your secret weapon when making quick, easy appetizers. Here, the appliance helps you whip up a creamy and colorful filling for these bites in no time. 18 of 29 Banh Mi Bruschetta View Recipe Jason Donnelly Adding a few global touches can help your party food menu really stand out. Here, we've redesigned a Vietnamese specialty into a fascinating bite. Serve these quick appetizers with one of our clever beer cocktails for a refreshing combo. 19 of 29 Feta Honey-Date Spread View Recipe Andy Lyons Dates generally have a long shelf life. So do the almonds, olives, and other ingredients in this easy party food recipe. Keep everything on hand in the fridge and pantry to get the party started pronto. P.S.: Here's how to toast nuts, in case you need a refresher. 20 of 29 Antipasto Pinwheels View Recipe Andy Lyons When you're seeking easy party appetizers, it's tempting to default to a cheese and charcuterie board. Nothing wrong with that! But for a few seconds more of your time, you can roll up some of the same ingredients into an impressive (and easier-to-eat) package. 21 of 29 Bonanza Bean Dip View Recipe Colleen Duffley This quick and easy appetizer has a lot going for it! The layered bean dip is loaded with flavor, it serves a crowd, and it can be made up to 24 hours in advance. To shave off even more prep time, use a purchased guacamole instead of making your own. 22 of 29 Quick Fruit Salsa View Recipe Blaine Moats On any given list of quick, easy appetizers, salsas generally make the cut! Few, however, will be as quick to make as this 10-minute treat. With cucumbers, mint, kiwi, and avocado, it will add a fresh, vibrant appeal to the party table. 23 of 29 Crab and Horseradish Havarti Dip View Recipe Jason Donnelly Our collection of quick appetizer recipes would hardly be complete without a hot dip! And when it comes to hot dips, you can't go wrong when there's some crab in the mix. This recipe is great way to treat your guests to the opulence of shellfish without going over budget—a little goes a long way when combined with other rich ingredients. 24 of 29 Smoky Grilled Corn, Poblano, and Cheese Dip View Recipe Carson Downing In summer, enjoy fresh corn in all its peak-season glory with this easy appetizer recipe. While the prep time is just 15 minutes, you'll want to chill the dip at least four hours to meld the flavors. While you're at it, put a bottle of prosecco into chill alongside—it's bright, fruity flavors will complement this dish well. 25 of 29 Pea and Artichoke Toasts View Recipe Kelsey Hansen We love the way the sweetness of peas contrasts the salty, savory flavors of prosciutto in this easy party food recipe. While the eye-catching toasts make great appetizers, you can also serve them for dinner, with a salad in summer or a hearty soup in cooler months. 26 of 29 Lemon-Dill Artichoke Dip View Recipe Carson Downing It's not really a party without an artichoke dip, and fortunately, they're one the most quick and easy appetizers around. But this isn't a boilerplate version! Instead, fennel, feta, dill, and lemon zest combine for a refresh—with the focus on fresh. 27 of 29 Air-Fryer Spiced Cashews View Recipe Carson Downing Every party needs a bowl of sweet, spicy, zesty nuts that guests can munch by the handful. But instead of roasting them, why not use your air fryer? You'll have this easy party food recipe done in less than 20 minutes (though you'll want to let them stand for another 20 minutes to attain peak crunchy perfection). 28 of 29 Pretzel-Crusted Air Fryer Crab Cakes View Recipe Jason Donnelly Sure, you love serving quick, easy appetizers, but you also want your guests to feel treated to something special. That's where these crab cakes come in! This version pairs the elegant shellfish with a clever pretzel crust for an easy party food recipe that's both elegant and fun. 29 of 29 Veggie Spring Rolls with Almond Sauce View Recipe Adam Albright You're thirty minutes away from an easy party food recipe that does it all. Bright, colorful, fresh, and crunchy, these veggie rolls are both pleasing to see at and happy-making to eat. Best of all, they'll make people really, really glad to be at your house! Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit