Cheese Appetizer Recipes

This fruit, cheese and cracker box inspired by Starbucks' bistro boxes is a fun and healthy alternative to your standard sandwich. It's the perfect personal-size cheese plate to pack for a work lunch or a picnic in the park.

Fresh blackberries and light cream cheese make a pretty, sweet topping for a crispbread snack, especially with a little mint sprinkled on top. Besides being beautiful and delicious, blackberries are packed with antioxidants and vitamins.

Start with a fiber-rich crispbread base and add some creamy goat cheese and a sprinkle of fresh lemon zest and herbs for an easy snack we can't get enough of. And, of course, some juicy raspberries for good measure.

Blueberries add just the right touch of sweetness to round out this nutritious nut and cheese snack. Bonus: It's all super easy to pack for on-the-go snacking.

This simple snack is giving us those classy cheese-and-nut-board vibes. Treat yourself to this tasty and satisfying snack.

Sweet and savory is the definition of this satisfying snack.

Sneaking green peppers into this quick fresh dip supplies added vitamin C.

Chopped carrots, tomatoes, kalamata olives, basil, and lemon peel make a colorful cream cheese dip for crunchy celery sticks.

This satisfyingly melty low-carb snack is packed with protein--and flavor.

Vary this quick-to-assemble vegetarian appetizer recipe with the season. Try sliced nectarines in place of the strawberries in the summer and halved grapes in the fall. Chopped pecans, pistachios and macadamia nuts are all delicious in place of the walnuts as well.

Get a nice dose of potassium, protein and fiber--all for less than 120 calories--in this healthy snack.

Make nachos a healthy dinner when you top them with an easy 30-minute chili. Serve this healthy recipe with sliced scallions, avocado, fresh tomatoes and sour cream, if desired.

The alpine cheeses in this healthy cheese fondue recipe by Laura Werlin are known for melting smoothly, which is key in a fondue. Adding vegetables brings texture and bonus nutrition, while complementing the buttery nuttiness of each cheese. To serve 12, plan to offer 6 cups of cut-up vegetables for dipping, such as steamed broccoli and cauliflower florets or strips of raw fennel and red bell pepper.

This sweet carrot-shaped cheese ball recipe is a clever take on an Easter dessert favorite: carrot cake. Serve with graham crackers, vanilla wafers, gingersnaps or apple slices for dipping fun that both kids and adults will love.

This Southern favorite is a simple blend of Cheddar, mayonnaise and pimientos. If you like spicy foods, add a few shakes of hot sauce. Serve with crackers for an appetizer or as a sandwich spread for lunch!

Here we take the elements of a vegetarian lasagna filling--ricotta, spinach and Parmesan cheese--and nestle them into roasted portobello mushroom caps. The recipe works best with very large portobello caps; if you can only find smaller ones, buy one or two extra and divide the filling among all the caps. Serve with a tossed salad and a whole-wheat dinner roll or spaghetti tossed with marinara sauce.

Sweet pear, salty Cheddar cheese and crunchy nuts make this healthy cheese ball recipe an alluring holiday treat. Serve with an array of crudités and crisp party crackers.

In this beautiful grapefruit salad recipe we pair the salty flavor of halloumi cheese with sweet-tart ruby grapefruit and aromatic mint. Halloumi cheese has a texture similar to mozzarella, but it browns rather than melts when it is heated. Look for halloumi in tubs or airtight packs near other imported cheese in large supermarkets.

This olive-and-goat-cheese-stuffed cherry tomato recipe makes a great pop-in-your-mouth appetizer. Scooping out the insides to stuff the tomato can be a little tricky without the right tool--a 1/4-teaspoon measuring spoon works very well for the job.

Each of these bite-size savory treats has a bit of dried fruit tucked inside for a slightly sweet surprise. They make wonderful holiday gifts as well as elegant little hors d'oeuvres.