Healthy Thanksgiving Appetizer Recipes

Featured Recipes

Apricot Canapes

These sweet and savory bites are like a cheese course in a bite.

» Apricot Canapes

Mississippi Spiced Pecans

Make plenty of these mildly sweet and salty nuts—they are great to have on hand over the holidays.

» Mississippi Spiced Pecans

Country-Style Chicken Liver Mousse

What makes this chicken liver mousse so special is its coarse texture and use of very little fat. Most recipes for liver mousse made from cooked chicken livers contain copious amounts of butter or other fats for a moist and creamy texture. This version gets moisture, flavor and texture from onions, shallots and apple. For best results, do not overcook the chicken livers, which should be pink on the interior. Serve with mustard and crackers or toasted bread.

» Country-Style Chicken Liver Mousse

Scandinavian Pickled Herring Bites

This Scandinavian-style appetizer is a good way to try pickled herring if you’ve never had it. The potent flavor of the herring is balanced by a dollop of sour cream and the potato slice it’s served on.

» Scandinavian Pickled Herring Bites

Nutty Pimiento Cheese Balls

These bite-size pimiento cheese balls from Jamie and Bobby Deen are a huge hit with kids (of all ages). They’re the perfect appetizer to bring to a summer picnic. Jamie and Bobby share a passion for great home-cooked food with a Southern flair with their celebrity-chef mom, Paula Deen. These brothers are following in their mom’s footsteps with their own TV shows, books and website. Our favorite part of what they’re up to: healthy makeovers of some of Paula’s recipes! Recipe adapted from The Deen Bros. Get Fired Up, by Jamie & Bobby Deen and Melissa Clark (Ballantine Books, 2011).

» Nutty Pimiento Cheese Balls

Smoked Trout Spread

Creamy smoked trout spread on thin whole-grain crackers is a delicious appetizer, but serve it with an array of artfully arranged nibbles—ripe tomatoes, crunchy cucumber slices and red onion—and you have an easy summer dinner. Pack it up and take it outdoors for a weeknight picnic. Serve with a baby arugula salad tossed with olive oil, lemon juice, Parmesan cheese and a generous grinding of pepper.

» Smoked Trout Spread

Roasted Pears with Brie & Pistachios

Roasted pears with Brie and pistachios is delicious as a first course or a side with roast pork or lamb. Leave the stems on for the prettiest presentation.

» Roasted Pears with Brie & Pistachios

Make healthy Thanksgiving appetizers with these easy recipes for the holidays.

Make Thanksgiving entertaining easy and delicious with these healthy Thanksgiving appetizer recipes. Our healthy Thanksgiving appetizers, including quiche recipes, spread recipes, canapé recipes, tapenade recipes and spiced nut recipes, are easy appetizers for Thanksgiving that everyone can enjoy before the big meal.

Download a FREE Top 10 Appetizer Recipe Cookbook!

Healthy Thanksgiving Appetizer Recipes

Apricot Canapes

These sweet and savory bites are like a cheese course in a...

Country-Style Chicken Liver Mousse

What makes this chicken liver mousse so special is its...

Curried Cashews

These curried cashews are impossibly addictive—every time...

Five-Spice Pistachios

Chinese five-spice powder is a blend of cinnamon, cloves,...

Green Chile & Goat Cheese Dip

This creamy, cheesy dip is spiked with green chiles and...

Ham & Red Pepper Spread

Spread this creamy ham and roasted red pepper dip on...

Marinated Olives & Feta

Olives and feta marinated with rosemary, lemon and garlic...

Mini Brie & Apple Quiches

We love the way Brie and apples taste together in these...

Mini Mushroom-&-Sausage Quiches

These crustless mini quiches are like portable omelets....

Mississippi Spiced Pecans

Make plenty of these mildly sweet and salty nuts—they are...

New World Gravlax

This gravlax is a play on the traditional Scandinavian...

Nutty Pimiento Cheese Balls

These bite-size pimiento cheese balls from Jamie and Bobby...

Polenta Wedges with Tomato Tapenade

Crispy pieces of polenta topped with a tangy sun-dried...

Roasted Pears with Brie & Pistachios

Roasted pears with Brie and pistachios is delicious as a...

Rosemary Flatbread with Yellow Split Pea Spread

This flatbread and yellow split pea spread are full of big...

Scandinavian Pickled Herring Bites

This Scandinavian-style appetizer is a good way to try...

Smoked Trout Spread

Creamy smoked trout spread on thin whole-grain crackers is...

Tomato Toast with Sardines & Mint

Washington, D.C.-based chef Barton Seaver is a passionate...

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