Skip to content

Top Navigation

EatingWell EatingWell
  • Healthy Recipes
  • Special Diets
  • Diabetes
  • Healthy Meal Plans
  • Healthy Eating
  • Healthy Lifestyle
  • Healthy Cooking
  • Shop
  • News
  • Videos
Log In Account Details

Profile Menu

Join Now

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Favorites
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Favorites
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout
Login
Pin FB

Explore EatingWell

EatingWell EatingWell
  • Explore

    Explore

    • What Happens to Your Body When You Eat Avocado Every Day

      What Happens to Your Body When You Eat Avocado Every Day

      Can an avocado a day keep your health at bay? What does the research have to say? Read More
    • 7-Day No-Sugar High-Protein Meal Plan

      7-Day No-Sugar High-Protein Meal Plan

      Skip the added sugar and bump up the protein to keep yourself full on this 7-day meal plan. Read More
    • 20 Low-Carb, High-Protein Dinners Ready in 3 Steps or Less

       If you're looking for low-carb, high-protein dinners that don't require cooking for hours, these recipes got you covered. These dinner options are ready to serve in 3 steps or less so you can meet your nutrition goals easily. Each recipe l meets our nutrition parameters, with less than 14 grams of carbs and more than 15 grams of protein, without wasting on flavor. Recipes like 20-Minute Chicken Cutlets with Creamy Pesto Sauce and Cheesy Ground Beef Cauliflower Casserole are delicious options for you to get a healthy meal on your table in no time.  Read More
  • Healthy Recipes

    Healthy Recipes

    See All Healthy Recipes
    • Healthy Breakfast & Brunch Recipes
    • Healthy Lunch Recipes
    • Healthy Dinner Recipes
    • Healthy Snack Recipes
    • Healthy Dessert Recipes
    • Healthy Soup Recipes
    • Healthy Salad Recipes
    • Healthy Smoothie Recipes
    • Healthy Quick & Easy Recipes
    • Healthy Slow-Cooker & Crockpot Recipes
    • Healthy Kids Recipes
    • Healthy Holiday Recipes
    • Healthy Vegan Recipes
    • Healthy Vegetarian Recipes
    • Healthy Mediterranean Diet Recipes
    • Healthy Diabetes-Friendly Recipes
    • Healthy Low-Calorie Recipes
    • Healthy Weight Loss & Diet Recipes
    • More Lifestyle Diet Recipes
    • More Health Condition Recipes
    • More Dietary Restriction Recipes
    • More Nutrient Focused Recipes
  • Special Diets

    Special Diets

    See All Special Diets
    • Clean Eating Diet Center
    • Mediterranean Diet Center
    • Low-Carb Diet Center
    • Weight Loss Center
    • Dairy-Free Diet Center
    • Gluten-Free Diet Center
    • High-Fiber Diet Center
    • Vegan Diet Center
    • Vegetarian Diet Center
    • Heart-Healthy Diet Center
    • Cholesterol Diet Center
    • Diabetes Diet Center
    • High Blood Pressure Diet Center
    • Low Sodium Diet Center
    • Healthy Aging Diet Center
    • Pregnancy Diet Center
  • Diabetes

    Diabetes

    See All Diabetes
    • Meal Plans for Diabetes
    • Diabetes-Friendly Recipes
    • Diabetes Diet Center
  • Healthy Meal Plans

    Healthy Meal Plans

    See All Healthy Meal Plans
    • Meal Planning 101
    • Dinner Plans
    • Clean Eating Meal Plans
    • Mediterranean Diet Meal Plans
    • Low-Carb Meal Plans
    • Weight-Loss Meal Plans
    • Dairy-Free Meal Plans
    • Gluten-Free Meal Plans
    • High-Fiber Meal Plans
    • Vegan Meal Plans
    • Vegetarian Meal Plans
    • Heart-Healthy Meal Plans
    • Low Cholesterol Meal Plans
    • Meal Plans for Diabetes
    • Blood Pressure Meal Plans
    • Low Sodium Meal Plans
    • Anti-Aging Meal Plans
    • Pregnancy Meal Plans
    • Healthy Kids Meal Plans
    • ThePrep
  • Healthy Eating

    Healthy Eating

    See All Healthy Eating
    • Healthy Eating 101
    • Eat More Vegetables
    • 30-Day Challenges
    • Good Food Fast
    • Healthy Eating for Kids
    • Best Healthy Foods
    • Green and Sustainable Eating
    • The Beet
    • Transformed
  • Healthy Lifestyle

    Healthy Lifestyle

    See All Healthy Lifestyle
    • Wine, Beer & Spirits Guide
    • Entertaining
    • EatingWell in Real Life
    • Plant Your Plate
    • Healthy Pets
    • American Food Heroes
    • Future of Food
    • Food with Purpose
    • Obsessed
  • Healthy Cooking

    Healthy Cooking

    See All Healthy Cooking
    • Healthy Cooking How-To's
    • Ask the Test Kitchen
    • Budget Cooking Guide
    • Thrifty
    • Heritage Cooking
  • Shop

    Shop

    See All Shop
    • EatingWell Cookbooks & More
    • EatingWell Frozen Meals
  • News
  • Videos

Profile Menu

Join Now

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Favorites
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Favorites
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Home
  2. Healthy Recipes
  3. Healthy Cooking Methods & Styles
  4. Quick & Easy Healthy Recipes
  5. Healthy, Quick & Easy Appetizer Recipes
  6. 21 Easy Appetizers So Delicious You'll Want to Eat Them for Dinner

21 Easy Appetizers So Delicious You'll Want to Eat Them for Dinner

Alex Loh
Alex Loh Reviewed by Dietitian Victoria Seaver, M.S., RD December 31, 2020
Reviewed by Dietitian Victoria Seaver, M.S., RD
Skip gallery slides
Pin
Fig & Goat Cheese Puff Pastry Roll
Credit: Jamie Vespa, M.S., R.D.

Try something new and enjoy a spread of these easy appetizers for dinner. Whether you want to make a night at home feel more special or are tired of your normal dinner routine, these appetizers are a fun and flavorful way to mix things up. Recipes like Crab-Stuffed Mushrooms and Fig & Goat Cheese Puff Pastry Roll are delicious and can be made in 30 minutes or less.

Start Slideshow

1 of 21

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Crab-Stuffed Mushrooms

7331275.jpg
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

This crab-stuffed mushroom recipe is perfect for Christmas, New Year's Eve and other holiday parties or any other time you need a quick and easy appetizer. The filling is light and fresh thanks to hearts of palm, a tender vegetable with a mild flavor (similar to artichokes) that doesn't mask the rich, sweet flavor of fresh crabmeat.

1 of 21

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 21

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Creamy Spinach Dip

Creamy Spinach Dip
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Try this light spinach dip made healthier with reduced-fat cream cheese, nonfat yogurt and low-fat cottage cheese instead of full-fat cheese, mayonnaise and sour cream. It will save you a whopping 84 calories and 10 grams of fat per serving when compared to traditional versions. Serve it with pita chips and crunchy vegetables or spread it on a sandwich.

2 of 21

3 of 21

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Sriracha-Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

Sriracha-Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
Credit: Diana Chistruga
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

This recipe for spicy Buffalo cauliflower bites is a great vegetarian alternative to Buffalo wings. Roasted cauliflower stands in for chicken and provides more fiber and fewer calories. Serve this easy appetizer with carrot sticks, celery and your favorite ranch or blue cheese dressing.

3 of 21

Advertisement

4 of 21

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Easy Scallion-Salmon Dip

7124997.jpg
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Inspired by the classic combination of smoked salmon and cream cheese, this spread is perfect for slathering on a bagel or serving as a dip with bagel chips. This salmon dip recipe is a great way to use up leftovers from Miso-Maple Salmon (see Associated Recipes).

4 of 21

5 of 21

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Baked Brie with Blackberry Jam

Baked Brie with Blackberry Jam
Credit: Jamie Vespa, M.S., R.D.
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Baked Brie is a classic, crowd-pleasing party appetizer, whether it's wrapped up in a pastry, in bite-size form or covered in a fruity jam, like in this recipe. In this easy 3-ingredient appetizer, we top a wheel of Brie with blackberry jam, bake for 10 minutes and serve with crisp apple slices (or crackers). It's so simple yet so delicious, you'll wonder why you don't make it more often!

5 of 21

6 of 21

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Air-Fryer Jalapeño Poppers

6318336.jpg
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

The perfect football-party food, classic jalapeño poppers get a crispy upgrade in an air fryer. Cream cheese tempers the just-right hint of heat from the pepper and Buffalo sauce. To save time, you can stuff the peppers ahead of the party and fry them just before serving.

6 of 21

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 21

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Apricot, Prosciutto & Parmesan Bites

Apricot, Prosciutto & Parmesan Bites
Credit: Jamie Vespa, M.S., R.D.
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

These 3-ingredient apricot, Parmesan and prosciutto bites are as simple to make as they look, and they taste even better. Simply layer each ingredient on top of the other and secure with a toothpick for an easy bite-size starter.

7 of 21

8 of 21

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Fig & Goat Cheese Puff Pastry Roll

3-ingredient goat cheese puff pastry
Credit: Photo by: Jamie Vespa, M.S., R.D.
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Buttery puff pastry is a tasty shortcut ingredient that can be used in many delicious ways. Here we roll out a pastry sheet and cover it with fig jam and crumbled goat cheese, then roll it up into a log and bake it. The end result is a sweet-and-savory appetizer that looks and tastes impressive, especially considering it has just three ingredients.

8 of 21

9 of 21

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Goat Cheese Crostini with Mushrooms & Brown Butter

Goat Cheese Crostini with Mushrooms & Brown Butter
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Serve these savory herbed crostini with a big green salad. Looking for a heartier meal? Top each toast with a poached or fried egg.

9 of 21

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 21

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Pesto Stuffed Mushrooms

5965206.jpg
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

This finger food is the perfect healthy appetizer to get your party going. Three ingredients are all it takes to make this elegant hors d'oeuvre--no one will ever guess how easy they were to make! Want to keep things plant-based? Use vegan pesto in the breadcrumb stuffing. You can also swap the whole-wheat breadcrumbs for gluten-free.

10 of 21

11 of 21

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Almond-Stuffed Dates

3759398.jpg
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Medjool dates are softer than their semi-dry Deglet Noor cousins and therefore, much easier to stuff with almonds. This healthy snack recipe can also be turned into an addictive appetizer by adding a little blue cheese to the stuffing.

11 of 21

12 of 21

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Greek Salad Skewers

Greek Salad Skewers on blue plate on white background
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Turn classic Greek salad into finger food appetizers on a stick. The cute presentation is also super easy to prepare and makes for easy eating at a cocktail party or on game day. Just skewer tomatoes, cucumber, onion, feta and olives and serve with a side of Greek salad dressing for dipping!

12 of 21

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 21

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Guacamole-Stuffed Mini Peppers

<p>The simple homemade guacamole in this healthy snack recipe couldn't be easier to whip up! We cut some carbs by stuffing the guac in halved mini bell peppers--or use them as guacamole dippers instead of tortilla chips.</p>
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

The simple homemade guacamole in this healthy snack recipe couldn't be easier to whip up! We cut some carbs by stuffing the guac in halved mini bell peppers--or use them as guacamole dippers instead of tortilla chips.

13 of 21

14 of 21

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Harissa Mackerel & Endive

<p>Harissa, the flavorful chili paste from Tunisia, gives this mackerel salad a spicy punch. If you need an alternative, try another chili paste, such as gochujang, sambal oelek or chile-garlic paste.</p>
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Harissa, the flavorful chili paste from Tunisia, gives this mackerel salad a spicy punch. If you need an alternative, try another chili paste, such as gochujang, sambal oelek or chile-garlic paste.

14 of 21

15 of 21

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Mushroom Pate

3758787.jpg
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Serve this vegetarian pâté recipe as an appetizer with crackers and pickled onions or try it as a sandwich spread. Nutritional yeast, rich in vitamin B12, adds a cheesy flavor without any dairy. Look for the yellow yeast powder or flakes in natural-foods stores.

15 of 21

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

16 of 21

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Pear & Camembert Crostini

<p>Up your appetizer game with this fruit-topped cheese crostini recipe. Warm preserves give the pears a shiny glaze and prevent them from browning.</p>
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Up your appetizer game with this fruit-topped cheese crostini recipe. Warm preserves give the pears a shiny glaze and prevent them from browning.

16 of 21

17 of 21

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Loaded Black Bean Dip

loaded black bean dip in a white bowl served with tortilla chips
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

This is 7-layer black bean dip simplified: just heat and season refried beans, then top with fresh vegetables for a texturally exciting dip.

17 of 21

18 of 21

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Avocado & Salsa Cracker

5343825.jpg
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Avocado and salsa team up for a zesty Southwest-inspired topping on a whole grain crispbread. This snack is packed with fiber, veggies, and healthy fats, and it takes just minutes to put together.

18 of 21

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

19 of 21

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Polenta Wedges with Tomato Tapenade

Polenta Wedges with Tomato Tapenade
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Crispy pieces of polenta topped with a tangy sun-dried tomato tapenade makes a pretty and tasty appetizer.

19 of 21

20 of 21

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Canapés with Peach, Sage & Prosciutto

8248057.jpg
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

There are endless ways to change up these canapés--plums and tarragon, cherries and mint, apricots and chervil. Mix 6 ounces of softened goat cheese with 1 tablespoon honey if you can't find honey chèvre.

20 of 21

21 of 21

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Cheese Fondue with Fennel & Tomatoes

<p>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.</p>
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

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.

21 of 21

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Alex Loh

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 21 Crab-Stuffed Mushrooms
    2 of 21 Creamy Spinach Dip
    3 of 21 Sriracha-Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
    4 of 21 Easy Scallion-Salmon Dip
    5 of 21 Baked Brie with Blackberry Jam
    6 of 21 Air-Fryer Jalapeño Poppers
    7 of 21 Apricot, Prosciutto & Parmesan Bites
    8 of 21 Fig & Goat Cheese Puff Pastry Roll
    9 of 21 Goat Cheese Crostini with Mushrooms & Brown Butter
    10 of 21 Pesto Stuffed Mushrooms
    11 of 21 Almond-Stuffed Dates
    12 of 21 Greek Salad Skewers
    13 of 21 Guacamole-Stuffed Mini Peppers
    14 of 21 Harissa Mackerel & Endive
    15 of 21 Mushroom Pate
    16 of 21 Pear & Camembert Crostini
    17 of 21 Loaded Black Bean Dip
    18 of 21 Avocado & Salsa Cracker
    19 of 21 Polenta Wedges with Tomato Tapenade
    20 of 21 Canapés with Peach, Sage & Prosciutto
    21 of 21 Cheese Fondue with Fennel & Tomatoes

    Share & More

    Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
    EatingWell

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Content Licensing
    • Recipe Index
    • Jobs
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    Subscribe to Our Newsletters
    Sign Up
    Meredith© 2023 EatingWell.com is part of the Allrecipes Food Group. EatingWell may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. All Right Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright EatingWell. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.eatingwell.com

    Sign in

    View image

    21 Easy Appetizers So Delicious You'll Want to Eat Them for Dinner
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.