28 Healthy Appetizers to Make for Sunday Dinner
Mix things up and make a spread of appetizers for Sunday dinner. Whether you make a creamy dip, a spicy chicken wing or a twist on charcuterie, these appetizers are perfect for a fun and healthy dinner. Recipes like Loaded Black Bean Dip and Air-Fryer Popcorn Shrimp are delicious and will get you out of any cooking rut.
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Loaded Black Bean Dip
This is 7-layer black bean dip simplified: just heat and season refried beans, then top with fresh vegetables for a texturally exciting dip.
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Garlic-Parmesan Chicken Wings
Forget the fryer--these baked garlic-Parmesan chicken wings get a crispy coating (without tons of oil) from panko breadcrumbs combined with grated Parmesan cheese. A drizzle of balsamic vinegar glaze gives this healthy appetizer a sweet and tangy finishing note.
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Avocado Hummus
This vibrant green hummus recipe couldn't be easier--just toss a few ingredients in the food processor and whir away! Aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas) and avocado make this healthy dip extra smooth and creamy. Serve with veggie chips, pita chips or crudités.
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Slow-Cooker Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
Turn classic chicken parm into meatballs with this easy load-and-go appetizer recipe with a cheesy surprise inside. Making meatballs for a party? Switch your crock pot to warm for serving all party long.
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Air-Fryer Popcorn Shrimp
These air-fried popcorn shrimp get crispy and crunchy with very little oil. The unique flavors are inspired by Mexican fare, with a smoky, spicy dipping sauce and full-flavored shrimp coating. Look for the smallest shrimp you can find so they will cook evenly.
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Creamy Cauliflower-Jalapeño Popper Dip
Creamy, cheesy and tangy—this super-easy warm dip has everything you love about jalapeño poppers without the individual prep work. And it's better for you, thanks to the riced cauliflower stirred into every spoonful. Adjust the level of heat to your tastes with either mild or spicy pickled jalapeños. If you prefer smaller pieces of the hot pepper, feel free to chop the jalapeños.
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3-Ingredient Cheddar & Apple Bites
Creamy apple butter and sharp Cheddar cheese are a perfect match in these easy party hors d'oeuvres. This recipe calls for prepared pie crust, which is pressed into mini muffin tins to make little tart shells, so it's super easy to make as well. Add slices of apple for extra crunch, if you'd like, or keep these bites simple. Either way, consider making a double batch--they'll go quickly.
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Italian Turkey Meatballs
In this healthy turkey meatball recipe, a base of sautéed mushrooms, celery and garlic adds flavor and helps keep calories in check and portions hearty. Serve these meatballs with marinara as an appetizer, on top of spaghetti or on a roll for a healthy meatball sub.
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Creamy Spinach Dip
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.
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Mini Sandwiches with Fig & Brie
Turn the basics of a cheese board into adorable mini grilled cheese sandwiches for a satisfying appetizer.
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Air-Fryer Jalapeño Poppers
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.
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Smoked Gouda & Giardiniera Charcuterie Sticks
Crunchy pickled vegetables pair perfectly with creamy Gouda with a hint of smoke.
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Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
Sautéed mushrooms, celery and garlic add flavor and help keep calories in check and portions hearty in this easy Buffalo chicken meatball recipe. Serve these meatballs as an appetizer with carrot and celery sticks and blue cheese or ranch-style dressing for dipping, or make them into a Buffalo chicken sandwich.
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Zucchini Pizza Bites
Think of these zucchini pizza bites as a fun gluten-free alternative to bagel bites. Be sure not to overcook the zucchini or the bites may become soggy. We like the classic pepperoni topping, but feel free to experiment with your own favorites.
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Easy Scallion-Salmon Dip
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).
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Oven-Fried Pickles
These oven-fried pickles get their crispy exterior from a dredge in flour, egg and whole-wheat breadcrumbs. Serve with a creamy herbed sour cream to take this easy app to the next level.
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3-Ingredient Cranberry-Brie Bites
Baked Brie is a perennially popular appetizer. Here, we complement the Brie with tart cranberry sauce and bake it in pretty individual tartlets using premade pie crust for an ultra-easy crowd-pleasing appetizer.
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Instant Pot Orange-Jalapeño Chicken Wings
These sweet-hot tender Instant Pot chicken wings boast a balance of orange and lime. They're very tangy and very sticky, so be sure to serve with lots of paper towels!
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Classic Deviled Eggs
We love the taste of dill relish in the filling of this deviled egg recipe, but if you like a sweeter deviled egg' opt for sweet relish instead. Our secret to healthy, creamy deviled eggs with fewer calories is to swap out half the full-fat mayo for nonfat Greek yogurt.
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Double-Tahini Hummus
You'll look like an expert with this easy hummus recipe that produces the lightest, silkiest hummus you've ever had. Chilling the cooked chickpeas ensures that when they're blended with the oil and cold tahini the hummus will come out creamy rather than oily. In a pinch, you can use the quick-soak technique (see Step 1), reduce the chilling time and still get great hummus.
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Sriracha-Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
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.
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Manchego, Pepper Drop & Chorizo Charcuterie Sticks
Manchego cheese pairs perfectly with sweet and tangy pepper drops. If you can't find small pickled peppers, a larger one cut into pieces will work well too.
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Tomato-Cheddar Cheese Toast
A perfect soup pairing or an easy snack, this healthy cheese toast recipe features fresh tomatoes, salty Cheddar cheese and cracked pepper atop slices of crusty bread
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Air-Fryer Buffalo Wings
A sports bar favorite comes home with these deliciously crispy chicken wings, which require just 10 minutes of active prep time, thanks to the air fryer. In fact, one of EatingWell's recipe testers declared this air-fryer Buffalo wing recipe "a reason to buy an air fryer." Add a spicy sauce, carrot sticks, celery sticks and ranch dressing for dipping and you have a healthy take on wings that's sure to score.
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Baked Brie with Blackberry Jam
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!
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Greek Salad Skewers
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!
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Air-Fryer Mozzarella Sticks
These crispy air-fryer mozzarella sticks taste like your favorite mozzarella sticks without the fuss of frying and with much less oil thanks to the magic of your air fryer. The crust is crispy and the cheese inside is ooey-gooey—perfect for dipping in marinara.
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Fig & Goat Cheese Puff Pastry Roll
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.