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  5. 21 Fall Appetizers So Delicious, You'll Want to Eat Them for Dinner

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

Leah Goggins headshot
Leah Goggins October 16, 2021
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a cast iron skillet with a cheesy dip

Get ready to dig into these tasty bites that are so perfect for fall, you'll want to enjoy them as an evening main. From spicy cauliflower bites to cheesy hot dips, these appetizers aim to please—and pack in autumn flavor and produce while they're at it. Recipes like our Butternut Squash Queso Fundido and Crab-Stuffed Mushrooms are healthy ways to get the party started.

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Sriracha-Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

Sriracha-Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
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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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Baked Brie with Jam in Puff Pastry

brie and apples on a plate
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Serve this decadent yet easy appetizer with apple wedges and crackers and watch it disappear in seconds! It's bound to be your new party go-to.

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Crab-Stuffed Mushrooms

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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.

 

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Butternut Squash Queso Fundido

a cast iron skillet with a cheesy dip
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This cheesy dip recipe is lightened up by subbing mashed butternut squash for some of the melted cheese. We also loaded it with chili-spiced caramelized onions. Serve this healthy makeover with tortilla chips or sliced jicama for dipping.

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Potato-Leek Tart with Gochujang & Honey

Potato-Leek Tart with Gochujang & Honey
Credit: Leigh Beisch
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Puff pastry is the perfect balance of crunchy and buttery for tarts like this one. Serve this potato-leek tart as a first course or alongside roast turkey instead of mashed potatoes.

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Vegan Cauliflower Buffalo Wings

Vegan Ranch Dressing
Credit: Jennifer Causey
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Looking for a healthy appetizer for your Super Bowl party or another casual get-together? These vegan Buffalo cauliflower wings are sure to hit the spot. Coated in panko breadcrumbs and spices, these Buffalo cauliflower bites are tender on the inside and crispy on the outside--and don't forget the vegan ranch sauce! This is one of those healthy Super Bowl recipes you won't be able to resist.

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Homemade Multi-Seed Crackers

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Turn leftover brown rice and quinoa from dinner or meal-prepping into these delicious crispy crackers that are loaded with three good-for-you seeds--and create an everything-bagel flavor, without the bagel. The whole grains that make up this copycat cracker recipe add lots of fiber for a healthy snack that pairs perfectly with hummus or cheese.

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Sweet Potato Skins with Guacamole

Sweet Potato Skins with Guacamole
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Top crispy sweet potato skins with guacamole for a healthy take on classic potato skins in this easy crowd-pleasing recipe.

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Easy Stuffed Mushrooms

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This healthy stuffed mushroom appetizer is a nice balance of soft mushrooms, creamy filling and crunchy topping. This combination tastes downright decadent, but it's actually good for you. Be sure to get all of the moisture out of the chopped mushrooms before moving on to the next step; if not, the filling will be soggy and make the mushroom caps watery.

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Creamy Cauliflower-Jalapeño Popper Dip

Creamy Cauliflower-Jalapeño Popper Dip
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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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Loaded Sweet Potato Nacho Fries

a cast iron skillet with sweet potatoes and various toppings
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Bump up the vitamin A and fiber when you swap tortilla chips for sweet potatoes in this healthy recipe. Serve as an appetizer at your next party or turn it into dinner by adding chicken, tofu, shrimp or more beans for protein.

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Sweet Potato Hummus

Sweet Potato Hummus
Credit: Casey Barber
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Roasted sweet potato adds earthy sweetness to hummus and gives it an even creamier, smoother texture. Use pimentón, or Spanish smoked paprika, for a hint of fire-grilled flavor, or use sweet paprika for a more subtle spice.

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Caramelized Onion & Goat Cheese Toast

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Sweet caramelized onions and creamy goat cheese team up in this easy yet elegant dish that makes a great appetizer or side with soup or salad.

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Butternut Squash & Caramelized Onion Dip

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Sweet squash gives French onion dip a colorful nutrition boost (namely, vitamins A and E). Serve with chips and crunchy crudités.

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Cauliflower Hummus

Cauliflower Hummus
Credit: Casey Barber
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Is there anything cauliflower can't do? This versatile ingredient subs for chickpeas in a lightened-up version of hummus that's just as flavorful and zingy as the original.

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Cheesy Pull-Apart Cauliflower with Pesto

Cheesy Pull-Apart Cauliflower with Pesto
Credit: Brie Passano
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A combination of pesto and mozzarella cheese is tucked into a whole head of cauliflower. The florets "pull away" revealing the ooey-gooey cheese beneath for a fun and festive appetizer or side dish.

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Pumpkin Hummus

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Canned chickpeas and pumpkin are blended together with spice-infused oil for this variation on traditional hummus. Serve with vegetable strips.

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Buffalo Cauliflower Dip

Buffalo Cauliflower Dip
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Roasted cauliflower florets take the place of shredded chicken in this vegetarian riff on Buffalo chicken dip. This veggie version of the popular game-day appetizer boosts your vegetable intake in the most creamy, delicious way possible.

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Low-Carb Cauliflower Soft Pretzels

Low-Carb Cauliflower Soft Pretzels
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These gluten-free and low-carb cauliflower soft pretzels use riced cauliflower in place of flour, with a little cheese and egg as binder, to make a fun grain-free snack. Simply sprinkle them with pretzel salt or jazz them up with seeds or everything bagel seasoning, if you'd like.

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Roasted Cauliflower & Walnut Dip

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This creamy roasted cauliflower dip has the texture of hummus but swaps chickpeas for roasted cauliflower and walnuts for tahini. A head of roasted garlic--which is cooked at the same time as the cauliflower--gives it great flavor.

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Curried Butternut Squash Dip

Curried Butternut Squash Dip
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This healthy squash dip recipe, spiced with curry and made creamy with the addition of coconut milk, is a delicious alternative to hummus. You can also use other types of winter squash, pumpkin or sweet potatoes in place of the butternut squash in this dip. Serve with crisp raw vegetables or toasted pitas for dipping.

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    1 of 21 Sriracha-Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
    2 of 21 Baked Brie with Jam in Puff Pastry
    3 of 21 Crab-Stuffed Mushrooms
    4 of 21 Butternut Squash Queso Fundido
    5 of 21 Potato-Leek Tart with Gochujang & Honey
    6 of 21 Vegan Cauliflower Buffalo Wings
    7 of 21 Homemade Multi-Seed Crackers
    8 of 21 Sweet Potato Skins with Guacamole
    9 of 21 Easy Stuffed Mushrooms
    10 of 21 Creamy Cauliflower-Jalapeño Popper Dip
    11 of 21 Loaded Sweet Potato Nacho Fries
    12 of 21 Sweet Potato Hummus
    13 of 21 Caramelized Onion & Goat Cheese Toast
    14 of 21 Butternut Squash & Caramelized Onion Dip
    15 of 21 Cauliflower Hummus
    16 of 21 Cheesy Pull-Apart Cauliflower with Pesto
    17 of 21 Pumpkin Hummus
    18 of 21 Buffalo Cauliflower Dip
    19 of 21 Low-Carb Cauliflower Soft Pretzels
    20 of 21 Roasted Cauliflower & Walnut Dip
    21 of 21 Curried Butternut Squash Dip

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