25 Restaurant Copycat Appetizers You'll Want to Make Forever
You'll be tempted to snack around for dinner once you try out these restaurant-quality recipes. From guacamole to buffalo wings, this mix of dips, chips, fries and more has something for everyone. Recipes like our Crispy Air-Fryer Pickle Chips and Almost Chipotle's Guacamole will bring your favorite restaurant shareables to life at home.
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Almost Chipotle's Guacamole
Make guacamole at home that tastes just like it came from Chipotle--but don't worry, our version won't be extra! This deliciously fresh guac is perfect for topping burrito bowls or tacos, or serve as an appetizer or healthy snack with tortilla chips and veggies.
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Loaded Sweet Potato Nacho Fries
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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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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Slow-Cooker Spinach Artichoke Dip
This creamy, crowd-pleasing dip comes together with ease in your crock pot. Leave it in the slow cooker all party long to keep it warm for serving with perfect, melty cheese in every bite. Whole-wheat bread and raw veggie dippers allow you to dig in without the guilt.
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Grilled Blooming Onion
An onion blooms into a show-stopping side dish when it's cut just right and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese and seasonings. Just grab the tender onion petals off the onion and dip them in the creamy barbecue sauce for a fun and festive vegetable side dish.
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Fresh Tomato Salsa
This easy fresh tomato salsa recipe yields about 5 cups of salsa—plenty to serve a crowd. If you like spicy salsa, use the full amount of jalapeños and add more cayenne pepper. Serve with chips, tacos and more.
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Crispy Air-Fryer Pickle Chips
Use your air fryer to make these crispy, salty pickle chips for game day! The air fryer gives you a crispy crust, using much less oil than a traditional fryer. Enjoy these addictive little snacks on their own or with our Southern smoky, creamy dipping sauce.
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Butternut Squash Queso Fundido
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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Vegan Cauliflower Buffalo Wings
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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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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Everything-Bagel Zucchini Fries
The breading for these zucchini curly fries takes on the flavor of a classic everything bagel while the tangy, creamy sauce finishes off this fun appetizer that's perfect for a party or brunch. Store-bought everything seasoning can be loaded with salt, so it's best to make your own at home. Look for fresh and crisp-looking zucchini noodles in the produce section or make your own using a spiralizer. Soggy ones (or even the frozen variety) won't crisp up well.
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Sweet Potato Skins with Guacamole
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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Classic Hummus
It's easy to make hummus at home with just a few pantry items. Serve drizzled with your best-quality extra-virgin olive oil and chopped parsley. Mop it up with warm whole-wheat pita bread or cut-up vegetables.
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Chili-Cheese Nachos
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.
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Lemony Labneh with Pistachios
Lemon olive oil and lemon zest give this labneh dip a fresh, bright flavor. Labneh, the thick, slightly salty Middle Eastern strained yogurt, is easy to make at home with this recipe. Serve with cucumber slices or pita chips as a dip or use it as a sauce to top roasted vegetables or chicken.
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Crispy Eggplant Parmesan Fries
The cheesy flavor and crispy crust on these eggplant "fries" is just like fried eggplant Parmesan, but with a fraction of the oil. They're the perfect appetizer for Italian night! Dip these crispy fries into a big hot bowl of your favorite marinara.
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Sweet Potato Tater Tot Nachos ("Totchos")
Make a crowd favorite even better with this nachos upgrade that uses sweet potato tots instead of classic tortilla chips for nachos that are a little sweet, a little crisp and pack in tons of flavor.
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Coconut Shrimp with Creamy Dipping Sauce
Our creamy, slightly spicy sauce pairs perfectly with this crispy coconut shrimp. The unsweetened coconut flakes get crunchy in the oven for the fried taste you love without the oily mess, plus they're better for you, too.
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Loaded Sheet-Pan Nachos
This quick and easy Super Bowl recipe has been referred to as "the best nachos people have ever had." With easy-to-find ingredients, an optional pop of tang and spice from the pickled jalapeños, and the salsa verde and sour cream for serving, we think it's earned its title!
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Scallop & Shrimp Dumplings
People along the Yangtze River enjoy dumplings with a variety of fillings, from seafood to red meat, eggs to vegetables. In Wuhan, dumplings may be served at any meal. Crisp, pan-fried dumplings don't have to be loaded with fat. Cooking them in a mix of water and oil makes them crisp on the bottom, tender and juicy inside.
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Cuban Stromboli
Inspired by the classic pressed Cuban sandwich, we've taken the pickle-meets-cold-cuts-and-Swiss-cheese combo and rolled it in pizza dough for a fun party snack that's easy to make.
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Classic Greek Spanakopita
This savory Greek "pie" has a creamy spinach and feta cheese filling layered between sheets of crispy phyllo dough. While phyllo dough seems intimidating, it's very easy to work with when you get the hang of it! This recipe would make a welcome addition to any party or potluck.
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Onion Rings
We couldn't get enough of these crunchy onion rings in the EatingWell Test Kitchen. Try any seasoning blend that you have on hand to add flavor to the breading or substitute 1 teaspoon salt instead. Seasoned whole-wheat breadcrumbs are available in some supermarkets and natural-foods stores. If you can find them, try them in place of the plain breadcrumbs and seasoning blend.
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Grissini
Long, crispy, thin breadsticks like these grissini are laid right on the tablecloth at many Piedmontese restaurants.
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Jalapeno Poppers
Spicy peppers get a cooldown from the creamy bean-and-cheese filling in our healthier version of jalapeno poppers.