Meat Appetizer Recipes

Find healthy, delicious meat appetizer recipes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Staff Picks

Taco Lettuce Wraps

Rating: 5 stars
1
Don't limit yourself to lettuce for this low-carb, gluten-free taco lettuce wrap recipe--any fresh green sturdy enough to wrap around 1/2 cup of filling works.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Reuben Pickle Bites

This pickle-on-a-stick appetizer has all the flavors of a classic Reuben sandwich in one small bite. Watch this crowd-pleasing no-cook appetizer disappear in a snap at a party, game-watch or tailgate.
By Hilary Meyer

Pizza Lettuce Wraps

Rating: 5 stars
1
Go light and fresh when you're craving pizza: these easy lettuce wraps have all the taste with fewer carbs and calories.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Quesadillas al Greco

Rating: 3.67 stars
1
Surprise your taste buds with this Greek twist on the Mexican staple.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Chili-Cheese Nachos

Rating: 5 stars
1
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.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Bacon and Egg Breakfast Wraps

Rating: 5 stars
1
This Mexican-inspired bacon and egg breakfast is rolled in a tortilla and eaten with your hands.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Zucchini Pizza Bites

Rating: 5 stars
2
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.
By Adam Hickman

Classic Southern Appetizer Board

Rating: 5 stars
1
Treat your party guests to a classic Southern spread with deviled eggs, spiced pecans, ham, cheese and fresh fruit with this festive party board. We've included a combination of homemade and store-bought ingredients for an abundant board that doesn't take too long to assemble. A note on nutrition: This board is hearty enough to stand in for dinner or lunch, but if you're planning on serving it as an appetizer before the main meal, go light on things like nuts, crackers and cheese dip to keep sodium and calories in check.
By Sarah Simms Hendrix

Pita Chip Nachos

Swap tortilla chips for pita chips in this healthy Mediterranean nacho recipe. For a party, create one large platter--just be sure to serve with plates!
By Carolyn Malcoun

Cucumber Cups with Deviled Ham Salad

Swap crostini for cucumber cups to hold ham salad in this easy appetizer recipe. Bring these healthy, crunchy bites to your next potluck or serve them at brunch and watch them disappear.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Pepperoni Pizza Rolls

These cheesy baked pizza rolls with marinara dipping sauce would be fun for a casual party for kids or adults--or just for dinner! Classic pizza fillings are tucked into egg roll wrappers, which are baked--no frying required!--until nice and crispy on the outside. Feel free to mix up the fillings; for example, you could drop the pepperoni to make these vegetarian or nix the mushrooms if you're not a fan.
By Robin Bashinsky

Empanadas with Chorizo & Potato

Rating: 5 stars
2
A staple in South American cuisine, homemade empanadas can be served as a main dish or a side. We keep this simple by focusing on the empanada filling and instead of making the dough from scratch, we achieve flaky empanadas with the help of refrigerated pie crust.
By Devon O'Brien
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Inspiration and Ideas

Kefta

Kefta
Rating: Unrated
1
Kefta, seasoned ground meat, is one of Morocco's most popular street foods. Traditionally, kefta is washed down with a glass of sweet mint tea. It's delicious served with ratatouille.
Egg & Bacon Pancake Breakfast Wraps

Egg & Bacon Pancake Breakfast Wraps
Rating: Unrated
1
Maple syrup sweetens up this easy grab-and-go breakfast wrap that adults and kids alike will love. The batter for the pancake is spread thin in the pan like a crepe for easy rolling.
Air-Fryer Egg Rolls

Air-Fryer Egg Rolls
Meat Fondue

Meat Fondue
Korean Beef Lettuce Rolls

Korean Beef Lettuce Rolls
Lamb & Rice Stuffed Grape Leaves

Lamb & Rice Stuffed Grape Leaves

Cheesy Ham & Pickle Wraps

For this no-cook game-day appetizer, tangy dill pickles are stuffed with a creamy filling that's peppered with sharp Cheddar and sweet pimientos, and then wrapped with ham. We cut back on the sodium by scraping out the pickle seeds and opting for reduced-sodium ham, which has 260 milligrams (or less) of sodium per 2-ounce serving.

All Meat Appetizer Recipes

Latin American Empanadas (Pipian Empanadas)

Rating: 3 stars
1
These savory pastries were created by Mariana Velasquez, a Test Kitchen intern who grew up in Bogotá, Colombia. “Whenever we took a trip into the country we would stop at a roadside stand for empanadas. We would wrap the empanada with a napkin, take a bite and pour a spoonful of aji sauce inside the stuffing. This empanada is called pipian because it uses toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas). In Colombia, empanadas are deep-fried, but you bake these without sacrificing a crispy crust. They are fun to make with children.”
By Mariana Velasquez

Ultimate Summer Fruit & Cheese Board

This easy cheese board features a bounty of seasonal vegetables and fresh fruits, which add color and complement the variety of cheeses. We've made cheese suggestions, but feel free to mix and match with your favorites. For the fresh produce, improvise based on what's available at your market and what's in season.
By Katie Webster

Raspberry BBQ Sausage Bites

Sweet, smoky and savory, these sausage appetizer bites are a cinch to throw together at the last minute. Just throw some smoked sausage on the grill, slice and toss with the fresh homemade raspberry barbecue sauce for the ultimate crowd-pleaser.
By Katie Webster

Asian Beef Meatballs

Sautéed mushrooms, celery and garlic add flavor and help keep calories in check and portions hearty in this easy Asian beef meatball recipe. Serve as the base for lettuce wraps or on top of steamed brown rice with baby bok choy for a quick dinner.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Winter Charcuterie Board

A cheeseboard is an ideal stationary hors d'oeuvre for holiday entertaining. Select a variety of cheeses, making sure to include an aged variety, a creamy cheese, a blue cheese and perhaps a smoked cheese. Round out the platter with cold cuts, bread, an abundance of seasonal fruits, dried fruit, crudité, nuts and olives. We even included some dark chocolate to cap it off!
By Charlotte Autry

Lion's Head Meatballs

Rating: 4.4 stars
3
This is a famous dish along the Yangtze, with regional variations. In Shanghai, the sauce will be sweet and sour. In Chongqing, it will be hot and spicy. And in Wuhan…well, it will depend on the season and the mood of the chef.
By Ying Chang Compestine

Mini Meat & Cheese Board

For a satisfying and quick snack or dessert, assemble your own cheese board for one, adorned with apricots, almonds and carrots.
By Breana Killeen

Hoisin Beef & Edamame Noodles

Rating: 4 stars
2
Sweet hoisin sauce and tangy lime juice balance perfectly in this quick, colorful, Asian-inspired noodle dish. Make it a meal: Dress a cucumber salad with toasted sesame oil and lime juice and enjoy a cup of jasmine green tea.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Spicy Lamb Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Rating: 4.4 stars
5
These succulent meatballs can be served on little plates with plenty of bread for sopping up the rich tomato sauce or simply with toothpicks (and a napkin!). They are best served warm.
By Victoria Abbott Riccardi

Date Wraps

Rating: 4 stars
1
Sweet dates and salty prosciutto combine in a tasty bite.
By Mariana Velasquez

Lamb with Mint, Orange & Pistachios

Serve this garlic- and cumin-flavored ground lamb recipe as a topping for hummus, or double the serving size, add some pita and a side salad and you've got an easy and healthy weeknight dinner.
By Michael Solomonov

Sausage Balls

These homemade sausage balls are a healthy riff on the original--we add riced cauliflower for moisture and a veggie boost, whole-wheat flour stands in for prepared biscuit mix, and sharp Cheddar adds flavor. Serve these sausage balls for brunch, as an appetizer, or mix them with your favorite marinara for dinner.
By Carolyn Casner

Rosti Potatoes with Ham & Cheese

Rating: 3.86 stars
4
Traditional versions of this crisp Swiss potato cake virtually swim in butter. By baking the cake, we were able to dramatically reduce the fat yet retain crispness.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Serrano Ham with Crusty Tomato Bread

For this classic tapas morsel, sweet and garlicky tomato spread is the perfect companion for thin slices of salty, dry-cured Spanish ham. Plum tomatoes are called for because they contain less water and therefore have a more intense flavor when they are slow-roasted.
By Victoria Abbott Riccardi

Mini Corned Beef & Cabbage Shamrock Tostadas

Deli-counter corned beef and sauerkraut top a shamrock-shaped spinach wrap in this festive corned beef and cabbage-inspired appetizer for the perfect St. Patrick's Day food.
By Breana Killeen

Chipotle Pork Empanadas

Lean pork and spicy, smoky chipotles deliver a Southwestern punch in these baked empanadas.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Tangy Cherry Barbecue Sausage

Cherry preserves, tomato paste and chipotle chile pepper combine for an unexpected sauce that provides sweet heat.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Lettuce Wraps with Spiced Pork

Rating: 3 stars
2
Serve this quick stir-fry family-style: set out a bowl of stir-fried pork and the lettuce leaves and let people make their own wraps.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Turkey-Pork Mini Meatballs

These mini meatballs are made with a tasty mixture of ground turkey breast and pork. Each serving of six meatballs has under 200 calories.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Light 'n Crisp Egg Rolls

Chopped water chestnuts add extra crunch to the savory filling in these delightful morsels.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Steak-&-Boursin-Wrapped Bells

Rating: 4.6 stars
1
For an even quicker preparation, try deli roast beef.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Lima Beans with Chorizo

Rating: 4.4 stars
2
A bit of chorizo sausage gives these beans a sassy hit of smoke and spice. Serve them as is (on small plates) or heaped onto slices of garlic-rubbed toast.
By Victoria Abbott Riccardi

Roast Beef & Blue Cheese Spears

Deli roast beef and a simple blue cheese cream top Treviso in a simple, pretty appetizer.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Pistachio Breakfast Sausage Patties

Rating: 4.5 stars
1
This breakfast sausage patty recipe transforms plain breakfast sausage into something special with a few simple additions. The surprise ingredient: pistachios! Plenty of black pepper and a big pinch of cayenne make this breakfast sausage pleasantly spicy--use less if you prefer. The recipe, which can be made ahead and refrigerated or frozen, yields 8 small sausage patties, but can easily be doubled and cooked in two batches.
By Julee Rosso
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