Healthy Vegan Appetizer Recipes

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

Staff Picks

Guacamole Chopped Salad

Rating: 4.5 stars
2
All of the delicious guacamole flavors you love in a healthy veggie-packed salad. Want to pump up the protein? Add leftover roast chicken or sautéed shrimp. Serve with tortilla chips on the side (or crumbled over the top) to take it up a notch.
By Carolyn Casner

Air-Fryer Crispy Chickpeas

Rating: 5 stars
1
Air-fried chickpea snacks are intensely flavored and incredibly crunchy. Drying the chickpeas is essential to a good crunch, so don't skip this step. If you have time, leave them out on the counter to dry for an hour or two before frying.
By Adam Hickman

Garlic Hummus

Rating: 5 stars
6
This classic 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) makes this healthy dip extra smooth and creamy. Serve with veggie chips, pita chips or crudités.
By Devon O'Brien

Zesty Avocado Black Bean Dip

Perfect for game day, this fiber-rich dip is a surefire crowd-pleaser to serve with crudités or tortilla chips. It requires little prep time and is ready to serve immediately.
By Jamie Vespa MS RD

Avocado Hummus

Rating: 5 stars
5
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.
By Devon O'Brien

Crunchy Roasted Chickpeas

Try this satisfying snack instead of nuts. The tasty legumes are lower in calories and packed with fiber.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Mushroom Pate

Rating: 4.75 stars
2
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.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Homemade Microwave Popcorn

Make your own microwave popcorn--it's the simplest technique for making popcorn at home and only requires popcorn kernels and a single brown bag. You'll pop up a perfectly fluffy, light snack each time.
By Devon O'Brien

Rice Cakes with Peanut Butter

Top multigrain rice cakes with creamy peanut butter for a nutritious snack with protein and fiber to keep you feeling full.
By Victoria Seaver, M.S., R.D.

Roasted Buffalo Chickpeas

Rating: 5 stars
1
Soaking chickpeas in vinegary hot sauce gives them a mouthwatering tang before they crisp up in the oven. The result? An addictively crunchy snack that's actually good for you.
By Hilary Meyer

Mushroom Jerky

Rating: 5 stars
1
This vegan version of beef jerky has the same level of smoky spice you'd expect from the real thing. It can be enjoyed as a snack or on top of a salad for a jolt of meaty, umami goodness. It's also a great snack to take camping! The mushrooms stay pretty chewy (no crunch except for some of the crispy ends); this method is a great option if you don't have a dehydrator.
By Carolyn Casner

Fresh Tomato Salsa

Rating: 4 stars
1
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.
By Stacy Fraser
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Inspiration and Ideas

Spiced Chickpea "Nuts"

Spiced Chickpea "Nuts"
When roasted in a hot oven, chickpeas become super crunchy. They're a great low-fat substitute for nuts when salty cravings hit.
How to Make Creamy Broccoli Soup

How to Make Creamy Broccoli Soup
Try this easy blender broccoli soup recipe alongside grilled cheese sandwiches or as a starter for a simple supper.
Garlic & White Bean Dip

Garlic & White Bean Dip
Score Big with These Vegan Super Bowl Snacks & Apps

Score Big with These Vegan Super Bowl Snacks & Apps
Roasted Beet Hummus

Roasted Beet Hummus
Rating: Unrated
3
Crisp Apple Chips

Crisp Apple Chips

Gorp

Rating: 4.43 stars
3

Try customizing this basic recipe with your favorite dried fruits and nuts.

All Healthy Vegan Appetizer Recipes

Homemade Multi-Seed Crackers

Rating: 5 stars
1
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.
By Carolyn Casner

Turmeric-Ginger Tahini Dip

Rating: 5 stars
1
Flavored with turmeric, ginger and garlic, this tahini dip recipe is perfect for dipping vegetables or topping your next falafel.
By Julia Clancy

Chile-Lime Peanuts

Rating: 3 stars
3
These spicy nuts were inspired by ones sold by street vendors across Mexico. If you can only find salted peanuts, omit the added salt. Add the maximum amount of cayenne pepper if you want an extra hit of spice.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Roasted Spaghetti Squash Seeds

Rating: 5 stars
2
When you prepare spaghetti squash, don't throw away the seeds! You can roast them into a crunchy, healthy snack--just like roasting pumpkin seeds. The seasoning mix in this recipe is a mix of spicy, salty and sweet, but feel free to experiment with your own flavor combinations.
By Sylvia Fountaine

Avocado & Salsa Cracker

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.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Quick Pickled Turnips

Rating: 4 stars
1
Perk up your cheese plate or crudités platter with these crunchy, zesty pickled turnips or try them on a sandwich instead of cucumber pickles.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Traditional Greek Tahini Dip

Super creamy with the nutty flavor of sesame seeds, this homemade tahini sauce recipe is a popular way to begin a meal in Cyprus. Serve with crudités and pita.
By Jen Rose Smith

Thai Peanut Curry Noodles

Rating: 3.29 stars
3
Thai curry paste delivers a spicy kick-in-the-pants in this healthy peanut noodle recipe. If you haven't tried kohlrabi yet, here's your excuse to buy it. The bulbous vegetable is related to broccoli and Brussels sprouts, but has a milder, sweet flavor and fabulous crunch.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Bean Burgers with Spicy Guacamole

Rating: 3.62 stars
4
These bean burgers will even please carnivores. The cornmeal coating gives a pleasant crunch and smoked paprika, cumin, cilantro and guacamole add Southwestern flavor.
By Vanessa Barrington

Spiced Chickpea "Nuts"

Rating: 3.54 stars
16
When roasted in a hot oven, chickpeas become super crunchy. They're a great low-fat substitute for nuts when salty cravings hit.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Toasted Paprika Chickpeas

Rating: 4 stars
1
Toasted chickpeas are now a popular vegan snack, but why spend extra money buying them at the health food store when you can easily make them yourself? They're delicious as a snack but also make a wonderful salad topping.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Everything-Bagel Crispy Chickpeas

Crispy, salty and packed with everything-bagel goodness, these crispy chickpeas are a delicious, healthy snack that can be enjoyed on their own or tossed into a salad for added crunch. Removing the skins from the chickpeas helps achieve a better crisp. Look for "everything bagel seasoning" in the spice aisle; it's now available in most supermarkets.
By Marianne Williams

Quick Guacamole

Rating: 5 stars
1
Mash a few avocados, stir in some fresh salsa and a squeeze of lemon juice and you've made the easiest healthy guacamole. Guacamole will turn brown if allowed to sit and is best made shortly before serving. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips or as a topping for tacos, enchiladas or burritos.
By Stacy Fraser

Double-Tahini Hummus

Rating: 5 stars
1
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.
By Michael Solomonov

Homemade Salsa

If you like mild salsa, use banana peppers in this recipe. For a hotter version, try jalapeño or one of the alternate pepper choices.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Everything Bagel Microwave Popcorn

Full of umami-rich flavors inspired by the classic bagel, this easy popcorn snack is sure to make your mouth water.
By Devon O'Brien

Pressure-Cooker Hummus

Rating: 5 stars
1
Cooking chickpeas from scratch is the best way to make your own hummus, but it can take hours to soak and cook them yourself. Enter the pressure cooker. Even without an overnight soak, your beans can be done in less than an hour, making this the ultimate last-minute appetizer option.
By Hilary Meyer

Jason Mraz's Guacamole

In this easy guacamole recipe, musician Mraz prefers California Hass or Reed avocados because they are the creamiest. Adjust the heat, tang or other flavorings to suit your tastes.
By Jason Mraz

Skinny Guacamole

Rating: 4 stars
2
This delicious guacamole recipe replaces half the amount of high-calorie avocado in a traditional guacamole recipe with a stealth, low-calorie vegetable--zucchini--to cut 100 calories and 6 grams of fat so we can eat more guacamole with fewer calories. We use the microwave to cook the zucchini until it's very tender, but you can steam it on the stovetop if you prefer.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Sweet Potato Chips

Rating: 5 stars
1
Make perfectly crunchy veggie chips at home with this healthy recipe. Use a mandoline to slice the sweet potatoes extra-thin for the optimum crunch!
By Devon O'Brien

Tequila Guacamole

Rating: 5 stars
1
Margarita lovers will go crazy for this twist on classic guacamole. Spiking your guacamole with tequila adds an extra layer of flavor and blends deliciously with the fresh lime juice and jalapeño. This guacamole is for grown-ups only, but you can omit the tequila if you're serving to kids.
By Sarah Epperson

Pickled Beets

Tangy pickled beets are a summertime favorite. Try them as a garnish for a Greek salad or as part of a relish tray at your next summer barbecue.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Quick Giardiniera

Rating: 5 stars
1
This quickly pickled, spicy Italian salad of mixed sliced vegetables is great for an antipasto platter, served with grilled meat or chopped up and put on a sandwich.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Sicilian Caponata

Rating: 4 stars
3
This caponata is a vibrant mixture of fresh vegetables, including eggplant, onion, celery and tomatoes. Olives, capers, basil and pine nuts makes it special. Serve it as a side with fish or as a spread on rustic bread. Prepare it the night before serving if you can; it always tastes better the next day.
By Sheilah Kaufman
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