23 Quick Holiday Appetizers for Effortless Entertaining

2 5 minutes read

With the holiday hustle and bustle in full swing, we know that party planning can be a stressful endeavor — and we're here to take some work off your plate by offering up our tastiest collection of holiday appetizers that are as easy as they are impressive. Made with minimal ingredients and relying on store-bought shortcuts, these recipes all come together in an hour or less. Choose from elevated classics like salmon crudo and warm spinach-artichoke dip, or try new takes on familiar dishes such as butternut squash carpaccio and shakshuka-inspired deviled eggs. Whatever route you take, it'll be festive, delicious, and quick.

Butternut Squash ‘Carpaccio' with Coconut Milk

Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

For this seasonal Thai-inspired appetizer, steamed and seared planks of butternut squash are brushed with red curry paste and served on a pool of creamy coconut sauce enriched with fresh ginger, lime, and spicy jalapeños.

Salmon Crudo

Hugh Davison

Raw salmon and pink grapefruit make a lovely winter pairing in Kat Turner's elegant crudo that takes just half an hour to prepare.

Dirty Martini Dip

Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Nicole Hopper / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle

If you take your Dirty Martini with a blue cheese-stuffed olive or three, this boozy and briny dip is for you. We soaked buttery Castelvetrano olives in gin and vermouth, then processed the brine with a creamy blue cheese base that's the perfect match for crostini or ruffled potato chips.

Grape, Walnut, and Labneh Crostini with Spicy Honey

Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis

Cookbook author Adeena Sussman's festive recipe is full of contrasting textures. Creamy labneh, juicy roasted grapes, and crunchy nuts layer atop sourdough toasts.

Air Fryer Burrata

Food & Wine / Photo by Brie Goldman / Food Styling by Lauren McAnelly / Prop Styling by Gabriel Greco

Coat cream-filled burrata with breadcrumbs and then bake it in the air fryer until it's crispy on the outside and gooey inside. For a festive red-and-green holiday spin, serve it with marinara on one side and pesto on the other.

Caviar Waffle Bites

Greg DuPree

Justin Chapple brings us this inventive and playful take on blini. Strips of waffles house pockets of caviar, crème fraîche, and chives, making perfect grab-and-go appetizers.

Baked Goat Cheese with Herbs

Chris Simpson / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Inspired by winters in Switzerland, this rendition of baked cheese from 2007 F&W Best New Chef Gavin Kaysen showcases creamy goat cheese baked until bubbly in olive oil and tart saba along with thyme, garlic, rosemary, and shallot.

Mushroom Flatbread with White Miso

Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christine Keely

Store-bought flatbread and flavor-packed toppings add up to a snack that’s fast, easy, and special enough for impromptu holiday entertaining.

Spiced Carrots with Whipped Feta

Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Emily Neighbors Hall / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

Caramelize grated carrots in a pan with ghee and fry a combination of cumin, coriander, and Urfa pepper, then stir the toasted spices into the carrots for this earthy and sweet spread that’s delicious served with tangy whipped feta.

Shakshuka Deviled Eggs

Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Heather Chadduck Hillegas

For this colorful take on a crowd favorite, garlicky, slightly spicy tomato jam flavored with harissa and smoked paprika is spooned on top of deviled eggs. The yolks are pureed with mayo and plain yogurt for a creamy, perfectly balanced filling with a little bit of tang.

Acorn Squash Saltimbocca

Caitlin Bensel

Acorn squash stands in for veal in this bold, earthy holiday appetizer. Brown butter-drizzled prosciutto whispers of sage and caramelized sweetness.

Warm Spinach-Artichoke Dip

Justin Walker

This classic spinach dip is creamy, filled with four kinds of cheese and plenty of tender artichoke hearts, and contrasted by a crisp, golden top. It comes together effortlessly in just one step and is made especially easy with the use of frozen veggies.

Cheese Croustades

Justin Walker

Josh Miller calls upon frozen mini phyllo pastry shells to make these croustades that are almost too pretty to eat. In each bite of the crispy pastry, guests will be rewarded with pops of cranberry brightness amid a fluffy goat cheese mousse.

Crudités Platter with Pimiento Cheese and Shiro-Miso Dip

Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

In just one hour, you can put together this crowd-pleasing appetizer featuring two delicious dips with crisp raw veggies and roasted delicata squash. A citrus-spiked miso dip is a refreshingly light complement to the crudités, while a classic pimiento cheese is tangy, creamy, and satisfying.

Sausage-Stuffed Fried Olives

Victor Protasio

Pair high-quality Italian sausage with buttery, mild Castelvetrano olives for these savory bites with a make ahead option.

Two-Bite Parmesan Biscuits

Caitlin Bensel

As if buttery biscuits weren't delicious enough as is, this cheesy version includes a sizeable wedge of Parmesan cheese. There's a whole cup of ground cheese in the dough; some blankets the sheet pan to give the biscuits a crispy bottom crust, while the rest is sprinkled on top of the biscuits, turning delightfully golden in the oven.

Hogs in a Blanket

Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle

Served with store-bought chutney mixed with whole-grain mustard and prepared with frozen puff pastry, this high-brow take on the classic snack swaps out the usual hot dogs for andouille sausage.

Mini Wedge Salads with Anchovy Dressing

Greg DuPree

Your holiday guests will delight in these personal wedge salads. A clever panko crust lets each guest enjoy their handheld salad in just a bite or two — no forks required.

Dirty Martini Shrimp Cocktail

Food & Wine / Photo by Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Renu Dhar / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle

Upgrade the classic by poaching big, beautiful shrimp in a lemon and shrimp shell-infused broth, brining in olive juice, and infusing jarred cocktail sauce with gin and vermouth.

Garlic Butter Chicken Bites

Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

Coat chunks of boneless, skinless chicken breasts with with a luscious lemon pepper and garlic butter sauce, and serve with toothpicks for an irresistible appetizer.

Mini Deviled Crab Cornbread Muffins

Kelly Marshall

These cornbread muffin bites are a party staple for chef and cookbook author Alexander Smalls. Sweet, spicy, and earthy flavors come from a thoughtful blend of deviled crab, corn kernels, coriander, and brown sugar.

Scallop Crudo with Pecans and Ponzu Sauce

This elegant appetizer from chef Eric Ripert comes together with only four ingredients in just 25 minutes. To make it, raw sea scallops are topped with a delicious combination of chopped toasted pecans, Japanese ponzu sauce, and aged balsamic vinegar.

Roasted Fingerling Potato and Pressed Caviar Canapés

Leave it to Jacques Pépin to create an hors d'oeuvre that's as easy as it is impressive. Here, he tops roasted fingerling potatoes with sour cream and slender diamonds of pressed caviar for a party-perfect appetizer that's ready in just 35 minutes.

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