Healthy Appetizer Recipes

Staff Picks

How to Make Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs

Get a perfect hard-boiled egg every time with these simple tips. With hard-boiled eggs in the refrigerator, you always have the components of a satisfying meal.

Strawberry Salsa

Strawberries are a satiating and exciting alternative to tomatoes in this bright and fruity salsa; they pack an extra gram of fiber per cup. Serve it with chips or use it as a topping to grilled fish or chicken.

Asparagus Gruyere Tart

Especially when made with plump, in-season asparagus, this dish makes for a sophisticated, visually pleasing appetizer.

New Greek Salad

Golden croutons made from olive bread boost the presence of the Kalamata olives, both of which are fried in this rendition of the salad. Cucumbers, tomatoes, and red onion—tumbled over slices of feta—are all here. Dill adds a bright spring grassiness to this new rendition of Greek salad.

Spiced Walnuts

Cayenne pepper gives these slightly sweet walnuts a piquant kick.

Spiced Nuts

A perfect spicy snack for the holidays.

Greek Layer Dip

Serve this zesty Mediterranean spin on traditional seven-layer dip with pita chips for a delightful party starter.

Steamed Artichokes with Lemon-Garlic Aioli

Steaming the garlic with the artichokes mellows its flavor in this easy hors d'oeuvre. This recipe is included in Butterflied, Rolled, and Roasted Leg of Lamb.

Seasoned Roasted-Corn Salad Cups

This is a fresher take on esquites, Mexican street corn cups. Individual cups work well for entertaining, but the corn salad can also be made in a large serving bowl.

Quick Pickles

These crunchy cucumbers are a welcome addition to any meal.

Roasted Spiced Chickpeas

Craving something crunchy? These spicy roasted chickpeas will give you healthy satisfaction without too much salt or saturated fat.

Mushroom Ravioli

Martha and her young friend Alex Connolly made this delectable version of ravioli. A variety of fresh mushrooms, ranging from the mild-tasting button to the intense porcini, are mixed with Parmesan and ricotta cheeses to make a robust filling for this classic Italian dish. To complement the filling, a delicate sauce of butter and sage is all that is needed.

Inspiration and Ideas

Roasted Radishes

One of the first crops of spring, French breakfast radishes have red shoulders, white tips, and varying degrees of spiciness.

Basil Pesto

This simple Italian sauce brings summery flavor to all sorts of dishes, including our Pesto Pizzas and Chicken Fettuccine with Pesto Cream Sauce. Pesto is traditionally made with cheese, but it's just as good without (it freezes better, too).

Minty Pea Dip

Radishes with Olive Oil

Baked Chicken Fingers

Baked Kale Chips

Strawberry, Mango, and Yogurt Smoothie

This healthy and refreshing smoothie is made with only four ingredients—apple juice, low-fat yogurt, strawberries, and mango chunks. You can use fresh or frozen fruit in this smoothie and substitute orange juice for the apple.

All Healthy Appetizer Recipes

Herbed Deviled Eggs

James Beard wrote of these beloved bites, "nothing disappears as quickly." Here, mashed yolks are mixed with herbs, grainy mustard, and vinegar, then piped into the whites.

Tomato, Cucumber, and Pickled-Onion Salad

Pickled onions add a puckery punch to a staple tomato and cucumber salad.

Upside-Down Mushroom Tartlets

Cut these into quarters for pretty yet simple hors d'oeuvres, or serve them with a crunchy green salad for lunch or a light supper.

Labneh Dip with Caramelized Onions and Fennel

Using labneh as its base, which is a thick and creamy Middle Eastern yogurt cheese, this dip mixes in deeply caramelized onions and fennel along with thyme and savory Worcestershire sauce. Serve it alongside some crackers and crudité for an easy yet impressive appetizer, or dollop it onto grilled chicken, lamb, or roasted eggplant.

Tomatillo and Chipotle Salsa

Chipotles make this salsa rich and smoky. Serve it as a topping for the tacos or as a dip for tortilla chips.

Roasted-Garlic Hummus

Tangy hummus is perfect for parties or as a quick and healthful snack when served with a colorful array of fresh vegetables. Roasted garlic, fruity olive oil, and sesame tahini enliven the flavor.

Tuscan Panzanella

This traditional Tuscan Panzanella summer salad is a mix of bright flavors and textures—tomatoes, bocconcini, red onion, basil, and crusty bread.

Charred Eggplant Dip

This smoky dip's flavors get stronger -- and better -- when it sits in the fridge for a couple of days. Try keeping it on hand to serve when friends drop by for a drink, or to add it to sandwiches.

Mango and Tomato Salsa

Ripe mangoes and tomatoes make this simple salsa shine.

Fava Bean, Mint, and Pecorino Romano Bruschetta

Want to give this bruschetta an even brighter flavor? Add some lemon zest into the mix.

Baked Stuffed Red Peppers with Cherry Tomatoes, Feta, and Thyme

Filled with tangy feta and a handful of sweet tiny tomatoes, red bell peppers take on a Mediterranean twist.

Fresh Pea Hummus

Mash these peas up for a nice spread to have with pita or crudites.

Warm Fennel-and-Parmesan Dip

A warm, golden dip always tempts guests to dig in. This one uses Parmesan cheese to season caramelized fennel and garlic.

Mixed Tomatoes with Balsamic and Dill Bruschetta

Not a fan of dill? Swap it out for some basil, thyme, or even chives.

Creamy Corn-and-Onion Dip

In this light, summery twist on classic French onion dip, sweet corn is sautéed until tender and mixed with tangy Greek yogurt, which brings the richness of a creamy dip without all the fat.

Roasted Red Pepper and Walnut Dip

For best results, make this dip a day ahead to let the flavors mellow and blend. Serve with toasted pita triangles.

Roasted Eggplant Dip

Roasting the eggplant in its skin steams the flesh, turning it soft and silky—great for a dip to serve with pita wedges as an appetizer.

Avocado Ranch Dip

Grown-ups and kids alike will love this spin on the traditional ranch dip. Thin it with a little water and it also dresses a salad.

Black-Bean and Brown-Rice Cakes

These flavorful vegetarian cakes are easy to prep. Serve with a green salad and chips and salsa for a complete meal.

Spaghetti with Garden Vegetables (Spaghetti Dell'Ortolano)

Rich with vegetables, this simple but satisfying starter is also suitable as a meatless entree.

Spring Rolls with Carrot-Ginger Dipping Sauce

Pliable rice-paper wrappers envelope six vegetables (and countless nutrients). The sauce supplies a tingling jolt of ginger and vinegar.

Goat-Cheese Leek Tart

This tart showcases the thyme flavoring of the goat cheese filling.

Shrimp Gazpacho

This Spanish soup is traditionally made by adding olive oil to the vegetable puree; we left out the oil and used only a small amount to cook the shrimp.

Fresh Ricotta, Cherry, and Lemon Zest Crostini

Fresh cherries give this crostini recipe a juicy brightness.

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