Three Ingredients or Less! Try These Easy Appetizers When You Need to Make the Perfect Party Bite

When it comes to entertaining, there are many ways to do it, from the high-end and intricate to the super-casual potluck. No matter what your style you gravitate towards, it pays to be smart about how much creative energy and time you can invest in the preparation. This is where the cleverness of the concept can lead you down a new path. Here, we have a selection of appetizers that prove the rule of less is more: Two or three ingredients have been carefully chosen to create instant harmony; the magic comes from the balance of flavors and textures.

All are amazingly simple to prepare at home. Some—like rhubarb roasted with beets, or avocado cups filled with diced honeydew melon and mint—may seem ground-breaking. Others are classic combinations, but all have a twist. Take inspiration from the world's tables, but add a subtle spin on the familiar, such as the burrata-stuffed tiny tomatoes you see here. It's a flavor combination you (and your guests) know and love, but a format you might not expect. Another essential appetizer, prosciutto and melon, also becomes bite-sized when the pieces are skewered and grilled for easy eating. One surprising idea, which was lifted from Japanese restaurants, is blistered shishito peppers with bonito flakes. And as a nod in the direction of Spain and Portugal, we're also including skewers of rust-colored chorizo with parsnips, which show how spice can be balanced by sweetness.

Sometimes it's a technique that makes the difference, like crisping sliced prosciutto into savory shards or warming olives in a spiced marinade. Slowly drying thin citrus slices in the oven may take a while, but the work is done for you by the oven—and the result is a bright and chewy citrus treat. As you can see, when the concept is this good, the rest practically takes care of itself. With minimal effort you can be ready to host a relaxed—or swanky—gathering in no time. Less to think about, more to enjoy.