Vegan Appetizer Recipes

Vegetables, beans, herbs, and spices give these vegan appetizers loads of fresh flavor. Choose from bruschetta, bean dip, salsa, vegetable spring rolls, delicious dips, and many more enticing ways to start a party.

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Roasted-Red-Pepper Dip

John Kernick

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Roasted red peppers, raisins, and capers bring a complex, smoky-sweet flavor to this easy dip. Serve it with Roasted Eggplant Dip and pita chips.

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Spring Rolls with Carrot-Ginger Dipping Sauce

Digital Cart Two

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Roll up red bell pepper, beets, carrot, daikon, cucumber, and radish sprouts in delicate rice paper wrappers and serve with a tangy ginger-soy dipping sauce. These can be prepared a few hours in advance, or you can let your guests have fun making their own spring rolls.

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Spiced-Up Hummus

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Cumin, ginger, and star anise add depth to the standard hummus recipe. After pureeing the dip, stir in cilantro, chopped tomato, and scallions.

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Baked Plantain Chips

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Cut back on calories (as well as mess) by baking instead of frying. Toss sliced green plantains with vegetable oil and bake to a golden crisp.

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Tomato-Basil Crostini

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The classic Italian combination of tomatoes, fresh basil, and olive oil make a crowd-pleasing topping for toasted baguette slices. Punch up the flavor by adding crushed garlic if you like.

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Salsa Trio and Homemade Tortilla Chips

Mikkel Vang

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Start the fiesta with not one, but three salsas -- cruda, verde, and roasted tomato. All of these delicious dips can be made several days in advance.

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Vegetarian Summer Rolls

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Roll up avocado, carrot, cucumber, and fresh basil in delicate rice-paper wrappers and serve with a peanut and hoisin dipping sauces. These can be prepared a few hours in advance, or you can let your guests have fun making their own rolls.

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White Bean Dip

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Two cans of cannellini beans, fresh rosemary, and a splash of red-wine vinegar are all you need to make this easy dip. Serve it with crudites or crostini.

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Sweet Potato Wedges with Sesame-Soy Dipping Sauce

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Thick, oven-baked sweet potato wedges are a great appetizer for any casual party. An easy dipping sauce made from soy sauce, rice-wine vinegar, and toasted sesame oil makes the sweet potatoes especially irresistible.

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Eggplant Caponata Crostini

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The classic Sicilian dish combining eggplant, tomatoes, raisins, pine nuts, and vinegar gets added depth from unsweetened cocoa powder. Serve the caponata on crostini or enjoy it as a pasta sauce or a sandwich spread.

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Mixed Provencal Olives with Preserved Lemon and Oregano

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Preserved lemons add their distinctive rich, pungent flavor to assorted olives marinated in white-wine vinegar and olive oil. You can make your own preserved lemons or purchase them at a Mediterranean specialty market.

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Roasted Red Pepper, Olive, and Caper Bruschetta

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Mix together thin slices of roasted red pepper, garlic, olives, and capers with red-wine vinegar and olive oil to make this robust bruschetta. If you like, make the mixture a day ahead of time to allow the flavors to mingle.

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Marinated Mushrooms

Sang An

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Cremini mushrooms absorb the bold, tangy flavors of oregano, lemon juice, and white-wine vinegar in a 20-minute marinade. Serve these marinated mushrooms as part of an antipasti platter, along with olives, roasted peppers, and pickled vegetables such as green beans or cauliflower.

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Coriander-Chile Pinto Bean Dip

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This spicy spin on white-bean dip combines a can of pinto beans with coriander, paprika, garlic, and a splash of red-wine vinegar. Serve it with flatbread crackers or tortilla chips.

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Shiitake Nori Rolls

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Dried shiitake mushrooms, soba noodles, and shredded cabbage make a deliciously savory filling for this vegetarian stand-in for sushi rolls. Make a dipping sauce by adding lime juice, tamari, and chopped cilantro to the mushrooms' soaking liquid.

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Falafel with Tahini Sauce

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These crisp falafel balls are lively with cumin, coriander, cilantro, mint, parsley, and garlic. Serve them with tahini sauce and pickled vegetables.

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Roasted Red Pepper and Walnut Dip

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This delectable dip blends roasted red peppers, walnuts, and balsamic vinegar. Paprika and cumin add smoky back notes.

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Avocado Bruschetta with Green Sauce

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Blend parsley, basil, garlic, and red-wine vinegar with olive oil to make the brilliant green herb sauce for this bruschetta. Spoon diced avocado on tip just before serving.

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Chickpea, Mint, and Parsley Spread

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Lots of fresh mint and parsley give bold flavor and a pleasant light-green hue to this chickpea and garlic spread. This appetizer can be made up to three days in advance. Serve the spread with warm pita bread or fresh vegetables for dipping.

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Edamame with Chile Salt

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Blend coarse salt, sugar and crushed red-pepper flakes in a spice grinder to make an easy, irresistible seasoning for edamame. This appetizer can be thrown together in about five minutes.

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Mixed Olives with Caper Berries

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Roasted garlic, orange zest, thyme, and rosemary add an aromatic kick to this mix of olives and plump caper berries. This recipe is adapted from "Martha Stewart's Hors d'Oeuvres Handbook."

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Banana-Avocado Dip with Plantain Chips

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Ripe banana and avocado make a quick, creamy dip for fried plantain chips. Green plantains, which are high in starch, make the crispiest chips.

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Mediterranean Crostini

EARL CARTER

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A chunky relish of green olives and diced celery is spooned over creamy chickpea dip on toasted baguette slices. The relish and dip can be made up to three days in advance; assemble this appetizer just before you are ready to serve it.

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Roasted Peppers with Garlic and Basil

WILLIAM MEPPEM

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Bell peppers become smoky and sweet when broiled. Serve these as part of an antipasto platter or tapas selection.

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Guacamole Hummus

Con Poulos

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Two favorite party dips unite in this creamy recipe. Three cups of cilantro leaves give the dip its vivid green color.

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Chilled Tofu, Japanese-Style

Sang An

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Have fun choosing different combinations of toppings for smooth silken tofu, including cilantro, grated ginger, toasted sesame seeds, radishes, and snow peas. Serve the garnishes tofu with a mirin-soy dipping sauce.

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Spicy Roasted Chickpeas

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Cumin seeds and cayenne pepper give alluring flavor to this easy snack. The chickpeas become crisp when roasted in a hot oven.

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Grilled Vegetables and Tomato Bread

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Give grilled bread fresh flavor by rubbing a ripe tomato over the surface. Pile on an assortment of grilled summer vegetables and serve as an open-faced sandwich.

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White-Bean and Caper Crostini

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Capers and minced red onion liven up cannellini beans in this easy appetizer. If you like, add garlic or fresh herbs to the mixture.

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Hummus Dip

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This classic recipe for hummus combines canned chickpeas with garlic, tahini (sesame seed paste), and a pinch each of cumin and nutmeg. Serve as part of a mezze platter with stuffed grape leaves and marinated olives.

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Vegan Appetizer Recipes

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Roasted-Red-Pepper Dip

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Spring Rolls with Carrot-Ginger Dipping Sauce

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Spiced-Up Hummus

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Baked Plantain Chips

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Tomato-Basil Crostini

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Salsa Trio and Homemade Tortilla Chips

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Vegetarian Summer Rolls

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White Bean Dip

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Sweet Potato Wedges with Sesame-Soy Dipping Sauce

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Eggplant Caponata Crostini

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Mixed Provencal Olives with Preserved Lemon and Oregano

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Roasted Red Pepper, Olive, and Caper Bruschetta

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Marinated Mushrooms

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Coriander-Chile Pinto Bean Dip

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Shiitake Nori Rolls

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Falafel with Tahini Sauce

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Roasted Red Pepper and Walnut Dip

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Avocado Bruschetta with Green Sauce

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Chickpea, Mint, and Parsley Spread

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Edamame with Chile Salt

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Mixed Olives with Caper Berries

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Banana-Avocado Dip with Plantain Chips

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Mediterranean Crostini

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Roasted Peppers with Garlic and Basil

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Guacamole Hummus

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Chilled Tofu, Japanese-Style