Easy and Delicious Vegan Appetizer Recipes That Are Just Right for Any Occasion
From homemade potato chips to dairy-free dips, everyone will enjoy these creative bites.
Whether you want to elevate dinner on the weekend with a multi-course meal or are planning for a family party (with COVID-safe guidelines in place, of course), these vegan appetizers will start things off on a delicious note. Ranging from creamy dairy-free dips to crudités spreads and simple snacks, our quick and easy recipes are sure to satisfy both meat-eaters and vegans alike.
One naturally vegan appetizer that's always guaranteed to please is hummus. Our hummus recipe, pictured here, is as classic as it gets: It's made with two cans of chickpeas, tahini (sesame seed paste), garlic, lemon juice, and a touch of cayenne pepper for a little bit of heat. Serve with crudités, chips, or pita bread for a satisfying appetizer your whole group will love. We also have a very green guacamole that's made without tomatoes but with an uber-crunchy and salty garnish of crumbled seaweed sheets. It's just the add-on to take this classic appetizer to extraordinary new heights. Don't forget the tortilla chips!
Dips aren't your only options when it comes to make and serving vegan appetizers, though. Savory snacks such as roasted chickpeas, crunchy kale chips, and homemade potato chips will delight both kids and adults, and that's true whether they're vegan or not. Some are best served warm, whereas others you can make ahead and serve at room temperature for easy entertaining. We have a versatile recipe for spiced baked tofu that can serve as an accent to a large board filled with vegetables, dips, vegan cheese, and more; or you may even want to use it as a topping for a light appetizer salad.
Vegan food is anything but bland or boring and these appetizer recipes will certainly prove that.
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Miso-Tahini Dip
Get the party started with this umami-packed dip that comes together in 30 minutes. White miso paste is mixed with tahini paste, minced garlic, lemon juice, and a touch of sesame oil—we love to serve this dip alongside crudités, such as blanched asparagus.
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Red, White, and Blue Potato Chips
Show off your stars and stripes with this vegan appetizer. Use a combination of blue, red, and Butterball potatoes to create the colorful look of these chips.
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All-Purpose Baked Tofu
Dress up extra-firm tofu with a sprinkling of smoked paprika and soy sauce; once baked and fully crispy, you can serve these bite-sized pieces alongside dips or as part of a grazing board.
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Hearts of Palm Dip
Embrace all things green with this vegan appetizer. Hearts of palm, which you can find canned in the grocery store, are blended with chopped chives, cilantro leaves, lime zest, and extra-virgin olive oil for a delicious dip.
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Crispy Brussels-Sprout Rösti
Think of this vegan appetizer as a giant potato pancake. A combination of grated russet potatoes and shredded Brussels sprouts create a magical bite that's meat- and dairy-free. It's crunchy on the outside, a little soft on the inside, and all-around irresistible.
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Broccoli Fritto Misto
You'll never consider broccoli boring again after you try this vegan appetizer. When it's coated in a light rice flour-based batter and deep-fried, it becomes crispy, airy, and totally sensational.
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Beet Muhammara
Pomegranate molasses and red beets bring an intense purple-red color to this nutty vegan dip. It gets warmth from ground Aleppo pepper and ground cumin.
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Marinated Peppers with Mint and Sesame
This colorful vegan appetizer comes together in just 35 minutes. Roasted peppers are tossed with the zest and juice of two lemons, extra-virgin olive oil, sesame seeds, and fresh mint leaves—pair the peppers with toasted bread for an easy bite.
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Nori Guacamole
In this twist on guacamole, we've omitted the tomatoes and sprinkled crumbled seaweed on top for serving. The nori adds a little saltiness, deep green color, and fabulous crunch to each bite.
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Vegan Green-Goddess Dip
A dairy-free delight, this vegan dip gets its creaminess from avocado, Dijon mustard, extra-virgin olive oil, and lime juice, which are blended together in a food processor.
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Warm Olives with Cracked Coriander
Complete a vegan grazing board with olives marinated in extra-virgin olive oil, coriander seeds, and bay leaves. This dish comes together in just 15 minutes, which is perfect when you need to prepare a last-minute bite.
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Roasted-Garlic Toast with Tomato
Think of this as an elevated bruschetta—homemade garlic confit, thinly sliced tomatoes, and fresh parsley leaves are layered on rustic bread for a flavorful bite.
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Crispy Chickpea Snack
All you need is three ingredients—and yes, one is chickpeas—to make this vegan appetizer. The crunchy snack makes a unique alternative to roasted, salted nuts.
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Charred Cauliflower with Clementines and Olives
Brighten up charred cauliflower with clementine segments, Kalamata olives, and fresh parsley leaves in this simple vegan appetizer for winter.
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Steamed Vegetable Salad with Walnut Oil
A colorful array of vegetables like broccolini, asparagus, yellow squash, zucchini, multicolored carrots, and golden beets are steamed, then arranged on a platter and drizzled with walnut oil for a light and bright vegan appetizer.
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Sesame-Kale Crisps
Kale chips are a snack that always wows. Here, they're dressed with olive oil, lemon juice, and sesame seeds and roasted until crisp.
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Smashed Chickpea, Basil, and Radish Dip with Pita Chips
Chopped fresh basil and radishes are mixed into this vegan dip along with fresh lemon juice, which offsets the rich chickpeas with natural acidity.