Quick and Easy Appetizers That Make Entertaining a Breeze

By Rebecca Morris
Updated October 10, 2019
Lennart Weibull
From classy three-ingredient canapés for a cocktail party to lightning-fast dips for game day, we're sharing a selection of super-easy appetizers guaranteed to get any party started. All have either six-ingredients or fewer, take less than 15 minutes to prep, or can be made-ahead (sometimes, it's all three!).
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Kana Okada

Here's the secret to a great party: After being greeted by the host, guests should be given a drink and a bite to eat. That's what everyone wants, after all! A fed guest tends to be a happy one, so whether you're planning a game day gathering, afternoon tea, or an elegant holiday festivus, having a few starters at the ready when the doorbell rings is a great way to kick off any party.

In a perfect world, we'd relish the time spent preparing a made-from-scratch menu, but with the reality of packed schedules and little downtime, that's rarely how it happens. The solution isn't to swear off hosting indefinitely—after all, maintaining connections with friends and family is one of the keys to good health. Instead, consider our all-star lineup of low-stress, easier-than-ever appetizers that will keep the fun going for years to come. Every recipe either requires six-ingredients or fewer (like these irresistible Loaded Potato Bites), come together with under 15 minutes of prep time, or can be made-ahead (sometimes, it's all three!).

To help us select the cream of the crop, we started with these three basic rules to host by: First, seasonal equals simpler. When produce is in peak-season, less ends up being more. If you have heirloom tomatoes on your hands, don't gild the lily with a laundry list of ingredients. Instead, a quick toss with a few aromatics like fresh basil and garlic, as well as a generous glug of quality extra-virgin olive oil, is all you need.

Next, embrace the life-changing magic of make-ahead recipes. It's savvy planning to include recipes that can be made at least partially ahead of time (if not all the way, like this smoky trout pâte). We never thought we'd be able to get away with making guacamole in advance, but once we created this version, which remains a cool avocado-green for days, we knew we had a winner. For warm foods, there's no rule against making something like these sausage-cheddar meatballs the day before; reheating them in batches so they stay hot for your guests is both smart and considerate.

Last but not least, don't be afraid to go store-bought. Just be sure to add an easy upgrade at home. A sign of a good "easy" recipe is one that taps store-bought products in a big way, but looks like a from-scratch enterprise. Jarred condiments like pesto and marinated artichokes take on new identities as a creamy dip when blitzed in a food processor with tangy yogurt or sour cream. Creating something that is greater than the sum of its parts is easy with something like this flatbread recipe that uses pre-baked naan as a base for a few simple but decadent ingredients.

Keep reading to discover more clever tips and recipes for easy entertaining!

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Cucumber Feta Toasts

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Featuring crunchy sliced cucumber and a creamy three-ingredient feta spread, this recipe takes a streamlined (and Mediterranean) approach to classic tea sandwiches.

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Chorizo, Parsnip, and Olive Bites

Bryan Gardner
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These three-ingredient skewers are so unique and flavorful. With well-seasoned chorizo sausage, earthy-sweet parsnips, and bright green olives, guests won't be able to stop at just one.

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Cheaters Deviled Eggs

Raymond Hom
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Create all of the comforting flavors of a deviled egg in a fraction of the time with this clever deconstruction of a party food mainstay.

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Smoked Trout Pate on Toasted Baguette

Burcu Avsar
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To keep the ingredient list short for this elegant smoked trout spread, we use cream cheese as the main mix-in—it provides both a velvety texture and a balancing tang. Lemon juice, shallot, and fresh herbs round out the flavors in this quick and satisfying appetizer.

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Easy Sauteéd Mushrooms

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Turn traditional stuffed mushroom caps inside-out by serving this fast and flavorful blend of sautéed wild mushrooms alongside a log of creamy goat cheese and crisp crostini.

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Grilled Prosciutto-Wrapped Melon

Marcus Nilsson
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Who doesn't love the classic pairing of prosciutto and melon? A turn on the grill only intensifies the sweet-and-salty flavor profile this appetizer is famous for.

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Mixed Olive Tapenade

William Abranowicz
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This rustic tapenade really is so easy; a trip to the olive bar followed by a quick warm-up in a skillet, and you're well on your way to having a gourmet-level accompaniment to a cheese and antipasti platter.

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Lemony White Bean Hummus

Dana Gallagher
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A homemade hummus is a small step up in effort from store-bought, but the payoff is huge. Serve this creamy white bean version alongside seasonal crudité and pita chips.

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Roasted Tomatoes and Cheese with Thyme

William Abranowicz
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To brighten up (and lighten up) the standard baked brie while still keeping it in the super-easy appetizer realm, we took our flavor cues from the South of France. Roasting cherry tomatoes—even when they are out of season—with woodsy thyme turns them into an umami-bomb of sweet and tart flavor that stands in perfect contrast to the decadent, creamy cheese.

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Harissa, Goat Cheese, and Herb Tart

Bryan Gardner
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Store-bought puff pastry dough is the perfect buttery base for this easy tart that features spicy harissa paste, creamy goat cheese, and cooling fresh herbs like mint and parsley.

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Taco Truck-Style Guacamole

Chelsea Cavanaugh
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With a little help from a food processor and a secret ingredient that boasts a high level of acidity, here's a version of guacamole that's not only quicker than your traditional version—it can also be made days ahead with browning.

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Pear, Walnut, and Ricotta Crostini

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Clocking in at just five ingredients, this classy canapé is a cinch to make and a real crowd-pleaser for a holiday cocktail party. Not to worry if your pears aren't ripe yet—Martha has you covered.

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Spicy Roasted Chickpeas

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Another five-ingredient wonder, this recipe begins with a couple of cans of chickpeas and a hands-off stint in a hot oven. The result? A crunchy, spicy, and nut-free snack to put out for company.

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Mango and Avocado Salsa

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Sweet mango, creamy avocado, and fiery habanero join forces with cooling cilantro and tart lime juice to create this fresh, festive salsa. Just add some tortilla chips and consider yourself ready to fiesta.

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Bacon-Wrapped Ginger Shrimp

Romulo Yanes
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Smoky bacon, sweet shrimp, and spicy ginger prove you don't need a long list of ingredients to make a tasty appetizer happen—and happen fast, no less. Pair with Maple-Bourbon Cider and prepare to become a household name on the holiday party circuit.

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Ham-and-Cheese Flatbread

Gieves Anderson
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A crowd-pleasing, super-simple starter with French flair, this recipe starts with a pre-baked flatbread from the supermarket. Top it with a mix of ricotta, deli ham, and caramelized onions for an appetizer that's truly formidable!

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Spring Pesto Dip

Lennart Weibull
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This light and bright four-ingredient dip is a snap to make, and it's ideal for setting out with crunchy in-season produce for dipping (check out our clever trick for keeping cut veggies ultra-crisp!). Make this recipe even easier by picking up a container of store-bought pesto—we recommend the refrigerated kind because it has a fresher color and flavor.

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Sausage-Cheddar Balls

John Kernick
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These streamlined meatballs keep the ingredient list short and sweet by using pre-made sausage, and they're as at home on the holiday appetizer table as they are on a party platter for game day.

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Creamy Artichoke Ranch Dip

Petrina Tinslay
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Classic ranch gets upgraded from everyday dip to an elegant special-occasion spread in 15 minutes flat thanks to a food processor and MVP ingredients like jarred marinated artichokes and briny anchovies.

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Antipasto Skewers

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In this riff on a classic antipasto platter, these adorable skewers show off just how good these ingredients are together: creamy mozzarella and thinly-sliced prosciutto soften the edges of the hot pickled vegetables and briny olives.

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Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta

Gabriela Herman
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When late summer comes around and you have the bounty of heirloom tomatoes at your fingertips, don't hesitate to let them shine in this super simple appetizer.

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Smoky Black Bean Salsa

Chelsea Cavanaugh
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A combination of smoky chipotles, tart lime juice, and assertive red onion soak their way into every black bean, resulting in an ultra-flavorful (and ultra-easy) salsa for tortilla or sweet potato chips.

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Caramelized Mustard-Marmalade Wings

Marcus Nilsson
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On game day, bring pub-style food to your coffee table with this (mostly) hands-off, fryer-free recipe that uses two types of mustard and orange marmalade to make irresistibly sweet-and-sticky chicken wings.

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Quick Shrimp Relish Tray

Alpha Smoot
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Serve this lighter appetizer on Thanksgiving or any special occasion where there will be a lot of rich foods—the clean flavors of quick-pickled shrimp and briny caper berries are sure to make guests eternally grateful.

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Radish Canapés with Black-Olive Butter

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In this classy little French canapé, the peppery bite of the radish plays off the smooth and salty olive-flecked butter in a great and unexpected way.

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