65 Easy Finger Food Appetizers Everyone Will Love
Everyone knows that the most enticing part of any fete is the appetizers. (And don’t even get us started on cheese boards.) But it’s time to move beyond what you know about party foods: Let’s trade the standard crudités platters and chip dips for something a little more exciting. If you’re looking for inspiration, why not try one of these 65 easy finger foods recipes for a crowd? We've got everything from pull-apart bread with caramelized onions and goat cheese to bite-size crispy Parmesan Brussels Sprouts bites, to even options for vegans (see: vegan arancini!). We’ll bring the wine—see you tonight.
The Best Appetizer Recipes in the Whole Entire Universe
1. Crispy Bacon-Wrapped Brussels Sprouts
Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Heath Goldman
Time Commitment: 1 hour
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser
Serves: 8
Say hello to our new favorite flavor combination. Instead of crisping everything in a pan, these guys are made all on one sheet tray. Easy-peasy.
2. Spicy Pineapple Prosciutto Tarts
Photo: Mark Weinberg/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser
Serves: 8
It’s like a Hawaiian pizza, but way fancier. Even better, everyone in the room will love them.
3. Baked Mac-and-Cheese Bites
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 1 hour
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, vegetarian
Serves: 48
Best to make a double batch of these. They’ll disappear faster than you can say “cheddar.”
4. Delicata Squash Rings with Garlic-Lemon Sauce
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, beginner-friendly
Serves: 8
No need to peel your squash beforehand. Delicata’s thin skin is totally edible (and totally delicious).
5. Vegan Arancini
Vegan in the House
Time Commitment: 40 minutes (+ chilling)
Why We Love It: vegan, <10 ingredients
Serves: 4
You’ll be sure to please all the plant-based eaters at the party, not to mention everyone else too.
6. Spicy Ricotta-Stuffed Phyllo Rolls
Photo: Matt Dutile/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 55 minutes
Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, no sugar, vegetarian
Serves: 24
Looking to really shake things up in the finger food department? Look no further. These easy and unexpected phyllo bites are creamy, spicy and irresistible. Serve them with hot pepper jelly to really wow the crowd.
7. Pull-Apart Bread with Caramelized Onions and Goat Cheese
Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 3 hours, 10 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy, vegetarian
Serves: one 12-inch loaf
Did someone say goat cheese? We’ll be oven in ten.
8. Mozzarella Bites
Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, beginner-friendly
Serves: 6 to 8
C’mon, who doesn’t love mozzarella sticks? These are like the adult finger food version, and they’re so, so tasty.
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9. Spinach Artichoke Squares
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 35 minutes
Why We Love It: special occasion–worthy, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients
Serves: 12
The ’90s called and they want their dip back, so we transformed it into a modern, puff-pastry-based finger food instead.
10. Cranberry-Brie Pie Crust Bites
Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Heath Goldman
Time Commitment: 15 minutes
Why We Love It: special occasion–worthy, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, <15 minutes
Serves: 14
Store-bought crackers are fine and dandy, but if you really want to impress your guests, make your own. (Psst: You can still buy the pie dough.)
11. Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients
Serves: 6 to 8
Oh hi, most-crowd-pleasing appetizer of all time. Don’t forget the blue cheese dressing for dipping.
12. Mini Skillet Pizzas with Mushrooms and Roasted Tomatoes
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 50 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
Serves: 10
An easy way to please everyone? Take an all-time favorite food (pizza) and make it bite-sized.
13. Italian Pinwheels
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 23 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, special occsasion–worthy
Serves: 12
Guess what? These guys require only four ingredients and less than 25 minutes to make.
14. Chicken Parmesan Bites
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser
Serves: 6 to 8
Crispy meat, tender chicken and plenty of marinara sauce for serving: This is a cocktail party no-brainer.
15. Italian Deli Pinwheel Sandwiches
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 25 minutes
Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, no cook
Serves: 6
We gave the usual cream-cheese-and-turkey wheels a little makeover, with fancy Italian cold cuts, kale and roasted peppers. Are you hungry yet?
16. Sweet Potato Crostini
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, gluten free, special occasion–worthy
Serves: 30
Top them to your heart’s desire: smoked salmon, cream cheese, fresh cranberries, the list goes on and on.
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17. Bacon, Fig and Ricotta Tartines
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, special occasion–worthy, <30 minutes
Serves: 6
Here’s a secret entertaining tip: Cut up fancy toast into small bites for an easy appetizer that also looks really impressive.
18. Crispy Baked Cauliflower ‘Wings’
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 45 minutes
Why We Love It: vegetarian, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser
Serves: 3
Boring roasted vegetables? We’ll pass in favor of these obsession-worthy cauliflower bites.
19. Carrot Pigs In a Blanket
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 50 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, beginner-friendly
Serves: 40
You might never go back to smoked cocktail sausages again.
20. Mexican Street Corn Deviled Eggs
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, gluten free, crowd-pleaser
Serves: 20
If you want to make an entrance, bring these to a friend’s party and watch them disappear. Just be prepared to share the recipe.
21. Pimento Cheese Stuffed Shishito Peppers
Photo: Jon Cospito/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 25 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, vegetarian, crowd-pleaser, gluten free
Serves: 6 to 8
These are like the cool, hip version of your mom’s cream-cheese-laden jalapeño poppers from the ’80s.
22. Cheesy Polenta Bites with Brussels Sprouts and Pancetta
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 45 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, gluten free, low sugar, <10 ingredients
Serves: 8 to 10
Every single bite has the ideal ratio of crispy to creamy. We’ll take three.
23. Bacon-Wrapped Cheese Straws
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, special occasion–worthy, beginner-friendly
Serves: 8 to 10
Because every gathering—fancy or casual—should include cheese straws.
24. Brussels Sprout Sliders
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 25 minutes
Why We Love It: gluten free, <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser
Serves: 6 to 8
Who needs buns when you have Brussels sprouts? These might be the cutest appetizer we’ve ever seen (and we’ve seen a lot).
25. Rainbow Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta
Photo: Jon Cospito/Styling: Heath Goldman
Time Commitment: 15 minutes
Why We Love It: no cook, <15 minutes, vegetarian, beginner-friendly
Serves: 8
Can’t find heirloom tomatoes? No worries: Use cherry tomatoes instead. They’ll taste just as good, promise.
26. Goat Cheese and Honey Bites
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 20 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, <30 minutes, vegetarian, low sugar
Serves: 12
Whoever first thought to combine sweet and salty was a genius.
27. Roasted Garlic and Pesto Strips
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients
Serves: 12
This hits all the right notes: It looks like it took a ton of effort, is effortless to whip up and tastes amazing.
28. French Onion Cups
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
Serves: 12
If you can sauté onions, you can make these. Truth be told, the most difficult thing you’ll have to do is thaw the puff pastry.
29. Cranberry-Brie Puff-Pastry Pops
Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, vegetarian
Serves: 9
Introducing the most grown-up (and delicious) lollipops to exist. This beats veggies and dip any day.
30. Crispy Baked Cauliflower-Corn Nuggets
Cauliflower
Time Commitment: 1 hour
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, no sugar, crowd-pleaser
Serves: 9
They’re baked, not fried, so it’s fine to eat the whole batch. (Right?)
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31. Cheesy Pesto Chips
Antonio Nascimento/Radiant: The Cookbook
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, vegan, gluten free, <10 ingredients
Serves: 4
Would you believe us if we told you these are totally vegan? The secret is nutritional yeast, which tastes cheesy without any dairy.
32. Keto Guacamole Burger Bites
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 35 minutes
Why We Love It: keto, low sugar, crowd-pleaser
Serves: 8
Confession: We’re not even on the keto diet, and we’re definitely going to have seconds.
33. Vegetarian Sushi Cups
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 1 hour
Why We Love It: <500 calories, vegetarian, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
Serves: 8
Homemade sushi? Too much work. Homemade veggie sushi? So easy. Fill them with whatever vegetables you like, and serve with chopsticks.
34. Spicy Glazed Popcorn Chicken
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian
Serves: 6
Careful: One bite of these babies, and your guests will be back every weekend for more. But since the glaze requires just five ingredients, maybe you won’t mind.
35. Roasted Buffalo Chicken Wings
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 50 minutes
Why We Love It: high protein, gluten free, crowd-pleaser
Serves: 6
Once again, the oven beats the deep fryer by a landslide. This is a classic wing recipe, but with less cleanup and less oil.
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36. Mini Chicken Shawarma
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 1 hour, 40 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, high protein
Serves: 8
They’re. So. Little! (We’ll take two.)
37. Coconut Shrimp
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 1 hour
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser
Serves: 8
They’re as good as, if not better than, any restaurant version. The sweet chili sauce is the cherry on top.
38. Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 55 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, low sugar, crowd-pleaser
Serves: 4
Yes, we 100 percent approve of serving adult chicken nuggets to your party guests. Any questions?
39. Katsu Bites with Chipotle-Gochujang Sauce
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, high protein
Serves: 8
Alternatively, you could take it to the next level with these Korean-inspired chicken bites. The gochujang dipping sauce is *chef’s kiss.*
40. Greek Lemon Chicken Skewers with Tzatziki Sauce
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, gluten free
Serves: 6
One bite and you’ll be transported to Santorini.
41. 15-Minute Buffalo Chicken Sliders
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 15 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, <15 minutes
Serves: 8
Everyone will think you spent all afternoon working on these sammies. Don’t tell them it’s rotisserie chicken and store-bought buffalo sauce.
42. Brie-Stuffed Pretzel Bites
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, low sugar
Serves: 40
How many can we eat? The limit does not exist.
43. Loaded Baked Potato ‘Chips’
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 1 hour, 5 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, gluten free, <10 ingredients
Serves: 6 to 8
Save the bag of chips for a lazier day and make these instead.
44. Baked Gorgonzola Bites
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, <10 ingredients
Serves: 8 to 10
It’s essentially a savory monkey bread, and we guarantee you won't be able to stop eating it.
45. Mini Lasagnas
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 55 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients
Serves: 6
These have all the things we love about lasagna (sauce, cheese, noodles) without the tedious assembly or messy slicing and serving.
46. Dairy-Free Butternut Squash ‘Fondue’
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegan, dairy free
Serves: 6
It’s surprisingly creamy and decadent without any dairy. Even the non-vegans will gobble it up.
47. Mini Quesadillas
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser
Serves: 24
Wonton wrappers are the secret to making these adorable finger foods. They’re packed with refried beans, cheese and scallions, yum.
48. Sweet-and-Sour Pork Skewers with Pineapple
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Why We Love It: high protein, special occasion–worthy, crowd-pleaser
Serves: 6
The recipe calls for firing up your grill, but here’s a tip: You can totally make them in your oven, broiler or even on the stove.
49. Prosciutto Bites
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 45 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients
Serves: 6 to 8
Everything is exponentially more delicious when it’s wrapped in prosciutto. These start with store-bought pizza dough for extra convenience.
50. Mini Spinach-Ricotta Calzones
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 50 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, vegetarian
Serves: 12
Giant pockets of cheesy, saucy bread? What’s not to love?
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51. Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala Meatballs
PHOTO: LIZ ANDREW/STYLING: ERIN MCDOWELL
Time Commitment: 6 hours, 10 minutes
Why We Love It: slow cooker recipe, crowd-pleaser
Serves: 4
We love meatballs. We love chicken tikka masala. So we combined them and used our Crockpot (plus a bit of garam masala) to develop layers and layers of flavor. The recipe serves four as a main, but more as an appetizer.
52. Lunch Kebabs with Mortadella, Artichoke and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: no cook, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients
Serves: 8
Layer your favorite deli meats and veggies (like mortadella and artichoke hearts for lots of flavor) between mini slices of bread. Just like that, your next-level appetizer is ready.
53. Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Bites
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 45 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, kid-friendly
Serves: 12
We guarantee they’re exactly what you’re craving. (And your kids will go bonkers.)
54. Crispy Parmesan Brussels Sprout Bites
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 45 minutes
Why We Love It: vegetarian, crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy
Serves: 8 to 10
Dish these veggie poppers up with tangy dipping sauce and cute toothpicks and then watch them disappear like magic.
55. Mini Chicken and Waffles
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients
Serves: 24
Pop quiz: Which appetizer will have your guests buzzing for days: (A) veggie platter, (B) canapés or (C) bite-sized chicken and waffles? The answer is definitely C.
56. Tomato-Peach Caprese Skewers
Katherine Gillen
Time Commitment: 15 minutes
Why We Love It: no cook, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
Serves: 6 to 8
We’re firm believers that everything tastes better on a stick, including salad.
57. Corn Fritters with Elote Dip
Katherine Gillen
Time Commitment: 35 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, vegetarian
Serves: 6 to 8
These fritters can be made with fresh or frozen corn, so they’re a year-round treat. You’re welcome.
58. Everything Bagel Pigs in a Blanket with Cheater’s Aioli
Katherine Gillen
Time Commitment: 35 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
Serves: 8 to 10
They’re just as easy to make as the original, but with a special “pretzel” treatment that gives a gorgeously golden brown crust, and a sprinkle of everything seasoning.
59. Crispy Tofu Bites
Photo: Liz Andrews/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 2 hours, 10 minutes
Why We Love It: vegetarian, beginner-friendly
Serves: 8
This high-protein veggie app will satisfy the masses.
60. Mini Nachos
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: high protein, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
Serves: 6
Not-yo average plate of nachos... seriously.
61. Spring Pea Fritters with Whipped Feta
Eva Kolenko/Love and Lemons
Time Commitment: 35 minutes
Why We Love It: vegetarian, special occasion-worthy
Serves: 4
Yes, chef! These look like works of art... sans the effort.
62. Spicy, Crunchy Tuna Salad Lettuce Cups
Katherine Gillen
Time Commitment: 10 minutes
Why We Love It: no cook, no bake, beginner-friendly
Serves: 2
This recipe can be easily manipulated for a larger output.
63. Air Fryer French Fries
The Recipe Critic
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: air fryer recipe, kid-friendly, vegan
Serves: 4
A total classic... and without the oil, it's way better.
64. Falafel Patties
Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Why We Love It: vegan, kid-friendly, air fryer recipe
Serves: 6 to 8
Serve with tzatziki, and you're golden.
65. Baked Quinoa Chicken Nuggets
Katherine Gillen
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
Serves: 6
Extra honey mustard on the side, please.
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Katherine Gillen is PureWow’s senior food editor. She’s a writer, recipe developer and food stylist with a degree in culinary arts and professional experience in New York City restaurants. She used to sling sugary desserts in a pastry kitchen, but now she’s an avid home cook and fanatic baker.