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33 Easy, Make-Ahead Holiday Appetizer Recipes

Keep your holiday snacks simple with easy to make (and eat) dishes.
33 Easy, Make-Ahead Holiday Appetizer Recipes

(Photo: Erik Putz)

These holiday appetizer recipes don't require a lot of last-minute preparation. So, pour yourself a cocktail (or mocktail), turn on the tunes and join us in enjoying the small things this season.

Puff Pastry Pesto Straws

Puff pastry, pesto, pecorino cheese and pepper — that's it! Packed with flavour, texture and festive colour, this (mostly) store-bought appetizer is one of the easiest holiday appetizers. Get our puff pastry pesto straws recipe.

Puff pastry pesto straws, olives and gnoccho fritto on aqua blue platePhoto, Erik Putz. Food Styling, Dara Sutin. Prop Styling, Madeline Johari.

Parmigiano Reggiano Rind Croutons

As Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese matures, the wheel forms a natural rind. The rinds can be tough but don’t discard them. They steep well in soups, sauces and risotto—and make a tasty snack. These Parmigiano-Reggiano “croutons”, made from the rinds, can be sprinkled on soups or enjoyed on a cheese plate. Get our Parmigiano-Reggiano rind croutons recipe.

Parmigiano-Reggiano Rind Croutons In Small Green BowlPhotos, Erik Putz. Food Styling, Ashley Denton. Prop Styling, Catherine Doherty.

Za’atar Flatbread With Yogurt Dip

A popular Middle Eastern spice blend, za’atar can be used on everything from popcorn to roasted potatoes. We like putting it on toasted flatbread that’s served with a deliciously easy yogurt dip. Get this za’atar flatbread with yogurt dip recipe.

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flatbread with yogurt dip on a tiled counterPhoto, Erik Putz.

Creamy Mushroom Pâté

"The creamy mushroom paté is probably my favourite appetizer to come out of the Chatelaine Kitchen. The combination of fresh and dried mushrooms adds lots of delicious umami flavour, and you can serve it with crostini, crackers or vegetables. It's basically a vegetarian version of chicken liver pate," — Irene Ngo, former food content director. Get our creamy mushroom pâté recipe.

Vegetarian creamy mushroom pate, made with dried lobster mushrooms or mixed mushrooms; sherry; butter; garlic; cremini mushrooms; shiitake mushrooms; cream cheese; lemon zest; and fresh thyme in a bowl topped with fresh thyme next to dark toast and bread topped with the delicious mushroom pate recipe(Photo: Sian Richards)

Mini Gorgonzola-Cranberry Quiches

These festive tartlets come together quickly are bursting with flavour. They can also be made ahead and reheated. Get our mini gorgonzola-cranberry quiche recipe .

A blue striped, oval-shaped plate with three mini quiches on it.

Soft And Tangy Cheese Spread

The leftover nubs of cheese from entertaining may not be pretty, but they are still delicious. You can give them new life by turning them into a Boursin-like spread. A mixture of medium-firm cheeses works best. Don’t leave out the vermouth, as it helps meld the flavours together. This makes more than you need for a single gathering, but it will keep in the fridge if tightly covered for at least two weeks—and is also excellent on sandwiches. Get Eshun Mott's soft and tangy cheese spread recipe.

A checkered bamboo plate with a little serving pot of creamy cheese spread and a selection of sliced vegetables (cucumbers, radishes, endives) around it.Recipes and Food Styling by Eshun Mott. Produced by Sun Ngo. Photography by Carmen Cheung. Prop Styling by Madeleine Johari.

Artichoke Spinach Dip Fondue

Fondue is one of winter’s most exciting dishes (who doesn’t love a creamy melted cheese dip?). But before you go the traditional route, think about adding a few elegant extras; we upped the ante with spinach and artichoke hearts, and it pairs perfectly with artisanal breads, sweet peppers, sliced apples and pears. Get this artichoke spinach dip fondue recipe.

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New Year's Eve appetizers: Artichoke spinach dip fonduePhoto, Erik Putz.

French Onion And Gruyère Cheese Ball

Easy and crowd-pleasing, this cheese ball is a delicious retro centrepiece no one will be able to resist. Get our French onion and gruyère cheese ball recipe.

a French onion and gruyere cheese ball with caramelized onions and garlic rolled in toasted chopped pecans for a post on the best French onion and gruyere cheese ball recipe(Photo: Erik Putz)

Membrillo And Manchego Twists

The classic Spanish pairing of membrillo and manchego cheese makes for a fun new take on cheese straws. These can be made ahead and baked from frozen—just add a few minutes to the baking time. Get our membrillo and manchego twists recipe here. 

Membrillo and manchego twists served in a cupProduced by Colleen Nicholson, Photography by Christie Vuong, Food Styling by Eshun Mott, Prop Styling by Madeleine Johari.

Samosa Puffs With Cranberry Chutney

These samosa puffs are one of Jennifer Pallian’s favourite finger foods to bring to a party. What’s not to love about savoury spiced-chicken samosa filling tucked into buttery, flaky puff pastry—à la sausage roll? Serve with festive cranberry chutney for dipping, or swap in store-bought mango or tamarind chutney. Get our samosa puffs with cranberry chutney recipe.

A person picking up one samosa puff from a trayProduced by Chantal Braganza and Sun Ngo, Photography by Christie Vuong, Prop Styling by Catherine Doherty, Food Styling by Eshun Mott.

Tzatziki

This refreshing creamy cucumber dip is always a hit! Get this classic homemade tzatziki recipe.

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Overhead shot of white Tzatiki dip in a beige speckled bowl with cucumber on the sidePhoto, Carmen Cheung.

Radish Greens Dip

Don't throw away your radish greens! Use them (or in a pinch, spinach) to make this easy, cheesey dip. Best of all, you can prep it the day before! Get this radish greens dip recipe.

Radish greens cheesy dip with crackersPhoto, Roberto Caruso.

Red Lentil Dip With Mint

Make this dip up to two days ahead. After refrigerating it, bring it back up to room temperature and stir in water, 1 tbsp at a time, until smooth. Get this red lentil dip with mint recipe.

Overhead shot of red-yellow dip with mint leaf garnish in a dark blue bowlPhoto, Carmen Cheung. Food styling, Ashley Denton. Prop styling, Madeleine Johari.

Mushroom Lentil Spread

This savoury, umami-packed spread makes a great vegetarian addition to any charcuterie board. Get this mushroom lentil spread recipe.

Mushroom and lentil spread on a mixed charcuterie boardPhoto, Erik Putz.

Spring Rolls

We love how easy it is to make spring rolls using lightly soaked rice paper and pre-cooked ingredients—all you really need to do is assemble them. Our favourite variations include cucumber, radish and rotisserie chicken; lobster, mango and avocado; shrimp and cucumber; and the fruity cataloupe, honeydew and prosciutto rolls. Serve them with Thaimiso or peanut sauce.

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33 Easy, Make-Ahead Holiday Appetizer Recipes

Devilled Eggs

The ’80s party staple is back! There are so many ways to dress up your devilled eggs, but we’re always partial to the ever-classic version. Get this classic devilled eggs recipe.

many types of devilled eggs served on a black plate with green background.

Sriracha Nut Mix

A spicy nut mix for anyone that likes a little heat in every bite. Get this sriracha nut mix recipe.

Sriracha nut mix in a green bowl next to a wood and metal spoon holding some nuts and an ivy plate and a blue plate(Photo: Erik Putz)

Greek Cheese Ball With Feta, Oregano And Walnuts

These homemade cheeseballs can be made up to three days in advance (and everyone will love the retro vibe, we promise). Get this Greek cheese ball recipe.

A cheese ball rolled in pecan on a white cheeseboard with a gold handle and a knife beside it, beside a baguette(Photo: Erik Putz)

Cranberry-Glazed Meatballs

These saucy meatballs are a delicious way to add some hot food to the mix. (Keep them warm in the slow cooker.) Get this cranberry-glazed meatballs recipe.

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Cranberry-Glazed Meatballs in a green striped bowl(Photo: Roberto Caruso)

Labneh Dip With Hazelnuts

This creamy cheese and yogurt dip is drizzled with olive oil and toasted hazelnuts for an elegant finish. Serve with mixed raw vegetables or crackers. Get this labneh dip with hazelnuts recipe.

Labneh Dip With Hazelnuts(Photo: Roberto Caruso)

Air-Fryer Keftedes

Greek meatballs are the stars of meze plates for good reason. The combination of rich, spiced meat and a cooling dollop of tzatziki or a luxurious smear of hummus can’t be beaten. These aromatic herbed lamb keftedes are bolstered with bulgur—the cracked wheat used in tabbouleh—for bounce and texture. Get Tara O'Brady's air-fryer keftedes recipe.

Air-fryer keftedes served on a bed of tzatzikiProduced by Stephanie Han Kim, Photography by Christie Vuong,Food Styling by Ashley Denton, Prop Styling by Madeleine Johari.

Parmesan And Prosciutto-Stuffed Figs

Another bite-sized, elegant snack is stuffed figs. Fresh and juicy at this time of year, their sweetness balances perfectly with thin, salty strips of prosciutto. Get this parmesan and proscuitto-stuffed figs recipe.

seven stuffed figs on seven black plates(Photo: Roberto Caruso.)

Cambozola And Date Grilled Cheese Crostini

Using a baguette instead of sandwich bread makes these mini grilled cheese the perfect appetizer size. Get this cambozola and date grilled cheese crostini recipe.

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Cambozola And Date Grilled Cheese Crostini on a black plate, with a glass of wine.(Photo: Roberto Caruso.)

Sweet And Smoky Kettle Corn

What’s an afternoon in without some popcorn? Get this sweet and smoky kettle corn recipe.

a wooden tray full of Sweet And Smoky Kettle Corn(Photo: Roberto Caruso.)

Marinated Olives With Citrus And Fennel Seeds

Bathing olives in oil and spices is an easy way to dress them up and make them ahead of time. Use your favourite olive variety or a mix of Italian olives, such as Castelvetrano, Gaeta or black and green Bella di Cerignola. Get our marinated olives with citrus and fennel seeds recipe.

a bowl of marinated olivesRecipes and text by Jess Maiorano; produced by Stephanie Han Kim; photography by Christie Vuong; food styling by Ashley Denton; prop styling by Madeline Johari.

Creamy Shrimp Salad Bites

These salad bites give you the crisp crunch of a leafy salad in one easily handled endive leaf. Get this creamy shrimp salad bites recipe.

Creamy shrimp salad bites on a black plate with candles lit besides it(Photo: Roberto Caruso.)

Savoury Caramelized Onion Dip

This elegant number stars one of our favourite ingredients—caramelized onions. Get this savoury caramelized onion dip recipe.

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Savoury Caramelized Onion Dip with different vegetables besides of it.(Photo: Roberto Caruso.)

Spanako-Pizza

This pizza is a stellar make-ahead dish (inspired by our favourite Greek savoury pastry). Get this spanako-pizza recipe.

a regtangular pizza on a wooden cutting board sliced in squares.(Photo: Roberto Caruso.)

Smoked Salmon And Watercress Wraps

Creamy, with a hint of spice, these smoked salmon wraps are topped with sprigs of watercress for a peppery finish. Get this smoked salmon and watercress wraps recipe.

Smoked Salmon And Watercress Wraps on a white serving platter for a post on easy Thanksgiving appetizers(Photo: Sian Richards)

Crunchy Olives

Briny olives are a nice addition to any charcuterie board, but we also really like the crunchy texture of these fried gems. (They’re also easier to pick up!) Get our crunchy olives recipe.

Crunchy Olives in a steel bowl: large pitted green olives covered with a flour, orange, panko crumb, orange zest and garlic powder coating then fried in canola oil for a post on an easy Crunchy Olives recipe(Photo: Roberto Caruso)

Spiced Edamame

A protein-rich appetizer that's snappy, crunchy and spicy. Get our spiced edamame recipe.

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Close up of spicy edamame on sunset-coloured platePhoto, Erik Putz. Food Styling, Dara Sutin. Prop Styling, Madeline Johari.

Seacuterie Platter

A mostly store-bought snack plate that's easy to assemble and packed with flavour. Try our seacuterie platter of mussels and chips, lobster roll bites and bagel crisps with trout.

Mussels on chips and lobster roll bites on sunset-coloured platePhoto, Erik Putz. Food Styling, Dara Sutin. Prop Styling, Madeline Johari.

Gnocco Fritto

Puffed, fried dough, topped with charcuterie and fresh basil—that's it! Try this easy gnocco fritto recipe.

Gnocco fritto on rectangular aqua side platePhoto, Erik Putz. Food Styling, Dara Sutin. Prop Styling, Madeline Johari.

How to dress up your cocktails (and make them pretty fancy-looking)

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