30 Easy, Make-Ahead Holiday Appetizer Recipes
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.
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.
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.
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.
Turkish Sausage Rolls
We love using recipes with hidden shortcuts. We happen to use homemade puff pastry for these rolls, but here’s a little secret: the store bought kind is just as tasty. Get this Turkish sausage rolls recipe.
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.
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.
Tzatziki
This refreshing creamy cucumber dip is always a hit! Get this classic homemade tzatziki recipe.
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.
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.
Mushroom Lentil Spread
This savoury, umami-packed spread makes a great vegetarian addition to any charcuterie board. Get this mushroom lentil spread recipe.
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 Thai, miso or peanut sauce.
Devilled Eggs
The ’80s party staple is back! There are so many ways to dress up your devilled eggs (here are just a few), but we’re always partial to the ever classic version. Get this classic devilled eggs recipe.
Broccoli Cheddar Tots
Ditch the potatoes! These oven-baked broccoli cheddar tots are a light(er) appetizer. Get our broccoli cheddar tots recipe.
Sriracha Nut Mix
A spicy nut mix for anyone that likes a little heat in every bite. Get this sriracha nut mix recipe.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Sweet And Smoky Kettle Corn
What’s an afternoon in without some popcorn? Get this sweet and smoky kettle corn recipe.
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.
Savoury Caramelized Onion Dip
This elegant number stars one of our favourite ingredients—caramelized onions. Get this savoury caramelized onion dip recipe.
Spanako-Pizza
This pizza is a stellar make-ahead dish (inspired by our favourite Greek savoury pastry). Get this spanako-pizza recipe.
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.
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.
Spiced Edamame
A protein-rich appetizer that's snappy, crunchy and spicy. Get our spiced edamame recipe.
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.
Gnocco Fritto
Puffed, fried dough, topped with charcuterie and fresh basil — that's it! Try this easy gnocco fritto recipe.
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 here.
How to dress up your cocktails (and make them pretty fancy-looking)
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