30 Best-Ever Appetizers for a Crowd
Herbed-Goat Cheese Spread
Recipe: Herbed-Goat Cheese Spread
This recipes calls for just 4 ingredients and 5 minutes of prep time, making it a go-to dish to whip up when guests drop in on a whim. It pairs well with fresh veggies, crackers, and just about any munchies you have in the kitchen cabinet.
Warm Spinach-Sweet Onion Dip with Country Ham
Recipe: Warm Spinach-Sweet Onion Dip with Country Ham
This classic dip gets a Southern twist with sweet onions and country ham. Trust us, this shareable appetizer never disappoints at any tailgate or party.
Queso-Filled Mini Peppers
Recipe: Queso-Filled Mini Peppers
Forget the tortilla chips! These peppers make a much cuter vessel for melty queso. Baked until golden perfection, these bites are party-ready.
Cheddar Shortbread Crackers
Recipe: Cheddar Shortbread Crackers
Talk about a top-notch hostess gift and holiday snack. Pair these crispy, cheesy crackers with a bottle of wine, and you're more than set.
Bacon Bites
Recipe: Bacon Bites
Get ready to call these bites your "most talked about, sought after, and begged for recipe." In a delicious turn of events, only three ingredients will get you there, too.
Bacon Bow Tie Crackers
Recipe: Bacon Bow Tie Crackers
We reckon it was a no-brainer to use bacon and buttery crackers together. They're a match made in snack heaven. It should go without saying, but this two-ingredient bacon-focused appetizer will be your easiest (and most popular) snack ever.
Warm Cheese-and-Spicy Pecan Dip
Recipe: Warm Cheese-and-Spicy Pecan Dip
For another Southern take on a classic snack, this cheese dip does the job. Crunchy, cayenne-spiced pecans give a festive kick to melty cheese dip.
Smoky Snack Mix
Recipe: Smoky Snack Mix
Good thing it's easy to double or even triple this smoky mix recipe—watch as it performs quite the disappearing act. Crunchy, smoky, and a little addictive, this appetizer is perfect for casual drop-ins and holiday parties alike.
Shrimp with Honey-Garlic Sauce
Recipe: Shrimp with Honey-Garlic Sauce
Pack in the flavor with fresh shrimp with a tangy topping of lemon, garlic, honey, and soy sauce. This recipes takes just 15 minutes start to finish, and works well served on a skewer for large groups.
Mini Potato Skins
Recipe: Mini Potato Skins
It's too easy to pop these potato skins, and we guarantee they'll be gone before every guest has arrived. The five-ingredient recipe is simple, delicious, and no-fail with guests of any age.
Blistered Cherry Tomatoes with Red Pepper-Feta Spread
Recipe: Blistered Cherry Tomatoes with Red Pepper-Feta Spread
Nothing spices up sliced veggies and water crackers like a creamy, spicy red pepper and feta dip. Take this spread to the next level by adding quinoa and in-season cherry tomatoes on top—then, dip away.
Mushroom-Stuffed Phyllo Cups
Recipe: Mushroom-Stuffed Phyllo Cups
Mushrooms aren't a crowd-pleaser for everyone, but we'd argue that these pastry-filled cups are. Best part: This recipe can be made ahead and takes just 5 minutes to bake.
Cheddar-Horseradish-Walnut Cheese Ball
Recipe: Cheddar-Horseradish-Walnut Cheese Ball
It's not a Southern party without a cheese ball, particularly during the holidays. Master the classic appetizer by making this best-ever recipe that gets major flavor from sharp Cheddar cheese, fresh lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, a dash of hot sauce, and horseradish.
Crack Crackers
Recipe: Crack Crackers
Don't be surprised when a snack intervention heads your way—because it's impossible to stop eating these crack crackers. We dressed up store-bought crackers with ranch dressing mix, dried dill, and garlic powder. The end result? Our easiest-ever, pop-in-your-mouth snack.
Sheet Pan Nachos with Chorizo and Refried Beans
Recipe: Sheet Pan Nachos with Chorizo and Refried Beans
If you're going for the wow factor, this sheet pan snack has you covered. We're serving this appetizer at every tailgate or movie night this year.
Smoky Black-Eyed Pea Hummus
Recipe: Smoky Black-Eyed Pea Hummus
This Southern take on traditional hummus is something we can get behind. Using black-eyed peas instead of chickpeas, this smoky hummus recipe turns out to be quite the crowd-pleaser.
Baked Brie Bites
Recipe: Baked Brie Bites
If there's ever a time when you need to pull a snack out of a hat, these cheesy, pepper jelly-packed bites have your back. They might look a little fancy, but they actually only take five ingredients and 18 minutes of prep. Win, win?
Creamy Shrimp Dip with Crispy Wonton Chips
Recipe: Creamy Shrimp Dip with Crispy Wonton Chips
This creamy shrimp dip rewards those that think outside of the box. Conveniently, it's ready to go in under an hour. Tip: The crispy wonton chips really make all the difference.
Party Poppers
Recipe: Party Poppers
A classic appetizer, reimagined. This spicy bite-sized snack is stuffed with a heavenly chicken-cream cheese filling and then wrapped in hickory-smoked bacon.
Mini Chicken Pot Pies
Recipe: Mini Chicken Pot Pies
Everyone will love these hearty little pies. Filled with chicken, carrots, and peas, these mini savory pot pies fit in with every crowd, but especially a hungry one.
Buffalo Chicken Pinwheels
Recipe: French Onion Puff Pastry Bites
Perhaps our favorite part of these puffed-up bites? They're surprisingly easy to make, thanks to storebought puff pastry. After that, the flavors come together quite decadently, from the buffalo chicken to the blue cheese dressing and chopped parsley. This recipes makes 40 rolls, so it's perfect for a party.
Baked Goat Cheese Spread with Pepper Jelly
Recipe: Baked Goat Cheese Spread with Pepper Jelly
For some Southern families, it just wouldn't be Easter, Thanksgiving, or Christmas without this traditional appetizer spread. We recommend rounding out this recipe with crudité and bread.
Meatball Sliders with Tomato Sauce
Recipe: Meatball Sliders with Tomato Sauce
Hearty and satisfying, this recipe was made for a crowd, especially when the crowd will be staying awhile. Make it in a slow-cooker for ultimate ease.
Afterburners
Recipe: Afterburners
This popular recipe combines unexpected ingredients in the best possible way. And these shrimp-stuffed peppers are especially delicious when served with a spicy queso dip.
Cocktail Meatballs
Recipe: Cocktail Meatballs
Perfect for every event from football tailgates and holiday parties to bridal brunches, this recipe for cocktail meatballs has been around the Southern party circuit a time or two—and for good reason.
Cheese Snappy Wafers
Recipe: Cheese Snappy Wafers
Southern hostesses have known for decades just how reliable cheese wafers are when it comes to pleasing hungry house guests. They're quick, easy, and undeniably delicious—what else could you ask for?
Tex Mex Deviled Eggs
Recipe: Tex Mex Deviled Eggs
If you haven't sensed a theme yet, dishes with cheese or a little spice tend to be winners with just about any crowd. We first published this recipe in the '90s, so while not quite vintage, it's well on its way to becoming a well-loved Southern classic.
Lump Crab Mornay
Recipe: Lump Crab Mornay
Once you've mastered a go-to dip recipe, you're set for any potluck that might show up on your calendar. The delicious blend of creamy cheese and just a little bit of heat has long made crab mornay a Southern classic worth making a classic of your own.
Ham Delights
Recipe: Ham Delights
This recipes starts with a package of Hawaiian dinner rolls. It's a great recipe for a crowd because you simply fill each sandwich with meat, cheese, and secret sauce—then bake and serve. Try it once and this hearty appetizer will become a go-to. It's even easy to transport!
Every Southern hostess knows the appetizer spread is the star of any party. It's not the stocked bar at a holiday soirée, the riveting conversation at a dinner party, and not even the most exciting round of Yahtzee at game night. It's the bacon-wrapped, cheese-laden bites, dips, and spreads we're housing faster than you can say Jack Robinson.
When we say we'd rather fill up on a hefty dose of tasty, bite-sized appetizers all night than on a three-course meal, we aren't playing. For those of like mind, we've rounded up the best appetizers for a crowd that are easy to make, ready to serve, and sure to leave an impression. Between our classic cheddar shortbread crackers, crowd-pleasing party poppers, and creamy spinach dip, these most popular appetizers will have the crowd begging for mercy. And you reigning as the snack queen.