21 Party Food Ideas for Your Next Gathering

Gatherings with friends and families call for a spread of flavorful hors d’oeuvres. Try these easy appetizer ideas for your next get-together:

1. 1. Artichoke dip: This savory dip consists of chopped artichoke hearts mixed with mayonnaise and dairy products (like cream cheese, shredded mozzarella, or sour cream). Serve artichoke dip alongside tortilla chips, slices of toasted bread, pita chips, or a veggie platter. Add cooked spinach to the mixture to make spinach artichoke dip.
2. 2. Baked brie: Bakers can prepare this melty, savory brie cheese dish using either pastry dough, phyllo, or puff pastry to achieve different textures. Before covering your brie cheese with pastry dough, smother some jam or compote over the rind to add sweet, flavorful contrast. Learn how to make baked brie.
3. 3. BBQ pulled pork sliders: Skip the beef patties and make a sweet-and-savory twist on mini hamburger sliders with sauce-slathered pulled pork. Prepare a batch of pulled pork as you usually would, and sandwich the protein between mini potato buns.
4. 4. Bruschetta: This classic Italian appetizer consisting of grilled bread rubbed with garlic and finished with a drizzle of olive oil makes a great handheld party treat. In Italy, bruschetta refers to the grilled bread, but in other parts of the world, it refers to the fresh veggie (typically tomato) topping on the grilled bread.
5. 5. Chicken wings: The smallest, boniest part of the chicken becomes the most satisfying when you bake it until it’s crispy and cover it in flavorful sauce. Season your homemade chicken wings with buffalo sauce or dry rub to add flavor.
6. 6. Deviled eggs: This egg dish consisting of hard-boiled egg halves filled with a creamy egg yolk mixture makes a great protein-filled party food. Cooks often season deviled eggs with cayenne, smoked paprika, or black pepper or an herby garnish like dill or chives.
7. 7. Guacamole: Home cooks can prepare this classic Mexican avocado dip in various ways. Some chefs opt for simple guacamole made of mashed avocados with lime juice, lemon juice, and sea salt; others add spices like cumin and vegetables like diced tomatoes and white onion.
8. 8. Ham and cheese pinwheels: These popular finger foods—consisting of ham and cheese rolled up in flaky, buttery puff pastry and sliced into swirls—are easy to prep and bake in minutes. Serve puff pastry pinwheels alongside a dipping bowl of ranch dressing at your next gathering for a surprising and playful treat.
9. 9. Hummus: Over the centuries, cultures worldwide have grown to appreciate this traditional Mediterranean and Middle Eastern chickpea and tahini dip. You can now find this lemony, garlicky dish in almost any grocery store, but making your own hummus is easy and only requires a few ingredients.
10. 10. Jalapeño poppers: As a classic game-day appetizer, this finger food consists of halved jalapeño peppers stuffed with a mixture of cheeses (usually cream cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, or pepper jack cheese). Seasonings like scallions, lime zest, or garlic powder finish off these flavorful pockets. Serve this jalapeño recipe alongside a simple dipping sauce like zesty garlic aioli, sour cream, or cheese dip.
11. 11. Lamb skewers: Commonly served streetside in Abruzzo, Italy, arrosticini are skewers of lamb or sheep meat grilled over charcoal. Italians typically flavor these skewers with olive oil and rosemary and serve them with crusty bread. Learn how to make arrosticini.
12. 12. Meatballs: Italian meatballs consist of a combination of ground meats (like pork, beef, turkey, Italian sausage, and veal), breadcrumbs, cheeses, herbs, and other pantry staples. As a protein-filled party snack, mold mini Italian meatballs, bake them, and serve them on toothpicks with a simple marinara sauce or pesto dip on the side.
13. 13. Mushroom quiche: Whip up a mushroom and goat cheese quiche—either in classic form or as minis—for your party guests. Learn how to make mushroom quiche.
14. 14. Pimento cheese ball: Another classic appetizer, a pimento cheese ball is simple to make at home. Use a firm, sharp cheddar cheese, and just enough mayonnaise to hold everything together to create a moldable cheese paste. Serve the pimento cheese ball alongside crackers, celery sticks, pita chips, and other veggies or toasts.
15. 15. Potato skins: Crispy potato skins are easy to hold and load up with toppings like sour cream and chives, making them great dinner party appetizers. If you’re short on time, prepare them in the microwave.
16. 16. Quesadillas: In Mexican cuisine, quesadillas are part of the vast family of foods known as antojitos (“little cravings”)—small, savory bites served as appetizers or late-night bites after a few drinks. Slice quesadillas into small triangles and allow your dinner party guests to dig in.
17. 17. Shrimp tacos: Shrimp tacos are a version of the Mexican street snack featuring shrimp and several other toppings folded into a tortilla. Much like other versions of tacos, a shrimp taco lends itself to various flavor combinations and is easily portable.
18. 18. Slow cooker pork carnitas: Chefs usually make carnitas, or “little meats,” by simmering pork shoulder in its fat, confit-style, until the meat is tender enough to pull apart into shreds. Carnitas shine in almost every dish you can think of, including nachos, burritos, tacos (or even queso dip).
19. 19. Soft pretzels: There are various party snacks that anyone can make with simple soft pretzel dough, from pretzel dogs (also called a sausage roll) to savory garlic pretzel braids with cheese sauce. Learn how to make soft pretzels.
20. 20. Tzatziki: You probably already have the ingredients for this creamy Greek dip in your fridge. Made out of yogurt, chopped or grated cucumber, and garlic, tzatziki is easy to make and prepare in advance.
21. 21. Vegan brownies: This dairy- and egg-free version of the fudgy, chocolatey dessert straddles the textures of chocolate cake and fudge. While traditional brownie recipes call for animal products like milk, butter, and eggs, vegan brownies use alternative ingredients like vegetable oil, vegan butter, applesauce, and flax seeds.

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