Appetizer, Hors D’Oeuvre and Snack Recipes

Cutting board with tapas
Image by Terence Lim

Appetizers and hors d’oeuvre are the enticing entrance to a full meal. They pique the appetite without satisfying it and encourage easy conversation among gathered guests. Appetizers can be plated or passed, but they are most often finger food, easy to eat while standing and never overly messy in the hands.

Appetizers are mini meals that go by different names around the world. Spaniards have tapas, delicious bar food with a deep history. The Italians throw together antipasti platters with elegant simplicity. Hunger pangs in the eastern Mediterranean are calmed with meze and a beverage. Cantonese diners pick out an entire meal from dim sum carts. And the spicy chaat of India are some of the most flavorful snacks in the world.

International Appetizer Recipes

Pork and Cabbage Dim Sum Filling 
(Chinese filling for buns, potstickers and dumplings)
Chinese filling for buns, potstickers and dumplings

Pork and Cabbage Dim Sum Filling 
(Chinese filling for buns, potstickers and dumplings)

Banh Xeo 
(Vietnamese filled crepe)
Stuffed banh xeo on a plate with a side of herbs

Banh Xeo 
(Vietnamese filled crepe)

Tlacoyos 
(Mexican bean-stuffed masa patties)
Woman making blue corn tlacoyos

Tlacoyos 
(Mexican bean-stuffed masa patties)

Muchines de Yuca 
(Ecuadorian stuffed and fried cassava balls)
Bowl of muchines de yuca

Muchines de Yuca 
(Ecuadorian stuffed and fried cassava balls)

Cancha 
(Ecuadorian, Peruvian toasted corn snack)
Small bowl of toasted cancha

Cancha 
(Ecuadorian, Peruvian toasted corn snack)

Alcapurrias 
(Puerto Rican stuffed fritters)
A tray full of alcapurrias

Alcapurrias 
(Puerto Rican stuffed fritters)

Domatokeftedes 
(Greek tomato fritters)
Small mezze plate with tomato fritters

Domatokeftedes 
(Greek tomato fritters)

Yakitori 
(Japanese grilled chicken skewers)
Yakitori (Japanese grilled chicken skewers)

Yakitori 
(Japanese grilled chicken skewers)

Jamaican Beef Patties 
(Jamaican spicy curried meat pies)
Two Jamaican beef patties on a plate with some hot sauce

Jamaican Beef Patties 
(Jamaican spicy curried meat pies)

Okonomiyaki 
(Japanese savory “as-you-like-it” pancakes)
Osaka-style okonomiyaki on the griddle

Okonomiyaki 
(Japanese savory “as-you-like-it” pancakes)

Lo Mai Gai 
(Chinese rice steamed in lotus leaves)
Two lo mai gai on a plate

Lo Mai Gai 
(Chinese rice steamed in lotus leaves)

Chun Yao Bang 
(Chinese fried scallion pancake)
Sliced scallion pancake on a plate

Chun Yao Bang 
(Chinese fried scallion pancake)

Souskaï de Mangues Vertes 
(French Caribbean mango appetizer)
Green mangoes on the tree

Souskaï de Mangues Vertes 
(French Caribbean mango appetizer)

Mejillones Fritos 
(Spanish batter-fried mussels)
Spanish batter-fried mussels with aioli dipping sauce

Mejillones Fritos 
(Spanish batter-fried mussels)

Buffalo Wings 
(American chicken wings in spicy sauce)
Bowl of Buffalo wings

Buffalo Wings 
(American chicken wings in spicy sauce)

Buñuelos de Queso 
(Puerto Rican cheese fritters)
Plate of bunuelos de queso

Buñuelos de Queso 
(Puerto Rican cheese fritters)

Zuiji 
(Chinese drunken chicken)
Zuiji (Chinese drunken chicken)

Zuiji 
(Chinese drunken chicken)

Akkra 
(Senegalese black-eyed pea fritters)
Akkra with a filling

Akkra 
(Senegalese black-eyed pea fritters)

Satay Ayam 
(Indonesian chicken skewers with peanut sauce)
Indonesian chicken skewers with peanut sauce

Satay Ayam 
(Indonesian chicken skewers with peanut sauce)

Sausage Rolls 
(Australian, New Zealand sausage-stuffed puff pastry)
Couple of sausage rolls

Sausage Rolls 
(Australian, New Zealand sausage-stuffed puff pastry)

Medu Vada 
(South Indian deep-fried lentil fritters)
Medu vadas on a thali platter

Medu Vada 
(South Indian deep-fried lentil fritters)

Gravlax 
(Swedish cured salmon)
Crackers topped with creme fraiche and gravlax

Gravlax 
(Swedish cured salmon)

Dolmathes 
(Greek grape leaves stuffed with rice and meat)
Dolmas steaming in a pot

Dolmathes 
(Greek grape leaves stuffed with rice and meat)

Bao 
(Chinese steamed, filled buns)
Steamer basket with bao buns

Bao 
(Chinese steamed, filled buns)

Tod Mun 
(Thai spicy fish cakes)
Tod mun on a plate

Tod Mun 
(Thai spicy fish cakes)

Tostones 
(Caribbean fried plantains)
Twice-fried plantain slices

Tostones 
(Caribbean fried plantains)

Bruschetta alla Romana 
(Italian grilled bread with tomatoes)
Tray of bruschetta alla romana

Bruschetta alla Romana 
(Italian grilled bread with tomatoes)

Yangnyeom Dak 
(Korean sweet and spicy fried chicken)
Yangnyeom Dak (Korean sweet and spicy fried chicken)

Yangnyeom Dak 
(Korean sweet and spicy fried chicken)

Plantain Fritters 
(Jamaican fried plantains)
Crate of plantains

Plantain Fritters 
(Jamaican fried plantains)

Lumpia Shanghai 
(Filipino meat-filled eggrolls)
Small bowl of lumpia Shanhai with dipping sauce

Lumpia Shanghai 
(Filipino meat-filled eggrolls)

Tortilla Española de Patata 
(Spanish open-faced potato omelet)
Large tortilla espanola on a platter

Tortilla Española de Patata 
(Spanish open-faced potato omelet)

Samosas 
(Indian, Pakistani, African deep-fried potato pastries)
Vendor selling samosas

Samosas 
(Indian, Pakistani, African deep-fried potato pastries)

Elotes Asados 
(Mexican roast corn on the cob)
Elotes Asados (Mexican roast corn on the cob)

Elotes Asados 
(Mexican roast corn on the cob)

Hummus bi Tahina 
(Middle Eastern chickpea and sesame dip)
Bowl of hummus topped with parprika with a drizzle of olive oil

Hummus bi Tahina 
(Middle Eastern chickpea and sesame dip)

Acharuli Khachapuri 
(Georgian boat-shaped cheesebread with egg and butter)
A loaf of Acharuli khachapuri, Georgian cheese bread

Acharuli Khachapuri 
(Georgian boat-shaped cheesebread with egg and butter)

Baba Ghanoush 
(Middle Eastern roasted eggplant dip)
Bowl of baba ghanoush

Baba Ghanoush 
(Middle Eastern roasted eggplant dip)

Conch Fritters 
(Caribbean deep-fried conch snacks)
Plate of conch fritters with dipping sauce

Conch Fritters 
(Caribbean deep-fried conch snacks)

Falafel 
(Middle Eastern fried chickpea patties)
Falafel (Middle Eastern fried chickpea patties)

Falafel 
(Middle Eastern fried chickpea patties)

Guacamole 
(Mexican avocado sauce and condiment)
Small dish a guacamole with avocados and a tomato

Guacamole 
(Mexican avocado sauce and condiment)

Chopped Chicken Livers 
(Jewish liver paté spread)
Chopped chicken livers spread on a crostino

Chopped Chicken Livers 
(Jewish liver paté spread)

Mücver 
(Turkish zucchini fritters)
Zucchini mucver fritters

Mücver 
(Turkish zucchini fritters)

Law Bok Gow 
(Chinese steamed radish cake)
Plate of Chinese steamed radish cake

Law Bok Gow 
(Chinese steamed radish cake)

Ukoy 
(Filipino shrimp and sweet potato fritters)
Ukoy (Filipino shrimp and sweet potato fritters)

Ukoy 
(Filipino shrimp and sweet potato fritters)

Pajeon 
(Korean scallion pancake)
Seafood pajeon pancake

Pajeon 
(Korean scallion pancake)

Muhammara 
(Middle Eastern spicy roasted pepper dip)
Middle Eastern spicy red pepper and walnut dip

Muhammara 
(Middle Eastern spicy roasted pepper dip)

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