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

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

Dolmathes 
(Greek grape leaves stuffed with rice and meat)

Olive Marinate 
(Italian marinated olive appetizer)
A bowl of marinated olives

Olive Marinate 
(Italian marinated olive appetizer)

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

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

Kadinbudu Köfte 
(Turkish “lady thigh” meatballs)
Saute pan on stove with kadinbudu kofte

Kadinbudu Köfte 
(Turkish “lady thigh” meatballs)

Torshi 
(Iranian, Afghan pickled vegetables)
Jars of vegetable torshi

Torshi 
(Iranian, Afghan pickled vegetables)

Sigara Boregi 
(Turkish cheese-filled filo appetizers)
A plate of sigara boregi, Turkish cheesy roll ups

Sigara Boregi 
(Turkish cheese-filled filo appetizers)

Gefüllte Eier 
(German deviled, stuffed eggs appetizer)
Small plate of deviled eggs

Gefüllte Eier 
(German deviled, stuffed eggs appetizer)

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

Ukoy 
(Filipino shrimp and sweet potato fritters)

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)

Tostones 
(Caribbean fried plantains)
Twice-fried plantain slices

Tostones 
(Caribbean fried plantains)

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

Akkra 
(Senegalese black-eyed pea fritters)

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)

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

Zuiji 
(Chinese drunken chicken)

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

Cancha 
(Ecuadorian, Peruvian toasted corn snack)

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds 
(American Halloween snack)
Roasted pumpkin seeds

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds 
(American Halloween snack)

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

Law Bok Gow 
(Chinese steamed radish cake)

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

Souskaï de Mangues Vertes 
(French Caribbean mango appetizer)

Oysters Rockefeller 
(American oysters with green sauce appetizer)
Plate of oysters Rockefeller

Oysters Rockefeller 
(American oysters with green sauce appetizer)

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

Lumpia Shanghai 
(Filipino meat-filled eggrolls)

Obatzter 
(German beer cheese spread)
Obatzter (German beer cheese spread)

Obatzter 
(German beer cheese spread)

Coxinhas 
(Brazilian deep-fried chicken croquettes)
Two coxinhas

Coxinhas 
(Brazilian deep-fried chicken croquettes)

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

Mejillones Fritos 
(Spanish batter-fried mussels)

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

Satay Ayam 
(Indonesian chicken skewers with peanut sauce)

Pâté de Campagne 
(French country-style pork terrine)
Slices of pâté de campagne

Pâté de Campagne 
(French country-style pork terrine)

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

Chun Yao Bang 
(Chinese fried scallion pancake)

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

Yangnyeom Dak 
(Korean sweet and spicy fried chicken)

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

Gravlax 
(Swedish cured salmon)

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

Elotes Asados 
(Mexican roast corn on the cob)

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

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

Baleadas 
(Honduran flour tortillas with beans and cheese)
Baleada on a plate

Baleadas 
(Honduran flour tortillas with beans and cheese)

Plantain Fritters 
(Jamaican fried plantains)
Crate of plantains

Plantain Fritters 
(Jamaican fried plantains)

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

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

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

Yakitori 
(Japanese grilled chicken skewers)

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

Alcapurrias 
(Puerto Rican stuffed fritters)

Pimento Cheese 
(American Southern cheese spread and sandwich filling)
Pimento cheese sandwich

Pimento Cheese 
(American Southern cheese spread and sandwich filling)

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

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

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)

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

Muhammara 
(Middle Eastern spicy roasted pepper dip)

Scotch Eggs 
(Scottish hard-boiled eggs wrapped in sausage)
Scotch egg cut into quarters

Scotch Eggs 
(Scottish hard-boiled eggs wrapped in sausage)

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

Bruschetta alla Romana 
(Italian grilled bread with tomatoes)

Köttbullar med Gräddsås 
(Swedish meatballs with cream sauce)
Plate of Swedish meatballs

Köttbullar med Gräddsås 
(Swedish meatballs with cream sauce)

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)

Bichak 
(Afghan stuffed savory and sweet pastries)
Plate of bichak pastries

Bichak 
(Afghan stuffed savory and sweet pastries)

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

Medu Vada 
(South Indian deep-fried lentil fritters)

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