Food and Recipes Appetizers The Best Finger Food Recipes For Silverware-Free Hosting Year-Round These recipes are sure to be the star of any get-together. By Jenna Sims Jenna Sims Jenna is a Digital Editor for Southern Living and joined the team in 2014. She writes, produces, and assigns content with a focus on email growth and commerce content. She covers a range of topics in the lifestyle space from holiday gift guides to new product launches to tips for cooking with your air fryer. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on January 31, 2023 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn Finger foods are a great way to get any party started. We've rounded up our best finger food ideas for your next gathering. Whether you're hosting a laid-back tailgate, a celebratory tea, or a holiday party, there's plenty of easy finger foods on this list to fit any occasion. Finger foods are great as appetizers, but can also be hearty enough to serve as the main course. Finger food recipes are also easy to transport and don't require many utensils so any of these delicious handheld foods would be a great choice to take along to a party, so you don't show up empty handed. Here are our best finger food recipes that are sure to be the star of any get together you host or attend. We guarantee you'll be asked to share these easy finger food recipes after just one bite. 01 of 34 Mini Potato Skins Photo: Greg DuPree; Prop styling: Claire Spollen; Food styling: Chelsea Zimmer Just five ingredients are needed to create this miniature version of the classic party food. 02 of 34 Mushroom-Stuffed Phyllo Cups Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall If you can't find a gourmet fresh mushroom blend, you can use any combination of mushrooms as long as it equals 8 ounces. 03 of 34 Smoked Salmon-Potato Chip Canapés Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Styling: Christine Keely Smoked salmon elevates potato chips into a company-worthy appetizer. You should plan to assemble each bite just before guests arrive to ensure the chip remains crispy. 04 of 34 Cheese Dreams Antonis Achilleos; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn These cheesy bites can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator or freezer, so you can always have them on hand for both planned and impromptu happy hours. 05 of 34 Sausage Rolls Will Dickey This recipe calls for Italian sausage, which packs a little bit of heat into each roll. Want to skip the spice? You can always use andouille or herbed chicken sausage. 06 of 34 No-Stuff Deviled Eggs Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Melissa Gray; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Buttery crackers serve as the base for this easy-to-assemble version of deviled eggs. 07 of 34 Fried Mashed Potato Balls Photographer: Jennifer Causey Food Stylist: Melissa Gray Prop Stylist: Christina Daley Who says mashed potatoes can't be a finger food? Plus, this recipe calls for refrigerated mashed potatoes to cut down on prep time. 08 of 34 Creamy Spinach-Ricotta Crostini Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis When looking at this appetizer, your guests probably won't believe it when you tell them it came together in just 15 minutes. 09 of 34 Stuffed Mushrooms Alison Miksch; Food Stylist: Karen Rankin; Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle Whether served as a side or an appetizer, classic stuffed mushrooms are guaranteed to disappear quickly from the serving platter. 10 of 34 Five-Alarm Firecracker Saltines Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford Turn saltine crackers into a crowd-pleasing appetizer that's anything but boring. 11 of 34 Mushroom-Stuffed Phyllo Cups Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall For a delicious filling without too much work, we call on chive-and-onion cream cheese for this recipe. 12 of 34 Spicy Cheese Twists Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis These spicy twists are the perfect companion to homemade cocktails. 13 of 34 Okra In A Blanket PHOTO: JAMES RANSOM, PROP STYLIST: CHRISTINE KEELY, FOOD STYLIST: RUTH BLACKBURN From start to finish, this appetizer comes together in just 20 minutes. 14 of 34 Slow-Roasted Cherry Tomato Bruschetta Greg Dupree; Food Styling: Anna Hampton; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Tangy goat cheese spread over a crusty baguette serves as the perfect backdrop for roasted tomatoes. 15 of 34 Fig, Pecan, And Brie Bites Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Styling: Christine Keely Fig preserves, Brie cheese, and glazed pecans are the ideal trio to top frozen puff pastry. 16 of 34 Sweet Potato and Chorizo Sausage Bites Hector Manuel Sanchez This recipe uses chorizo to give each bite a little kick and sweet potatoes add heartiness as well as another layer of flavor. 17 of 34 Stuffed Okra Poppers Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall There are no jalapeños necessary for these grilled party poppers. Instead, fresh okra pods serve as the base. 18 of 34 Bacon Bow Tie Crackers Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Lydia Pursell; Food Styling: Tami Hardeman We're here to share the good news that you can create a warm and delicious snack with just two ingredients. 19 of 34 Spicy Strawberry-Goat Cheese Crostini Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Christine Keely This colorful spring appetizer is just as pretty as it is delicious. 20 of 34 Cranberry Brie Bites Southern Living The combination of salty brie with fruity cranberry is a winning duo in this four-ingredient appetizer. 21 of 34 Pizza Pepper Poppers Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Christina Daley Kids and adults will love this healthier but just as delicious take on pizza. 22 of 34 Basic Deviled Eggs Photography: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox We definitely suggest doubling this classic recipe, as we're sure eggs will begin to disappear the second guests start walking through the door. 23 of 34 Mini Black Bean and Cheese Enchiladas Stephen DeVries No rolling is necessary to create this handheld version of classic enchiladas. 24 of 34 Egg Salad Sandwiches Jen Causey Finger sandwiches are an easy, no-fuss dish to serve for any occasion. Plus, the egg salad can be prepared a day in advance of serving. 25 of 34 Mini Tomato Sandwiches With Bacon Mayonnaise Victor Protasio Just as effortless as they are delicious, these tomato sandwiches come together in 20 minutes. 26 of 34 Sausage Balls Emily Laurae/Southern Living No matter the time of day, sausage balls are a bite-sized snack that will be welcome at any party. 27 of 34 Muffin Pan Tomato Tarts Alison Miksch Think of these tarts as a handheld and party-friendly version of tomato pie. 28 of 34 Petite Sweet Potato Biscuits with Pulled Pork and Slaw Hector Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller These sweet potato biscuits freeze beautifully, so you can make them ahead of time if needed to save time the day of your party. 29 of 34 Baked Brie Bites Laurey W. Glenn This impressive appetizer couldn't be easier. We recommended keeping the frozen mini phyllo pastry shells on hand during the holiday season for drop-in guests. 30 of 34 Tomato Tea Sandwiches Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Cat Steele You can't go wrong with a classic tomato sandwich. Depending on how many guests you'll be expecting, you may need to double (or triple) this easy recipe. 31 of 34 Buttermilk Chicken and Waffles Jennifer Davick; Styling: Lydia Degaris Pursell Pick up fried chicken breast tenders from your favorite supermarket or restaurant to help these miniature chicken and waffles come together quickly. 32 of 34 Party Poppers Hector M. Sanchez Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham These poppers start with a jalapeño base that's filled with a chicken-cream cheese mixture and then wrapped in bacon. Broiling just before removing them from the oven will crisp each piece of bacon to create the ideal finish. 33 of 34 Inside-Out Hot Brown Bites Hector Sanchez This recipes proves that Kentucky's signature sandwich can be enjoyed in bite-size form. 34 of 34 Maple-Bacon Smokies Southern Living You'll only need four ingredients (plus toothpicks!) to pull this crowd-pleasing finger food together. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit