41 Festive Mini Appetizers to Get the Party Started

Recipe: Shrimp Boil Skewers

Serve this colorful appetizer in small cups if you want to skip the skewers.

Recipe: Basic Deviled Eggs

 The filling for Southern-style deviled eggs is nothing more than egg yolks, mayonnaise (Duke's if you can find it), mustard, and sweet pickle relish. 

Recipe: Mini Tomato Sandwiches With Bacon Mayonnaise

Tomato sandwiches are a Southern mainstay, so we made them appetizer friendly and added our new favorite condiment—bacon mayonnaise.

Recipe: Party Poppers

Who doesn't love this famously popular appetizer?

Recipe: Mini Potato Skins

These crispy wonders have everything you love about a loaded baked potato in one bite.

Recipe: Ham-and-Cheese Sliders

Southerners will instantly recognize this handheld staple, and the first bite is bound to kickstart all kinds of reminiscing about the last time a melty, gooey, baked ham-and-cheese slider hit the taste buds. 

Recipe: Buttermilk Chicken and Waffles

Keep waffles warm in a 200° oven up to 30 minutes before assembling. Top waffles with chicken, and drizzle with Peach-Horseradish Maple Syrup.

Recipe: Hoppin' John Parfaits

Layer black-eyed pea mixture, hot cooked rice, and tomato mixture in 12 (7-oz.) glasses for a charming presentation.

Recipe: Cheese Dreams

This recipe makes a huge batch of these cheesy bites, but don't worry: They freeze beautifully.

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Grape Jelly Meatballs

This retro appetizer will never get old in our house.

Recipe: Loaded Deviled Eggs

This mash-up of two all-time favorite recipes is so creative and delicious that people will gobble them up.

Recipe: Queso-Filled Mini Peppers

If you can't go to a Mexican restaurant without ordering queso, this appetizer is a homemade must-try.

Recipe: Buffalo Chicken Sliders

Whether you serve these Buffalo Chicken Sliders at a tailgate or passed during cocktail hour, we have a feeling there won't be leftovers.

Recipe: Baked Brie Bites

This recipe takes everything you love about creamy baked brie and puts it into an adorable (and no-mess!) package.

Recipe: Mini Black Bean and Cheese Enchiladas

These muffin-tin bites are way easier to throw together than the usual stuffing and rolling that comes with enchiladas.

Recipe: Fried Chicken Sliders with Pimiento Cheese

Two Southern classics in one dish? Yes, please. 

Recipe: Chipotle-Barbecue Meatballs

Start with a package of frozen meatballs and cook with bottled barbecue sauce and cherry preserves for this easy, 5-ingredient appetizer.

Recipe: Spinach-and-Artichoke Bites

This recipe wraps classic spinach-and-artichoke dip in buttery crescent rolls for a mess-free appetizer.

Recipe: Crab Cake Hush Puppies

Serve these tasty hush puppies with your favorite rémoulade or cocktail sauce.

Recipe: Bacon Wrapped Smokies

Mini smokies are always a hit at parties,and wrapping them in bacon only ups the delicious ante.

Recipe: Spicy Bisquick Sausage Balls

These bites are the best thing you can do with that box of baking mix in the pantry.

Recipe: Muffin Pan Tomato Tarts

Love tomato pie? Try these colorful, mini versions for a fun appetizer.

Recipe: Mini Crab Cakes with Cajun Sauce

Crab cakes feel fancy but are super easy to make. Creating tiny patties makes them perfect pre-dinner.

Recipe: Prosciutto-Wrapped Mango Bites

This recipe proves how a few simple ingredients can look and taste totally elegant together.

Recipe: Chicken Salad Tarts

This chicken salad appetizer recipe is perfect for any occasion and (almost!) too pretty to eat.

Recipe: Bacon Deviled Eggs

Go ahead and make a second batch—these deviled eggs with thick bacon are so easy to make and tend to disappear quickly. 

Recipe: Meatball Sliders with Tomato Sauce

This kid-friendly appetizer comes together with help from your slow cooker.

Recipe: Inside-Out Hot Brown Bites

Louisville's famous Hot Brown sandwich gets appetizer treatment with these savory bites.

Recipe: Mini Shrimp Rolls

These shrimp sliders have the perfect amount of kick thanks to pickled jalapenos.

Recipe: Ham-and-Cheese Skewers

We love a no-cook appetizer that is still full of flavor.

Recipe: Sweet Potato and Chorizo Sausage Bites

There are plenty of inventive ways to enjoy sweet potatoes, and these spicy sausage balls are one of the best.

Recipe: Pizza Pepper Poppers

These mini peppers are kid-friendly, fun, and gluten-free!

Recipe: Bacon Bow Tie Crackers

This addicting appetizer only requires two ingredients, but it's delicious with brown sugar or parmesan cheese sprinkled on top, too.

Recipe: Cranberry Brie Bites

These pretty bites only need four ingredients, including a topping of pecans for a satisfying crunch.

Recipe: Melon, Mozzarella, and Prosciutto Skewers

Salty ham, fresh melon, and creamy mozzarella meet in appetizer harmony in this recipe.

Recipe: Petite Sweet Potato Biscuits with Pulled Pork and Slaw

Get the whole cookout in one bite with these mini biscuits.

Recipe: Fresh Herb-Tomato Crostini

You can prep the tomato topping up to two days in advance to save you time before you serve this appetizer.

Recipe: Curried Shrimp Tarts

Simply stir the ingredients, spoon them into the pastry tarts, and voila: You have an Instagram-worthy appetizer.

Recipe: Mini Caprese Bites

Leave the fork and knife behind and still get all the caprese salad goodness you love.

Recipe: Herbed Goat Cheese-Melon Party Bites

We try to use fresh watermelon as much as possible during the summer, and these pretty bites are a unique way to do so.

Recipe: Pepperoni Pizza Sliders

Possibly the easiest party food in existence, these pizza sliders keep things ooey and gooey.