Holidays & Occasions Thanksgiving Thanksgiving Recipes 43 Easy Thanksgiving Appetizers To Warm Up Your Appetite By Southern Living Editors Updated on April 5, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Thanksgiving is a marathon of eating and cooking, and it's of the utmost importance to be prepared. That means planning out all of the components of the meal, from the morning snacks to the pre-dinner apps. While we often dedicate most of our attention to preparing the bountiful Thanksgiving dinner, the earlier hours of the day should certainly not go unnoticed. Kick off Thanksgiving dinner in style with these simple, light appetizers. We've collected our favorite party appetizers that are easy to prepare and won't fill your guests up before you make it to the turkey. You can make lots of these dips and finger foods in advance, like our Classic Pimiento Cheese, so all you have to do the day of is scoop it into a bowl and set it out on the table. Looking for a healthier option? Try our Baked Zucchini Fries. These Thanksgiving appetizers will help you tide the crowd over before the much-anticipated evening meal. Ward off those pre-meal munchies and gear up for the main event with these Thanksgiving appetizers. 01 of 43 Pear-and-Brie Puff Pastry Tarts Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Pear-and-Brie Puff Pastry Tarts Marry the flakey, buttery layers of a puff pastry with the decadent, creamy richness of a brie and, well, you can't be wrong. Anjou pears add a sweet, contrasting note. 02 of 43 Smoky Black-Eyed Pea Hummus Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Smoky Black-Eyed Pea Hummus If you love hummus, try our Smoky Black-Eyed Pea Hummus. Peas provide the familiar texture; smoked paprika and pepper provide the spice. A little lemon zest keeps it zingy. 03 of 43 Warm Cheese-and-Spicy Pecan Dip Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Warm Cheese-and-Spicy Pecan Dip Spicy nuts meet a creamy medley of cheeses for a dip that's sure to be a hit. Serve with bread or leave room for the main course by substituting for apple slices. 04 of 43 Yeast Rolls Iain Bagwell Recipe: Yeast Rolls Is it really Thanksgiving dinner without rolls? Not at all. This easy, simple recipe yields a sweet, tender bread that's great for snacking or for sopping up that turkey gravy. 05 of 43 Traditional Quick-Pickled Brussels Sprouts Greg DuPree Recipe: Traditional Quick-Pickled Brussels Sprouts A make-ahead appetizer that's sure to please, our Traditional Quick-Pickled Brussels Sprouts curb the appetite without taking up the stomach space reserved for the turkey. 06 of 43 Cornmeal Popovers Laurey W. Glenn Recipe: Cornmeal Popovers Gritty cornmeal gives the traditional, ethereal popover a fantastic crunch. 07 of 43 Deviled Potatoes Hector Sanchez Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham Recipe: Deviled Potatoes A mashup of the beloved deviled egg and baked potato, our Deviled Potatoes are the best of both recipes. Hot, crispy-skinned potatoes cradle the classic deviled filling, well-seasoned with dill, capers, and mustard. 08 of 43 Crispy Baked Chicken Wings Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Recipe: Crispy Baked Chicken Wings Who can resist an excellent chicken wing? Very few, we say. Our Crispy Baked Chicken Wings are coated in red pepper jelly, coriander, and ginger to keep things interesting. Good luck snaring more than one; these will fly off the table! 09 of 43 Spicy Sweet Potato Crostini Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Spicy Sweet Potato Crostini Move over, tiny toasts! These crostini use roasted sweet potato slices as the base for a sweet and spicy goat cheese spread. Toasted pecans add a nutty crunch. 10 of 43 Lump Crab Mornay Recipe: Lump Crab Mornay Fresh crabmeat is the star of this dip, which is also loaded with heavy cream and a generous amount of cheese (Swiss or Gruyère, your pick). 11 of 43 Crawfish Dip Recipe: Crawfish Dip Move over, all other party dips. This Crawfish Dip is sure to be the new favorite, with succulent crawfish tails swimming in a creamy, cheesy sauce. 12 of 43 Pancetta Crisps with Goat Cheese and Pear Ralph Anderson Recipe: Pancetta Crisps with Goat Cheese and Pear If you want to pull out all the stops for your Thanksgiving feast, you must include our Pancetta Crisps with Goat Cheese and Pear. Bartlett pear slices are topped with crunchy pancetta, fresh-cracked pepper, and a little honey to make for a delightful appetizer course. 13 of 43 Stuffed Endive with Herbed Goat Cheese Laurey W. Glenn Recipe: Stuffed Endive with Herbed Goat Cheese The humble endive shines with the accompaniment of an herbed goat cheese mixture filled with chives, parsley, and tarragon for a light, but no less tasty, appetizer for your Thanksgiving table. 14 of 43 Muffin Pan Tomato Tarts Alison Miksch Recipe: Muffin Pan Tomato Tarts As the name implies, you'll be making these individual tarts in a muffin pan. Throw in your puff pastry, sharp cheddar, and a rainbow of cherry tomatoes for an easy Thanksgiving appetizer. 15 of 43 Inside-Out Hot Brown Bites Hector Sanchez Recipe: Inside-Out Hot Brown Bites Kentucky's signature sandwich gets turned on its head in the form of these adorable appetizers loaded with turkey, cheese, bacon, and tomato. 16 of 43 Warm Spinach-Sweet Onion Dip with Country Ham Warm Spinach-Sweet Onion Dip with Country Ham Recipe: Warm Spinach-Sweet Onion Dip with Country Ham This creamy dip is punctuated by sweet onions and flavorful country ham. With French bread or seasoned pita chips for dipping, you're in danger of filling up before the main course. 17 of 43 Rotel Dip Caitlin Bensel Recipe: Rotel Dip This dip comes together in just 20 minutes, making it the ideal last-minute appetizer. 18 of 43 Baked Brie Bites Laurey W. Glenn Recipe: Baked Brie Bites Frozen phyllo pastry shells form the base for this much-loved, bite-sized appetizer. It really doesn't get much easier than this. 19 of 43 Roasted Fennel-and-Prosciutto Flatbread Hector Sanchez Recipe: Roasted Fennel-and-Prosciutto Flatbread This is simpler to make than the name implies, with the assistance of pre-made pizza dough, but sure to impress your guests all the same. 20 of 43 Crusty Broiled Tomatoes Southern Living Recipe: Crusty Broiled Tomatoes Bring a pop of freshness to the appetizer spread with these lightly-seasoned broiled tomatoes. Topped with herbed parmesan breadcrumbs, these simple tomatoes will be gone in a flash. 21 of 43 Oven-Fried Zucchini Sticks Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Oven-Fried Zucchini Sticks Trick your guests into eating their vegetables with these crispy Zucchini Fries. This fresh appetizer will leave everyone feeling great and satisfied. 22 of 43 Classic Pimiento Cheese Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Classic Pimiento Cheese No Southern event is complete without a big bowl of pimiento cheese. This easy appetizer can be made in advance to ease your day-of prep docket. 23 of 43 Ranch Snacker Crackers Sheri Castle Recipe: Ranch Snacker Crackers These addictive bites pack all the flavors of your favorite dressing. Leave a bowl of these on the counter and they're sure to be gone by the end of the night. 24 of 43 Black Bean Corn Salsa Antonis Achilleos Recipe: Black Bean and Corn Salsa Add a bit of bright color to the Thanksgiving appetizer spread with this simple homemade salsa. For optimal ease, this dish comes together in just 20 minutes. 25 of 43 Homemade Onion Dip Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Homemade Onion Dip Ditch the onion flavor packets—this Homemade Onion Dip couldn't be any easier to make. 26 of 43 Bacon Bites Oxmoor House Recipe: Bacon Bites Breadsticks wrapped in crispy, crunchy strands of bacon? Sounds like a sure-fire crowd-pleaser. 27 of 43 Cocktail Meatballs Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Cocktail Meatballs Put out a bowl of these mini meatballs with a carton of toothpicks and let the crowd dig in. 28 of 43 Collard Dip Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Collard Dip Forgo the mucky stewed collards in the Thanksgiving feast and make this creamy Collard Dip instead. 29 of 43 Sausage Balls Southern Living Recipe: Sausage Balls This vintage Southern appetizer still graces all our party spreads, and our Thanksgiving feast just wouldn't be complete without them. 30 of 43 Bacon Deviled Eggs Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Recipe: Bacon Deviled Eggs Add a bit of zing to your traditional deviled egg recipe with bacon and pickled okra. 31 of 43 Herbed Goat Cheese Spread Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Christine Keely Recipe: Herbed Goat Cheese Spread With just four ingredients and five minutes of prep work this dip is a go-to for any appetizer spread. 32 of 43 Sweet Potato and Chorizo Sausage Bites Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Sweet Potato and Chorizo Sausage Bites Adding sweet potato to these sausage balls give them extra fall flavor. 33 of 43 Baby Hasselback Potatoes with Blue Cheese and Bacon Laurey W. Glenn Recipe: Baby Hasselback Potatoes with Blue Cheese and Bacon These sliced potatoes get nice and crispy in the oven. Top with bacon and blue cheese for a rich, indulgent flavor. 34 of 43 Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers Micah A. Leal Recipe: Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers This appetizer is a party in each bite. Hollowed out jalapeño peppers are stuffed with Worcestershire sauce, cream cheese, and cheddar and wrapped in bacon. 35 of 43 Cranberry Brie Bites Southern Living Recipe: Cranberry Brie Bites Salty brie and tart cranberry are topped with crunchy pistachio pieces in this appetizer. 36 of 43 Beef-and-Asparagus Bundles Recipe: Beef-and-Asparagus Bundles This veggie appetizer is a great way to add fresh produce to your spread. 37 of 43 Bacon-Parmesan Tassies Jennifer Davick Recipe: Bacon-Parmesan Tassies These cheesy, salty delights are crispy with every bite. 38 of 43 Petite Sweet Potato Biscuits with Pulled Pork and Slaw Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Petite Sweet Potato Biscuits with Pulled Pork and Slaw The sweet potato biscuits freeze beautifully—thaw, bake, and top them just before serving. 39 of 43 Spicy-Sweet Pecans Helen Norman Recipe: Spicy-Sweet Pecans The egg white helps the spice mixture adhere evenly and gives the pecans a crisp, glossy coating. 40 of 43 Chicken Liver Mousse Crostini with Pepper Jelly Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Chicken Liver Mousse Crostini with Pepper Jelly For a different presentation, make this mousse in a 1 ½-quart ovenproof dish instead of small jars. 41 of 43 Feta-Olive-Fresh Herb Cheese Ball Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Feta-Olive-Fresh Herb Cheese Ball This appetizer will wow guests with big flavors packed in such a simple dish. Feta and cream keep things silky, while flat-leaf parsley and finely-chopped green onions give a burst of freshness and crunch to the exterior. The bright green appearance will also draw guests to this aesthetically pleasing appetizer that is best served with cucumber slices. 42 of 43 Cherry-Pecan Brie Jim Franco Recipe: Cherry-Pecan Brie Cherry-Pecan Brie is a five-ingredient appetizer you can have ready in about 10 minutes. 43 of 43 Baked Brie with Jezebel Peaches Iain Bagwell Recipe: Baked Brie with Jezebel Peaches Give the tired cheeseboard a serious upgrade with this warm, melty brie and cool peach topping. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit