Hosting Thanksgiving this year? Start your feast with appetizers that are just as memorable as the main meal. From creamy dips and savory bites to creative veggie trays and make-ahead nibbles, these recipes bring color, flavor, and fun to your holiday table. Whether you’re planning a cozy family gathering or a big Friendsgiving celebration, you’ll find crowd-pleasing options here, some indulgent, others light and fresh, all simple to prepare.
Get ready to wow your guests before the turkey even leaves the oven with these delicious Thanksgiving appetizer ideas!
Slow Cooker Marinated Olives
Made with fresh garlic, herbs, lemon peel, and a variety of olives, this Slow Cooker Marinated Olives recipe is sure to be a hit with your guests! Simply toss everything in the slow cooker and you’ll have an easy and delicious appetizer that’s perfect for entertaining!
Get recipe: Slow Cooker Marinated Olives
Smoked Deviled Eggs
These smoked deviled eggs are a show-stopping twist on an old classic recipe! Perfectly flavorful and the perfect appetizer to accompany any meal!
Get recipe: Smoked Deviled Eggs
Mini Gluten-Free Cornbread Muffin Bites
Everything you love about cornbread and muffins, just in bite-sized form! These Mini Gluten-Free Cornbread Muffin Bites are vegan, allergy-free, and only 7 ingredients! These mini muffins are buttery, slightly sweet, great for kids, and will be your go-to recipe for easy corn muffins!
Get recipe: Mini Gluten-Free Cornbread Muffin Bites (Vegan, Allergy-Free)
Turkey Veggie Tray
This cute turkey veggie tray is a fresh and colorful appetizer centerpiece that is the perfect holiday addition to your Thanksgiving spread. Best of all, kids love to help make it!
Get recipe: Turkey Veggie Tray
Cream Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms
These Cream Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms made with bacon, blue cheese, and green onions are delicious bites that simply explode with flavor. They are so easy to make and all you need are five easy ingredients to make the filling.
Get recipe: Cream Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms
Homemade Nuts and Bolts Snack Mix Recipe
This nuts and bolts snack mix is a savory, garlicky, crunchy treat made with homemade nuts, cereals, and pretzels. Perfect for the holiday season, Christmas gifts, or snacking during football games.
Get recipe: Perfect Homemade Nuts and Bolts Snack Mix Recipe
Cranberry Whipped Feta Dip
Cranberry Whipped Feta Dip is the perfect holiday appetizer made with a handful of simple ingredients. This easy appetizer features tart cranberries and pistachios topping a creamy dip made of fresh feta cheese and cream cheese.
Get recipe: Cranberry Whipped Feta Dip
Pumpkin Shaped Cheese Ball
This savory pumpkin shaped cheese ball is the cutest fall appetizer! Made with cream cheese, bacon, ranch, and cheddar, it’s festive, easy, and always a hit for Halloween or Thanksgiving parties.
Get recipe: Pumpkin Shaped Cheese Ball
Goat Cheese Croquettes
These crispy goat cheese croquettes are an appetizer that everyone will love! Creamy goat cheese mixed with thyme, breaded with Panko and fried until crispy and golden. Then drizzled with honey, and sprinkled with finely chopped walnuts and almonds.
Get recipe: Goat Cheese Croquettes
Charcuterie Skewers
Take your meat and cheese to go with these quick and easy Charcuterie Skewers. Perfect for beach trips, cookouts, or anytime you need a protein-packed snack that’s easy to toss in your cooler, these deliciously customizable charcuterie kabobs are the meat appetizer you’ve been missing!
Get recipe: Charcuterie Skewers
Bread Bowl Baked Brie with Fig Preserves
This air fryer baked brie in a bread bowl is the perfect appetizer recipe for the holiday season. Not only is it a crowd-pleasing dish the whole family will love, but it also frees up precious oven space when you’re trying to get the rest of the holiday meal prepared.
Get recipe: Bread Bowl Baked Brie with Fig Preserves (Air Fryer recipe)
Bacon Wrapped Sausage in Air Fryer
In just 20 minutes, you can enjoy our savory, smoky, and slightly sweet Bacon Wrapped Sausage in Air Fryer bites. The ultimate appetizer or party snack; the juicy breakfast sausage links are wrapped in thick-cut bacon, coated with a touch of brown sugar for caramelization, and crisped to perfection in the air fryer. They’re quick to prepare, easy to serve, and wildly addictive. Perfect for game day, holiday brunch spreads, or even a fun weeknight dinner addition.
Get recipe: Bacon Wrapped Sausage in Air Fryer
Spicy Tuna Pasta Salad
We’ve been having colder days here in Wisconsin and then all of the sudden, BOOM! We get a few warm days in a row!? I busted out my swimsuit SO Fast, cracked open a Summer Shandy and decided to make this Spicy Tuna Pasta Salad! You may be chuckling, but this is literally what it’s like in the Midwest. Could be snow when you wake up, could be 40 degrees and sunny later in the day – and suddenly everybody is sitting in a lawn chair in their front yard in short sleeves. What a sight…HA! This pasta salad was super unique and unlike the traditional tuna pasta salad we all know and love. There was jalapeño (I guess it’s my favorite thing to cook with now?) some fresh tomatoes, green onions – it was creamy, it was flavorful! It was delicious!
Get recipe: Spicy Tuna Pasta Salad
Maryland Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes
More crab, less filler! These quick & easy Maryland crab cakes are brimming with sweet jumbo lump crab—canned crab for convenience!
Get recipe: Maryland Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes (Less Filler!)
Cranberry Brie Puff Pastry Bites
There’s something satisfying and decadent about the combination of creamy Brie cheese, tart cranberries, flaky puff pastry, and a touch of sweet citrus. If you’re searching for an appetizer that feels festive, elegant, and irresistibly delicious—without requiring hours in the kitchen—these Cranberry Brie Puff Pastry Bites are your answer.
Get recipe: Cranberry Brie Puff Pastry Bites – The Ultimate Holiday Appetizer
