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The Spruce / Leah Maroney
Don't just throw a New Year's Eve party—host one filled with the best appetizers. Entertaining guests is more exciting when you can serve small nibbles featuring a variety of flavors and ingredients. From elegant seafood bites to crispy fried crowd pleasers, here are the recipes to help inspire you this holiday season and kick off another year of good eating. Now, all you need is a good bottle of bubbly or big-batch punch.
Oysters Rockefeller
Joseph De Leo / Photolibrary / Getty Images
This legendary baked oysters dish is named after the famous American tycoon, signifying its richness. Oysters in the shell are topped with a buttery breadcrumb topping that's flavored with fresh herbs, Tabasco and Worcestershire sauces, and absinthe, then baked to golden brown.
Crab Rangoon
The Spruce / Ali Redmond
Spruce up your party snacks with this easy recipe for the popular restaurant appetizer. Crabmeat is combined with cream cheese and a few flavorings, folded into wonton wrappers, then quickly deep-fried for a crunchy seafood snack that's sure to please guests.
Hummus With Tahini
The Spruce
This traditional Middle Eastern hummus made with chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, and garlic is rich in protein, not to mention it's free of dairy and eggs, making it a fabulous vegetarian option. Serve drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with chopped fresh parsley with crackers nearby for scooping.
Baked Thai Coconut Shrimp
Iain Bagwell / Getty Images
Baked coconut shrimp deliver plenty of flavor without the extra fat and calories of frying. You dip raw shrimp in beaten eggs to moisten, roll them in seasoned breadcrumbs and shredded coconut, then bake until golden. Serve with Thai sweet chile sauce.
Continue to 5 of 47 belowSausage Roll
The Spruce
When it comes to classic party appetizers, nothing quite beats meaty sausages wrapped in flaky, golden puff pastry. Change things up by using different flavors of sausages.
Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers
The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn
Bacon is the highlight of these meat-wrapped jalapeño poppers. Sweet, smoky, spicy, cheesy, creamy, and crunchy, this appetizer recipe has it all. The poppers cook up super quickly, making them a great option for last-minute gatherings.
Fried Ravioli
The Spruce / Leah Maroney
Party guests will flip for these breaded deep-fried pasta bites that start with your favorite premade ravioli. Serve them on a platter sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese and set out some marinara sauce on the side for dipping.
Smoked Fish Pâté
The Spruce / Ali Redmond
Whip up this quick-and-easy pâté in your food processor. Smoked fish and cream cheese are blended with butter, lemon juice, and a few other pantry staples. Serve it at room temperature, topped with snipped chives, and surrounded by toasted bread slices.
Continue to 9 of 47 belowBacon Wrapped Smokies
The Spruce / Nyssa Tanner
Just three simple ingredients create this very delicious hors d'oeuvre with smoky, sweet, and salty flavors. Mini sausages are baked in the oven, then wrapped in thick bacon slices, and sprinkled with brown sugar. Add a bit of cayenne pepper if you like to amp up the heat.
Stuffed Mushrooms With Spinach and Ham
The Spruce / Diana Rattray
Mushrooms are stuffed with spinach, mozzarella cheese, garlic, and ham, then brushed with butter and baked until they're tender, yielding a mouthful of warm cheesy goodness in this fabulous app.
Instant Pot Buffalo Wings
The Spruce / Diana Rattray
Chicken wings are a crowd favorite, but they can be a hassle to make. This Instant Pot recipe simplifies the method while still creating that familiar spicy bar snack food. The wings are pressure cooked, tossed with some of the homemade sauce, and then broiled to create that signature crispy coating. A final drizzle of hot sauce finishes them off.
Dijon Deviled Eggs
The Spruce / Diana Rattray
Deviled eggs are always a hit at parties. Just cook the eggs and mix the yolks with a few seasonings, then stuff the mixture back into the egg halves for a fabulous retro-inspired snack.
Continue to 13 of 47 belowShrimp Stuffed Baked Potatoes
The Shrimp Council
Here's an elegant upgrade on the usual twice-baked potato. Stuff the spuds with prepared shrimp scampi, cheddar cheese, and sour cream, and bake until it browns on top.
Seafood Dip
Emily Suzanne McDonald / Getty Images
Use crab, shrimp, or lobster for this special-tasting dip that is right at home at the swankiest parties. Cream cheese adds silkiness to this dip, with curry powder and paprika, which brings a nice depth of flavor to your choice of mild-tasting shellfish. Serve warm with baguette slices.
Bisquick Sausage Balls
The Spruce / Leah Maroney
Everyone is sure to enjoy these tasty Bisquick sausage balls. It's a quick and easy meatball recipe that mixes ground pork sausage with herbs, cheddar and cream cheeses, and biscuit baking mix. Make them in advance and freeze, then whip up the creamy horseradish dip while they bake.
Ham and Cheese Pinwheels
The Spruce / Leah Maroney
Made with refrigerated pizza dough, these pretty ham and cheese pinwheels are quick and easy to throw together. The spiral of salty ham and gooey cheese makes this simple snack an attractive addition to your spread.
Continue to 17 of 47 belowAir Fryer Bloomin' Onion
The Spruce / Diana Rattray
Set a bloomin' onion on the table and watch it disappear. This recipe is a little healthier than most because it skips the deep-fryer and uses an air fryer instead. That also helps keep the breaded onion "flower" intact and looking fabulous for the party. There's even a spicy dip that you can make to serve alongside it.
Easy Baked Brie
The Spruce / Pete Scherer
Baked brie is a classic party starter that is always welcome at holiday time. It is so easy to prepare, and makes an elegant impression on a platter, with gently melting brie cheese, fruit preserves, toasted walnuts, and of course mini toasts or crackers for spreading.
Cheddar Bacon Puffs
The Spruce / Diana Rattray
These airy cheddar cheese and bacon puffs are loaded with flavor and a little bit of heat from red and black peppers. Make them ahead and store in the freezer for up to one month to reheat at party time.
Roasted Bone Marrow With Parsley Salad
The Spruce / Diana Chistruga
Make a small party extra special by serving roasted bone marrow. The buttery, melt-in-your-mouth marrow is especially good smeared on grilled bread and served alongside a fresh parsley salad.
Continue to 21 of 47 belowInstant Pot Pizza
The Spruce / Diana Rattray
These individual-sized pizzas are simple to make and easily customizable. Store-bought pizza dough is cut to the size of a cake pan, layered with toppings, and cooked for 15 minutes. Stack two pans and cook a few at a time.
Tex-Mex Taco Beef Sliders
The Spruce / Diana Rattray
Mini beef sandwiches bursting with fantastic Tex-Mex flavors make a welcome appetizer, and the shredded meat is simple to prepare using a slow cooker. Serve on slider rolls, layered with your favorite taco toppings.
Smoked Salmon Crostini
The Spruce / Leah Maroney
Smoked salmon is a classic New Year's food, and these simple salmon crostini are sure to be a hit. Fresh herbs, ricotta cheese, and lemon juice help the smoked salmon shine beautifully.
Thai Mini Shrimp Lettuce Wraps
The Spruce / Diana Chistruga
Thai shrimp lettuce wraps make fabulous finger food for a party. Each bite provides a burst of spicy, salty, and sweet Thai flavor that is sure to please. Guests will also have fun making their own wraps with romaine lettuce leaves.
Continue to 25 of 47 belowCopycat Avocado Egg Rolls
The Spruce / Leah Maroney
Straight from the Cheesecake Factory's menu, these tasty appetizers offer a nice change to the traditional egg roll filling. Chopped avocado is combined with sun-dried tomato, cilantro, and red onion and seasoned with fresh lime juice and salt. Once this mixture is nestled inside the wrapper, the egg rolls are deep-fried until golden brown and crispy. A homemade tamarind cashew sauce is served on the side for dipping.
Buttery Garlic Crab Bruschetta
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Seafood lovers will be thrilled by this bruschetta, which uses lots of garlic, butter, and flavorful crabmeat to create a filling that's piled onto toasted Italian bread. The slices are then topped with Parmesan and broiled for a warm, cheesy finish.
Baked Chicken Wings With Peanut Sauce
The Spruce / Diana Rattray
A spicy peanut sauce takes these amazing party wings to the next level. It's baked with the chicken and also served on the side for dipping.
Smoked Salmon Dip
The Spruce / Leah Maroney
This bright and flavorful smoked salmon dip only takes minutes to whip up and can be made ahead of time for a last-minute appetizer. Serve with crackers or bagel chips.
Continue to 29 of 47 belowArtichoke Gruyère Dip
Alexandra Grablewski / Photolibrary / Getty Images
The rich, salty flavor of Gruyère adds something special to classic artichoke dip. You need only a handful of ingredients for this recipe, including jarred or canned artichoke hearts, cheese, yogurt or sour cream, and just a bit of mayonnaise. It gets a slight kick from cayenne pepper.
Chinese Siu Mai Dumplings
The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi
Siu mai is a popular Chinese dumpling that's surprisingly easy to make and looks beautiful on your buffet. The wrappers are filled with mushrooms, shrimp, ground pork, green onion, then steamed, making them a healthier alternative to the usually fried pot stickers.
Buffalo Chicken Dip
Bhofack2 / Getty Images
This popular party recipe has all the great flavors of spicy Buffalo chicken wings in easy-snacking dip form. It combines leftover or shredded rotisserie chicken with jarred hot sauce, ranch dressing, cream, and blue cheeses, along with some celery for crunch.
Crock Pot Party Meatballs
The Spruce / Diana Rattray
These party meatballs are made with ground beef and sausage, and flavored with a tangy homemade barbecue sauce. They get baked in the oven first, then go into your crock pot to soak up all that saucy goodness. Keep warm and serve them straight from the slow cooker.
Continue to 33 of 47 belowCrab Rangoon Dip
The Spruce / Leah Maroney
Crab rangoon dip has all of the flavors of the classic Chinese takeout dish and turns it into a hot, creamy dip. It's especially good served with some crispy egg roll wrappers.
Shrimp Cakes With Sriracha Mayonnaise
The Spruce / Diana Rattray
Chopped shrimp, panko breadcrumbs, and a little mayo are mixed with seasonings, formed into patties, and lightly fried until golden brown, to create these fabulous cakes. The accompanying Sriracha mayonnaise will have everyone coming back for seconds.
Applesauce Kielbasa
Juanmonino / E+ / Getty Images
This crock pot appetizer only requires five ingredients. Kielbasa sausages are sliced into bite-sized pieces and added to your slow cooker with brown sugar, applesauce, mustard, and garlic. Serve with toothpicks and mustard for dipping.
Olive Cheese Balls
Marcos Honma / Getty Images
These petite cheese balls boast a surprise olive center that will delight party guests. The cheddar-flavored dough is shaped into balls around pimiento-stuffed olives, chilled briefly, then baked until golden brown.
Continue to 37 of 47 belowOven-Baked Potato Wedges
The Spruce / Diana Chistruga
Who can say no to fries? This recipe creates thick, crispy potato wedges that are sure to go fast, when you put them out on your buffet. Serve them standing upright for a fun presentation and offer an array of sauces for dipping.
Fig Crostini
The Spruce / Molly Watson
Fig crostini is one of those magical appetizers that tastes fancy but is incredibly easy to prepare. Chopped fresh figs are tossed with a bit of balsamic vinegar and black pepper, then placed on slices of toasted baguette with crumbled goat cheese.
Mini Quiches
The Spruce / Diana Rattray
These charming miniature quiches with cheddar and broccoli are quick and easy to prepare and bake in muffin tins. Feel free to add your favorite vegetables for extra flavor and nutrition. They can also freeze for up to one month and be reheated straight from frozen.
Spicy Guacamole
The Spruce / Diana Chistruga
This guacamole recipe turns up the heat by adding chopped fresh jalapeño peppers to the usual ingredients for a party dip that will make your guests say olé!
Continue to 41 of 47 belowChicken Liver Mousse
The Spruce / Elaine Lemm
Chicken liver mousse is an inexpensive and tasty variation on foie gras. Cooked chicken livers are blended in a food processor with heavy cream and a few seasonings for a rich and flavorful spread. Make it the day before your party and refrigerate to let the flavors meld.
Cheese Platter
Sheri L Giblin / Taxi / Getty Images
Every New Year's Eve party needs a cheese platter, but do you know what makes a great one? Follow this guide on how to choose the best types of cheese and accompaniments to serve and be prepared to impress a crowd.
Salmon and Cream Cheese Tea Sandwiches
The Spruce / Diana Chistruga
These smoked salmon finger sandwiches make a quick and easy addition to any holiday buffet. The recipe uses buttermilk white bread, but pumpernickel would also work well.
Pizza Crostini
Diana Rattray These tasty little baked pizza crostini are sure to go quickly. They're simple for a busy host or hostess to prepare, requiring only a loaf of French bread and your favorite pizza toppings.
Continue to 45 of 47 belowCaramelized Candied Peanuts
The Spruce
Put out a bowl of these candied peanuts at your party, and we guarantee it will be empty before you know it. You'll definitely want to make extras of these candied nuts.
Vegan Baba Ghanoush
The Spruce
Baba ghanoush is a hearty Middle Eastern spread made with roasted eggplant. This vegan-friendly recipe adds in chickpeas for extra protein, along with tahini, lemon juice, and sea salt for plenty of flavor. Serve it with mini toasts, crackers, or raw veggie sticks.
Blue Cheese-Stuffed Figs
Patricia Toth McCormick / Getty Images
Deeply sweet figs and sharply pungent blue cheese are a winning flavor combination that you have to taste to believe. Drizzle with a little oil and flecks of sea salt for a sophisticated presentation.