Too Many Dishes, Too Little Time? These 5-Ingredient Thanksgiving Appetizers Have You Covered

These quick and easy Thanksgiving appetizers are anything but an afterthought.

By
Mimi Young
Mimi Young
Mimi Young
Editor
Mimi Young is an editor and pastry chef. She has also curated and written numerous recipe roundups for Serious Eats.
Learn about Serious Eats' Editorial Process
Published November 13, 2025
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Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

At Thanksgiving, the main event tends to grab all the attention. Appetizers sometimes fall by the wayside as just another task to tackle, so guests have something to nosh on while they socialize mindlessly. The best appetizers, however, should come together quickly and easily without seeming like you phoned it in. With that in mind, we've compiled a list of Thanksgiving recipes that require no more than five ingredients and often take less than 15 minutes of active prep. Below, you'll find nibbles like seasoned nuts and popcorn, baked Brie for sharing, and a variety of irresistible dips—all guaranteed to spark plenty of conversation and compliments.

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  • Sea Salt and Vinegar Peanuts

    A bowl filled with salted and seasoned peanuts

    Serious Eats / Marvin Gapultos

    Sure, you can bust open a bag of chips, but why not offer your guests this cool riff on the salt-and-vinegar theme instead? Soak raw peanuts in apple cider vinegar for about an hour, then drain, dry, and fry in a bit of oil until golden. Season with a generous pinch of sea salt, a sprinkling of chopped parsley, and a final drizzle of vinegar for an extra hit of tang. Feel free to experiment with other combinations, too: Chinese black vinegar with cilantro or pickle brine with dill would be delicious, too.

  • Honey-Mustard Popcorn

    Overhead view of Honey Mustard Popcorn

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

    Popcorn is one of the easiest and most versatile appetizers you can make—and it's well worth breaking out a big pot to pop it on the stovetop with oil. The kernels turn out wonderfully fluffy and crisp, and each is lightly coated in a sheen of fat that helps the seasoning—like this DIY honey mustard blend—stick. You could even set up a popcorn-tasting bar with za’tar-, Thai red curry-, miso soup-, or anchovy-garlic-flavored popcorn.

  • Simple Baked Brie With Honey and Pistachios

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    Serious Eats / Emily and Matt Clifton

    If you don't have time to assemble a thoughtfully curated cheese platter—one that looks like you spent an hour deliberating at a fromagerie—you can still impress with this warm baked Brie, topped with lightly salted pistachios and drizzled with honey.

  • Baked Brie en Croûte With Thyme and Fig Jam

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    Photograph: Emily and Matt Clifton. Video: Serious Eats Video

    If you want to upgrade baked Brie from warm, ooey-gooey comfort food to a showstopping centerpiece, encase it in golden, flaky pastry with fresh thyme and fig jam. For another autumnal variation that uses a homemade fruit compote, try this apple-pear rendition. 

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  • Prosciutto-Wrapped Stuffed Cherry Peppers

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    Serious Eats / Joshua Bousel

    For an Italian twist on stuffed jalapeños—a classic party finger food—we stuff hot cherry peppers with a mixture of ricotta, sharp provolone, and fresh basil. The thin, pliable clings effortlessly to the stuffed peppers, so there's no need for toothpicks.

  • Deconstructed Deviled Eggs

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    Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

    Classic deviled eggs are a party staple with many fun variations, but accommodating every guest's preferences typically means making multiple batches. This deconstructed version starts with perfectly cooked seven-minute eggs and offers infinite customization through mix-and-match toppings, including salmon roe, fresh crab dusted with Old Bay, bacon shards, spicy kimchi mayo, scallions, and more.

  • Air-Fryer Shrimp

    Overhead view of shrimp on a platter

    Serious Eats / Morgan Hunt Glaze

    This might become your new favorite party appetizer, surpassing old standbys like shrimp cocktail for its sheer ease and versatility. After a quick dry brine of salt, baking soda, and sugar—which ensures the shrimp is plump, juicy, and snappy—the shellfish need just five minutes in the air fryer. Season it with jerk, honey-harissa, ginger-sesame, Old Bay, or cilantro-lime.

  • Grilled King Oyster Mushrooms With Bacon and Teriyaki Glaze

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    Serious Eats / J. Kenji López-Alt

    These grilled mushroom and bacon skewers deliver a big umami punch with just three ingredients. Alternating slices of bacon and meaty king oyster mushrooms lets the mushrooms soak up the bacon's flavorful rendered fat and juices as it crisps on the grill, while a glossy, sweet-savory teriyaki glaze ties it all together.

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  • Hummus B'Tahini (Hummus With Tahini)

    Overhead view of hummus b'tahini

    Serious Eats / Mai Kakish

    Not every great hummus needs to start with dried chickpeas. Contributor Reem Kassis's recipe uses canned chickpeas and an immersion blender to produce wonderfully smooth hummus. Seasoning the hummus with just tahini, fresh lemon juice, and salt lets the pure flavors of chickpeas and tahini take center stage. Feel free to zhush it up however you like—maybe with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, a scatter of toasted pinenuts, or a dusting of paprika or cumin.

  • Māst-o-Khiār (Persian Yogurt with Cucumber)

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    Serious Eats / Nader Mehravari

    Cucumbers are key to this cool, tangy Persian yogurt dip, so choosing the right variety makes all the difference in the final consistency. Go for thin-skinned types like Persian or English cucumbers—they have fewer seeds and a crisp texture that holds up to shredding. Drained or Greek-style yogurt yields a thick, dippable māst-o-khiār, while dried spearmint gives it its distinctive flavor.

  • Whipped Feta Dip

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    Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

    Who knew blending feta with Greek yogurt could yield something so smooth and velvety you'd want to eat it with just about everything? Greek yogurt brings a thick, creamy texture and just enough tang to complement feta's assertiveness and balance its brininess—without the heavy richness of cream cheese, sour cream, or mayonnaise typically used in other feta dips. A touch of garlic and extra-virgin oil adds depth and aroma.

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