25 Cocktail Appetizer Recipes for Your Next Boozy Bash

Overhead view of sharma — Serious Eats / Two Bites

You might think the most important part of a cocktail party is the booze, and with "cocktail" right there in the name, we can't say you're wrong. But we would argue the snacks are just as important, because as any responsible host knows, you need to make sure your guests have enough food to soak up all the alcohol.

Chips and salsa might suffice for a mundane gathering, but a more festive celebration calls for something bigger and better. From pâté made with chicken liver or cauliflower to baked brie and the ultimate shrimp cocktail, we've got all the recipes you need to throw the most delicious cocktail party possible.

Buckwheat Blini

Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

This is one of those wonderful dishes that is pretty much reserved exclusively for the holidays, but we should probably be eating blini and caviar all year long. After making the blini, all that's left to do is buy plenty of caviar and crème fraîche.

Buckwheat Blini
Juicy and Tender Swedish Meatballs With Rich Gravy

Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik. Vicky Wasik

A throwback to cocktail parties of a different era, these beef and pork meatballs are flavored with onion, white pepper, and allspice. Part of the charm of Swedish meatballs is their dense, springy texture, which you can achieve by mixing the meat more forcefully than we would typically recommend for meatballs.

Juicy and Tender Swedish Meatballs With Rich Gravy
Hoisin-Glazed Cocktail Meatballs

Serious Eats / Emily and Matt Clifton

This updated take on the cocktail meatball also starts with a mix of beef and pork, but gets an Asian twist from garlic, ginger, and hoisin sauce. When the meatballs come out of the oven we brush them with a glaze made from hoisin, ketchup, vinegar, honey, soy sauce, and sesame oil and sprinkle on scallions and sesame seeds.

Hoisin-Glazed Cocktail Meatballs
Easy, Ultimate Clams Casino

Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

This take on clams casino can be prepped a day in advance, making it perfect for entertaining. The dish often winds up gritty and bland, but we avoid those problems by using coarse bread crumbs toasted in bacon fat and a flavorful bacon-clam compound butter.

Easy, Ultimate Clams Casino

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Deconstructed Deviled Eggs With Mayonnaise, Anchovies, and Capers

Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

These deconstructed cousins of deviled eggs call for seven-minute eggs with creamy yolks, which are then topped off with your condiments of choice, like mayonnaise, herbs, spices, bits of bacon, and more. Here they're served with anchovy fillets, capers, chives, and chervil, but feel free to use whatever combination inspires you.

Deconstructed Deviled Eggs With Mayonnaise, Anchovies, and Capers
Bacon-Wrapped Figs With Blue Cheese and Bourbon

Serious Eats / Morgan Eisenberg

Don't be offended if this is the only party snack your friends request from now on. There are few things better than cheese wrapped in slices of bacon, and the figs and bourbon caramel glaze offset each bite's sharp saltiness.

Bacon-Wrapped Figs With Blue Cheese and Bourbon
Grilled Tarragon-Mustard Chicken Skewers

Serious Eats / Morgan Eisenberg

A simple marinade with fresh herbs is all you need to make grilled chicken exciting. These grilled chicken skewers combine sweet, savory, and tangy flavors from a mixture of Dijon mustard, lemon juice, honey, and tarragon.

Grilled Tarragon-Mustard Chicken Skewers
Smoky Bacon-Wrapped Baby Potatoes

Serious Eats / Morgan Eisenberg

Serving a platter of bacon-wrapped potatoes will never, ever disappoint your guests. Here, the small potatoes are tossed with a spicy and smoky seasoning mixture, then roasted until the surrounding strips of bacon are crisp.

Smoky Bacon-Wrapped Baby Potatoes

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Chicken Liver Pâté With Bourbon and Cranberry Gelée

Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

If you're on a budget, foie gras pâté probably won't make an appearance at your next cocktail party. Fortunately, chicken liver pâté is much more affordable and still delicious. Our autumnal take on the dish is flavored with bourbon and apple cider and topped with cranberry gelée.

Chicken Liver Pâté With Bourbon and Cranberry Gelée
Plump and Tender Shrimp Cocktail

Serious Eats / Daniel Gritzer

Properly made shrimp cocktail is one of the best cocktail party hors d'oeuvres around, but all too often the dish is ruined by rubbery supermarket shrimp. Doing shrimp cocktail justice means poaching the shellfish gently in a court bouillon so that they become flavorful and tender. As for the cocktail sauce itself, we stick to the classic combination of ketchup and jarred horseradish.

Plump and Tender Shrimp Cocktail
Gravlax With Caraway, Coriander, and Mustard-Dill Sauce

Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

I love cured salmon, but it can get pricey. When I want to treat myself, I turn to gravlax—since it's easy enough to make I don't have to pay for someone else's labor. The fish isn't cheap, but two pounds will serve a dozen people. To turn the fillet into gravlax all you need is salt, sugar, caraway, coriander, and a few days to let it all cure in the fridge.

Gravlax With Caraway, Coriander, and Mustard-Dill Sauce
Thai-Style Shrimp Cakes With Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce

Serious Eats / Emily and Matt Clifton

One way to save a few bucks preparing for a party is to make shrimp cakes rather than more common crab cakes. Shrimp works with all sorts of flavors—here we look to Thailand for inspiration and make cakes with jalapeños, garlic, and enough cilantro to turn them vibrantly green.

Thai-Style Shrimp Cakes With Sweet Chili

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Roman-Jewish Fried Artichokes (Carciofi alla Giudia)

Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

Baby artichokes are fried until crispy and golden-brown. Served with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a sprinkle of salt, you can't go wrong with crunchy fried veggies and cocktails.

Roman-Jewish Fried Artichokes (Carciofi alla Giudia)
Spanish Tuna-Stuffed Piquillo Peppers (Pimientos del Piquillo Rellenos de Atún)

Serious Eats / J. Kenji López-Alt

I don't know of any country on earth that respects canned food like Spain does. Far from survival rations, Spanish canned goods are often delicacies. This tapas recipe combines two of them, stuffing piquillo peppers with bonito tuna and serving them on baguette slices with allioli.

Spanish Tuna-Stuffed Piquillo Peppers (Pimientos del Piquillo Relleno)
Borek (Armenian Spinach and Cheese Turnovers)

Serious Eats / Andrew Janjigian

Crispy, cheesy hand pies that are a must for any mezze spread. These are stuffed by three kinds of cheese, spinach, and herbs, and garnished with sesame and nigella seeds.

Borek (Armenian Spinach and Cheese Turnovers)
Bagna Càuda (Northern Italian Anchovy-Garlic Dip)

Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

Bagna càuda is a potent dip made from warm olive oil loaded with tons of garlic and anchovies, all cooked together until melted down. Paired with a beautiful vegetable platter, it's the ultimate dip.

Bagna Càuda (Northern Italian Anchovy-Garlic Dip)

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Silky-Smooth Vegetarian Pâté With Roasted Cauliflower and Pecans

Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

This vegetarian pâté gets its meaty flavor and texture from roasted cauliflower, which we cook with pecans and then purée. You can make the recipe vegan by using vegetable broth and oil instead of cream and butter, but it won't have quite the same silky pâté texture.

Silky-Smooth Vegetarian Pâté With Roasted Cauliflower and Pecans
Classic Oysters Rockefeller

Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

Serving briny, juicy baked oysters is a good way to remind your guests that you're capable of far more than arranging a cheese board (though you can do that, too). Our take on the classic oysters ditches spinach and cheese, resulting in a lighter, fresher dish.

Oysters Rockefeller
Updated Cheese Ball Trio

Serious Eats / Morgan Eisenberg

A ball of cheese sounds like a wonderful thing, but if you've ever been burned by an unappetizing cheese ball made with industrial pre-shredded cheddar you might be a little hesitant. Don't worry, through—our versions are made with high-quality blue cheese, goat cheese, and feta.

Updated Cheese Ball Trio
Warm Spanish-Style Giant Bean Salad With Smoked Paprika and Celery

Serious Eats / J. Kenji López-Alt

The ingredient list here looks a little intimidating, but once everything is together the dish only takes five minutes to prepare—it's just a matter of heating everything up long enough to incorporate all the flavors. You won't want to lose any of the sauce, so serve this with crusty bread to soak up every last drop.

Warm Spanish-Style Giant-Bean Salad With Smoked Paprika and Celery

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Cauliflower Pakoras

Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

Seasoned with Kashmiri chile powder, garam masala, and turmeric, these crisp, tender cauliflower pakoras make a satisfying snack or a fun party nibble.

Cauliflower Pakoras
Hummus Masabacha (Hummus With Whole Chickpeas)

Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

This "deconstructed hummus" features whole chickpeas in a tahini-based sauce. Serve with warm pita bread or cut vegetables for a rich and bright take on hummus.

Hummus Masabacha (Hummus With Whole Chickpeas)
Yalanchi Sarma (Armenian Rice Stuffed Grape Leaves)

Serious Eats / Two Bites

The dish gets its satisfying savory flavor from tomato paste and copious amounts of chopped onions, olive oil, black pepper, and lemon juice, with toasted pine nuts (and occasionally dried currants) for extra heft. Unlike some other stuffed grape leaves, where the grains of rice remain distinct, yalanchi have a soft, cohesive filling that’s closer in texture to risotto than pilaf.

Yalanchi Sarma (Armenian Rice Stuffed Grape Leaves)
Lumpiang Shanghai (Filipino Egg Rolls)

Serious Eats / Rezel Kealoha

Lumpia are Filipino egg roll-style snacks that can be prepared with any number of different kinds of fillings, both savory and sweet. They are a party favorite at Filipino gatherings and a crowd pleasing snack for all ages.

Lumpiang Shanghai (Filipino Egg Rolls)

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Simple Baked Brie With Honey and Pistachios

Serious Eats / Emily and Matt Clifton

This baked brie is simple, just score the rind and top it with pistachios and a little drizzled honey. And that's it. If your wheel came in a thin wooden container, you can bake it straight in that.

Simple Baked Brie With Honey and Pistachios

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