60 Appetizer Recipes That’ll Get The Party Started This Fall (2024)

You're going to want these in your arsenal all season long.

By Camille Lowder
60 Appetizer Recipes That’ll Get The Party Started This Fall (1)

Don't get us wrong, we are big fans of summer (love her work!), but fall might just be our favorite time of year for eating. It’s got all the best food holidays (like Thanksgiving!), all the coziest foods (like casseroles and soups), and it’s the perfect time to gather our friends and families over out of the cold. Whether you’re throwing a rager or are just having a casual get-together this fall, you’ve gotta have apps. They make or break a party, in our opinion (that, and co*cktails)—lucky for you, we’ve got tons of seasonal options here. Check out our list of 60 fall appetizers for all the ideas you'll ever need!

When it comes to the perfect party, there are a few appetizer guidelines we like to follow. There should be a mix of sweet and salty, bite-sized options and chips and dips, a little something healthy in there, and nothing overly complicated. We’ve got some go-tos we return to again and again, but we’re transforming them for fall with seasonal flavors and produce. Looking for something sweet? Try our cannoli chips and dip, our sweet potato bites (complete with marshmallows), or our caramel apple nachos. Leaning more salty? Check out our green bean casserole bundles, our ham and cheese pinwheels, or our mini shepherd’s pies. Not into plates, and want easy finger foods? Try our butternut squash potstickers, our pumpkin deviled eggs, or our french onion soup bombs. Want an appetizer table showstopper that’ll make all your guests ooh and ahh? Take a look at our cranberry brie pull-apart bread, pub beer cheese dip, or Thanksgiving ring. Want to default to something easier, like chips and dip? Try swapping your chips for produce, like our sweet potato chips or apple chips, or switch up the flavors of your favorite dips, like with our cranberry whipped feta dip, our pumpkin hummus, or our maple-prosciutto baked brie. It’s easy to incorporate all your fall favorites into appetizers—honestly, what better reason to throw a party?

Want more fall inspiration? Check out our favorite fall co*cktails, fall dinners, and fall desserts too.

1

Cheesy Green Bean Mushroom Tart

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Green beans and mushrooms are a combo we never get tired of, and that goes double for this tart. Fresh blanched green beans are layered onto a creamy blend of ricotta and goat cheese, topped with garlicky mushrooms and cheddar cheese, then baked on a puff pastry crust until perfectly melty, crisp, and crave-able.

Get the Cheesy Green Bean Mushroom Tart recipe.

2

Cranberry Whipped Feta Dip

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This cranberry-topped whipped feta dip is here to save your holiday appetizer planning. Fresh feta cheese is combined with herbs, garlic, and cream cheese, whipped until super-smooth, then topped with tart homemade cranberry sauce, toasted pistachios, and honey. The result is a salty, creamy, sweet, tart, and absolutely irresistible dip.

Get the Cranberry Whipped Feta Dip recipe.

3

Pumpkin Deviled Eggs

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These pumpkin deviled eggs are way easier to make than a jack-o'-lantern. Paprika gives each its bold color, while a fresh chive makes for the perfect stem. So cute!

Get the Pumpkin Deviled Eggs recipe.

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4

Antipasto Roll-Ups

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Your favorite antipasto just got even better—it’s now wrapped in buttery puff pastry. A couple bites in, and you’ll be going back for another. And another. Layered with Provolone, salami, pepperoni, roasted red peppers, and slathered in a Kalamata olive and pepperoncini spread, you’re going to be dreaming about these bundles for days.

Get the Antipasto Roll-Ups recipe.

5

Pumpkin Cheese Ball

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Part retro, part cult classic, it’s hard to go wrong with a cheese ball. This festive pumpkin rendition may not contain any actual pumpkin, but it’s full of fresh herbs, minced jalapeño, and of course, plenty of cheese (and is SO cute on a holiday cheese board!).

Get the Pumpkin Cheese Ball recipe.

6

Potato Croquettes

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Potato croquettes are one of the most popular Spanish tapas, or small plates, and for good reason. They’re a fantastic way to give day-old mashed potatoes a new life and are the perfect bite-size appetizer for when you want something more exciting than potato chips that still hits those same comfort food notes.

Get the Potato Croquettes recipe.

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7

Pub Beer Cheese Dip

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We've done beer cheese in a skillet with pigs in a blanket, over brats, on sliders, and even folded it into macaroni for the most genius comfort food ever. There's one way we had never done it: COLD. 😲 It's salty, creamy, cheesy, and as ridiculously simple to make as it is to scarf down.

Get the Pub Beer Cheese Dip recipe.

8

French Onion Soup Bombs

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Cheese and savory onion soup all packed into a delicious ciabatta roll—what more could you need? If you don't have ciabatta rolls on hand, feel free to use Hawaiian rolls instead! They'll be just as good.

Get the French Onion Soup Bombs recipe.

9

Cranberry Brie Pull-Apart Bread

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Pull-apart bread reaches a whole new level, thanks to brie and cranberry sauce. Use your favorite homemade sauce recipes, but store-bought works too if you're short for time!

Get the Cranberry Brie Pull-Apart Bread recipe.

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10

Tempeh Buffalo “Wings”

Quicker to make and easier to eat than Buffalo chicken wings, this plant-based version swaps chicken for snackable triangles of tempeh to mimic the crowd-pleasing appetizer.

Get the Tempeh Buffalo “Wings” recipe.

11

Green Bean Casserole Bundles

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These are the perfect fall appetizer—they've get everything you love from green bean casserole, but are SO much easier to make. Hot tip: Make extra, these go fast!

Get the Green Bean Casserole Bundles recipe.

12

Baked Feta Bites

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If you’re a fan of our cranberry brie bites, we’ve got news for you: There’s a new app in town, and it’s inspired by another fan fave, baked feta pasta. This cheesy finger food features the flavors you know and love, all nestled into bite-sized cups of golden crescent roll dough.

Get the Baked Feta Bites recipe.

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13

Slow-Cooker Grape Jelly Meatballs

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Trust us, grape jelly goes GREAT on meatballs. Autumn party guests of all ages will love it. The sweet jelly mixed with smoky BBQ sauce is a match made in heaven.

Get the Slow-Cooker Grape Jelly Meatballs recipe.

14

Spinach Puffs

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If you love baked spinach dip, you will love these baked puff pastry puffs. They're filled with a mixture of sautéed onion, garlic, spinach, and cream cheese and baked inside little puff pastry cups in a muffin tin. We bet you can't eat just one!

Get the Spinach Puffs recipe.

15

Butternut Squash Potstickers

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Making your own potstickers doesn't have to be complicated. These vegan potstickers are easy to put together and most of your time is spent roasting your squash until really tender, which can be done ahead of time. Crimping takes a little practice, but the good news is that even if they look a little wonky they are still going to taste great!

Get the Butternut Squash Potstickers recipe.

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16

Caramelized Onion & Goat Cheese Bites

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Little puff pastry squares get topped with caramelized onions and a little crumbled goat cheese for an easy appetizer that always wows. The final step is a light drizzle of honey for that salty sweet combination everyone will love. Hot tip: These are the perfect opportunity to bust out any good-quality honey you’ve been saving.

Get the .

17

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

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Pumpkins are pretty amazing. You can carve them, roast them, serve them savory or sweet. One of their best (and often overlooked) attributes is their seeds! They’re super easy to prepare and make a seriously delicious snack. They're great prepared super simply, roasted with salt and melted butter, but the variations are completely endless, so get creative.

Get the Roasted Pumpkin Seeds recipe.

18

Sheet Pan Honey Mustard–Pretzel Chicken

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In our opinion, the crunchier, the better. Which is why pretzels make the perfect chicken coating for these nuggets. The obvious and best dipping sauce? Honey mustard, of course. It's a MUST.

Get the Sheet Pan Honey Mustard–Pretzel Chicken recipe.

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19

Sweet Potato Bites

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Sweet potato casserole is always a favorite at our Thanksgiving celebrations, so we thought we'd turn it into an appetizer too. These bites will go fast, so make extra!

Get the Sweet Potato Bites recipe.

20

Bacon Wrapped Dates

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If you're unfamiliar with dates, it's time to familiarize yourself! The date's sweetness is the PERFECT counterpoint to crisp, salty bacon and creamy goat cheese. We guarantee these will fly off the platter when the party's barely begun.

Get the Bacon Wrapped Dates recipe.

60 Appetizer Recipes That’ll Get The Party Started This Fall (2024)

FAQs

How many appetizers do I need for 50 people? ›

Quantity. A good rule of thumb when working with your caterer on just how many hors d'oeuvres to choose is as follows: for 10 – 12 guests a minimum of 5 selections, 25 guests a minimum of 9 selections and for 50 guests, a minimum of 13 selections.

How do I choose appetizers for a party? ›

Keep visual appeal in mind as you envision arranging appetizers for the spread. The bright hues of fresh herbs, fruit, and meats pop near the creamy colors of cheeses, hot dips, and crackers or bread. Consider temperature and texture. Offer both hot and cold foods in your appetizer spread.

What are the 7 appetizers? ›

What are the 7 appetizers?
  • co*cktails.
  • Hors d' oeuvres.
  • Canape.
  • Relishes/Crudité
  • Salads.
  • Soup & Consommé
  • Chips & Dips.

What is the most popular food at a party? ›

38 Ideas For Party Food That Will Please Any Crowd
  • Ham & Cheese Pull-Apart Bread. ...
  • Garlic Parmesan Potato Stackers. ...
  • BBQ Pulled Pork Fries. ...
  • Peanut Butter Blueberry Frozen Yogurt Bites. ...
  • Chocolate Caramel Oat Bars (Carmelitas) ...
  • Curly Fries. tasty.co. ...
  • Strawberry Cheesecake Crackers. tasty.co. ...
  • Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas. tasty.co.
Dec 21, 2023

How much finger food for 60 guests? ›

For a one hour party, typically 4 – 5 bites per person would be appropriate. For a two hour party, because people will eat more the first hour than the second, you'll still need the 4-5 bites and also about 2-3 more per person for the second hour so a total of 6-8 bites per person.

What's the difference between appetizers and hors d oeuvres? ›

You're supposed to eat hors d'oeuvres before a meal begins, versus appetizers, which are considered part of the meal. Then there is the quantity served, with appetizers being served once to a table, versus hors d'oeuvres being served several at a time.

How many appetizers do I need for a party of 100? ›

Caterers often plan a minimum of 4 different choices for groups of 25-100 or more, adding an additional choice for each 25 people. A good rule of thumb for a dinner party, allow for 6 appetizers per person. For a co*cktail party consider making 12 appetizers per person.

How do you make an appetizer attractively? ›

The appetizer selection should be visually appealing, but the way you arrange the appetizers also needs to catch the eye. Consider arranging the foods in a unique way or decorating the serving platter the foods will sit on. Use toothpicks and small plastic skewers to hold small complementary pieces of food together.

What are the two basic types of appetizers? ›

There are nine main classifications of appetizers: canapes, chips and dip, co*cktails, finger foods, fruits and vegetables, hors d'oeuvres, petite (small salads), relishes and crudite, and other. Examples include: Canapes: A canape is usually a thin slice of bread that is cut into shapes (triangles, circles, etc.)

What comes first appetizers? ›

Appetizers are the first course served when seated at a table. An appetizer is meant to complement an entrée and is generally a small-portioned first course of a multi-course meal. Appetizers are meant to whet the appetite before the following courses. Appetizers connote that a dinner will follow.

What are the 8 kinds of appetizer? ›

Answer and Explanation: There are nine main classifications of appetizers: canapes, chips and dip, co*cktails, finger foods, fruits and vegetables, hors d'oeuvres, petite (small salads), relishes and crudite, and other.

What are the 9 types of appetizers? ›

Appetizers & its Classification
  • co*cktails.
  • Hors d' oeuvres.
  • Canape.
  • Relishes/Crudite.
  • Salads.
  • Soup & Consommé
  • Chips & Dips.
Jul 14, 2023

What is a fancy appetizer called? ›

Hors d'oeuvres may be served at the dinner table as a part of the meal, or they may be served before seating, such as at a reception or co*cktail party. Formerly, hors d'oeuvres were also served between courses.

What are the 4 parts of an appetizers? ›

There are 4 distinctive elements of a canapé – the base, spread, a topping & a garnish. Canape base ingredients are usually bread, puff pastry or crackers, allowing a solid foundation for the rest of the canapé. Then there is spread followed by the topping.

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