77 Summer Appetizers Perfect For Kicking Off Parties, BBQs & More

Easy to throw together and made up of simple, classic ingredients, bruschetta was made for chill warm weather snacking. While you can make it all year round, the best time to enjoy this appetizer is summer, when fresh tomatoes are at their peak.

Get the Bruschetta recipe.

We’re fans of any food you eat off a stick, but Mexican street corn is one of our favorites. Here, we’re taking the creamy tangy sauce that usually goes on the corn, spreading it over pre-made pizza dough instead, and loading it up with corn, more chili, and lots of cheese. Twenty minutes later, it’s crispy, corny perfection.

Get the Mexican Street Corn Flatbread recipe.

Buffalo chicken is one of our fave flavor combos ever, and this creamy, spicy technique is one of our favorite ways to serve it. It's the best, most impressive way to make quesadillas for a crowd all summer long.

Get the Blooming Quesadilla Ring recipe.

Tender, stuffed mushrooms, packed to the gills with flavorful bread crumbs, are a staple holiday hors d'oeuvres, but they're not the only thing that can be stuffed! These mussels stuffed with cornbread are a summery take on the classic you'll love.

Get the Cornbread-Stuffed Mussels recipe.

Summer tomatoes shine alongside melty brie in this eye-catching tart recipe. Slice it up into small pieces for the perfect summer appetizer, or into large ones and serve as an entrée with a peppery arugula salad. Got leftovers? Top them with a fried egg for a filling breakfast.

Get the Tomato & Brie Tart recipe.

If you’re a fan of our cranberry whipped feta recipe, this is the summer appetizer for you. Fresh feta is combined with mascarpone, whipped until super-smooth, then topped with balsamic-roasted strawberries and fresh basil. The result is a creamy, sweet, tangy dip you’ll find completely irresistible.

Get the Whipped Feta With Balsamic Roasted Strawberries recipe.

Whether you serve it as a simple dip, load it on top of your tacos, or smear it on a bun as a burger topping, we can all agree—it’s not a summer party without Mexico’s most famous dip. Keep it simple, like we did, or go wild with your mix-ins—just be sure to make extra, this'll go fast.

Get the Best-Ever Guacamole recipe.

One of the greatest pleasures of Mexican street food are sopes: round bundles of masa lightly fried and piled with refried beans, shredded chicken, salsa roja or salsa verde, and cotija cheese. These little antojitos, or snacks, can be eaten throughout the day, and make for perfect anytime party apps.

Get the Sopes recipe.

Making sushi for a party can be intimidating, what with making sushi rice, rolling it up just right, and dealing with raw fish. With these baked salmon sushi cups, you can skip all that but still get all the flavors of your favorite roll.

Get the Baked Salmon Sushi Cups recipe.

Elote (or Mexican street corn) is summertime perfection. It’s such an incredible flavor combination, we're always coming up with ways to enjoy it for every meal. Our fave app solution? Turning it into skillet nachos that can be enjoyed all summer long.

Get the Elote (Mexican Street Corn) Nachos recipe.

These sliders are like your favorite iconic Philly cheesesteak, made miniature so you can share (or eat more than one!).

Get the Philly Cheesesteak Sliders recipe.

This whipped mozzarella dip with burst cherry tomatoes and pesto might just be the perfect appetizer. Mix things up with other veggies so you can serve it all season long: fresh summer corn kernels with pickled onions, dollops of olive tapenade, grilled peppers... get creative!

Get the Whipped Mozzarella Dip With Burst Cherry Tomatoes recipe.

We love digging into a wheel of gooey oven-baked brie, but in the summer, no one wants to bother with the oven. Give this classic appetizer a summery twist by cooking it on the grill, seasoning it lightly with garlic, herbs, and wine, and serving with some lightly charred bread.

Get the Grilled Brie With Wine recipe.

Our version has a bit more ingredients than some, because much like our favorite homemade salsas, we like our dips loaded with a variety of flavors and textures. Brimming with beans, avocado, and tons of veggies, the only thing missing is a big pitcher of frozen margaritas. 😎

Get the Cowboy Caviar recipe.

Fresh tortellini make these the hearty bite-size appetizer of our dreams. Feel free to swap in and out your favorite ingredients (or have guests build their own from a topping bar!).

Get the Antipasto Bites recipe.

Store-bought crescent dough is stuffed with our sloppy Joe recipe before being covered in gooey cheese—what more could you want? They only take a little over half an hour to come together, meaning they're the perfect comfort food for sharing at your summer celebrations.

Get the Sloppy Joe Cups recipe.

Light and crispy fried zucchini is one of our favorite Italian appetizers to order out. Deep-frying them at home? Not so much. Instead, these zucchini fries are packed full of the flavor you love without a drop of oil.

Get the Zucchini Fries recipe.

A creamy, cheesy spinach artichoke dip that’s completely vegan? Not possible! Oh, but it is. Vegan alternatives to cheeses and mayonnaise are thankfully much more common in most grocery stores, making one of our favorite dips and appetizers more enjoyable for everyone.

Get the Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip recipe.

Grilling not only makes oysters easier to shuck and serve, it also heightens their briny flavor and imparts a subtly smoky char. You'll dollop a bit of kimchi butter onto each opened oyster and return them to the grill until the butter melts and mixes with the oyster liquid. Truly, it's heaven.

Get the Grilled Oysters recipe.

Simply toss canned black-eyed peas with raw chopped collard greens, bell pepper, scallions, and garlic, and toss with an apple cider vinaigrette. Pile the mix onto toasted baguette slices and top with crispy, smoky pork to complete this summery, shareable appetizer.

Get the Black Eyed Pea Bruschetta recipe.