26 Hot Appetizers to Make for Your Next Party This collection of hot appetizer recipes has something for everyone—from the traditional to the adventurous. Close Credit: Anna Williams While crudité platters and charcuterie boards are certainly something to write home about, few things can rival hot appetizers. From freshly baked dips to hors d'oeuvres that have been battered and fried, there's something extra comforting about an appetizer that's served warm. The best part about hot starter dishes is that many can be prepared ahead of time and baked just before they need to be served—which saves you time on the day of your event. But the main criteria of any appetizer (beyond being easy to prepare) is that it tastes delicious—and the recipes highlighted in this gallery fit the bill, ensuring fuss-free entertaining. Quick, Easy Appetizers to Impress That'll Get the Party Started 01 of 26 Oysters Casino Once they’re shucked, it’s unbelievably easy to make these oysters on the half-shell. Each one is topped with a dollop of lemon-shallot compound butter and a bite-sized piece of crisped bacon. After a few minutes in the oven, the oysters are tender and the butter is bubbly. View Recipe The Difference Between Clams and Mussels—and the Best Way to Cook With Each 02 of 26 Three-Cheese Artichoke-and-Sun-Dried-Tomato Dip Credit: Lennart Weibull We’re not skimping on texture or flavor here. A combination of cream cheese, Parmigian-Reggiano, and Colby Jack cheeses make this dip as gooey as can be, and marinated artichoke hearts and sun-dried tomatoes contribute to the overall texture. Serve this hearty dip straight from the oven with crackers and cooling crudités on the side. View Recipe 03 of 26 Devils on Horseback Credit: Rachel Marek This retro party snack is making a comeback. Simply stuff pitted dates with blue cheese, wrap with bacon, and bake until crisp. Pass them around with other hors d’ouevres at cocktail hour. View Recipe 04 of 26 Smoky Shrimp-and-Sausage Gravy Credit: Con Poulos Surprise guests with an impromptu trip down South. This rich shrimp and smoked sausage gravy is flavored with onions, shallots, dried thyme, and Aleppo-style pepper flakes to give it a bold flavor. Serve the gravy in individual dishes and pass around some buttermilk biscuits for dipping. View Recipe 05 of 26 Bacon-Wrapped Brussels Sprouts Credit: Bryan Gardner Surprisingly, the bacon isn’t even the most flavorful part of this appetizer. It adds a smoky flavor to the tender Brussels sprouts, but the real winner here is the zippy mustard dipping sauce. It’s made by whisking together grainy mustard, maple syrup, and apple cider vinegar. View Recipe 06 of 26 “Twice Baked” Baby Potatoes With Caviar Credit: Con Poulos These bite-sized nibbles are perfect for any special occasion. After parboiling the potatoes, hollow out the cavities and mix the filling with cream cheese, butter, milk, and chives. Pipe that mixture back in, bake, and garnish with some caviar if the occasion allows. View Recipe 07 of 26 Baked Stuffed Clams Credit: Bryan Gardner Flavor is incorporated into these clams at every step in the process. They are steamed in an aromatic white wine sauce before being topped with a buttery herbed breadcrumb mixture. View Recipe 08 of 26 Pigs in a Blanket Credit: Nicole Franzen Pigs in a blanket are a quick and easy appetizer fit for any kind of party—not just the Super Bowl. Kids and adults alike will love dipping them into bowls of honey mustard. View Recipe 09 of 26 Mozzarella-Stuffed Garlic-and-Herb Bread Credit: Nico Schinco Cheesy, herby, doughy—what's not to love about this perfect pull-apart bread? The dough is loaded with thinly sliced mozzarella and then sprinkled with garlic, Italian seasoning, fresh parsley, sesame seeds, and grated Parmigiano. It's essentially stuffed-crust pizza, without the pizza. View Recipe 10 of 26 Queso Fundido Credit: Pernille Loof While guacamole and salsa are tasty, few things compare to dipping your tortilla chips into a hot plate of melted cheese. This vegetarian queso, which is made with two types of cheese (mozzarella and goat), is bubbling and ready to eat after just 10 minutes in the oven. View Recipe 11 of 26 Hot Spinach Dip Credit: Minh + Wass The ingredients for this dip are all cooked in one pot. First, the onion and garlic are sautéed, then the spinach is wilted, then the sauce is made. Once that's done, simply transfer the ingredients to a baking dish, sprinkle with mozzarella cheese, and bake. It's that easy. View Recipe 12 of 26 Lumpia Credit: Martyna Szczesna Our take on the deep-fried Filipino spring rolls is stuffed with a mixture of tofu, shrimp, garlic, scallions, celery, and mung bean sprouts, and served with a vinegar-garlic dipping sauce. The best part? They can be assembled up to a month in advance and stored in the freezer. View Recipe 13 of 26 Chorizo, Parsnip, and Olive Bites Credit: Bryan Gardner The trick to these crowd-pleasing skewers? The perfect balance of flavors. Roasted parsnips are earthy, dried chorizo is smoky, and Castelvetrano olives are buttery. View Recipe 14 of 26 Gluten-Free Potato Latkes Credit: Johnny Miller We've swapped out flour for potato starch to make these Hanukkah favorites gluten-free. They're just as delicious, especially when paired with one of our irresistible toppings: honey pomegranate, creme fraiche with pear and cinnamon, and beet and salmon with horseradish. View Recipe 15 of 26 Persimmon and Brie Crostini Credit: Bryan Gardner You don't need much to make persimmons and Brie shine—just toasted baguette slices, a sprinkling of sugar and freshly ground black pepper, and a quick turn under the broiler. View Recipe 19 Make-Ahead Appetizer Recipes for Fuss-Free Hosting 16 of 26 Sweet-and-Sour Korean Cocktail Meatballs Credit: Meredith Jenk These bite-size meatballs are given their depth of flavor from Gochujang. The sweet-spicy fermented chili paste is amped up with ginger, garlic, ketchup, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. View Recipe 17 of 26 Spicy Shrimp Dip Credit: Armando Rafael Tender shrimp, fiery serrano chiles, and plenty of fresh lime juice and cilantro take this creamy dip to the next level. A crunchy panko topping is the perfect finishing touch. View Recipe 18 of 26 Fried Macaroni-and-Cheese Bites Credit: David Malosh How do you take a classic white-cheddar mac and cheese from good to great? Deep-fry it! These bites will be the first to disappear at any party, guaranteed. View Recipe 19 of 26 Ham-and-Spinach Dip Credit: Armando Rafael Black Forest ham and Manchego cheese make this hot spinach dip extra rich. To save time, use frozen spinach in place of fresh. This appetizer can be assembled up to eight hours in advance and baked off shortly before you're ready to serve it. View Recipe 20 of 26 Polenta Squares With Wild Mushrooms and Fontina Credit: David Malosh If you make the polenta squares in advance, putting the rest of this dish together is a breeze. Just sprinkle with fontina, top with mixed mushrooms tossed with shallots and thyme, and roast. View Recipe 21 of 26 Sausage-Cheddar Balls Credit: John Kernick While these look like meatballs, they’re really bite-size biscuits generously studded with sausage and cheddar cheese. Serve them with your choice of dipping sauces, such as mustard or barbecue sauce. View Recipe 22 of 26 Chesapeake Crab Cakes Credit: Anna Williams Crab cakes might be the ultimate luxe appetizer. Serve them warm alongside a refreshing celery and cucumber salad dressed with lime juice. View Recipe Get the Party Started With These Sweet and Savory Recipes For All Kinds of Gatherings 23 of 26 Bacon-Wrapped Potatoes This recipe couldn’t be easier: Simply wrap strips of bacon around baby potatoes and bake until the spuds are tender. Serve them with mustard or Lemon Aioli if you like. View Recipe 24 of 26 Goat Cheese-Stuffed Mushrooms Credit: José Manuel Picayo Rivera Goat cheese seasoned with garlic, parsley, and red pepper flakes is stuffed into button mushroom caps, topped with fresh breadcrumbs, and baked until lightly browned. This easy appetizer recipe can be customized to your liking—consider adding bacon, shallots, chopped olives, or toasted nuts. View Recipe 25 of 26 Easy Baked Brie With Pecans Credit: David Loftus This easy holiday appetizer begins with a wheel of Brie or Camembert, baked until soft. A combination of maple syrup and toasted pecans makes a sweet and crunchy topping. View Recipe 26 of 26 Croquettes With Serrano Ham and Manchego Cheese Manchego cheese sauce mixed with chopped serrano ham is cooled so that it can be formed into balls. The mixture is then dipped in beaten egg and breadcrumbs and fried until golden, creating tapas that are warm and creamy on the inside and crisp on the outside. View Recipe Explore more: Food & Cooking Recipes