Healthy Recipes Appetizers 30 Healthy Appetizers You'll Want to Make Forever By Dillon Evans Dillon Evans Dillon Evans fell in love with cooking at a very young age. He remembers the novel experiences of microwaving a bowl of oatmeal without his parents' permission and asking to make his mother's morning pot of coffee. These moments became catalysts for his interest in cooking and baking. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on February 23, 2024 Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle This is your one-stop shop for some of our most highly-rated appetizer dishes. Whether you and your crowd are hankering for salmon bites you can serve with toothpicks or veggie-packed dips to prepare for the main course, there’s a healthy and appetizing recipe here for everyone to enjoy. Plus, every dish has received four- and five-star reviews from EatingWell readers, so we’re sure you’ll love them. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself wanting our Panko-Crusted Butternut Squash Fries with Creamy Feta Dipping Sauce or Easy Stuffed Mushrooms alone as your evening meal. 01 of 30 Sticky-Sweet Balsamic Butter Chicken Bites Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle These balsamic butter chicken bites are crispy and sticky sweet, thanks to balsamic glaze. Cooking balsamic vinegar with a bit of brown sugar helps it achieve the perfect consistency to cling to the chicken. Serve these tasty bites on a platter with wooden picks for guests to enjoy, or get creative by wrapping them up in a sandwich or using them as a flavorful salad topper. View Recipe 02 of 30 Garlic Hummus This garlic hummus recipe couldn't be easier—just toss a few ingredients in the food processor and whir away! View Recipe 03 of 30 Panko-Crusted Butternut Squash Fries with Creamy Feta Dipping Sauce Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle These crispy, tender butternut squash fries are paired with a creamy feta cheese dipping sauce, creating the perfect combo of sweet and salty flavors. Optimize time by choosing pre-halved and peeled butternut squash from the prepared produce section if it's available. For a twist, try this method with other winter squash like delicata or acorn squash. View Recipe 04 of 30 Crispy Hot Honey Salmon Bites Matthew Francis These sweet-and-spicy salmon bites are seasoned with a hot honey–lemon glaze that clings nicely to the broiled salmon. Serve this easy appetizer with wooden picks at your next party. Turn this appetizer into a main dish by serving over brown rice and roasted veggies, or add to your favorite salad or grain bowl. View Recipe 05 of 30 Creamy Cucumber Soup There's no reason to only eat cucumbers raw—they are wonderful sautéed then pureed with avocado for a silky cucumber soup that's good warm or cold. View Recipe 06 of 30 Parmesan Crisps Oxmoor House These crisps are terrific to float on top of Creamy Tomato Soup or Creamy Broccoli Soup for an extra kick of flavor. View Recipe 07 of 30 Smoked Tuna Spread Canapés Try this easy canapé recipe for your next cocktail party. Made with canned tuna, cream cheese and cucumber slices on crunchy almond crackers, this is an appetizer that your guests will be reaching for first. View Recipe 08 of 30 Easy Stuffed Mushrooms This healthy stuffed mushroom appetizer is a nice balance of soft mushrooms, creamy filling and crunchy topping. This combination tastes downright decadent, but these easy stuffed mushrooms are actually good for you. View Recipe 09 of 30 5-Ingredient Zucchini-Feta Roll-Ups These zucchini-feta roll-ups are a quick and easy appetizer to pull together, and the recipe is easily doubled (or tripled!) for a larger gathering. You can use summer squash in addition to the zucchini for a pop of yellow color. They are plenty flavorful on their own, but they can also be served with marinara sauce or pesto for dipping. View Recipe 10 of 30 Baked Brie with Jam in Puff Pastry This best baked Brie recipe is also the easiest. Serve this simple appetizer with apple wedges and crackers and watch it disappear in seconds! It's bound to be your new party go-to. View Recipe 11 of 30 Air-Fryer Buffalo Wings A sports bar favorite comes home with these deliciously crispy chicken wings in the air fryer, which require just 10 minutes of active prep time. In fact, one of EatingWell's recipe testers declared this air-fryer Buffalo wing recipe "a reason to buy an air fryer." Add a spicy sauce, carrot sticks, celery sticks and ranch dressing for dipping and you have a healthy take on wings that's sure to score. View Recipe 12 of 30 Jalapeño Popper Casserole Caitlin Bensel In this jalapeño popper casserole, tender, juicy bites of chicken are slathered in a creamy, slightly spicy sauce with a crunchy topping of panko breadcrumbs and crispy bacon. Enjoy this casserole over rice for dinner or serve it with chips as a game-day appetizer. View Recipe 13 of 30 Lemon-Garlic Marinated Shrimp Marinating precooked shrimp in garlic- and lemon-infused oil is a simple yet elegant appetizer. View Recipe 14 of 30 Creamy Radish Soup Sonia Bozzo Photography In this creamy radish soup recipe, radishes are sautéed and pureed with potato, creating a velvety, healthy soup. Cooking radishes also tones down any bitterness, while leaving plenty of sweet, earthy flavors to enjoy. Using smaller radishes will give the soup a pretty pink hue, like the one pictured here, while larger radishes result in an almost white soup. View Recipe 15 of 30 Avocado Hummus This vibrant green hummus recipe couldn't be easier—just toss a few ingredients in the food processor and whir away! Aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas) and avocado make this healthy dip extra smooth and creamy. Serve with veggie chips, pita chips or crudités. View Recipe 16 of 30 Balsamic-Butter Salmon Bites Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless These tender and buttery salmon bites are coated with a sweet balsamic glaze that clings nicely to the salmon after a few minutes under the broiler. Serve this easy appetizer with wooden picks and pack away any leftovers to use as a salad topper or wrap filling. Turn this appetizer into a main dish by making it the star of your next grain bowl. View Recipe 17 of 30 Cranberry-Brie Bites with Puff Pastry Sara Haas Festive for any holiday gathering, yet simple enough for a weeknight dinner party, these cranberry-Brie bites are the perfect appetizer. Made with just three ingredients, these bites come together quickly and present beautifully. View Recipe 18 of 30 Light & Airy Whipped Cottage Cheese Photography: Rachel Marek, Food Stylist: Annie Probst Give this whipped cottage cheese recipe your own spin by making it with your favorite fresh herbs. You can use it as a dip with fresh veggies or as a sandwich spread. View Recipe 19 of 30 Whipped Feta with Cranberries & Walnuts Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Melissa Gray, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle This festive whipped feta dip is the perfect appetizer for any gathering. If the feta seems too thick, add 1 teaspoon water at a time until loosened. Walnuts provide a nice crunchiness, but you could easily swap in another nut like pecans or pistachios. If you have leftover cranberry sauce, try a dollop in some yogurt or oatmeal for an easy breakfast. View Recipe 20 of 30 Bruschetta Caprese Photographer / Jennifer Causey, Food Stylist / Karen Rankin, Prop Stylist / Christine Keely This bruschetta caprese has tons of fresh flavor from tomatoes, basil and mozzarella, with a splash of balsamic vinegar pulling everything together. Don't skip the step of letting the tomatoes drain before mixing! The salt infuses flavor while drawing out moisture so the toasts won't get soggy before serving. View Recipe 21 of 30 Cured or Smoked Salmon Appetizer Platter This smoked salmon platter requires little effort, but the spread makes a big impression. View Recipe 22 of 30 Baked Spaghetti Squash Fritters These crispy loaded fritters are perfect for parties. Baking them instead of frying cuts down on labor (and oil splatters). Be sure to squeeze as much of the liquid out of the spaghetti squash and onion mixture as possible--moisture is the enemy of crispiness. View Recipe 23 of 30 Easy Black Bean Dip This creamy bean dip is great for a party or picnic. Smoked paprika and ground chipotles add a robust, earthy flavor, but you can also use regular paprika and cayenne if you don't have the other spices on hand. View Recipe 24 of 30 Oven-Fried Panko-&-Parmesan-Crusted Zucchini Jacob Fox These oven-fried panko- and Parmesan-crusted zucchini rounds are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a hint of Parmesan cheese in the crust. Dip them into marinara, pesto or ranch dressing for an irresistible snack or appetizer. View Recipe 25 of 30 Lobster Roll Dip This quick and easy summer appetizer turns all the simple flavors of a lobster roll into a warm and bubbling lobster dip. View Recipe 26 of 30 Baked Broccoli-Cheddar Quinoa Bites Photography / Fred Hardy, Styling / Jennifer Wendorf / Kay Clarke These savory muffin-like quinoa bites are low in carbs and a good source of protein--plus we love their cheesy flavor. View Recipe 27 of 30 Air-Fryer Beets with Feta Jacob Fox This air-fryer beets with feta recipe is a great way to enjoy beets. It's super easy to throw together, and it's just as good eaten cold as part of a salad as it is warm on its own. View Recipe 28 of 30 Spinach Puffs Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn These bite-sized spinach puffs are reminiscent of artichoke dip, with a slight hint of spice from ground pepper and za'atar seasoning. Puff pastry surrounds the savory filling, adding a crispy golden crust on the outside. View Recipe 29 of 30 3-Ingredient Blue Cheese & Fig Bites Salty-tangy blue cheese pairs beautifully with sweet fig jam in these easy appetizers, which are perfect for a holiday party. The optional minced chives add a nice pop of color, but these are just as tasty without herbs. Keep the ingredients on hand and you can whip these up for impromptu holiday cocktail parties. View Recipe 30 of 30 Cucumber Salsa This fresh, tangy cucumber salsa is perfect for grilled fish or on its own as a simple side salad. Well balanced and easy to make, the flavor mellows and the cucumber softens as this sits, so it can easily be made a day or two ahead of time--or enjoy it right away, fresh and crisp. View Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit