30 easy appetizers for a crowd
Guests on the way? These dips, bites and skewers come together fast and disappear even faster. Every appetizer here takes 20 minutes or less.
Updated October 2026 · ranked by popularity
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1. Classic guacamole
Chunky, zingy guacamole with ripe avocado, lime, tomato, red onion, chile and plenty of cilantro. Made in one bowl in ten minutes.
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2. Buffalo chicken dip
Shredded rotisserie chicken in a tangy cream cheese, hot sauce and ranch dip, topped with cheddar and broiled until bubbling. Celery and chips for scooping.
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3. Stovetop spinach artichoke dip
Creamy, cheesy spinach and artichoke dip made in one pan on the stove with frozen spinach and canned artichoke hearts. Serve warm with tortilla chips.
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4. Classic deviled eggs
Hard-boiled eggs with a creamy yolk filling sharpened with Dijon, vinegar and a pinch of cayenne, then finished with paprika and chives.
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5. Copycat Red Lobster Cheddar Bay biscuits
Our take on Red Lobster's Cheddar Bay Biscuits: fluffy cheddar drop biscuits with a garlic kick, brushed hot with garlic-parsley butter. No rolling or cutting.
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6. Crispy garlic bread
Crispy-edged, buttery garlic bread made with a split baguette, fresh garlic butter and parsley, baked hot then broiled for golden, crunchy tops.
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7. Restaurant-style salsa
Smooth, scoopable blender salsa like the kind that comes with chips at Mexican restaurants, made with canned tomatoes, jalapeño, onion, cilantro and lime.
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8. Pico de gallo
Fresh, chunky pico de gallo with ripe Roma tomatoes, white onion, jalapeño, cilantro and lime. Ready in 10 minutes for chips, tacos and eggs.
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9. Skillet queso dip
Silky white queso made with deli American cheese and Monterey Jack, studded with green chiles and topped with fresh pico de gallo. Ready in 12 minutes.
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10. Loaded sheet pan nachos
Tortilla chips layered with black beans and melted cheddar under the broiler, then piled with tomato, avocado, jalapeños and sour cream.
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11. Seven-layer dip
Spiced refried beans, guacamole, sour cream, salsa, cheese, black olives and scallions layered in one dish. No cooking, just grab the tortilla chips.
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12. Tomato and basil bruschetta
Grilled sourdough rubbed with raw garlic and piled with ripe tomatoes, basil, red onion and olive oil. Simple, fresh and gone in minutes.
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13. Cowboy caviar
Black beans, black-eyed peas, corn, peppers and tomatoes tossed in a zesty lime vinaigrette. A colorful, scoopable dip with tortilla chips.
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14. Grilled Mexican street corn (elote)
Corn on the cob grilled until charred, then slathered in mayo and crema, rolled in salty cotija, dusted with chili powder and finished with lime.
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15. Pigs in a blanket
Cocktail franks wrapped in strips of crescent dough and baked in a hot oven until puffed and golden, with a quick honey mustard for dipping.
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16. Five-minute hummus
Smoother, lighter hummus than the tub, made from a can of chickpeas, good tahini and a splash of ice water. Ready in five minutes flat.
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17. Stovetop nacho cheese sauce
Silky nacho cheese made with sharp cheddar and evaporated milk that stays smooth, never grainy. Spiked with jalapeño brine and served with tortilla chips.
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18. Homemade mozzarella sticks
String cheese double-coated in seasoned breadcrumbs and shallow-fried until golden and gooey inside. Served hot with warm marinara for dipping.
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19. Stovetop candied pecans
Toasty pecan halves coated in a crackly cinnamon brown-sugar glaze, made in one skillet in about 15 minutes. Great for snacking, gifting or topping salads.
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20. Jalapeño popper dip
Everything you love about jalapeño poppers in a skillet: creamy cheddar and cream cheese, fresh jalapeños and bacon under a crisp, buttery panko top.
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21. Boneless buffalo wings
Crisp, juicy chicken thigh bites shallow-fried in a cornstarch crust and tossed in buttery hot sauce. Served with blue cheese or ranch and celery.
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22. Pepperoni pizza bagels
Split bagels toasted under the broiler, then topped with pizza sauce, mozzarella and pepperoni and broiled until bubbly and crisp at the edges.
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23. Whipped feta dip with hot honey and chili
Salty feta blitzed with Greek yogurt until silky, then finished with warm chili honey. Serve with toasted pita chips for scooping.
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24. Caprese skewers with balsamic glaze
Cherry tomatoes, mini mozzarella balls and basil threaded onto skewers, then drizzled with a quick sticky balsamic reduction and good olive oil.
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25. Honey garlic meatballs
Frozen cooked meatballs simmered in a sticky honey, garlic and soy glaze until glossy and hot through. Stick a toothpick in each and watch them vanish.
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26. Spam musubi
Hawaii's favorite snack: seared, teriyaki-glazed Spam on a block of seasoned rice, wrapped in nori. No mold needed; the Spam can does the shaping.
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27. Beer cheese dip with pretzel bites
A smooth, sharp cheddar and lager cheese sauce made on the stove, with a kick of mustard and cayenne, served warm with oven-warmed soft pretzel bites.
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28. Classic shrimp cocktail
Plump shrimp gently poached in lemony water, chilled fast in an ice bath and served with a zippy homemade horseradish cocktail sauce.
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29. Tteokbokki
Chewy Korean rice cakes and fish cakes simmered in a sticky, sweet and fiery gochujang sauce. Korea's favorite street snack, ready in under 20 minutes.
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30. Cranberry brie bites
Crisp mini phyllo cups filled with melty brie, tangy cranberry sauce and toasted pecans, baked straight from the freezer. An easy holiday party appetizer.
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For a party, pick one creamy dip, one hot bite and one fresh, no-cook option. That mix covers most tastes and keeps your time at the stove short.