53 Vegetarian Appetizers to Please Every Party Guest
The appetizers you choose for a vegetarian dinner party set the tone for the evening. Perhaps it’s a casual just-friends night, and store-bought hummus and pita chips are fine. But give those vegetarian hors d’oeuvres a little more attention, and the night will instantly feel special—even if you choose easy appetizers like 2-ingredient grilled edamame or a simple homemade dip. Below, you’ll find a few of our go-to vegetarian appetizer ideas, including crispy fritters, savory cheese puffs, stuffed mushrooms, and more. Call your friends; there are plenty of snacks to go around.
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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Lillian Chou1/53Cheesy Samosa Puffs
For the ultimate in crispy, cheesy vegetarian appetizers, grab some store-bought puff pastry and fill it with cheddar and spiced potatoes before baking until golden brown. Serve with ketchup, green chutney, or both.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Monica Pierini3/53Crudités With Chile-Lime Salt
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich4/53Cheddar and Herb Gougères
Once you know how to make pâte à choux, you’ll have endless options for vegetarian starters and snacks. These airy cheese puffs are flavored with sharp cheddar and dill, but you can play with a wide array of options. Feel free to pipe the gougères and freeze them for a future soirée.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Ali Nardi5/53Vegetarian Buffalo “Meatballs” With Blue Cheese Dip
Forget about hot wings—these spicy bites combine white beans and mushrooms for a meatless take on a favorite party snack. They’re ready in just 35 minutes.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton7/53Stuffed Mushrooms
These hot and crunchy bites never fail. But be sure to use a vegetarian-friendly Parmesan for folks who avoid animal rennet.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Anna Billingskog8/53Polenta Bites With Wild Mushrooms and Fontina
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Megan Hedgpeth, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich10/53Warmed Spiced Olives
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Anna Billingskog11/53Homemade Cheese Spread With Garlic and Herbs
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Ali Nardi14/53Creamy Avocado Dip With Scallions
With a mix of caramelized and fresh scallions, plus avocado and yogurt, this dip has a taste and texture somewhere between onion dip and guacamole.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop styling by Megan Hedgpeth, Food styling by Simon Andrews16/53Baked Tomatoes, Peppers, and Goat Cheese with Crisped Toasts
Just look at this savory-sweet dish of juicy baked fresh tomatoes, decorated with soft cheese and a hint of garlic. It’s pretty enough to draw guests to the snack station. This easy vegetarian appetizer is best served over toasted baguette slices. Since you’re warming cherry tomatoes until they’re sweet and jammy, this is a great sub for bruschetta when tomato season is over.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Drew Aichele17/53Chile con Queso
This silky, cheesy dip celebrates New Mexico’s famous Hatch chiles, which are only available in the late summer and early fall. If you are lucky enough to see them at the market, be sure to bring some home. Out of season, you can make this dip with frozen or canned chiles.
Photo by Alice Gao, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Diana Yen18/53Parsnip-Wrapped Devils on Horseback
Photo by Alice Gao, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Diana Yen19/53Shredded Brussels Sprout and Ricotta Toast
A bright tangle of shredded brussels sprouts, raisins, and pine nuts tops silky ricotta in this snappy, satisfying toast. Serve it as a meatless starter at your next party.
Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food styling by Judy Haubert20/53Butternut Squash Soup
If you’re looking for hearty vegetarian appetizer ideas, consider serving mugs or bowls of this vegan-friendly soup, made with sweet butternut squash, ginger, and vegetable broth and garnished with crunchy toasted pumpkin seeds.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Ali Nardi22/53Creamy Pinto Bean Dip
Here’s another quick and easy vegetarian recipe that’s a guaranteed hit. Serve this lightly spiced, last-minute bean dip with tortilla chips and watch it disappear in short order. (It’s also great on nachos alongside dollops of sour cream and chunks of avocado, or spread into hard-shell tacos with shredded lettuce and pico de gallo.)
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Grace Parisi23/53Savory Mushroom and Parmesan Palmiers
Store-bought puff pastry makes these savory bite-sized appetizers a snap to prep for your next gathering. Use any extra sheets of pastry to wrap a wheel of Brie for baking. (Whether you top it with cranberry sauce is up to you.)
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Susan Ottaviano24/53Mutabbal Shamandar
This beet-tahini dip adds great rosy color to your appetizer table. Just add flatbread or crackers and crunchy vegetables.
Photo by Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott25/53Baked Three-Cheese Onion Dip With Chive and Pepperoncini
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell33/53Relish Tray
This retro platter of pickled vegetables and crudités is the perfect partner for an ice-cold martini. The colorful assortment features carrots, radishes, celery, cornichons, and pitted black olives.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Astrid Chastka, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks34/53Roasted Beet Dip With Hazelnuts and Goat Cheese
Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Sue Li, Prop Styling by Elizabeth Jaime35/53Hand Salad With Buttermilk, Grapefruit, and Mixed Seeds
Photo by Dayna Smith36/53Pumpkin Kolokithopita (Greek Phyllo Pastries)
You can fill phyllo pastry with pretty much anything. We love feta cheese and spinach, but also walnuts and cinnamon. This particular recipe calls for pumpkin and honey—the result is a sweet and savory vegetarian snack idea everyone will love.
Photo by Keirnan Monaghan and Theo Vamvounakis37/53Goat Cheese Croquettes
Each bite of these croquettes bursts with creamy goat cheese, slathered in sweet and tangy quince paste. We’re talking primo finger food here.
Photo by Tara Donne, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Cyd McDowell38/53Creamy Cauliflower Dip
Figuring out Thanksgiving appetizers? This creamy vegetable dip is the ideal pre-dinner bite that will whet the appetite without filling you up before the big meal.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Jerri Joy, Food Styling by Anna Hampton39/53Carrot Tart With Ricotta and Almond Filling
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton40/53Hot Pimento Cheese Dip
This hot cheese dip is velvety-smooth and a little smoky, thanks to canned chipotle in adobo. Pair with Ritz crackers, crunchy bell pepper slices, and store-bought or homemade pretzels.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Sean Dooley41/53Fried Zucchini Blossoms
These crispy battered zucchini blossoms are exceptional alongside a French 75 or Aperol spritz. Serve them as soon as you’ve sprinkled on a touch of flaky salt.
Photo by Ken Goodman42/53Smoked Feta Dip
Grilling the cheese gives this tangy dip a bit of smoky flavor. Add fluffy homemade pita and crunchy cucumber spears for an impressive game day or holiday starter.
Tara Donne, food and prop styling by Diana Yen44/53Endive Cups With Beet, Persimmon, and Marinated Feta
Christina Holmes45/53Zucchini Fritters
The trick to these fritters is making sure to squeeze out as much liquid from the zucchini as possible before combining it with the other ingredients.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Susan Ottaviano46/53Mutabbal Silik
Transform Swiss chard and a jar of tahini into a creamy, nutty, garlicky dip garnished with lemony sumac and Aleppo-style pepper.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Thu Buser, prop styling by Gerri Williams49/53Hurricane Chips
The quickest vegetarian hors d’oeuvres build on something that’s already tasty. All you need is 10 minutes to dress up a bag of chips with toasted seaweed, sesame, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper flakes, and sugar for a touch of sweetness.
Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Elizabeth Jaime, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou50/53Pine Nut and White Bean Dip
Toasted pine nuts give this cannellini bean dip a luscious, buttery flavor. Just keep an eye on them in the pan so they don’t burn!
