International Recipes and Cooking Around the World

Appetizer, Hors D'Oeuvre and Snack Recipes

Cutting board with tapas

Image by Terence Lim

Appetizers and hors d'oeuvre are the enticing entrance to a full meal. They pique the appetite without satisfying it and encourage easy conversation among gathered guests. Appetizers can be plated or passed, but they are most often finger food, easy to eat while standing and never overly messy in the hands.

Appetizers are mini meals that go by different names around the world. Spaniards have tapas, delicious bar food with a deep history. The Italians throw together antipasti platters with elegant simplicity. Hunger pangs in the eastern Mediterranean are calmed with meze and a beverage. Cantonese diners pick out an entire meal from dim sum carts. And the spicy chaat of India are some of the most flavorful snacks in the world.

International Appetizer Recipes

Baleadas

Baleadas (Honduran flour tortillas with beans and cheese)

(Honduran flour tortillas with beans and cheese)

Ukoy

Ukoy (Filipino shrimp and sweet potato fritters)

(Filipino shrimp and sweet potato fritters)

Samosas

Samosas (Indian, Pakistani deep-fried potato pastries)

(Indian, Pakistani, African deep-fried potato pastries)

Cancha

Bowl of cancha toasted corn snack

(Ecuadorian, Peruvian toasted corn snack)

Pakora

Pakora (Indian, Pakistani vegetable fritters)

(Indian, Pakistani vegetable fritters)

Bao

Bao (Chinese steamed, filled buns)

(Chinese steamed, filled buns)

Cachapas

Cachapas (Venezuelan fresh corn pancakes)

(Venezuelan fresh corn pancakes)

Falafel

Falafel (Middle Eastern fried chickpea patties)

(Middle Eastern fried chickpea patties)

Akkra

Black-eyed pea fritters

(Senegalese black-eyed pea fritters)

Satay Ayam

Satay Ayam (Indonesian chicken skewers with peanut sauce)

(Indonesian chicken skewers with peanut sauce)

Khinkali

Khinkali (Georgian meat-filled dumplings)

(Georgian meat-filled dumplings)

Guacamole

Guacamole (Mexican avocado dip)

(Mexican avocado sauce and condiment)