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

Law Bok Gow 
(Chinese steamed radish cake)
Plate of Chinese steamed radish cake

Law Bok Gow 
(Chinese steamed radish cake)

Gamberetti all’Agro 
(Italian lemon-marinated shrimp)
Shrimp on a cutting board with a whole lemon

Gamberetti all’Agro 
(Italian lemon-marinated shrimp)

Yangnyeom Dak 
(Korean sweet and spicy fried chicken)
Yangnyeom Dak (Korean sweet and spicy fried chicken)

Yangnyeom Dak 
(Korean sweet and spicy fried chicken)

Ukoy 
(Filipino shrimp and sweet potato fritters)
Ukoy (Filipino shrimp and sweet potato fritters)

Ukoy 
(Filipino shrimp and sweet potato fritters)

Pâté de Campagne 
(French country-style pork terrine)
Slices of pâté de campagne

Pâté de Campagne 
(French country-style pork terrine)

Akkra 
(Senegalese black-eyed pea fritters)
Akkra with a filling

Akkra 
(Senegalese black-eyed pea fritters)

Pão de Queijo 
(Brazilian cheese buns)
Pão de Queijo (Brazilian cheese buns)

Pão de Queijo 
(Brazilian cheese buns)

Pajeon 
(Korean scallion pancake)
Seafood pajeon pancake

Pajeon 
(Korean scallion pancake)

Torshi 
(Iranian, Afghan pickled vegetables)
Jars of vegetable torshi

Torshi 
(Iranian, Afghan pickled vegetables)

Bruschetta alla Romana 
(Italian grilled bread with tomatoes)
Tray of bruschetta alla romana

Bruschetta alla Romana 
(Italian grilled bread with tomatoes)

Tod Mun 
(Thai spicy fish cakes)
Tod mun on a plate

Tod Mun 
(Thai spicy fish cakes)

Conch Fritters 
(Caribbean deep-fried conch snacks)
Plate of conch fritters with dipping sauce

Conch Fritters 
(Caribbean deep-fried conch snacks)

Tortilla Española de Patata 
(Spanish open-faced potato omelet)
Large tortilla espanola on a platter

Tortilla Española de Patata 
(Spanish open-faced potato omelet)

Okonomiyaki 
(Japanese savory “as-you-like-it” pancakes)
Osaka-style okonomiyaki on the griddle

Okonomiyaki 
(Japanese savory “as-you-like-it” pancakes)

Medu Vada 
(South Indian deep-fried lentil fritters)
Medu vadas on a thali platter

Medu Vada 
(South Indian deep-fried lentil fritters)

Pimento Cheese 
(American Southern cheese spread and sandwich filling)
Pimento cheese sandwich

Pimento Cheese 
(American Southern cheese spread and sandwich filling)

Chopped Chicken Livers 
(Jewish liver paté spread)
Chopped chicken livers spread on a crostino

Chopped Chicken Livers 
(Jewish liver paté spread)

Yakitori 
(Japanese grilled chicken skewers)
Yakitori (Japanese grilled chicken skewers)

Yakitori 
(Japanese grilled chicken skewers)

Banh Xeo 
(Vietnamese filled crepe)
Stuffed banh xeo on a plate with a side of herbs

Banh Xeo 
(Vietnamese filled crepe)

Mejillones Fritos 
(Spanish batter-fried mussels)
Spanish batter-fried mussels with aioli dipping sauce

Mejillones Fritos 
(Spanish batter-fried mussels)

Bichak 
(Afghan stuffed savory and sweet pastries)
Plate of bichak pastries

Bichak 
(Afghan stuffed savory and sweet pastries)

Pork and Cabbage Dim Sum Filling 
(Chinese filling for buns, potstickers and dumplings)
Chinese filling for buns, potstickers and dumplings

Pork and Cabbage Dim Sum Filling 
(Chinese filling for buns, potstickers and dumplings)

Domatokeftedes 
(Greek tomato fritters)
Small mezze plate with tomato fritters

Domatokeftedes 
(Greek tomato fritters)

Satay Ayam 
(Indonesian chicken skewers with peanut sauce)
Indonesian chicken skewers with peanut sauce

Satay Ayam 
(Indonesian chicken skewers with peanut sauce)

Queso Fundido 
(Mexican melted cheese appetizer)
Bowl of queso fundido

Queso Fundido 
(Mexican melted cheese appetizer)

Obatzter 
(German beer cheese spread)
Obatzter (German beer cheese spread)

Obatzter 
(German beer cheese spread)

Hummus bi Tahina 
(Middle Eastern chickpea and sesame dip)
Bowl of hummus topped with parprika with a drizzle of olive oil

Hummus bi Tahina 
(Middle Eastern chickpea and sesame dip)

Coxinhas 
(Brazilian deep-fried chicken croquettes)
Two coxinhas

Coxinhas 
(Brazilian deep-fried chicken croquettes)

Cachapas 
(Venezuelan fresh corn pancakes)
A large cachapa on a plate.

Cachapas 
(Venezuelan fresh corn pancakes)

Jamaican Beef Patties 
(Jamaican spicy curried meat pies)
Two Jamaican beef patties on a plate with some hot sauce

Jamaican Beef Patties 
(Jamaican spicy curried meat pies)

Dolmathes 
(Greek grape leaves stuffed with rice and meat)
Dolmas steaming in a pot

Dolmathes 
(Greek grape leaves stuffed with rice and meat)

Souskaï de Mangues Vertes 
(French Caribbean mango appetizer)
Green mangoes on the tree

Souskaï de Mangues Vertes 
(French Caribbean mango appetizer)

Lo Mai Gai 
(Chinese rice steamed in lotus leaves)
Two lo mai gai on a plate

Lo Mai Gai 
(Chinese rice steamed in lotus leaves)

Plantain Fritters 
(Jamaican fried plantains)
Crate of plantains

Plantain Fritters 
(Jamaican fried plantains)

Gravlax 
(Swedish cured salmon)
Crackers topped with creme fraiche and gravlax

Gravlax 
(Swedish cured salmon)

Tostones 
(Caribbean fried plantains)
Twice-fried plantain slices

Tostones 
(Caribbean fried plantains)

Bao 
(Chinese steamed, filled buns)
Steamer basket with bao buns

Bao 
(Chinese steamed, filled buns)

Elotes Asados 
(Mexican roast corn on the cob)
Elotes Asados (Mexican roast corn on the cob)

Elotes Asados 
(Mexican roast corn on the cob)

Pakora 
(Indian, Pakistani vegetable fritters)
Pakora (Indian, Pakistani vegetable fritters)

Pakora 
(Indian, Pakistani vegetable fritters)

Khinkali 
(Georgian meat-filled dumplings)
Hand making homemade khinkali dumplings

Khinkali 
(Georgian meat-filled dumplings)

Buffalo Wings 
(American chicken wings in spicy sauce)
Bowl of Buffalo wings

Buffalo Wings 
(American chicken wings in spicy sauce)

Muhammara 
(Middle Eastern spicy roasted pepper dip)
Middle Eastern spicy red pepper and walnut dip

Muhammara 
(Middle Eastern spicy roasted pepper dip)

Chun Yao Bang 
(Chinese fried scallion pancake)
Sliced scallion pancake on a plate

Chun Yao Bang 
(Chinese fried scallion pancake)

Oysters Rockefeller 
(American oysters with green sauce appetizer)
Plate of oysters Rockefeller

Oysters Rockefeller 
(American oysters with green sauce appetizer)

Mücver 
(Turkish zucchini fritters)
Zucchini mucver fritters

Mücver 
(Turkish zucchini fritters)

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