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)

Gamberetti all’Agro 
(Italian lemon-marinated shrimp)

Yangnyeom Dak 
(Korean sweet and spicy fried chicken)

Ukoy 
(Filipino shrimp and sweet potato fritters)

Pâté de Campagne 
(French country-style pork terrine)

Akkra 
(Senegalese black-eyed pea fritters)

Pão de Queijo 
(Brazilian cheese buns)

Pajeon 
(Korean scallion pancake)

Torshi 
(Iranian, Afghan pickled vegetables)

Bruschetta alla Romana 
(Italian grilled bread with tomatoes)

Tod Mun 
(Thai spicy fish cakes)

Conch Fritters 
(Caribbean deep-fried conch snacks)

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

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

Medu Vada 
(South Indian deep-fried lentil fritters)

Pimento Cheese 
(American Southern cheese spread and sandwich filling)

Chopped Chicken Livers 
(Jewish liver paté spread)

Yakitori 
(Japanese grilled chicken skewers)

Banh Xeo 
(Vietnamese filled crepe)

Mejillones Fritos 
(Spanish batter-fried mussels)

Bichak 
(Afghan stuffed savory and sweet pastries)

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

Domatokeftedes 
(Greek tomato fritters)

Satay Ayam 
(Indonesian chicken skewers with peanut sauce)

Queso Fundido 
(Mexican melted cheese appetizer)

Obatzter 
(German beer cheese spread)

Hummus bi Tahina 
(Middle Eastern chickpea and sesame dip)

Coxinhas 
(Brazilian deep-fried chicken croquettes)

Cachapas 
(Venezuelan fresh corn pancakes)

Jamaican Beef Patties 
(Jamaican spicy curried meat pies)

Dolmathes 
(Greek grape leaves stuffed with rice and meat)

Souskaï de Mangues Vertes 
(French Caribbean mango appetizer)

Lo Mai Gai 
(Chinese rice steamed in lotus leaves)

Plantain Fritters 
(Jamaican fried plantains)

Gravlax 
(Swedish cured salmon)

Tostones 
(Caribbean fried plantains)

Bao 
(Chinese steamed, filled buns)

Elotes Asados 
(Mexican roast corn on the cob)

Pakora 
(Indian, Pakistani vegetable fritters)

Khinkali 
(Georgian meat-filled dumplings)

Buffalo Wings 
(American chicken wings in spicy sauce)

Muhammara 
(Middle Eastern spicy roasted pepper dip)

Chun Yao Bang 
(Chinese fried scallion pancake)

Oysters Rockefeller 
(American oysters with green sauce appetizer)

Mücver 
(Turkish zucchini fritters)

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