Food Holidays & Occasions Thanksgiving Recipes and Ideas 24 Thanksgiving Appetizers to Add to Your Menu Impress and satisfy your guests with these unforgettable appetizers for the fall holiday. By Kim Wehby Kim Wehby Kim Wehby is a copy editor with over a decade of experience in the food and beverage space, including a senior editorial role at Dotdash Meredith Food Studios. She's edited and developed content for Food & Wine, Southern Living, and Eating Well. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on November 14, 2024 Close Photo: Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen From elegant caviar and toast appetizers to hearty baked cheese and meatballs, the appetizers surrounding your main course can make or break the Thanksgiving spread. We've gathered our finest Thanksgiving appetizers so you can create the pre-entrée spread of your dreams. You'll find recipes featuring imported cheeses, peak fall produce, and handheld bites to excite and delight everyone at the feast. 01 of 24 Baked Brie in a Bread Bowl Jordan Provost / Food Styling by Thu Buser Wholesome autumnal ingredients come together to highlight the delectable, buttery flavors of Brie in this sourdough bread bowl. Fig jam, capers, candied walnuts, and fresh thyme bring notes of fruity sweetness, savory earthiness, and herbal softness. Get the Recipe 02 of 24 Mushroom Flatbread with White Miso Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christine Keely Each ingredient built onto this quick flatbread brings another element of nutty, umami flavor. Serve alongside sliced apples and pears for the perfect sweet-meets-salty pairing. Get the Recipe 03 of 24 Squash Fondue Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Hollowed-out acorn squash is filled with melty Comté and Gruyère cheeses in this colorful appetizer from 2023 F&W Best New Chef Amanda Shulman. Get the Recipe 04 of 24 Baked Brie en Croûte with Spiced Pears and Cherries Photo by Sarah Crowder / Food Styling by Bridget Hallinan In this timeless appetizer, spiced fruits and nuts rest atop Brie inside a golden, crisp shell of puff pastry. Make this dish your own by using the Brie of your choice, along with any nuts and fruits that speak to you. A final drizzle of honey and sprinkle of flaky sea salt enhance all the sweet and savory flavors. Get the Recipe 05 of 24 Caramelized Five-Onion Dip Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Onion dip is plenty delicious in its own right, and in this recipe from Justin Chapple, five types of caramelized onions bring loads of additional flavor to the party dip. Cream cheese, mayonnaise, and sour cream work in unison to provide the creamy, luscious base for the onions and seasonings. Get the Recipe 06 of 24 Kabocha Squash Fritters with Yuzu-Garlic Dipping Sauce Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Soft, warm, creamy winter squash meets cheese inside these panko-crusted fritters. A citrusy yuzu dipping sauce lifts the flavors. Get the Recipe 07 of 24 Carrots en Croûte Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen This vegetable-forward appetizer features tender roasted carrots in place of the usual sausage. Additional warmth and sweetness from curry and honey bring out the naturally earthy tones of the carrots. Get the Recipe 08 of 24 Mini Deviled Crab Cornbread Muffins Kelly Marshall These cornbread muffin bites are a party staple for chef and cookbook author Alexander Smalls. Sweet, spicy, and earthy flavors that sing of autumn come from a thoughtful blend of deviled crab, corn kernels, coriander, and brown sugar. Get the Recipe 09 of 24 Smoked Salmon Dip Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell Smoky salmon is softened with chives and dill, then brightened with citrus zest and juice. Creaminess comes from a blend of cream cheese, sour cream, and mayonnaise, a mixture that gives the dip the ultimate scoopability. Get the Recipe 10 of 24 Spicy Lamb Meatballs with Green Goddess Dip Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Taking a nod from the North African lamb sausage merguez, spices like cumin, garlic, and paprika abound in these hearty meatballs. A creamy green-tinged dip full of fresh herbs brings a balancing herbaceous quality to the spicy, earthy notes of the lamb. Get the Recipe 11 of 24 Mushroom Toasts with Délice de Bourgogne Eva Kolenko In this savory, indulgent appetizer, robustly flavored and ultra-creamy Délice de Bourgogne cheese rests with pan-roasted wild mushrooms and fresh herbs atop crisped brioche toasts. Get the Recipe 12 of 24 Caviar Waffle Bites Greg DuPree Justin Chapple brings us this inventive and playful take on blini. Strips of waffles house pockets of caviar, crème fraîche, and chives, making perfect grab-and-go appetizers. Get the Recipe 13 of 24 Beef Tenderloin Tartare with Anchovy-Cornichon Vinaigrette Aubrie Pick Ideal for plated appetizers, this umami-rich tenderloin tartare is topped with egg yolk and parsley and served alongside crispy crostini. Be sure to choose at least a prime-grade filet. Get the Recipe 14 of 24 Green Peppercorn-Marinated Feta Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Feta cubes, full of holes and air, are perfectly suited to soak up your finest marinades. In this recipe, a vinaigrette with peppercorns, crushed red pepper, and thyme features spicy and herbal flavors. Serve your marinated feta next to a robust aged cheese, crispy crackers, and seasonal fresh fruit. Get the Recipe 15 of 24 Classic Cheese Ball with Spiced Pecans Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Kay Clarke Spiced toasted pecans bring new flavors to the classic holiday cheese ball with notes of maple syrup and smoked paprika. Get the Recipe 16 of 24 Sausage-Stuffed Fried Olives Victor Protasio No one at the holiday table will suspect the wonderful flavor that awaits inside these fried sausage balls. The salty tang of Castelvetrano olives, the meaty richness of Italian pork sausage, and the nuttiness of pecorino Romano and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheeses all balance each other perfectly. Get the Recipe 17 of 24 Deviled-Egg Crisps Greg DuPree Justin Chapple reimagines the deviled-egg toast from 2010 F&W Best New Chef Missy Robbins, of Lilia and Misi in Brooklyn. This version features creamy deviled egg purée layered with smoky, raisin-like Urfa biber and spicy jalapeño spices. Get the Recipe 18 of 24 Flaky Andouille and Callaloo Hand Pies with Red Pepper Sambal Angie Mosier There's so much to love about these inspired hand pies from acclaimed chef Marcus Samuelsson. Each pastry pocket is filled with andouille sausage, coconut-simmered callaloo, and warming seasonings. The warm hand pies are served alongside a richly spiced red pepper sambal. Get the Recipe 19 of 24 Acorn Squash Saltimbocca Caitlin Bensel Acorn squash stands in for veal in this bold, earthy holiday appetizer. Brown butter-drizzled prosciutto whispers of sage and caramelized sweetness. Get the Recipe 20 of 24 Cheese Croustades Justin Walker Josh Miller calls upon frozen mini phyllo pastry shells to make these croustades that are almost too pretty to eat. In each bite of the crispy pastry, guests will be rewarded with pops of cranberry brightness amid a fluffy goat cheese mousse. Get the Recipe 21 of 24 Duck Liver Pâté with Blackberry Conserva William Hereford 2017 F&W Best New Chef Angie Mar brings us a classic appetizer of duck liver pâté complete with a not-as-common topping of blackberry conserva. The mixture of gamey, rich duck and sharp, sweet-tart berries is a treasure. Get the Recipe 22 of 24 Vietnamese Grilled Clams with Oyster Sauce and Peanuts Justin Walker Fresh herbs, fried shallots, and oyster sauce bring a deliciously pungent flavor and crunchy appeal to grilled mollusks. Get the Recipe 23 of 24 Mini Wedge Salads with Anchovy Dressing These mini wedges are coated in a creamy, anchovy-packed dressing and dredged in crunchy panko, making them easy to eat with your hands. Alternatively, you can serve the dressing and breadcrumbs alongside the lettuce wedges, for easy dipping. Greg DuPree Your holiday guests will delight in these personal wedge salads. A clever panko crust lets each guest enjoy their handheld salad in just a bite or two — no forks required. Get the Recipe 24 of 24 Chile-Sumac-Pomegranate Nuts Greg DuPree A Thanksgiving appetizer spread would not be complete without spiced nuts. In this Bombay-inspired recipe from James Beard Award-nominated cookbook author Nik Sharma, flavors of rich, sweet-tart pomegranate and citrusy sumac complement the sweet, buttery flavors of cashews. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit