35 Easy Party Recipes

Shape and bake the chicken meatballs ahead of time, then pop them in your slow cooker with cranberry and barbecue sauces.

Cranberry-Sauced Meatballs Appetizer

Fresh herbs season this ridiculously simple spread from BelGioioso Cheese in Wisconsin. It keeps well in the fridge and is delicious with cherry tomatoes or other vegetable dippers, as well as crackers or baguette slices.

Ricotta and Parmesan Spread

These six-ingredient bite-size appetizers taste best warm, so assemble them in advance and pop them in the oven when guests arrive.

Zucchini-Tomato Cups with Blue Cheese

Perfect for parties and tailgating! Make these cheese balls up to three months ahead of time then freeze. Thaw frozen cheese balls overnight in fridge before serving.

Ripe Olive Cheese Ball

Grated Parmesan cheese gives extra cheesy flavor to this blend of crispy corn and rice cereals, canned shoestring potatoes, crisp breadsticks and bite-size cheese crackers.

Cheesy Snack Mix

Three kinds of cheese blend with artichoke hearts and spinach for a crowd-pleasing dip. Bake in batches to keep the party well-supplied.

Party Hot Pot Dip     

This beautiful and unusual recipe makes one small cheese ball, but easily doubles or triples to make multiple for a party. The recipe comes from Indiana-based Annie Marshall of the blog Annie's Eats.

Parmesan-Crusted Goat Cheese with Basil Oil

Combine pantry-ready ingredients such as canned bean dip and taco sauce for this easy dip. Serve with tortilla chips.

Mexican Seven-Layer Dip

These six-ingredient party sandwiches are simple and delicious. The recipe comes from Annie Marshall of the Indianapolis-based blog Annie's Eats.

Turkey Pesto Sliders

A reader in Saint Paul gave us this recipe, which always gets raves from her guests. The sweet glaze uses pineapple juice, ketchup and soy sauce.

Sweet and Sour Chicken Wings recipe

Pantry ingredients turn ordinary Monterey jack into a deli-style party snack that tastes even better when you make it ahead. You can prep it three days in advance.

Marinated Cheese Cubes

These easy appetizers combine two party favorites -- jalapeno poppers and buffalo chicken wings.

Buffalo Sweet Pepper Poppers

These chips are a fresh and healthy alternative to traditional potato chips. Serve with Caramelized Onion Dip, if you like.

Fresh Vegetable Chips

This easy appetizer pizza features shredded Gouda and caramelized onions. The recipe comes from Gouda maker Oakvale Farmstead Cheese in London, Ohio.

Gouda and Red Onion Pizza

Artichoke hearts, dried tomatoes and sauce combine for a rich, creamy dip. Our recipe calls for processed Swiss cheese because it melts smoothly, but regular Swiss cheese will work fine, too. The dip will have a more stretchy, less creamy texture, but it tastes just as good.

Swiss-Artichoke Dip

We've seen a lot of dips through the years, but we've never forgotten this one -- juicy veggies, tangy olive tapenade and feta piled on a thick layer of hummus. We like to make it ahead and serve it with warm toasted pita wedges. This recipe, originally published in December 2005, made our 25th anniversary list of all-time favorite recipes.

Mediterranean Eight-Layer Dip

To keep in step with the small-meal trend in restaurants, we created this Mini Burger Party Platter with fun sauces to choose from, including Balsamic Mayo, Herbed Goat Cheese and Citrus Ketchup.

Mini Burger Party Platter

Roasted red sweet peppers fleck this dip with a festive crimson touch. Serve the warm, cheese-filled appetizer with bread or pita wedges, or some water crackers.

Hot Artichoke and Asiago Cheese Dip recipe

Lots of Monterey Jack cheese goes into this creamy fondue, along with sour cream, chipotle peppers and bacon. Scoop up with bread or tortilla chips.

Jack Cheese and Smoky Chipotle Fondue

This five-ingredient recipe comes from the bacon pros at Nueske’s meats in Wisconsin.

Bacon-Stuffed Mushrooms

Spicy poblano chile pepper and tequila pack a punch. Serve as a party dip with tortilla chips, or create upscale quesadillas with a warmed tortilla and chorizo.

Tequila-Spiked Queso Fundido

This spread can be made ahead and stored in the fridge up to 3 days. For a flavorful dipper, brush pita wedges with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and thyme before toasting in oven.

Feta, Honey and Date Spread

These little beef sandwiches make a great appetizer for a party. And you can put them together in just 20 minutes.

Mini Italian Beef Sandwiches with Pepperoncini Slaw

Add pizzazz to potato chips or veggies with this dip made from sweet onions, sour cream, fresh chives, and cayenne pepper.

French Onion Dip

If you'd like to cut additional fat from this zesty snack mix, use five sprays of butter-flavor nonstick spray instead of butter. Be sure to add the spray right before eating to prevent the popcorn from getting soggy.

Wasabi Almonds and Popcorn

Roll up cream cheese, sliced cold meats and tortillas for a savory party wrap. Or make the wrap sweet with figs, cranberries and herbed cream cheese in wheat tortillas.

Another easy appetizer: Zucchini-Tomato Cups. The recipe comes from the Kirby House Restaurant in Abilene, Kansas. If you're not a blue cheese fan, use pesto-flavored cream cheese instead.

Savory Cream Cheese Spread with Party Wraps recipe

Zucchini-Tomato Cups recipe

Layer a tomato-bean mixture, cheese and tortillas for a casserole with south-of-the-border flavor. Let each guest top their portion with chopped tomato, shredded lettuce, green onions, olives and/or sour cream.

Tortilla-Black Bean Casserole

Just three ingredients go into this quick dessert: sweetened condensed milk, caramel ice cream topping and chocolate. Vary your dippers to match the mood of your party.

Chocolate-Caramel Fondue

This cheesy dip uses just two ingredients and can be kept warm in your slow cooker. Serve it with veggies, corn chips or tortilla chips.

Other hot dips that are easy to assemble include Artichoke-Spinach Dip, Festive Bean Dip and Season's Eating Taco Dip.

Mudslide Dip

Artichoke-Spinach Dip

Festive Bean Dip

Season's Eating Taco Dip

Apple-cranberry chutney adds a spicy kick to this warm, baked brie appetizer.

Not Your Ordinary Brie

Mix and match cheeses to suit your taste in the fondue, then serve with an assortment of dippers, such as cubed French or Italian bread, cooked ham cubes, seedless grapes, apple chunks, and cut-up fresh vegetables.

Fireside Beer-Cheese Fondue

Cayenne pepper and chili powder add heat to this combination of sesame and cheese snack sticks, corn nuts and pumpkin seeds.

Hot and Spicy Snack Mix

A hint of curry and some chutney elevate these deviled eggs to spectacular. Spoon the filling into a sandwich-size clear plastic bag and snip a corner for easy piping.

Devilishly Good Deviled Eggs

This fried ravioli recipe, from Charlie Gitto's on the Hill in St. Louis, makes a fun party appetizer. We substituted frozen ravioli for the homemade they use at the restaurant. For extra-easy cooking, serve with a purchased marinara sauce.

The Original Toasted Ravioli