35 Easy Party Recipes
Cranberry-Sauced Meatballs Appetizer [1]
Shape and bake the chicken meatballs ahead of time, then pop them in your slow cooker with cranberry and barbecue sauces.
Ricotta and Parmesan Spread [5]
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.
Mexican Seven-Layer Dip [9]
Combine pantry-ready ingredients such as canned bean dip and taco sauce for this easy dip. Serve with tortilla chips.
Cheesy Snack Mix [13]
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 [14]
Turkey Pesto Sliders [17]
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 [18]
Sweet and Sour Chicken Wings [21]
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.
Marinated Cheese Cubes [25]
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.
Gouda and Red Onion Pizza [29]
This easy appetizer pizza features shredded Gouda and caramelized onions. The recipe comes from Gouda maker Oakvale Farmstead Cheese in London, Ohio.
Swiss-Artichoke Dip [33]
Artichoke hearts, dried tomatoes and sauce combine for a rich, creamy dip. Process Swiss cheese works best because traditional cheese sometimes breaks down when it's slow cooked.
Swiss-Artichoke Dip [34]
Mediterranean Eight-Layer Dip [37]
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.
Mini Burger Party Platter [41]
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.
Hot Artichoke and Asiago Cheese Dip [45]
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.
Jack Cheese and Smoky Chipotle Fondue [49]
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.
Bacon-Stuffed Mushrooms [53]
The Nueske family of Nueske's Applewood Smoked Meats in Wittenberg, Wisconsin, shared this never-fail appetizer recipe for mushrooms stuffed with cream cheese, bacon and sharp cheddar or smoked Gouda cheese.
Like your bacon bite-size? Then you should also enjoy Bacon and Mushroom Bite-Size Quiches, a recipe from Carma Rogers at the National Pork Board in Des Moines. Make these little quiches a day ahead and reheat them at party time.
Mini Italian Beef Sandwiches with Pepperoncini Slaw [58]
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 [59]
French Onion Dip [62]
Add pizzazz to potato chips or veggies with this dip made from sweet onions, sour cream, fresh chives, and cayenne pepper.
French Onion Dip [63]
Wasabi Almonds and Popcorn [66]
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.
Easy Party Wraps and Tomato Cups [70]
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.
Tortilla-Black Bean Casserole [75]
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.
Chocolate-Caramel Fondue [79]
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.
Ice Cream Sandwich Sundaes [83]
You can make the ice cream sandwiches up to a week before your event and freeze them in an airtight container. When it's party time, just take a few minutes to heat up the sauce for this treat.
Mudslide Dip [87]
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 [88]
Festive Bean Dip [90]
Not Your Ordinary Brie [94]
Apple-cranberry chutney adds a spicy kick to this warm, baked brie appetizer.
Meatballs and Alfredo Sauce [98]
Make these easy meatballs for your next party.
Fireside Beer-Cheese Fondue [102]
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.
Hot and Spicy Snack Mix [106]
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 [107]
Sauerkraut Balls [110]
This traditional German appetizer, popular in northeast Ohio, comes from the Hey Hey Bar and Grill in Columbus. Even if you're not usually a sauerkraut fan, you may love the sweet-sour tang of mustard and kraut inside crispy deep-fried shells.
Sauerkraut Balls [111]
Devilishly Good Deviled Eggs [114]
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.
The Original Toasted Ravioli [118]
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.