Fall Party Food Ideas & Recipes

These delicious appetizers are packed with classic fall flavors and seasonal produce. Whether you prefer butternut squash or Macintosh apples, these savory bites will get the party started. Here, 19 of our favorite recipes.

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Spinach-and-Artichoke Galette

Con Poulos

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With its perfectly flaky crust, spiced-up crème fraîche under spinach and artichokes, and Manchego cheese melted on top, this tart is an easy crowd-pleaser. Make the dough a day before if you like.

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Hogs in a Blanket

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This fun, high-brow take on pigs in a blanket swaps spicy andouille sausage for the hot dogs, with sweet mustard chutney as a condiment.

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Carrot Salad with Mushrooms and Herbs

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This raw carrot and mushroom salad is a great party dish because it’s so quick and easy to put together, and its beautiful colors bring a festive feel to any table.

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Warm Camembert with Wild Mushroom Fricassee

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Daniel Boulud makes this oozy appetizer with Vacherin Mont-d’Or, a creamy cheese sold at top cheese shops. Camembert is as rich and runny as Vacherin Mont-d’Or, but much easier to find.

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Goat Cheese-Stuffed Roasted Figs

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Simple, sweet, and totally indulgent, these figs will be the talk of your party... even though they will be the easiest appetizer to make.

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Butternut Squash Turnovers

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Jeremy Sommer often hosts the cooking club at his furniture company's warehouse. His buttery squash turnovers make a perfect fall lunch alongside a big green salad.

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Roasted Winter Squash and Onion Turnovers

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The filling for these turnovers also makes a terrific side dish on its own.

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Mushroom and Fontina Crostini

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Maria Helm Sinskey likes to use Italian Fontina cheese, which melts beautifully, but young Gouda would be equally delicious.

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Autumn Fritto Misto

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Antonio Ciminelli prepares this starter year-round with whatever produce is in season. In the fall, that means apples, mushrooms and late-harvest zucchini, fried in a batter made extra-light and crisp by adding sparkling wine and whipped egg white. The fritto misto is best eaten hot from the pan, perhaps served in a paper cone.

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Mushroom, Butternut Squash & Gruyère Tart

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Paul Roberts adds nutmeg to the mushrooms in this buttery tart because the warm spice works well with the savory complexity of a Cabernet Sauvignon.

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Fig-and-Stilton Squares

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After baking flaky squares of puff pastry, Melissa Rubel tops them with sweet fig preserves and pungent blue cheese.

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Crostini with Butternut Squash, Ricotta and Preserved Lemon

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A preserved lemon relish adds a bright, salty note to these elegant crostini, balancing the flavors of creamy ricotta and sweet squash.

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Brussels Sprout, Pancetta and Parmesan Flatbreads

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Sara Vaughn loves adding brussels sprouts to just about anything. Here, she thinly slices her favorite vegetable and tosses it with pancetta and caramelized onions for a savory flatbread topping.

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Lamb Pizzettes

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This recipe is based on the Arabic lamejun, a thin piece of dough topped with minced meat, then baked. Here Grace Parisi flavors ground lamb with cumin, mint and pine nuts.

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Austrian Cheese Spread with Pumpkin Seed Oil

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Pumpkin seed oil from southern Austria gives this spread its nutty flavor.

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Bacon, Fennel and Apple Chutney

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Chutney is a favorite British condiment for everything from cheese to roasts. This sweet-and-smoky version is perfect with crackers as a starter, spread on a grilled cheddar sandwich or served with roasted pork.

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Hot Dogs with Cheddar and Sautéed Apples

John Kernick

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Matt Neal's sister, Madeline, is a big hot dog fan who constantly comes up with ideas for toppings. She suggested this terrific, if unlikely, combination of cinnamony sautéed apples with slices of sharp cheddar cheese, served on top of hot dogs tucked into pretzel rolls.

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Butternut-Squash-and-Sage Wontons

Tina Rupp

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Wonton wrappers are terrific for making ravioli when you don't have time to make homemade pasta. The wontons here, filled with mashed butternut squash and roasted garlic, get nicely crispy when sautéed in a touch of oil, but they're also delicious simply steamed.

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Apples On Horseback

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These simple, delicious hors d’oeuvres are just apples with cheese and pancetta.

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Fall Party Food

1 of 19

Spinach-and-Artichoke Galette

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Hogs in a Blanket

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Carrot Salad with Mushrooms and Herbs

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Warm Camembert with Wild Mushroom Fricassee

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Goat Cheese-Stuffed Roasted Figs

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Butternut Squash Turnovers

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Roasted Winter Squash and Onion Turnovers

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Mushroom and Fontina Crostini

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Autumn Fritto Misto

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Mushroom, Butternut Squash & Gruyère Tart

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Fig-and-Stilton Squares

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Crostini with Butternut Squash, Ricotta and Preserved Lemon

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Brussels Sprout, Pancetta and Parmesan Flatbreads

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Lamb Pizzettes

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Austrian Cheese Spread with Pumpkin Seed Oil

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Bacon, Fennel and Apple Chutney

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Hot Dogs with Cheddar and Sautéed Apples

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Butternut-Squash-and-Sage Wontons

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Apples On Horseback

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