Lebneh is yogurt that’s been strained to remove all the whey, resulting in a thick, creamy fresh cheese. Here, it provides the base for a light and tangy smoked trout spread. Slideshow: More Healthy Fish Recipes
This fondue made with Taleggio, a melty, brine-washed Italian cheese, is cookbook author Liz Thorpe’s favorite. Including its rind enhances the funkiness and adds an almost bacony flavor. Scoop soft Époisses right out of the rind and into the pot. Use a floral, dry Riesling in this fondue. The aromatic wine will offset the salty funkiness of the cheese, plus it’s delicious to drink alongside. Slideshow: More Fondue Recipes
Spiked with English ale, dry mustard powder and a pinch of cayenne, this warm, gooey Welsh rarebit-type dip goes great with pretzels, crackers and, especially, sliced salami. Slideshow: More Cheese Dip Recipes
Ashley Christensen of Poole’s Diner and Beasley’s Chicken + Honey in Raleigh, North Carolina inspired Justin Chapple’s riff on classic pimento cheese. Chapple loves serving this spread with crudités and crackers, like saltines and Ritz, but it also takes everyday roast chicken to another level in his Poblano Pimento Cheese-Roasted Chicken. Slideshow: More Pimento Cheese Recipes
Chef Courtney McBroom uses American cheese, Manchego and sharp cheddar to create the ultimate Tex-Mex dip. Slideshow: More Party Dip Recipes
Tuck this recipe for “cheater’s aioli” away for safekeeping—the spicy raw garlic and floral lemon transform store-bought mayonnaise into a brightly delicious (and fast-fix) condiment. Adjust the acid and spice levels to taste, or swap the lemon for lime.
A love letter to the lurid, luscious snack that has brought decades of pleasure to holiday parties.
Fine-dining veteran John Winterman wants you to level up your party presentation while staying under budget.
"Growing up in a large family of mixed heritage in the South, it seemed only natural to make things up as we went along," says Ryan Hardy. "My mother, a Yankee, insisted that it was good luck to have black-eyed peas on New Year's Day and she'd save the bones from country ham hunks just for that day." Hardy, who has childhood memories of black-eyed peas simmering on the front burner (and collards on the back burner), has adapted the recipe over the years; he now serves the hearty peas with garlic-rubbed toasts and garnishes them with generous amounts of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. More Southern Recipes
Jonathon Sawyer uses his grandmother’s old Griswold cast-iron pan to cook these crispy potato pancakes, which he amps up with tangy sauerkraut, fresh dill and caraway. Slideshow: Holiday Hors d’Oeuvres
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. Slideshow: Innovative Game Day Snacks
A dollop of sweet-tart cranberry relish hides at the center of the goat cheese and ricotta mousse for a burst of flavor. Garnish with fresh, oniony chives or tart lemon zest for some color and brightness.
Layers of creamy egg salad; crisp red onion; herbed cream cheese; and salty, briney caviar come together in a beautiful molded dip that serves up an entire caviar platter in one dish.
Joanne Chang's mother used to make hard-boiled eggs for dinner: She would add them to the beef or chicken she was braising in soy. This is Joanne's riff on those eggs, made spicy with hot sauce and wasabi. Slideshow: Recipe Ideas for Hard-Boiled Eggs
Chef Lauren Kiino created this recipe after thinking about retro dishes like angels on horseback (bacon-wrapped oysters). "Prosciutto is more delicate than bacon, but it gets a nice crispness," she says. "And the barbecue sauce helps the prosciutto stick to the shrimp." Slideshow: More Tasty Shrimp Recipes
This outstanding version of the Midwestern classic smoked fish dip gets extra flavor from the sweet onion vinaigrette that’s drizzled on top. Slideshow: Party Dips
Eastern Europe is famed for its pickles. It’s the home of all imaginable vinegary vegetables—from classic gherkins to pickled beetroot and cauliflower, there are so many great pickles to eat in Poland. This salad celebrates the humble cucumber in its raw and pickled state and adds fragrant dill to the mix—an herb that’s used a lot in Eastern Europe. It’s a super-quick and easy salad, which I like to serve at barbecues. Slideshow: More Cucumber Recipes
This is a bite-size version of tarte flambée, a traditional Alsatian tart. Gabriel Kreuther's mother makes tarte flambée on the family farm in Alsace, using home-smoked bacon and home-grown onions.Plus: Ultimate Holiday GuidePlus: More Appetizer Recipes and Tips
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. Recipe Tips from F&W Editors More Lamb Recipes
Salty, creamy (and even a little crunchy), this recipe is the ultimate party snack for when you are looking to go far beyond the average bowl of onion dip. Fast Hors d'Oeuvres
Zang Toi's supremely crispy spring rolls are filled with a mix of marinated shrimp, ground pork and a handful of colorful julienned vegetables, like carrot, jicama and beans. The fried shallot rings add alluring flavor and crunch to the spring rolls, too, but they're optional. Toi even makes his own chile sauce to serve as an accompaniment. More Delicious Fried Foods
This recipe for arancini—fried risotto balls—comes from Renato Poliafito, who got it from his Sicilian cousin Emanuele Sanfilippo. "Renato is obsessed with arancini," says Matt Lewis, "especially this version with toasted pistachios." These arancini are the size of tangerines, filled with creamy, cheesy rice, studded with nuts and green peas and encased in a great crunchy crust. More Italian Recipes Recipe Tips from F&W Editors
Delicious, festive, and bite-sized, these mini toast and crostini recipes are perfect for sharing with a crowd. There's nothing better than supplementing good revelry with elevated snacks. Create a spread with multiple types, make the dips and ingredients ahead of time, and serve some of these great holiday toasts that are worth, well, toasting to.
Quick Appetizers
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From delicious falafel-spiced nuts to a riff on classic cheese fondue, these incredible appetizers are ready in an hour or less.