Easy Thanksgiving Appetizer Recipes (2024)

Looking for easy Thanksgiving appetizers? Something tasty without being too filling? We have the easiest and tastiest Thanksgiving appetizers you have to try. Thanksgiving is a time for family and food and if your family is anything like mine, you will want to have yummy Thanksgiving appetizers for them to snack on while the turkey is in the oven. Not only do these Easy Thanksgiving Appetizers taste great, they really are easy to make.

Easy Thanksgiving Appetizer Recipes (1)

Quick and Easy Thanksgiving Dinner Appetizer Ideas

Thanksgiving appetizerscan really make a difference and set the tone of your Thanksgiving dinner!

These quick Thanksgiving appetizer recipes can be whipped up with ease… and many of the Thanksgiving dinner starters are based on ingredients you might already have in your pantry making them the perfect last-minute Thanksgiving snack solution!

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1. Apple Cider Mimosas for the Perfect Start to Thanksgiving Dinner

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Sweet apple cider, bubbly tart Champagne, the rich flavors of brown sugar, these mimosas are perfect for a Thanksgiving appetizer. The best part is that this pre-Thanksgiving dinner drink can be made kid-friendly — Take out the champagne and add sparkling water or ginger ale! My favorite part of this Thanksgiving dinner appetizer idea are the floating slices!

Ingredients Needed To Make Apple Cider Mimosas:

Directions To Make Apple Cider Mimosas:

  1. First, pour the apple cider and champagne into a champagne flute.
  2. Next, add a sprinkle of brown sugar and apple slices for garnish.
  3. Serve immediately.

2. Tasty and Spicy Pumpkin Seeds are the Perfect App Idea!

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What a unique Thanksgiving starter! This Thanksgiving appetizer recipe is a little outside of the box, healthy, and absolutely delicious! Spicy pumpkin seeds…yum! This Thanksgiving appetizer is sweet, earthy and spicy. The perfect snack packed with flavor!

Ingredients Needed To Make Tasty and Spicy Pumpkin Seeds:

Directions To Make Tasty and Spicy Pumpkin Seeds:

  1. Start by preheating the oven to 300 degrees.
  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or a silpat mat.
  3. In a large bowl, mix together 3 tablespoons of sugar, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, and cayenne pepper.
  4. Place the pumpkin seeds on a baking sheet, and spray with cooking spray. Then, add a pinch of salt, to taste.
  5. Bake the seeds until lightly golden, for about 20 minutes.
  6. Heat the olive oil over medium heat, and stir in the toasted pumpkin seeds, along with the additional 2 tablespoons of sugar.
  7. Add the caramelized seeds into the bowl with the sugar-spice mixture. Toss, and then let cool.
  8. Serve.

3. Caprese Skewersare Light & Yummy Thanksgiving Appetizers

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This Thanksgiving appetizer is oh so simple, but one of my favorites and a healthy choice. The sweet and tart flavor of a tomato paired with the sweet taste of mozzarella and the herbaceous flavor of basil is an amazing combination. Seriously, this Thanksgiving appetizer is out of this world.

Ingredients Needed To Make Healthy Caprese Skewers:

  • Grape Tomatoes
  • 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Mozzarella Cheese, cubed
  • 2 Tablespoons Fresh Basil leaves, chopped
  • Pinch of Salt
  • Pinch of Ground Black Pepper

Directions To Make Healthy Caprese Skewers:

  1. In a large bowl, toss the tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, olive oil, basil, salt, and pepper together, until well coated.
  2. Using a toothpick, layer the tomatoes and mozzarella cheese.
  3. Serve.

4. Easy Crab Dip Recipe for Thanksgiving Appetizer Bliss

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Y’all, if you’ve never had crab dip, you’re seriously missing out. It’s cheesy, rich, spicy, salty, with delicious crab meat with a nice spray of lemon! It’s so good! It’s hard not to fill up on it before Thanksgiving dinner!

Ingredients Needed To Make Easy Crab Dip:

Directions To Make Easy Crab Dip:

  1. First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, onion, mayo, crabmeat, garlic powder, a splash of lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
  3. Then, spread the mixture into a baking dish.
  4. Bake for 15 minutes.
  5. Remove from the oven, and add Mexican Cheese on top. Return the dish to the oven, and bake until the cheese melts.
  6. Remove from the oven and mix.
  7. Add to a serving bowl, and serve with crackers or bread.

5. Turkey Cheese Ball is Thanksgiving Appetizer GENIUS

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Oh my goodness, how cute is this? It’s a little turkey…a delicious turkey that you can eat as an appetizer! This turkey shaped cheese ball is a cute play on a cheese ball and oh so good at Thanksgiving. Who doesn’t have a cheeseball on Thanksgiving? Crackers, veggies, nuts, yum!

Ingredients Needed To Make Creative Turkey Cheese Ball:

For the turkey shaped cheese ball:

For the turkey details:

Directions To Make Turkey Cheese Ball:

  1. Beat together the cream cheese, butter, mustard, garlic, and ranch dressing mix.
  2. Shape into a ball, and then cover and refrigerate for 6-8 hours.
  3. Remove the cheese ball from the refrigerator and place it on a serving dish.
  4. Use the pretzel-style crackers in the back for the feathers.
  5. Add pecans for the rest of the feathers on the body.
  6. Cut the red pepper to create a neck and the head of the turkey.
  7. Add extra cream cheese for eyes with black olives in the middle.
  8. Serve.

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Do you serve any Thanksgiving appetizers? Comment below with your family’s favorite Thanksgiving starter dishes!

Easy Thanksgiving Appetizer Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Should you serve appetizers before Thanksgiving dinner? ›

So, you might not think to add Thanksgiving appetizers to your holiday menu. But, here's the reason why you should: everyone shows up to Thanksgiving dinner feeling hungry! And if you want to hold your guests over until the main event, these easy small bites are the way to go.

How many appetizers should you have at Thanksgiving? ›

Three or four bites of food per person should be plenty. For shrimp co*cktail, oysters or larger crostini, plan about two pieces per person. If you're serving smaller, one-bite hors d'oeuvres, allot three per person total. For dip, 3 ounces per guest will be plenty.

What is an antipasto for Thanksgiving? ›

Antipasti ~ ~ Appetizers

While raw veggies and dip make the rounds at an American Thanksgiving, Italians love to enjoy sausage, cheeses, stuffed mushrooms, and assorted olives. Traditional antipasti dishes are on display, including stuffed peppers and artichokes, shrimp, and roasted vegetables in olive oil.

How many sides should you serve for Thanksgiving? ›

How many dishes should I serve with the turkey? For 4 people, choose 1-2 appetizers and 3 sides. For 8 people, choose 1-3 appetizers and 3 sides. For 16 people, choose 2-3 appetizers and 3 or more sides.

What is the difference between appetizer and antipasto? ›

If you're referring to a single appetizer, like a piece of cheese or bread, call it an antipasto. If you're referring to the whole platter or multiple appetizers, call it antipasti.

Is there a difference between charcuterie and antipasto? ›

Focus: Antipasto is a platter that contains a combination of cured meats, cheeses, vegetables, and other complementary items, whereas charcuterie is primarily focused on cured meats. Origin: Antipasto originated in Italy, while charcuterie is a French term.

What is the least favorite side dish for Thanksgiving? ›

And the least favorite side dish for Americans on Thanksgiving is -- green bean casserole. 31.4 percent of people surveyed do not like it.

What is the number one Thanksgiving side dish? ›

Mashed potatoes are a traditional Thanksgiving side dish for a reason, and we definitely look forward to serving up this delicious dish every November.

How much food do I need for Thanksgiving for 12 people? ›

I recommend 4 appetizers or bites per person. Most resources out there will recommend between 1 and 2 pounds of turkey per person. I think it's safe to plan for 1 1/2 pounds per person.

Are appetizers served before meals? ›

Usually, an appetizer is a small serving of food — just a few bites — meant to be eaten before an entree, and often shared by several people. You can also call an appetizer an hors d'oeuvre. An appetizer is meant to stimulate your appetite, making you extra hungry for your meal.

Why are appetizers served first before the main dish? ›

Interestingly, appetizers before a meal help manage hunger without causing a customer to feel too full. Since apps are often light and small, they don't get in the way of entrees. Plus, they ready guests for main courses by exciting the palate and preparing the stomach for more delicious food to come.

How many appetizers to serve before dinner? ›

For an event during mealtime, plan on 12-15 total pieces per guest so that they're appetite is satisfied. If the event occurs between standard mealtimes, allocate 8 – 10 pieces per person for nibbling. Finally, for longer parties lasting longer than 4 hours, allocate 2 additional pieces per person, per hour.

How long should you wait between appetizers and dinner? ›

Say you've invited your guests for dinner at 6:30 - you'll want to leave a 30-minute window for them to arrive, as not everyone is going to be punctual. Once the clock strikes 7:00, you can start serving the starters, leaving guests about 15 minutes of time to enjoy them before moving on to the main course.

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