53 Summer Appetizers to Enjoy With Friends
We’ve missed gathering with friends and family, snacking on summer appetizers as the grill heats up. And now that we’re back to throwing dinner parties, we really want to ace that predinner hour, focusing on easy summer appetizers and snacks that encourage everyone to relax and catch up—including the host. These snacks will curb your hunger while still letting you save room for whatever grilling recipes you’ve got on deck. Below you’ll find our favorite little bites for eating right now and all through the warmer months—the best easy summer appetizers for your cookout, including simple dips, many ways to eat tomatoes, creamy deviled eggs, refreshing crudités, and more.
Photo and Styling by Joseph De Leo1/53Burnt Eggplant Butter on Tomato Toasts
Summer appetizers that start with charred eggplant and grilled bread are always delicious, but cookbook author Olia Hercules ups the ante, mixing the luscious eggplant with salt, pepper, and butter. Slather it onto toast that's rubbed with garlic and tomato and you've got the ideal appetizer for a bbq.
- Photo by Christina Holmes2/53
Jalapeño Poppers With Smoked Gouda
Forget about the deep-fried version of this summer snack. When you're thinking about appetizers for a cookout, you want this grilled version, filled with tangy cream cheese and savory smoked Gouda. It's high on our list of the very best appetizers for bbq afternoons.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Megan Hedgpeth, Food Styling by Simon Andrews3/53
Baked Tomatoes, Peppers, and Goat Cheese with Crisped Toasts
Grab a baguette and make this one one happen. Savory-sweet, luscious tomatoes pair well with rounds of soft goat cheese.
- Photo by Gentl & Hyers4/53
Crudités With Grilled Green Goddess Dip
Everyone loves an easy dip, but everyone really loves a dip that starts on the grill for a bit of smoky flavor.
- Gabriela Herman5/53
Grilled Pop-Up Oysters
When you don't feel like struggling to shuck oysters, just throw them on the grill.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell6/53
Grand Aioli
This is elegant snacking—and you can serve it as an appetizer or the full meal.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Megan Hedgpeth, Food Styling by Liza Jernow7/53
Tonnato Eggs
Deviled eggs are a summer picnic tradition. But this version really wows, thanks to a savory, briny tonnato-inspired filling. Top with crispy capers, and salmon roe if desired.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Sue Li8/53
Pimiento Cheese Crackers
If you've never made crackers before, don't be intimidated. This dough can be formed into a log and stashed in the freezer so it’s on hand for whenever you just happen to need a summer bbq appetizer.
- Photo by Alex Lau9/53
Marinated Goat Cheese With Herbs and Spices
Minimal effort, maximum flavor. Easy summer appetizers like this one are the way to go. Follow up with grilled veggies or seafood and you've got a feast.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Monica Pierini10/53
Crudités With Chile-Lime Salt
Forget dip: this zesty spiced salt wakes up any sliced raw fruit or veggie—don’t feel limited to the ones listed in the recipe.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Lillian Chou11/53
Kue Keju
These savory Indonesian cookies from cookbook author Lara Lee are perfectly buttery, crumbly, and cheesy. Which means they're essentially the ultimate snack.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Aneta Florczyk, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou12/53
Radishes With Crème Fraîche and Furikake
Crunchy meets creamy, with a touch of savory. And did we mention easy?
- Photo by Alex Lau13/53
Shishito Pepper–Pistachio Dip
Toasty pistachios form the base of this bright green dip, blended with creamy tofu, scallions, shishito peppers, and carrot tops.
- Photo by Christina Holmes14/53
Quick-Pickled Charred Vegetables
These easy pickles are grilled before they're brined, giving you a boldly flavored bite that's perfectly refreshing. Serve with a cheese board for the perfect summer app.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Aneta Florczyk, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou15/53
Crispy Turmeric-and-Pepper-Spiced Chicken Wings
Start your summer dinner party right with these flavorful wings—just make sure you have plenty of napkins on hand.
- Photo by Greg DuPree16/53
Grilled Peach Toast With Pimiento Cheese
For an appetizer that brings together all of the best flavors of the warmer months, pile grilled bread with smoky pimiento cheese, avocado, grilled peaches, and crunchy radish slices.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Anna Billingskog17/53
Pickled Shrimp
These prep-ahead pickled shrimp get their tangy flavor from apple cider vinegar, English-style dry mustard, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, garlic, dried hot red pepper flakes, lemon, and fresh dill.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Aneta Florczyk, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou18/53
Flatbread With Avocado and Scallion Salsa
Pillowy flatbread is an optimal canvas for buttery avocados and a spicy salsa, but it can also be a vehicle for all kinds of dips and spreads. Just don’t call it avocado toast!
- Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Sue Li19/53
Zucchini-Lentil Fritters With Lemony Yogurt
These crispy zucchini fritters are a great way to use up your backyard zucchini harvest. They take inspiration from the Bengali onion snack piyaju. Soaked and blended red lentils make up the batter, which is spiked with turmeric and chile powder.
- Photo by Marcus Nilsson, Prop Styling by Amy Wilson, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich20/53
Tomato Toast with Chives and Sesame Seeds
Juicy, jewel-toned, peak season tomatoes need little meddling: Thick slices of toasted country bread spread with a garlic-mayo schmear and sprinkling of sesame, chives, and lemon zest add just enough interest.
- Charles Masters21/53
Herbed Feta Dip
You say dip, we say easy. Get your raw vegetables and pita ready for dunking.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton22/53
Fried Okra
It's not summer without okra. This buttermilk-fried version just might be the best we've tried.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Andy Baraghani23/53
Muhammara
When toasted walnuts and broiled sweet red bell peppers come together, everything is beautiful.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Sue Li24/53
Marinated Manchego
The only thing more crowd-pleasing than cheese is marinated cheese. If Manchego isn’t your thing, go for any semi-firm cheese like white cheddar, Gouda, or Monterey Jack.
- Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boystova25/53
Ranch Fun Dip
Change up your dip game by whipping up this crunchy mix, a savory take on Fun Dip, packed with the flavor of pistachios, nutritional yeast, dried dill, onion powder, and salt.
- Photo by Chelsie Craig, Prop Styling by Emily Eisen, Food Styling by Molly Baz26/53
Niçoise Toast
When you serve Niçoise on toast, it's the perfect summer starter. Each piece gets a slick of garlic and vinegar-spiked paprika mayo, which definitely makes everything better.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Pearl Jones27/53
Smoked Oysters on Toast
Smoked oysters are succulent and salty—we love them paired with this luscious deviled egg spread.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Sue Li28/53
Onion-Dip Potato Chips
When you season your own chips, you can dial in the flavors precisely to your taste. Fresh dill and lemon keep this version bright.
- Photo by Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott29/53
Swiss Chard–Tahini Dip
Don't feel like a pile of greens? Turn your Swiss chard into dip instead.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Kendra Smoot30/53
Pan con Tomate
This isn't traditional pan con tomate, but it is a really delicious way to eat every heirloom tomato you can get your hands on.
- Photo by Kristin Perers31/53
Eggplant and Yogurt Spread (Borani-E Bâdenjân)
This is a wonderful dip with a subtle flavor of caramelized onion and saffron and a silky texture offset by the lovely crunch of the walnut garnish.
- Photo by Alex Lau32/53
Tomato-Lemon Tart
Using frozen puff pastry means this fancy tart is actually a super-easy appetizer for a cookout.
- Photo by Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Andy Baraghani33/53
Sea Bream Crudo with Lemon and Olives
Looking for refreshing appetizer recipes? Raw seafood is the answer. Sea bream is lovely here, but you can also use porgy or snapper.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Sue Li34/53
Spicy Lightly Pickled Cucumbers
These quick pickles have just the right amount of sweet, salt, and tang going on. The brine can work with any crunchy veg, but we like them best with cucumbers. We guarantee they'll be the sleeper hit of your next backyard gathering.
- Photo by Danny Culbert35/53
Caramelized Eggplant With Harissa Yogurt
The air fryer really shines when you use it for vegetables—if you haven't tried it yet, start with this recipe.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Ali Nardi36/53
Five-Cheese Pimento Cheese
This just might be the ultimate pimento cheese, packed with cheddar, Parmesan, pepper Jack, cream cheese, and mayo. Pimento peppers, too, of course.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone37/53
Campechana Extra (Mexican Seafood Cocktail)
This version of Mexican seafood cocktail marries plump shrimp, sweet crabmeat, juicy tomato, smoky New Mexican chiles, briny olives, and creamy avocado.
- Photo by Alex Lau38/53
Figs with Bacon and Chile
When you start seeing ripe figs at your local market, pounce on them so you can make this easy—but perfect—appetizer.
- Danny Kim39/53
Crab Toasts with Spicy Yogurt
Used in place of mayonnaise, yogurt brings tang and brightness to these crostini.
- Photo by Cara Howe40/53
Broiled Goat Cheese Toasts With Marinated Greens
This simple appetizer is a hit at get-togethers due in large part to the vast appeal of warm cheesy things.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone41/53
Hummus Tehina
This isn't just any hummus. It's creamy, silky, luscious, and perfect for any topping you could throw at it.
- Photo by Alex Lau42/53
Charred Caprese Sandwich
How do you improve on a classic Caprese salad? Grill your tomatoes—and then spill them over charred baguette. There's no balsamic vinegar in this recipe—instead, the mix of tomato and mozzarella is brightened with shallots that sit for a moment in a bit of red wine vinegar. Serve with a spritz and a platter of prosciutto or antipasto on the side for an Italian-themed happy hour.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Anna Billingskog43/53
Jammy Eggs With Smoked Paprika Aioli
This simple summer snack is just as delicious as deviled eggs, but a whole lot easier to make. The condiment on top is a simple jazzed-up mayo—no piping required.
- Photo by Alex Lau44/53
Seedy Oat Crackers
Gather every seed in your pantry or freezer and make these oat-filled crackers. You can prep them up to a week ahead of your summer party, so there's no need for last-minute baking.
- Photo by Peter Frank Edwards45/53
Squash Blossom Cheeseadilla
Melt Parmesan into tortilla-like discs to sandwich spicy squash blossoms for this summery hors d'oeuvre.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, prop styling by Brian Heiser, food styling by Rhoda Boone46/53
Radishes With Herbed Salt and Olive Oil
Summertime hors d'oeuvres can be as simple as slicing some radishes in half and mixing up an herby salt for dipping. This one has parsley, tarragon, chives, oregano, and garlic, but feel free to improvise with whatever fresh herbs you have on hand.
- Photo & Food Styling by Joseph De Leo47/53
Habanero BBQ Shrimp
Grilled shrimp skewers can be a main dish (just add corn on the cob and a watermelon salad), but they're also an awesome appetizer.
- Photo by Alex Lau48/53
Cacio e Pepe Chips
Chips, but better. If you're into the pasta dish, you'll love these.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton49/53
3-Ingredient Grilled and Fresh Tomato Salsa
A simple salsa that makes use of your grill. Serve with tortilla chips—and margaritas or palomas. Then whip up some tacos for your main course.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Lillian Chou50/53
Mala Fried Peanuts
Tingly Sichuan peppercorns, white pepper, five-spice powder, strips of chiles, and a little salt and sugar make these peanuts a fantastic snack.
- Photo by Andrew Purcell, Food Styling by Carrie Purcell51/53
Vegan Sour Cream and Onion Dip
The best plant-based substitute for sour cream? Plant-based cream cheese. When blended, it best approximates the flavor and texture of sour cream. Top the bowl with crispy fried shallots for additional brightness and texture.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Drew Aichele52/53
Chile con Queso
When Hatch chiles are available, you've gotta make queso. Sprinkle with cilantro just before serving.
- Photo by Christopher Testani.53/53
Summer Crudités With Bagna Cauda
Summer appetizers should feel easy-going, like this flavorful, garlicky dipping sauce that pairs with any vegetables you've got. Head to the market to gather cucumbers, radishes, bitter greens, baby artichokes, fennel, and more, and you can sit and snack for hours.
Kendra Vaculin