30 easy appetizers for a crowd
Guests on the way? These dips, bites and skewers come together fast and disappear even faster. Every appetizer here takes 20 minutes or less.
Updated October 2026 · ranked by popularity
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1. Classic guacamole
Chunky, zingy guacamole with ripe avocado, lime, tomato, red onion, chile and plenty of cilantro. Made in one bowl in ten minutes.
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2. Buffalo chicken dip
Shredded rotisserie chicken in a tangy cream cheese, hot sauce and ranch dip, topped with cheddar and broiled until bubbling. Celery and chips for scooping.
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3. Stovetop spinach artichoke dip
Creamy, cheesy spinach and artichoke dip made in one pan on the stove with frozen spinach and canned artichoke hearts. Serve warm with tortilla chips.
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4. Classic deviled eggs
Hard-boiled eggs with a creamy yolk filling sharpened with Dijon, vinegar and a pinch of cayenne, then finished with paprika and chives.
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5. Copycat Red Lobster Cheddar Bay biscuits
Our take on Red Lobster's Cheddar Bay Biscuits: fluffy cheddar drop biscuits with a garlic kick, brushed hot with garlic-parsley butter. No rolling or cutting.
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6. Crispy garlic bread
Crispy-edged, buttery garlic bread made with a split baguette, fresh garlic butter and parsley, baked hot then broiled for golden, crunchy tops.
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7. Restaurant-style salsa
Smooth, scoopable blender salsa like the kind that comes with chips at Mexican restaurants, made with canned tomatoes, jalapeño, onion, cilantro and lime.
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8. Pico de gallo
Fresh, chunky pico de gallo with ripe Roma tomatoes, white onion, jalapeño, cilantro and lime. Ready in 10 minutes for chips, tacos and eggs.
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9. Skillet queso dip
Silky white queso made with deli American cheese and Monterey Jack, studded with green chiles and topped with fresh pico de gallo. Ready in 12 minutes.
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10. Bacon ranch dip
Cream cheese and sour cream whipped with ranch seasoning, crispy bacon, cheddar and scallions. A cold, creamy dip for chips, crackers and veggies in 15 minutes.
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11. BBQ little smokies
Cocktail sausages simmered in a sticky, sweet and tangy barbecue and grape jelly glaze. The retro party favorite, made on the stovetop in 15 minutes.
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12. Hot bean dip
Creamy refried beans warmed with taco seasoning, salsa and cream cheese, then smothered in melted cheddar and Jack. A hot, cheesy crowd-pleaser in 15 minutes.
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13. Loaded sheet pan nachos
Tortilla chips layered with black beans and melted cheddar under the broiler, then piled with tomato, avocado, jalapeños and sour cream.
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14. Rotel dip (sausage queso)
Creamy melted cheese, browned sausage and tomatoes with green chiles stirred together into a warm, scoopable queso. The three-ingredient game-day dip.
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15. Seven-layer dip
Spiced refried beans, guacamole, sour cream, salsa, cheese, black olives and scallions layered in one dish. No cooking, just grab the tortilla chips.
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16. Tomato and basil bruschetta
Grilled sourdough rubbed with raw garlic and piled with ripe tomatoes, basil, red onion and olive oil. Simple, fresh and gone in minutes.
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17. Air fryer jalapeño poppers
Jalapeño halves stuffed with a cheddar, cream cheese and bacon filling, topped with crunchy panko and air fried until golden. Hot, creamy, crispy game-day bites.
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18. Cowboy caviar
Black beans, black-eyed peas, corn, peppers and tomatoes tossed in a zesty lime vinaigrette. A colorful, scoopable dip with tortilla chips.
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19. French onion dip
Deeply golden, jammy onions folded into tangy sour cream with a little garlic and Worcestershire. The real-onion version of the classic chip dip, ready in 20 minutes.
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20. Grilled Mexican street corn (elote)
Corn on the cob grilled until charred, then slathered in mayo and crema, rolled in salty cotija, dusted with chili powder and finished with lime.
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21. Pigs in a blanket
Cocktail franks wrapped in strips of crescent dough and baked in a hot oven until puffed and golden, with a quick honey mustard for dipping.
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22. Sausage-stuffed mushrooms
Bite-size cremini caps filled with Italian sausage, cream cheese and Parmesan, baked until golden and bubbling. A crowd-pleasing holiday appetizer.
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23. Five-minute hummus
Smoother, lighter hummus than the tub, made from a can of chickpeas, good tahini and a splash of ice water. Ready in five minutes flat.
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24. Dill pickle dip
Tangy, crunchy dill pickles and fresh dill stirred into cream cheese and sour cream with a splash of pickle brine. A cold, zippy dip that takes 10 minutes.
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25. Stovetop nacho cheese sauce
Silky nacho cheese made with sharp cheddar and evaporated milk that stays smooth, never grainy. Spiked with jalapeño brine and served with tortilla chips.
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26. Air fryer baked brie with jam and pecans
A whole wheel of brie warmed in the air fryer until molten, then topped with raspberry jam, toasted pecans and honey. The easiest holiday party appetizer.
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27. Homemade mozzarella sticks
String cheese double-coated in seasoned breadcrumbs and shallow-fried until golden and gooey inside. Served hot with warm marinara for dipping.
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28. Hot crab dip
Lump crab folded into a warm, creamy cheese sauce seasoned with Old Bay, lemon and garlic. A Maryland-style party dip made on the stovetop in 15 minutes.
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29. Stovetop candied pecans
Toasty pecan halves coated in a crackly cinnamon brown-sugar glaze, made in one skillet in about 15 minutes. Great for snacking, gifting or topping salads.
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30. Mexican street corn dip
Charred corn, jalapeño and scallions folded into a warm, creamy cheese dip with lime, chili powder and cotija. All the flavor of elote, scoopable with chips.
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For a party, pick one creamy dip, one hot bite and one fresh, no-cook option. That mix covers most tastes and keeps your time at the stove short.