36 Summer Hors d’Oeuvres for a Sizzling-Hot Party Whet your summer appetite with warm-weather starters featuring fresh seafood, sweet corn, crunchy peppers, and more of the season’s best. By Jodie Kautzmann Jodie Kautzmann Jodie Kautzmann is an editor, baker, and confectioner with more than 15 years of experience in content creation, recipe development, and pastry production. She's obsessed with the fine details and ingredients that take dishes from tasty to outright otherworldly. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on July 30, 2026 Add Us On SAVE ALL RECIPES NEW! Save as a collection on MyRecipes Close Credit: Matt Taylor-Gross We like our summer appetizers light and fresh. Think: delicately fried fritto misto, cool ceviche, and irresistible dips. In this recipe roundup, we’ve included seasonal dishes that showcase peak produce such as juicy tomatoes (hello, tomato bruschetta) as well as a few grilled starters, like shrimp cocktail and veggie flatbread, to amp up your summertime shindigs. These are our favorite warm-weather hors d’oeuvres to serve all season long. Keep all of your recipes at your fingertips. With the MyRecipes app you can easily save and organize your favorites from anywhere, including Instagram and TikTok, in one convenient place. Get the free app. 01 of 36 Chile-Coconut Watermelon Crudo Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Crack open a fresh coconut and mix its water with lime juice, ginger, and chiles to marinate sweet slabs of watermelon. Bonus: Once you remove the watermelon, you can use the strained marinade as a cocktail mixer to accompany the crudo. Get the Recipe Save 02 of 36 Texas Caviar Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Texas caviar mixes black-eyed peas, tomatoes, crunchy bell peppers, jalapeño, and onion with a bright and tangy dressing, all rounded out by a bit of honey and cilantro for a balanced, fresh finish. Served with tortilla chips, it’s infinitely snackable. Get the Recipe Save 03 of 36 Cantaloupe Skewers with Mozzarella Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Priscilla Montiel Citrus-marinated cantaloupe ribbons are skewered with creamy mozzarella and dusted with a mix of cilantro, pistachios, and sesame seeds for a bright, refreshing appetizer that will surprise and delight your guests. Get the Recipe Save 04 of 36 Tomato Bruschetta Matt Taylor-Gross This tomato bruschetta is about as classic — and simple — as it gets. Perfectly ripe tomatoes are chopped and tossed with a pinch of salt, are drizzled of balsamic vinegar and olive oil, and topped with fresh basil before they’re served with toasted, garlic-rubbed ciabatta. Get the Recipe Save 05 of 36 Patacones (Fried Plantains) with Sea Bass Ceviche Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Audrey Taylor Winemaker Bibiana González Rave combines shallots with fresh herbs and coconut milk in a mouthwatering sea bass ceviche that brings forth the flavors of her Colombian upbringing. She serves it with smashed, double-fried plantain wafers that act as crispy scoops. Get the Recipe Save 06 of 36 Tomato Flatbread Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Topped with a zesty zhoug, bresaola, cherry tomatoes, and arugula, this light, bright appetizer is easy to prepare thanks to store-bought flatbread. Plus, you can customize it by swapping in prosciutto or drizzling with hot honey. Get the Recipe Save 07 of 36 Tuna Tartare with Coconut and Jerk Peanuts Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christine Keely 2017 F&W Best New Chef Nina Compton’s bright, lively tuna appetizer is dressed in a tangy sauce that melds the bold flavors of fish sauce, tamarind, and coconut. Jerk-seasoned roasted peanuts add a subtle warmth and crunchy contrast. Get the Recipe Save 08 of 36 Chạo Tôm (Sugarcane Shrimp) Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen This delectable Vietnamese appetizer from chef Cường Phạm is made by forming an aromatic shrimp paste around sugarcane skewers, which take on a smoky char when grilled. Get the Recipe Save 09 of 36 Creamed Corn Dip Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Inspired by creamed corn, this dip boasts the sweet, buttery flavors of the popular side with a hearty texture characteristic of any cream cheese–based dip. It’s a great way to use fresh peak-season corn, but frozen sweet yellow corn works, too. Get the Recipe Save 10 of 36 Lobster Sliders Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Barrett Washburne These lobster rolls are among our favorite things to eat on a summer day. To make them, fresh lobster meat is folded into a light, creamy dressing of mayonnaise and crème fraîche seasoned with finely chopped shallots, dill pickles, tarragon, and lemon zest. Get the Recipe Save 11 of 36 Espetinhos de Queijo de Coalho (Grilled Brazilian Cheese with Hot Honey) Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen These grilled cheese skewers from chef Junior Borges are topped with a drizzle of hot honey for an irresistible mix of sweet and salty flavors. Get the Recipe Save 12 of 36 Mango and Halloumi Fritto Misto Victor Protasio F&W’s Justin Chapple forms a light but dippable crust on sturdy halloumi and firm mangoes with a batter of fizzy club soda, flour, and cornstarch for this cheese and fruit mixed fry. Get the Recipe Save 13 of 36 Chunky Guacamole Food & Wine / Photo by Jake Sternquist / Food Styling by Lauren McAnelly / Prop Styling by Sue Mitchell For a great guacamole with plenty of texture, do as Ina Garten does and dice the avocado rather than mash it. Don’t be tempted to add more than the single garlic clove that’s called for — too much raw garlic brings an unpleasant bite. Get the Recipe Save 14 of 36 Grilled Shrimp Cocktail with Fresh Tomato Cocktail Sauce Photo by Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Christina Brockman Give shrimp cocktail a summertime glow-up with a lemony marinade and a trip to the grill for some char. Use prime summer tomatoes to make a fresh take on cocktail sauce, and be sure to serve lots of grilled bread alongside. Get the Recipe Save 15 of 36 Okra Tempura with Lime “Fonzu” Dipping Sauce Photo by Linda Xiao / Food Styling by Kate Buckens / Prop Styling by Maeve Sheridan F&W executive editor Karen Shimizu believes that high-heat cooking with a zap of acid is the ideal way to highlight okra’s texture potential. Scoring the pods maximizes crispness by creating more surface for the airy tempura batter to cling to. Get the Recipe Save 16 of 36 Calamari with Pickled Peppers and Almond Romesco Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen In this recipe from Florida chef Michael Cooper, crisp, perfectly tender calamari teams up with smoky almond romesco and bright, crunchy pickled peppers for a knockout appetizer. Get the Recipe Save 17 of 36 Vaghareli Corn Flautas with Chutney Crema Photo by Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Use two ears of the summer’s freshest corn to make cookbook author Hetal Vasavada’s Indian-inspired take on Mexican flautas. The kernels are generously spiced and tossed with queso Oaxaca before being rolled up in corn tortillas, deep-fried, and served with a mountain of colorful garnishes and a vibrant mint chutney-crema mash-up. Get the Recipe Save 18 of 36 Watermelon Gazpacho Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless Tomatoes, watermelon, and cucumbers are the base of this cool, sweet-tangy riff on the Spanish staple; a scallion relish made with cilantro, jalapeño, and lime juice brightens each spoonful with color and flavor. Get the Recipe Save 19 of 36 Zucchini, Corn, and Shrimp Flatbread Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Thom Driver This festive grilled flatbread recipe is a breeze to put together thanks to its use of store-bought naan as the base. Each of the components cooks separately on the grill, then the flatbreads are assembled and returned to the grill for a few minutes until the bottoms are lightly toasted. Get the Recipe Save 20 of 36 Tzatziki Julia Hartbeck Made from a simple combination of Greek yogurt, cucumber, garlic, lemon juice, and dill, tzatziki has many uses in Greek cuisine. We especially like it as an appetizer served alongside toasted pita wedges or crudités. Get the Recipe Save 21 of 36 Bollitos de Papa y Elote (Potato Elote Bites) Emily Kordovich Inspired by bollitos from the Dominican Republic, 2021 F&W Best New Chef Paola Velez wraps a spiced corn filling inspired by elote in seasoned mashed potatoes and deep-fries the combined snack. Get the Recipe Save 22 of 36 Corn Husk–Grilled Goat Cheese with Corn Relish and Honey Victor Protasio Cookbook author Andrea Slonecker calls this dish “the perfect pre-dinner snack on a summer evening.” To serve, cut a slit in the top layer of the charred husks, top the goat cheese with a drizzle of honey and the corn relish, and enjoy with grilled crostini. Get the Recipe Save 23 of 36 Grilled Vegetable Flatbread with Smoked Almond Muhammara Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen This showstopping vegetarian appetizer combines grilled zucchini, peppers, and squash on sangak, a gigantic Persian flatbread. The vegetables are marinated after grilling, which gives you time to whip up the smoky, tangy muhammara and grill the sangak until golden. Get the Recipe Save 24 of 36 Zucchini and White Bean Dip Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen This summertime dip from F&W’s Ann Taylor Pittman comes together easily in a food processor with cannellini beans and shredded zucchini, which gives it a crunchy pickle-like texture. Get the Recipe Save 25 of 36 Peperonata Agrodolce with Whipped Feta Toast Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless Softened peppers are finished with red wine vinegar and sugar for a sweet-and-sour kick, then served over whipped feta toasts for this impressive appetizer. Get the Recipe Save 26 of 36 Baba Ganoush Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Christina Daley The star of any meze platter, this two-hour take on the silky, smoky eggplant dip develops flavor as it chills, so it’s a perfect make-ahead option. Enjoy it with pita bread or crudités. Get the Recipe Save 27 of 36 Achari Pimiento Cheese Spread Victor Protasio The ultimate dip for a warm summer night, this pimiento cheese spread is spicy and full of flavor. “I took this Southern staple and gave it the OG Spice Boy makeover by incorporating my mom’s classic Indian pickling spices,” says chef Farhan Momin. “Serve this with some crackers, between two slices of white bread, or toasted naan.” Get the Recipe Save 28 of 36 Fried Zucchini Blossoms with Prosciutto and Mozzarella Greg Dupree Here, delicate zucchini blossoms are stuffed with melty mozzarella and salty prosciutto, then lightly battered and fried into a crispy, melt-in-your-mouth treat. Get the Recipe Save 29 of 36 Parmesan-Panko-Crusted Baked Zucchini Jen Causey This golden-topped zucchini appetizer takes less than 30 minutes to make. A cheesy, herbaceous panko breading, adhered to the zucchini with melted butter, gives each round an extra-crispy crust. Get the Recipe Save 30 of 36 Shishito Peppers with Bonito Sand and Tofu Mustard © Marcus Nilsson 2013 F&W Best New Chef Michael Voltaggio uses bonito sand — a combination of bonito flakes, almond flour, sugar, and butter — to provide depth of flavor to his shishito peppers, which he plates over a spicy tofu mustard sauce. Get the Recipe Save 31 of 36 Grilled Oysters with Chorizo Butter © Cedric Angeles The beauty of grilled oysters is that they open on their own, no shucking required. These are topped with chef David Kinch’s smoky, tangy chorizo butter, then garnished with cilantro leaves and lime zest to accent the flavors and provide a pretty pop of color. Get the Recipe Save 32 of 36 Mini Wedge Salads with Anchovy Dressing Greg DuPree Turn the salad course into passed hors d’oeuvres with these wedges of Little Gem lettuce. First spread with the umami-rich anchovy dressing, then dredge in toasted, seasoned panko, and serve. Get the Recipe Save 33 of 36 Perkedel Jagung (Indonesian Corn Fritters) Louise Hagger Chef and cookbook author Lara Lee’s perkedel jagung, or corn fritters, are seasoned with zingy ginger, fragrant makrut lime leaves, shallots, scallions, and garlic, then deep -fried to crispy goodness. They’re especially delicious served alongside Lee’s tomato sambal. Get the Recipe Save 34 of 36 Zucchini and Pepper Gratin with Herbs and Cheese © James Merrell Chef Daniel Humm uses pleasantly salty Sbrinz cheese to top his gratin made with a ratatouille-like mix of sautéed zucchini strips, bell peppers, and tomato, but the recipe also works with Parmigiano-Reggiano. Get the Recipe Save 35 of 36 Stuffed Jalapeños Abby Hocking / Food & Wine Cheesy, perfect with a cold beer, and vegetarian-friendly, these jalapeños belong at your summer get-together. Get the Recipe Save 36 of 36 Grilled Squash Ribbons and Prosciutto with Mint Dressing © Con Poulos Use your mandoline to thinly slice zucchini and yellow squash, then thread the veggies onto bamboo skewers with prosciutto, brush with mint dressing, and grill until the edges are crisp and lightly charred for this elegant summer appetizer. Get the Recipe Save Explore more: Food Recipes Appetizers Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit