Five Easy Crowd-Pleasing Appetizer Recipes

Procrastination happens to the best of us. So whether you’ve been too busy getting everything else ready for your soirée that you put food off until the last minute, or life just went from zero to 100 overnight, here are five of our favorite crowd-pleasing party appetizers that are easy to throw together.

BLT Dip

(image via simple joy)

Who doesn’t love a good dip? This BLT dip recipe from Simple Joy comes together in just four ingredients and is best served with potato chips or pretzels.

Ingredients:

• 12 oz bacon, diced
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 3 Roma tomatoes, diced
• Lettuce (for topping)

Instructions:

1. Cook bacon in a heavy-bottomed skillet until just browned. Using a slotted spoon, remove it from the pan to a paper towel-lined plate.
2. Whisk together mayonnaise and sour cream. Stir in tomatoes and cooked bacon. Top with shredded lettuce and serve with chips, crackers, or pretzels.

French Fry Charcuterie Board

(image via the delicious life)

What if we told you that putting together the perfect charcuterie board meant tossing some frozen French fries into the oven and pouring various sauces into small bowls? Check out this awesomely easy idea from The Delicious Life.

Ingredients:

• 3-5 bags frozen French fries in different shapes (shoestring, curly, crinkle-cut, waffle-cut, wedges, etc.)
• ⅓ cup ketchup
• ⅓ cup sriracha aioli
• ⅓ chili con queso
• ⅓ cup honey mustard
• ⅓ cup whipped guacamole
• ⅓ cup yogurt ranch

Instructions:

1. Prepare frozen French fries according to package instructions. Allot about 1 cup of fries per person, and make sure to include a variety of shapes.
2. Put each dip in a small bowl or ramekin, then place on the serving board, tray, or baking sheet.
3. Once the fries are cooked, remove from oven and place them on the serving board around the sauces and dips.
4. Serve immediately.

Bacon Popcorn

(image via julie blanner)

Your guests will be enjoying this savory snack – made with only two ingredients – by the handful. Pro-party tip: If you’re serving cocktails, this is the ultimate salty snack for guests to reach for as they enjoy their beverages. Check out this recipe from Julie Blanner.

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp bacon grease
• ½ cup unpopped popcorn kernels
• ½ cup crumbled bacon (optional)

Instructions:

1. In a large pot, heat grease on high. Add kernels and place lid on pot. Shake pot back and forth to keep the kernels popping.
2. When popping slows, remove from heat. Garnish with cheddar cheese and fresh bacon bits if desired.

Loaded Tater Tot Cups

(image via the feathered nester)

If you want to do something a little more fancy than French fries, try this loaded tater-tot cup recipe from The Feathered Nester. They’re just as easy to make but look a little more gourmet.

Ingredients:

• 48-60 frozen tater tots (16 oz bag)
• ¾ cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• ½ cup sour cream
• 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 2 green onions, sliced (green part only)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 450º F. Spray muffin pan cups with cooking spray.
2. For mini-sized muffin pan, place 2-3 tater tots in each cup. For regular-sized muffin pan, place 4-5 tater tots in each cup.
3. Place muffin pan on bottom rack of the oven and bake 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven.
4. Spray the bottom of a shot glass or small juice glass with cooking spray. Use it (in a twisting motion) to press the tater tots into each muffin cup to make potato cup. Return to oven; bake additional 15 minutes or until deep golden brown.
5. Add 1 Tbsp of cheese to each potato cup. Bake 4-5 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Transfer to platter and let cool for 5 minutes.
6. Add sour cream, bacon, and green onion to each tater tot cup. Serve warm.

Spaghetti and Meatballs on a Stick

(image via hallmark)

Believe it or not, spaghetti and meatballs can be a finger food. Kind of. Check out this recipe from Hallmark.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound angel hair pasta or spaghettini
• Olive oil or cooking spray
• 1 jar spaghetti sauce
• 2 pounds packaged cooked meatballs (½ oz each), heated according to package directions
• 64 pronged skewers
• 1 bunch fresh sweet basil, leaves torn in half
• 1 block fresh Parmesan cheese, cut into thin 1-inch squares

Instructions:

1. Cook pasta to al dente, according to package directions. Spray drained pasta with nonstick cooking spray or toss with olive oil. Set aside.
2. Warm meatballs in the sauce on the stovetop. Transfer meatballs to a serving platter.
3. Working with 3 strands or so, twirl pasta around a skewer. Add a torn basil leaf and square of Parmesan to the skewer, then stick into a sauced meatball.