Recipe Roundup: Super-Simple Appetizers

Summer ingredients don’t need much to shine, which makes entertaining this time of year a breeze. Whip up these starters in a flash for your next get-together — then relax and join the party!

 

Creamy Herb Dip with Crudites This is a great dip to make if you have a kitchen herb garden — and you can make it a day ahead. Serve it with a platter of raw vegetables for a tasty and beautiful appetizer.

Peaches, Pluots & Coppa Sweet, juicy stone fruits contrast nicely with thinly sliced coppa, a cured meat made from pork shoulder. Add a loaf of crusty bread, and let everyone help themselves!

Bocconcini and Tomato Skewers This creative variation on the classic caprese salad combines tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese and basil into an easy and delicious skewer.

Grilled Figs with Dry Jack and Prosciutto Grilling or roasting fresh figs gives them a caramelized, sweet flavor that enhances this classic Italian-style pairing. Serve the figs hot off the grill as a starter, or combine them with a simple arugula salad for a light meal.

Nectarines with Arugula and Burrata Cheese Creamy burrata cheese meets sweet nectarines in this summer-fresh starter that takes just minutes to assemble. Bake simple crostini and let guests top them with the fruit and cheese.

Cantaloupe with Bresaola This no-cook appetizer is perfect when you’re entertaining on a hot day. A sprinkle of sea salt is the ideal finish touch.

Peach Bruschetta with Ricotta and Prosciutto Here, the bread and the peaches are grilled on a panini press for quick prep. It offers a delicious balance of flavors and textures—crunchy bread, sweet peaches, creamy ricotta cheese, mildly salty prosciutto and peppery arugula.

Fried Pecorino with Stone-Fruit Salsa When you heat aged pecorino in a fry pan, it crisps, rather than melts. These crunchy wafers are delicate and delicious, and their saltiness is perfectly enhanced by a refreshing, chili-flecked summer-fruit salsa.

Shrimp, Cantaloupe and Fresh Herb Skewers Cubes of sweet cantaloupe are paired with marinated shrimp in this passed hors d’oeuvre that is flavorful, refreshing and easy to prepare. Sip a citrusy cocktail on the side, like a classic margarita.

Nectarine and Prosciutto Crostini Appetizers don’t get much easier than this one, which offers thinly sliced nectarines and prosciutto atop crunchy crostini.

Avocado, Basil and Tomato Crostini Try this delicious twist on the classic tomato and basil crostini—the toasts are first spread with mashed avocado, which lends a rich, creamy texture.

Peaches with Prosciutto and Mint Wrap sliced peaches in prosciutto, tuck in a fresh mint leaf and voila! You have an appetizer worthy of a summer cocktail party.

 

See more recipes here!

 

Featured recipe: Panzanella Toasts