30 Best Thanksgiving Appetizers
This collection of easy Thanksgiving appetizers includes easy to make recipes that are totally delicious. Choose from more than 30 festive, flavorful finger foods to serve guests before the holiday meal.
Includes recipes suitable for vegan, vegetarian, low carb and gluten free diets. Weight Watchers points included in some recipes.
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Since much of our Thanksgiving planning and preparation is focused on the big holiday meal, appetizers are often relegated to an afterthought or even overlooked altogether. Which is why I’m sharing this list of the best Thanksgiving appetizers to serve at your holiday gathering.
Whether you’re hosting a small group or feeding a crowd, these tasty appetizers and finger foods are the perfect amuse-bouche for keeping guests satisfied until it’s time for the main event, aka Thanksgiving dinner.
From easy dips, charcuterie board, fruits and veggie platters, and deviled eggs to an array of pinwheels and meatballs, these Thanksgiving appetizers come together quickly and easily. And less preparation means more time to spend with family and friends, which is what Thanksgiving is all about! Ps check out these Thanksgiving Sides.
Bintu’s Tips for Holiday Meals
- Create a timeline: Whether it’s a dinner for 4 or brunch for 20, identifying when certain tasks need to be done helps ensure your meal comes together smoothly.
- Get a jump on the prep work: Defrosting, chopping, slicing, and assembling certain dishes in advance means you’ll have less work to do on the day of your event.
- Set your table in advance: Get your dishes, glassware, serving platters, and utensils set out the night before to make sure you have all you need and can check that task off your list.
Handy Tip: Use Good Kitchen Tools!
For the best tools to help make your recipe even easier and more successful, check out my collection of the Best Kitchen Tools on Amazon.
Best Thanksgiving Appetizers
A French Charcuterie Platter is an easy and delicious appetizer that is ideal for all sorts of occasions. Assemble for casual picnics and gatherings, or create as a centerpiece at cocktail parties and special events. This spread will be a fun way to mix up traditional Thanksgiving dishes!
This Bacon Wrapped Dates Air Fryer recipe is perfect for holiday entertaining or any occasion. You’ll love how quick and easy it is to make this elegant and delicious 3-ingredient Thanksgiving appetizer.
You will ♡ this gorgeous pink, creamy and over the top delicious Beet Hummus. It is extremely easy to make with pantry staples and in a blender. Double or triple this colorful hummus recipe and serve as a starter at your Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving!
Learn how to make a Mezze Platter that’s perfect for serving with family and friends. Grab the biggest serving tray you have and I’ll teach you how to make an inviting mezze board that everyone will love at your next holiday party!
This festive cold dip is so quick and easy to make, so it’s perfect for Thanksgiving and Friendsgiving gatherings, or whenever you need an easy but impressive appetizer.
Grape Jelly Meatballs in the crockpot are a flavor explosion in every bite and are not only a family favorite but also the ultimate crowd-pleaser. Make these for your next cookout appetizers, fall game day, or Thanksgiving feast.
This easy air fryer falafel recipe gives you deliciously crunchy falafels on the outside and soft on the inside. Healthier than the deep-fried version, these air-fried falafels are perfect for a delicious and healthy addition to your Thanksgiving spread!
This charcuterie Christmas tree is such a great appetizer for the Festive season. It’s filled with all your favorite snacks and is perfect for Christmas parties, Friendsmas, or any gathering.
This charcuterie wreath is the showstopper you need at your Christmas table. These skewers are the perfect appetizer and work well for Christmas parties, Friendsmas, or any other festivities.
Baked turkey meatballs are so easy and flavorful! This ground turkey meatballs recipe is perfect for meal prep and when you need a quick dinner on those busy weeknights. This is a fun alternative for Turkey you can use for a great Thanksgiving app or even a Friendsgiving dish!
Make the savoury Instant Pot Pumpkin Hummus with this no soak chickpeas recipe! With just a few pantry ingredients, you can easily make this spiced pumpkin hummus that is high in protein and healthy. Serve it up as a Fall or Thanksgiving appetizer, dip, or snack.
This warm Cream Cheese Dip is perfect for any party or gathering, especially your game day spread. Perfect to serve with your Thanksgiving feast as a side dish.
Air Fryer Mac and Cheese Balls are the ultimate comfort food! And just 3 ingredients are all that’s needed to whip up this totally crave-worthy appetizer, snack, or side. This is a fun dish that will be a great alternative to the classic mac and cheese side dish.
These veggie pinwheels are easily made with everyday ingredients like soft tortillas, cream cheese, and fresh vegetables. They can be made ahead as an easy appetizer or snack for your Thanksgiving meal!
Learn how to make a fruit tray that is bursting with gorgeous color and delicious flavor! I am sharing all my tips and tricks for assembling and customizing an amazing fruit platter that is perfect for all sorts of fall holiday meals!
These Dill Pickle Pinwheels are a fun, tasty, and easy-to-make appetizer that everyone will love. Packed with the tangy flavor of dill pickles, creamy cheese, and savory ham, they are perfect for fall parties and as a Thanksgiving appetizer!
These Buffalo chicken pinwheels are an easy-to-eat and easy-to-make way to indulge in spicy buffalo chicken flavor without the mess of traditional wings. They're a fun dish to serve for Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving apps!
Indulge in the ultimate holiday treat with our cranberry pecan cheese ball! Creamy, crunchy, and bursting with seasonal flavors, it’s a festive must-have for your Thanksgiving spread.
Italian Pinwheels are packed with delicious Italian flavors, all rolled up in a soft tortilla. They’re great for serving at any fall party or Thanksgiving feast or just for a tasty snack whenever you need one!
Ham Roll Ups will be your favorite back to school lunch solution! Super quick and easy to make, these tasty ranch ham and cream cheese roll ups are totally kid-approved. These are a delicious dish that you can serve for a fall party or as an easy Thanksgiving appetizer!
Want to scare up some fun during spooky season? This Nightmare Before Christmas Halloween Charcuterie Board is perfect for serving at Halloween parties and can easy be themed to Thanksgiving instead for a fun appetizer!
Air Fryer Sausage Rolls are the perfect 4 ingredient Thanksgiving appetizer option, and they cook in just 10 minutes. Add a few side dishes, and you can turn this crispy sausage rolls air fryer recipe into a main dish the whole family will love.
Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Shrimp is an easy and simple appetizer that’s perfect for any occasion! Great for entertaining on holidays like Thanksgiving and for appetizers, fancy dinners, and even for serving as a tasty main dish.
Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Scallops are an easy-to-make yet impressive and elegant appetizer. The perfect finger food for serving at Thanksgiving and Friendsgiving parties!
These sour cream and onion flavored Instant Pot Deviled Eggs are a super tasty take on a classic. Ideal for serving up as party appetizers, Thanksgiving, protein-packed snacks, or a hearty game day nosh.
With this Apple Chips Air Fryer Recipe, it’s quick and easy to whip up a delicious, healthy, and totally addictive snack. Made with just 2 ingredients and absolutely no sugar or oil, you can indulge in these crispy air fryer apple chips treat guilt-free along side your Thanksgiving spread!
Chocolate Hummus is a dreamy and sweet dessert hummus that’s actually healthy (but no one will know it). It is a great spread, appetizer, or dessert to pair with your Thanksgiving feast!
This creamy cheese Instant Pot Spinach Artichoke Dip is an easy, minimal prep, crowd-pleasing savory dip. Just the thing to serve with chips, veggie sticks and bread during game day, potluck, Thanksgiving parties, and more.
More Thanksgiving Recipes
- 60+ Thanksgiving side dishes
- Easy Thanksgiving salad recipes
- Air Fryer Thanksgiving recipes
- 10 Easy Thanksgiving pies
- Instant Pot Thanksgiving recipes
- 21 Thanksgiving leftover recipes
Tools Needed
- A good cutting board and sharp knives are a must in any kitchen!
- A handy digital thermometer to check food for doneness.
- This hand mixer or a stand mixer helps easily combine ingredients.
- Kitchen appliances like this air fryer and an Instant Pot do the work for you!
Thank you for reading my Thanksgiving appetizers recipe post. And please come visit again as I continue to slice, dice, and dream up affordable air fryer recipes, Instant Pot recipes, Southern recipes, and more. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry, food blog.
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30 Best Thanksgiving Appetizers
Ingredients
- French Charcuterie Platter
- Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Dates
- Beet Hummus
- Mezze Platter
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip
- Grape Jelly Meatballs Crockpot
- Easy Air Fryer Falafel + Oven Version
- Charcuterie Christmas Tree
- Charcuterie Wreath
- Baked Turkey Meatballs
- Instant Pot Pumpkin Hummus
- Bacon Cream Cheese Dip
- Fried Mac and Cheese Balls (Air Fryer, Stovetop+ Instant Pot)
- Veggie Pinwheels
- Easy Fruit Platter
- Dill Pickle Pinwheels
- Buffalo Chicken Pinwheels
- Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball
- Italian Pinwheels
- Ranch Cream Cheese Ham Roll Ups
- Halloween Charcuterie Board
- Air Fryer Sausage Rolls
- Bacon Wrapped Shrimp Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Scallops
- Instant Pot Deviled Eggs With Sour Cream + Air Fryer Deviled Eggs
- Easy Air Fryer Apple Chips
- Best Easy Chocolate Hummus Ever
- Instant Pot Spinach Artichoke Dip
Instructions
- Select the Thanksgiving appetizers you want to make.
- Gather the ingredients and follow the recipe instrcutions.
- Serve your crowd-pleasing appetizers that everyone will love!