Party Appetizers That Will Impress All Your Guests

It doesn't matter what kind of party you're throwing — having a solid food spread is key. Whether it's a weekly game night around the kitchen table with your immediate family, poker night with some friends, a backyard BBQ, or a cozy holiday party by the fireplace, you're going to want a bunch of tasty bites to pass around before the main course.

Or, let's be honest: Sometimes it's just easier and more fun to make a ton of appetizers and call it dinner. There's nothing wrong with that, and as a matter of fact, we have a variety of scrumptious recipes that are going to make you want to do just that.

There's something really exciting about filling up your plate with a pile of tiny bites and getting a wide range of flavors with every sample. Bonus points? It's not as difficult as you might think, so let's talk about some recipes that are not only going to make party planning a breeze, but are guaranteed to be a major hit among your guests.

Seriously, who doesn't love a plate of warm mozzarella sticks? While you might think they're kind of a pain to make, our mozzarella sticks recipe will definitely change your mind. With just 30 minutes of your time and a few simple ingredients — like flour, breadcrumbs, and eggs — your sticks of ooey, gooey cheese will be ready for a quick dip in oil to fry up. Seriously — that's it!

Serve your mozzarella sticks with your favorite marinara sauce. This recipe's so easy to prepare, you might find yourself making it on a weeknight ... when you don't have to share.

Potstickers are one of those finger foods that look so impressive when displayed on a plate. Your guests will think you spent hours in the kitchen whipping up this classy appetizer just for them. There's no reason to tell them that our recipe for spicy chicken potstickers comes together in just over an hour. You don't even need to wait until a party to make them. Since they freeze well, you can spend a quiet afternoon making batches, and then pop them in the freezer. Party planning just got so seamless.

If you're looking for something classy to serve at your next brunch get-together, check out our coconut shrimp recipe. Not only is there a relatively short ingredient list for this one, but you can make it even easier by picking up shrimp that are already prepped and ready to be breaded. (If you can't find those, don't worry, because we'll tell you how to prep your shrimp.) Then, it's just a quick fry, a sprinkle of cilantro (if you'd like), and adding your choice of sauce. Who says classy has to be complicated?

If you're looking for an appetizer that's warm and just a little bit hearty, we have you covered with our pierogi recipe. You'll make a simple dough and an incredibly savory cheese-and-potato filling. While these are pretty time-consuming, here's the thing: You definitely don't need to make them the day of the party. These pierogis freeze really well, which means you can take an afternoon to make trays of them, and pop them in the freezer for when you need them. They're good for three to six months in the freezer, which makes them the perfect appetizer choice for parties.

Everyone loves tacos, so it almost goes without saying that serving up a platter of taquitos — aka little baked tacos — is sure to be a major hit at any party. Our simple recipe for taquitos calls for a base of shredded chicken. Along with all your favorite taco seasonings, you'll need green chilis, cilantro, and cheese. Your guests are bound to appreciate the freshness of this dish, and they'll likely ask for the recipe.

You may be wondering what exactly is baba ganoush, aside from an appetizer that sounds as impressive as it looks. It's like hummus, but not as heavy as what you might be used to. And instead of chickpeas, eggplant serves as the basis of this delicious dip, which not only makes it healthy, but also full of flavor. Paprika, cumin, and tahini are right in the spotlight.

Serve our baba ganoush on a tray with veggies, pieces of flatbread, and crackers for an appetizer everyone can share.

Our crab stuffed mushrooms have so much going for them. They're low-carb and healthy, they take fewer ingredients than you might expect, and they're full of flavor, thanks to the kick of horseradish and zing of Worcestershire sauce. If this still seems complicated, don't worry — we have some tips and tricks for you to make preparing this app easier, as well as ideas on how to use those mushroom stems in another dish. It's a win-win.

If you're looking for appetizers that are incredibly tasty yet light enough that they're not going to fill anyone up too much, we have you covered with our quick and easy lettuce wraps. This recipe is super versatile, and since it only takes around 30 minutes to prep and cook, it's easy to make just before the party starts.

If you're up for something a little more complicated, we also have a recipe for copycat P.F. Chang's lettuce wraps that are sure to please.

It's time to break out the little plates for this one, because your guests are definitely going to swoon when each served their own little crab cake. Sounds difficult? We know how complicated party planning can get, so we made our crab cake recipe super easy. There's only a handful of ingredients, and from start to finish, it's just going to take around half an hour.

This recipe makes six crab cakes, but can easily be adjusted for the size of your party. Bon appétit.

Let's talk about backyard BBQs, because whenever you're firing up the grill is the perfect time to make our Mexican street corn. While you can technically do this one in the oven under the broiler, throwing some ears of corn on the grill will make them taste that much better. In addition to the corn, you'll need a few simple ingredients like mayo and cojita cheese. It's easy enough to put together while you're standing in the backyard having a pre-burger beer, and it will definitely be requested summer after summer.

If you can't get enough of the flavor of Buffalo chicken wings, then you need to check out our recipe for Buffalo chicken dip. This super simple dip can be whipped up in a skillet and served right out of the dish, alongside a plate of anything from nachos to veggies. It's creamy, versatile, and topped with blue cheese. You choose the hot sauce to add, and you can make it as hot or as mild as you — and your guests — like. Even better? Make a few batches, and let everyone choose how hot they want to go.

Who doesn't love Buffalo wings? And we're not talking about all the fancy varieties and flavors that have popped up over the years — we're talking about the classic, original Buffalo wing. With our recipe for Buffalo wings on deck, you'll find we're talking about the real deal. There's a base of Frank's RedHot sauce, celery and carrots on the side, and a recipe for blue cheese dip ... because any diehard Buffalo wing fan will tell you that there's no room for ranch when it comes to real wings.

If you're looking for something easy, look no further than our bruschetta recipe. These tasty slices of crispy bread have enough flavor from the garlic and olive oil topping that they can definitely be served as is. But they're also a great base for adding toppings of your own creation or serving alongside dips and spreads. In a hurry? In just 15 minutes, and you'll have these out among your guests. That gives you more time to do what hosts should do: enjoy the party, too!

The next time you fire up that grill for a BBQ, don't forget to check out our recipe for grilled shrimp. This delicious appetizer will be such a hit among your party guests. All you'll need are basic seasonings — like salt and pepper — along with a dash of lemon, some olive oil, and butter. That's it! You'll also be able to fit plenty of these skewers on your grill at once, which means there's not going to be a line ... although, there may be one for seconds.

Check out our version of pigs in a blanket for an appetizer that's sure to bring smiles to your guests' faces. Not only is this recipe super simple, but you can dress it up in a variety of ways. Add some cheese or diced jalapeños, or serve alongside some fun dipping sauces. Even better, this is a great appetizer for any party where there are young guests in attendance. You know there's not going to be any wrinkled noses or hungry kids at that party.

Shrimp rolls are such classy appetizers that look gorgeous when they're plated. It might seem like an intimidating task to take on, but check out our shrimp rolls recipe for an appetizer that's not only deceptively simple, but it's also a great way to keep your more health-conscious guests happy. Appetizers don't have to be heavy and deep-fried to be delicious, and this recipe proves that.

Jalapeño poppers might seem like they're complicated to prepare, but they're actually pretty simple. In fact, there's a huge bonus to our recipe for jalapeño poppers: You can assemble them the night before the party, keep them in the fridge, and on the day of, simply put them in the oven to bake. Anything that cuts down on party prep is a win as far as we're concerned, and that makes these spicy bites a 100 percent win.