What’s New Year’s Eve without easy party appetizers? To help you get the party started, I’m giving you a list of 25 easy, delicious, make-ahead appetizers to ring in the New Year. Now you can party all night long with some of the best-tasting Immaculate Bites’ party food. Happy New Year!
Gosh, I can’t believe how fast a year flies by. But hey, let’s enjoy the moment. Today, I’m sharing some of my favorite appetizers with you. Some are so easy to whip up that you won’t believe how tasty they are. The best part is that most of them can be made ahead in big batches, so you can still enjoy them even after the New Year celebration. Ready to bring in the New Year??? Let’s get going.
Appetizer Recipes to Celebrate New Year’s Eve
1. Samosa Recipe
Whether baked or fried, these SAMOSAS make a fantastic make-ahead party appetizer. Crispy on the outside, filled with well-seasoned chicken and peas, and enough spices to entertain your palate. No wonder it’s on my top list of favorite fried appetizers.
2. Beef Empanadas
Beef empanadas are perfect for an on-the-go meal, snack, or appetizer. The buttery, flaky homemade dough filled with savory ground beef is irresistible, with or without dip. Homemade chimichurri and ranch dressing are perfect. Kids and adults alike go crazy over this popular Latin treat!
3. Buffalo Wings
What’s not to love about spicy, crispy, saucy chicken wings? They’re not just for game days but also on New Year’s Eve. And the best part?? They’re baked to perfection for a guilt-free appetizer. The sauce makes them even better.
4. Garlic Knots
A classic pizzeria snack made from scratch for soft, fluffy garlic bread with a nice chew. Smothered in garlic herb butter, they make a great snack, appetizer, and side dish.
5. Baked Chicken Tenders
Want a no-brainer, effortless holiday appetizer? You got it! Baked chicken tenders are incredibly crispy, tender, and flavorful. Plus, they’re super EASY to make.
6. Puff Pastry Sausage Rolls
These have been a huge hit at every party I’ve hosted. Store-bought puff pastry makes them fast and easy. The highly customizable meat filling is incredible with ground beef, turkey, chicken, and pork—whatever rocks your boat! They’re a real crowd-pleaser.
7. Baked Crispy Chicken Wings
Ridiculously crispy, tender, juicy, and oh-so-flavorful! If you buy chicken wings in bulk for this coming New Year’s Eve celebration, you can provide your guests with options. Try them with remoulade sauce or hot sauce for extra flavor.
8. Pigs in a Blanket
Want a last-minute, super-easy, kid-friendly appetizer idea? This game-day favorite only uses 4 simple ingredients. It’s as easy as rolling the hot dogs up in the store-bought crescent dough and popping them in the oven. Enjoy them as is or make this amazing honey mustard.
9. Tostones
Tostones have continuously been one of my top-shared videos on Facebook. Crispy twice-fried plantains are topped with tropical guacamole and Creole-seasoned juicy shrimp. A total crowd-pleaser perfect for entertaining, parties, and New Year’s Eve appetizers!
10. Bacon-Wrapped Chicken
Meat lovers’ delight with boneless and skinless chicken thighs wrapped in bacon and baked to tender juiciness. If you’re too pressed for time, this incredible party food is precisely what you need. Not only that, but it also doubles up as a quick dinner fix. A winner with a little effort!
11. Pizza Rolls
If you love pizza, you’ll definitely drool over homemade pizza rolls! This fun party appetizer is made with homemade pizza dough and sauce, sausage, pepperoni, and cheese, and then brushed with a flavorful buttery mixture. Surprisingly simple yet super satisfying! You can also serve this as a light kiddie meal.
12. Plantain Chips
Of course, I could never forget my favorite plantain chips on my appetizer list! These crispy, addictive plantain chips (fried or baked) paired with sweet, tangy mango avocado salsa is a fantastic entertaining item that has always been on repeat. They’re a nice alternative to tortilla chips if you can’t eat grains.
13. Cowboy Caviar a.k.a Texas Caviar
If you’re serving chips, you need a dip. This fresh and simple cowboy caviar also doubles as a salad. It has beans, black-eyed peas, sweet corn kernels, bell pepper, onion, tomato, and an irresistible dressing. If you’re looking for healthy appetizers, here you go!
14. Pineapple Glazed Meatballs
Meatballs with little toothpicks are a must for an appetizer platter. They’re easy and customizable. My pineapple-glazed meatballs are juicy and out-of-this-world delicious. I used half ground beef and half ground pork with an 80/20 meat-to-fat ratio to make it extra juicy. And instead of frying them and having to hover over the stove, I baked them for convenience. The pineapple BBQ sauce with the recipe is the perfect balance of sweet and sour. But feel free to use your favorite sauce.
15. Crab-Stuffed Mushrooms
Rich, insanely addictive bite-sized mushrooms stuffed with buttery Cajun-seasoned crab meat and crispy Panko breadcrumbs topping. The first bite will convert you even if you’re not a huge mushroom fan. The buttery umami, with a kiss of heat, holds the sweet crabmeat for a fantastic appetizer.
16. Sausage Balls
Short on time? This recipe is the easiest, fastest appetizer, and ideal for last-minute appetizers. It’s as easy as dump and mix! They also make a great after-school snack, game-day finger food, lunch, and even dinner. And they’re baked for a healthier version with more hands-off time!
17. Coconut Shrimp
There’s no way we can forget these super simple shrimp. Forget the restaurant version with the high price tag because it requires little time and is always a crowd-pleaser. Crispy coconut on the outside, sweet and tender shrimp on the inside!
18. Spinach Artichoke Dip
This popular dip shows up at almost all parties. The perfectly creamy and satisfying dip with spinach, artichoke hearts, cream cheese, sour cream, and layers of cheese enjoys a touch of heat. Tortilla chips, crackers, French baguette slices, and veggie slices all love dipping into this goodness.
19. Salmon Croquettes
Oh, I love croquettes! Be it this potato croquette, hush puppies (a.k.a Croquettes de Maise), or this fabulous recipe with salmon. Dip them in remoulade or Caribbean pepper sauce as an ultimate New Year’s Eve party appetizer!
20. Crab Rangoon
Skip the line and make this popular American-Chinese takeout right at home. These fun bite-sized filled appetizers taste way better than the usual takeout. You can either bake or fry them!
21. Southern Cheese Straws
Addictive, crunchy, cheesy bites made of buttery dough baked into thin strips. Enjoy the traditional English biscuits that were reinvented in the South. Talk about comfort food.
22. Hummus
Healthy, creamy, and delicious, this dip loves pairing with homemade pita chips. Some tricks for creamier hummus are to overcook the chickpeas in a pressure cooker, add a teaspoon of baking soda to the cooking water, and puree the beans while they’re still hot.
23. Deviled Ham
Ham isn’t just for good luck; it’s a downright tasty appetizer slathered on crackers and toast. Besides, who doesn’t want to use up that leftover ham from Christmas?
24. Hot Dog Pretzel Bites
Pretzels surround that comfort food that always shows up at cookouts and picnics. Hot dogs get a glow-up with homemade pretzel dough. Feel free to make the dough a few days ahead.
25. Black-Eyed Pea Dip
When it comes to party dips, black-eyed peas may not be the first thing that comes to your mind, but that’s about to change. Make this traditional good luck food vegan with a plant-based sour cream and cheese. Store-bought or homemade tortilla chips are ideal dippers.
Wishing you a successful and fun New Year’s celebration from the bottom of my heart. THANK YOU for making my recipes a part of your regular weeknight or special day menu all these years. Thank you, everyone, and welcome to the New Year!
Love, Imma