Do you need easy appetizer recipes?
Are you ready to have a few people over for a physically distanced social gathering? Do you want easy appetizer recipes to serve – ideally in individual portions? Here are some easy appetizer recipes to share with friends and family – no matter the distance.
Flavored Popcorn
Start with easy, DIY microwave popcorn, by combining a quarter cup of popcorn kernels with one teaspoon of olive oil in a brown paper bag (lunch sized). Fold down the top and microwave on “popcorn” setting until popping slows to once every few seconds, being careful not to overcook it. Remove from microwave and toss with additional olive oil and toppings of your choice – consider cinnamon and sugar or Everything But the Bagel Seasoning. Want something a little MORE different? Try Everything But the Elote Seasoning or Japanese Furikake (a seaweed-sesame blend) instead.
To Serve Individually: Scoop flavored popcorn into clean brown bags, large cups, wooden or plastic bowls, or almost any other containers you have.
Boursin + Veggies (or bread or crackers – or a spoon!)
Boursin cheese is basically a culinary wonder-item. (If you haven’t tried it in mashed potatoes, stirred into pasta or on a burger, you are really missing out!). But at its most basic, it is a spread, equally at home on a piece of celery or a wedge of bread.
To Serve Individually: Portion the Boursin cheese into small ramekins or other dishes and serve with any vegetable, cracker or bread that you like.
Pepper Jelly + Cream Cheese
A dip that is significantly more than the sum of its parts, a block of cream cheese enrobed in pepper jelly is an old-school “dip” that is worth revisiting. I prefer the Trader Joe’s versions of both ingredients, but you can whatever brands are most readily available to you. Simply place the block of cream cheese in a shallow bowl and cover with pepper jelly.
To Serve Individually: Divide the block of cream cheese into small ramekins or bowls and top each with pepper jelly. Serve with crackers of choice.
Oven-Roasted Salsa
Toss almost any combination of tomatoes, tomatillos, onions, garlic, sweet peppers and chiles with Omnivore Salt on a baking sheet and roast in a 375 degree oven until tender and slightly charred. Cool and remove peels/skins and place in a food processor (or blender), adding a fistful of cilantro (or parsley) and the juice of lime (or lemon). Season with additional Omnivore Salt as needed.
To Serve Individually: Place a ramekin in a salad or soup bowl. Fill the ramekin with salsa and the outer bowl with chips (or other dippers).
Artichoke Dip
This dip is a long-time family favorite, and one that is definitely a crowd pleaser. Heighten the nostalgia by serving with woven wheat crackers, or thick corn chips, but nearly any chip or cracker will do.
To Serve Individually: Prepare dip mixture and scoop into individual oven-safe dishes or ramekins. Place the ramekins on a baking tray and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.
Onion Dip
Another old school dip, reinvented with fresh ingredients. This dip benefits from the addition of Omnivore salt, alongside plenty of slow-roasted onions. After slicing the onions, the roasting process requires only occasional stirring. Once cooled, chop the roasted onions and combine with the other ingredients for a tasty, satisfying dip.
To Serve Individually: After dip has been chilled, to allow flavors to meld, stir well and scoop into small bowls (or endive leaves). Serve with vegetables, crackers, or, if available, ridged, salt-and-pepper potato chips.
Slow Roasted Onion Dip
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds mixed onions
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tbps Omnivore salt or to taste, divided use
- 1 1/2 cups plain whole milk yogurt (try the one from Straus)
- 2 tsp lime juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400º.
- Peel and trim ends off the onions. Cut in half lengthwise. Place halves cut side down on cutting board, then thinly slice.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss onion and garlic cloves with oil and water until evenly coated. Season with Omnivore salt and toss again until well coated.
- Bake, tossing and stirring onions every 10 minutes, until all onions are golden brown and softened, 40–50 minutes total (some onions will brown more than others but that’s okay!). Let cool.
- Transfer onions and garlic to a cutting board and squeeze out garlic cloves from peel. Using the flat side of a chef’s knife, smash garlic cloves to a paste. Transfer to a medium bowl.
- Finely chop caramelized onions and transfer to bowl with garlic.
- Add yogurt and lime juice; season with more Omnivore salt. Stir to combine.
Notes
What are your favorite easy appetizer recipes? Share in the comments.
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