Hosting a party to celebrate Independence Day and don’t know what to serve aside from hamburgers and hot dogs? I’m going to help you out with over a dozen 4th of July appetizers that include everything from mini tacos and parfaits to fruit salads and tortellini kabobs.
If you want your guests to rave about your 4th of July bash, you have to feed them.
Let’s see a few ideas that will surely have people talking.
Red, White & Delicious: 15 Festive 4th of July Appetizers to Wow Your Guests
1. Strawberry Shortcake Kabobs
Strawberries make it on the list multiple times, and on a hot summer day, they offer a respite from the hot weather. You’ll make mini shortcakes out of strawberries, whipped cream and shortcake cubes.
The author even has an optional white chocolate drizzle that can go on top and complete these kabobs.
Since you’re using whipped cream, you’ll want to keep the kabobs in the refrigerator until they’re ready to be served. If you’re feeling up to it, you can make the pound cake by following the video below, but the author just has you buy one already made.
2. Mini Cheesecake Parfaits
Parfaits are 4th of July appetizer ideas that work well as a starter for guests who have a sweet tooth. Of course, they can also double as a dessert, but with this no-bake recipe, there’s always an excuse to make these for a party.
You will need a few tall shot glasses for this recipe, along with:
- Graham crackers
- Cream cheese
- Heavy cream
- Sugar
- Vanilla
- Whipped cream
- Blueberries
- Strawberries
And you’ll whip the cream, cream cheese, sugar and vanilla together to make the cheesecake filling. The rest of the recipe? It’s as simple as layering the ingredients into a red, white and blue treat.
3. Mini Taco Bites
Flour tortillas cut into small circles and added to a muffin tin are the perfect little cups for taco bites. I’m sad that I never thought of this concoction on my own before reading this recipe. But the author does an amazing job by adding chili powder to the cups to give a little extra “kick” with each bite.
And you’ll need quite a few ingredients to get started:
- Ground beef
- Chili powder
- Butter
- Garlic salt
- Diced onion
- Cumin
- Oregano
- Cayenne pepper
- Tomato sauce
- Refried beans
- Mexican cheese
- Shredded lettuce
- Plum tomatoes
- Red onion
- Avocado
- Cilantro
4. Puff Pastry Brie Bites
Pastry brie bites are one of the most unique appetizers on the list. You’ll buy the puff pastry in the store, so the hardest part is already done for you. For the rest? It’s simple:
- Place a slice of puff pastry into your muffin pan
- Add a slice of brie
- Put some pecans on top
- Be generous with your jam
- Sprinkle on some fresh thyme
The dough will curl together when you bake it to create the perfect little bites that are a nice deviation from the traditional recipes on the list.
Related: 25 All-American Recipes to Make Your 4th of July Party a Hit
5. Tater Tot Appetizer Cups
Tater tots are a favorite among kids and adults. And this is an appetizer that is loved by everyone who likes cheddar and bacon. You’ll need a big bag of frozen tater tots, ideally one with 48 or more.
In addition, you’ll also need green onions, cooked bacon, cheddar cheese and some sour cream.
You’ll start by preheating your oven, adding 2 – 5 tater tots to each muffin cup, pressing them firmly in place and then cooking the tots until they’re crispy. All of this should take you about 10 minutes, and then you’ll use a small cup to create the tater tot cup for this recipe.
The rest is as simple as adding the cheese and crisp bacon crumbles on top.
6. American Flag Fruit Pizza
American flags take center stage on the 4th of July, and this cake is the perfect example of that. You‘ll make a round cake appetizer that is delish but not too heavy with seven simple ingredients: blueberries, raspberries, sugar, sugar cookie dough, whipped topping, vanilla and cream cheese.
And it takes all but an hour to make, although arranging all of the blueberries and strawberries is very tedious.
7. Patriotic Yogurt Bites
Yogurt bites like these are too good to leave off of this list of 4th of July appetizer ideas. And guess what two ingredients you’ll be using for these refreshing bites: blueberries and strawberries.
And while you can use any variety of yogurt, Greek works best because it is high in protein.
Simply:
- Slice up your strawberries and blueberries
- Add blueberries only in some of the cube trays
- Add strawberries only in some of the cube trays
Finally, fill in the remainder of the cube space with yogurt before freezing. I find silicone cube trays to work best, and they require less effort to remove from the tray.
8. Easy Caprese Dip
Bread with caprese dip? Count me in. Healthy and delish, I would be shocked if you didn’t adore this recipe. You’ll need basil, cherry tomatoes, garlic, salt and pepper, basil pesto, olive oil, sour cream, mozzarella, provolone and Parmesan cheese.
And you’ll also need a crusty bread for dipping.
Filled with summer flavors and melted cheese, this dip is sure to be a fan favorite at this year’s 4th of July festivities.
Related: 25 Mouthwatering Cheese Appetizers That Will Steal the Show
9. Crumb Bars
Crumb bars are good for you – and your guests – and they’re also tasty. You’ll go through creating three main elements:
- Berry filling with strawberries, sweetener, cornstarch, chia seeds and lemon juice.
- Oat bars made with old fashioned rolled oats, almond butter, shredded coconut, maple syrup and a touch of salt.
- Toppings of blueberries.
And the best part is that the filling doesn’t require extensive mixing like some do. You’ll toss the ingredients together well until you can no longer see the juices being released before moving on to your oat bars.
10. Tortellini Salad Kabobs
I’m a huge fan of tortellini. I can eat these cheese-filled pasta delights any time of the year, but I never tried to make them into a kabob before this recipe. You’ll need long kabob sticks, like these ones, along with:
- Tortellini
- Cherry tomatoes
- Mozzarella cubes
Slide your tortellini on first, followed by your cheese cube, tomato, cheese, tomato and end with a tortellini. You can put basil and other dried seasoning on top or even a little salt on the tomatoes if you wish.
11. Red, White & Blue Fruit Pizza
Pizza sounds like one of the best 4th of July appetizer ideas on the list, but I’m not talking about a gooey, cheesy delight. Instead, this is a fruit pizza that is made with strawberries and blueberries.
You’ll make the crust out of a sugar cookie dough by Pillsbury and put down a layer of cream cheese frosting first.
On top of your white frosting will be your red and blue: strawberries and blueberries. What I really like about this recipe is the author even decorates a small corner with just blueberries to mimic the American flag.
12. Star Fruit Salad
Serve with small cups to make this salad a true appetizer. You’ll find that this recipe, which is really just adding your fruits into a bowl, is simple and refreshing. For the ingredients, I don’t recommend deviating too much, but it does call for fresh:
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Watermelon
- Apples
- Lemon juice
But you’ll need a star-shaped cookie cutter to cut the star shapes for your fruit. Once you have all of your shapes ready, it’s simple and easy to assemble the rest.
13. Red, White, and Blue Patriotic Popsicles
If the forecast in your area is calling for a hot 4th of July, your appetizer should help you cool down. What I like about this recipe is that only natural ingredients are used, and the popsicles are 100% sugar-free.
See, you can be patriotic without bad-for-you ingredients.
Speaking of ingredients, these popsicles are made from:
- Greek yogurt
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Maple syrup or honey
You will need a star-shaped ice cube tray, which you can easily find on Amazon. Otherwise, the recipe is easy to follow, with the longest part being the wait for the mixture to freeze properly.
14. Red, White and Blue Deviled Eggs
Sometimes, you just want some good deviled eggs. It’s not uncommon to make these during a holiday, but with this twist, you can now make them on the 4th of July, too. The white eggs are self-explanatory because you only need to hard-boil the eggs.
But for the red and blue varieties, you will need to use a gel food coloring.
If you already have the food coloring at home, you can use it. But I recommend a tasteless variety that lets you create the red and blue egg white without impacting taste too much.
Related: Top 21+ Charcuterie Skewer Ideas for Irresistible Party Appetizers
15. 4th of July Fruit Platter
Fruit platters are the perfect 4th of July appetizer ideas because they’re versatile and easy to make. If someone doesn’t like strawberries or blueberries, you can easily swap them out for something they do like.
But for this recipe, it’s as simple as placing the following on a nice platter:
- Blueberries
- Strawberries
- Covered pretzels
For the pretzels, you can choose white fudge covered pretzels or vanilla yogurt pretzels – it’s up to you.
If you want to “sweeten” the deal a little, serve the strawberries with a small side of sugar.
