Hosting a BBQ? I have some amazing summer appetizer ideas that will kick off your party and impress your guests. These are some of my favorite recipes, and they’re all easy to make.
25 Summer Appetizer Ideas Perfect for Kicking Off Parties, BBQs, & More
1. Mini Chicken Taco Cups
This recipe is always a crowd-pleaser. Crispy tortillas baked in a muffin tin to create little taco cups and stuffed with your favorite taco fillings. This recipe calls for chicken, but you can use ground beef, pork or even beans. Some of my favorite toppings include guacamole, sour cream and salsa. Keep them as light as possible so that the cups don’t get soggy and messy.
2. Healthy BBQ Cowboy Caviar
A simple and tasty dip that’s the ultimate appetizer for summer. A mix of black beans and black-eyed peas, corn, cilantro, red onion, tomato and a homemade vinaigrette. Serve with tortilla chips, pita chips or even crostini.
While you can use any beans you want for this dish, I recommend sticking with varieties that are small in size. Large beans, like kidney or cannelloni, will be difficult to scoop up with a chip.
Serve your dip in a pretty bowl to impress your guests.
3. BLT Bites
These tasty BLT bites are one of my favorites to make for summer parties because they’re so easy to prepare. Just thread crispy slices of bacon onto a toothpick, along with a cherry tomato and a small slice of romaine lettuce dipped in mayonnaise.
If you want to offer a healthier option, you can use turkey bacon instead. You can also do some tofu bacon for vegetarians, if you have any attending your party.
4. Ham Roll-Ups
These easy bite-sized appetizers are also low-carb and can be made however you want. This recipe uses ham as a “wrap,” but you can use whatever type of deli meat you like. Just top a slice of meat with herbed cream cheese, roll it up, and slice it into bite-sized pieces.
I like to add pickles to my cream cheese mix. You can add whatever you want – olives, fresh herbs, etc. – or you can just stick to the recipe.
Related: 25 Easy Party Appetizers You Can Whip Up in No Time
5. Iowa Party Bites
One of my favorite summer appetizer ideas on this list. Small baby potatoes filled with bacon, cheese and herbs. These are always a hit at our summer parties, and it’s very easy to feed a large crowd with just a handful of ingredients.
I like to add sour cream to my potatoes as well, but you don’t have to. You can also omit the bacon if you want to keep it really simple.
6. Feta and Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms
These stuffed mushrooms will impress and delight everyone at your BBQ. The best part? You only need a few ingredients to make them: button mushrooms, spices, feta, spinach, cream cheese and Parmesan cheese.
Just de-stem your mushrooms, fill with your cream cheese mixture and spinach, and then bake.
7. Layered Hummus Dip
Every BBQ should have at least one good dip served as an appetizer. This one is fancy and delicious, and it’s perfect when served with thick tortilla or pita chips.
Top a layer of hummus (homemade or your favorite store brand) with fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, kalamata olives and feta cheese.
8. Spinach and Ricotta Rolls
Flaky puff pastry rolls stuffed with ricotta, cheddar, Parmesan, shallots, garlic and spinach. It takes very little time to prepare and bake this tasty appetizer. While they’re perfect on their own, I like to serve these with tzatziki sauce or even ranch dressing on the side.
These rolls are also freezer-friendly, so you can make them well ahead of time or freeze any leftovers you might have to enjoy later.
9. Baked Macaroni and Cheese Bites
Little bites of gooey macaroni and cheese breaded and fried (or baked) to perfection. I recommend using homemade macaroni and cheese, but if you’re pressed for time, use a higher-quality boxed option.
Each little bite of mac and cheese is rolled in eggs, flour and bread crumbs before being baked or fried.
You’ll need to chill the mac and cheese before forming them into balls. Otherwise, it will just be a gooey mess.
Serve your mac and cheese bites with ketchup, marinara sauce or whatever you dip you want.
10. BBQ Ham Pineapple Kabobs
These kabobs are so delicious and the embodiment of summer flavor. Salty ham slices paired with tangy pineapple chunks on a skewer and topped with a BBQ glaze. Just grill your kabobs and serve with the rest of your party food.
You can add other ingredients to your kabobs if you want. Peppers would be perfect for this recipe.
11. Cobb Dip
This recipe has all the refreshing summer flavors of a cobb salad in dip form. You’ll top layers of ranch-seasoned cream cheese and sour cream with lettuce, tomato, cheddar cheese, bacon, corn and blue cheese.
You can add hard boiled eggs if you want, but I prefer to skip this ingredient for summer parties. I sometimes add fresh red onion or swap out the blue cheese for goat cheese, depending on who is attending the party.
Serve with tortilla chips, crackers or whatever dippers you want.
Related: 30 Easy Summer Dip Recipes for an Outdoor Party
12. Oven Fried Garlic Mushrooms
I love quick and easy summer appetizer ideas like this one. Rather than breadcrumbs, you’ll use almond flour and ground sunflower seeds as the batter. Fresh herbs and spices add so much flavor, and baking in avocado oil makes this appetizer a little healthier.
You can serve these with a dipping sauce or on their own.
13. Party Poppers
These stuffed peppers (party poppers) are insanely easy to make and are always a hit at our BBQs. You’ll need a pack of mini bell peppers. Mix cream cheese with bacon, cheddar cheese and green onions.
De-stem and de-seed your peppers, and stuff with the cream cheese mixture.
14. Salmon Pops with Piquant Dill Sauce
This appetizer looks fancy, but it’s easy to make. Just skewer cooked salmon with lemon slices and serve with a sauce made of dill, onion, lemon juice, mayo and olive oil.
15. Pepperoni Pizza Puffs
Pizza puffs are one of the summer appetizer ideas that I feel goes well at parties any time of year. Puff pastries are the “cups,” and all you need to do is add pepperoni on top and make a sort of cheese bowl in the middle with mozzarella. Bake and enjoy.
16. Sweet and Smoky Crackers
When you hear of “crackers in a blanket,” you probably don’t envision these crackers. Why? Because they’re made out of butter crackers with BBQ sauce and bacon in the center. If you want an interesting appetizer, these crackers are a must-try.
17. Mini Cheeseburger Meatballs
Cheesy meatballs on skewers are an iconic appetizer – or they should be. Your meatball will go on the bottom of the skewer, followed by lettuce, a pickle and a single cherry tomato. If you prefer beefsteak tomatoes, you can always swap out the cherry tomatoes for them.
18. Pimento Cheese Fritters
Pimento cheese is a meal in itself, and I’m upset that I never thought of these fritters on my own. Are you ready for how easy this recipe is to make? You’ll create small balls of pimento cheese and then roll them in your mixture of flour, eggs and Panko breadcrumbs.
Deep fry in vegetable oil or cook in an air fryer until the outer layer is crispy.
19. Pickle Roll-Ups
Mini pickles with salami taste so good. You’ll layer the cream cheese on small salami pieces and then wrap the pieces around the pickle. Place a toothpick through the middle to hold everything together.
20. 7 Layer Southwestern Dip
Southwestern dips are one of the summer appetizer ideas that bring me back to my childhood. We used to have this dip at every BBQ, and this recipe is pretty close to what we used to make. You’ll need a dozen or so ingredients:
- Black beans
- Frozen corn kernels
- Can tomatoes with chilis
- Olives
- Salt
- Taco seasoning
- Cheddar cheese
- Cream cheese
- Sour cream
And you’ll serve it with chips, such as corn chips.
21. Beer and Honey Bratwurst
Sweet, sticky bratwurst is ideal when you have a lot of meat lovers at your next summer party. Bratwurst sausage is slathered in English mustard and honey with beer, brown sugar and cornstarch.
Garlic and thyme are also sprinkled on top to add flavor.
Related: 15+ Mouthwatering BBQ Appetizer Ideas for Outdoor Gatherings
22. Bite-sized Blooming Onions
Unlike a lot of recipes on this list, this one does take an hour to make, but it’s not as hands-on as it sounds. You’ll learn how to wrap cipollini onions with an outer layer made of eggs, buttermilk, all-purpose flour and spices.
And there’s also an onion dip recipe included that is made of mayo, sour cream, paprika, salt and pepper and ketchup.
23. Bacon Wrapped Pineapple Bites
Pineapple wrapped in bacon offers a fresh, savory option that is ideal for summer. You’ll need bacon and ginger, honey, ketchup, soy sauce, sriracha sauce, Worcestershire sauce, pineapple juice and fresh peeled pineapple chunks.
It’s a super simple recipe that packs a punch of flavor.
24. Goat Cheese Stuffed Peppers
You’ll need piquant peppers (sweet and mild work best), and you’ll fill them with your favorite goat cheese. Eat This recommends using Vermont Creamery Goat Cheese, but you can swap it out with any brand you wish.
Olive oil, chopped basil and crackers or grilled bread are also necessary.
One thing you will need that you may not have in the kitchen is piping bags to fill the peppers properly.
25. Asian Barbeque Sausage Bites
Ten ingredients are all you need for these saucy bites, including smoked sausage, garlic, ginger, pineapple, honey, soy sauce, Hoisin sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar and Sichuan chili paste. Snug and Cozy Life walks you through the recipe step by step, but it does take thirty minutes to make.
First, you’ll prep the sausage on a baking sheet and use a silicone brush to coat with your Hoisin sauce. In a few more steps, you’ll be ready to eat your Asian sausage bites.
