Pico de Gallo
Tomato, onion, jalapeño, and cilantro are diced and tossed with lime and salt. It stays raw and gets a short rest so the juices come together.
15 min · Easy
View recipeBefore the meal
Snacks and Appetizers
Dips, bites, and share plates that come together without a catering tray.
These are for a table of people, not a single handful of chips. Most of them can be started ahead and finished when guests sit down.
Salt the dip and taste it cold if that is how you will serve it. Cold dulls salt.
27 recipes
Restaurant-Style Salsa
Tomatoes, onion, garlic, and jalapeño simmer until soft, then blend with cilantro and lime. The result is a smooth red salsa closer to a taqueria cup than a chunky pico.
25 min · Easy
View recipe
Classic Queso
American cheese and a little cheddar melt into milk with green chiles and jalapeño. The pot stays below a boil so the cheese stays smooth.
22 min · Easy
View recipe
Seven-Layer Dip
Refried beans, sour cream, avocado, salsa, cheddar, tomatoes, and olives stack in a clear dish. It is assembled cold and served the day it is made.
25 min · Easy
View recipe
Hummus
Canned chickpeas blend with tahini, lemon, and garlic into a smooth dip. Ice water and a slow drizzle of olive oil are what make it creamy.
15 min · Easy
View recipe
Caprese Skewers
Cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil thread onto short skewers and get a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic glaze. They are assembled and served the same day.
15 min · Easy
View recipe
Hush Puppies
Cornmeal batter with onion drops into hot oil and fries until the centers are set and golden. The oil stays shallow in the pot and comes off the heat if it smokes.
31 min · Medium
View recipe
Sweet Potato Fries
Sweet potato sticks are tossed with cornstarch and spice, then roasted until the edges brown and the centers are tender. They are oven fries, spread out so they do not steam.
45 min · Easy
View recipe
Twice-Baked Potatoes
Russet potatoes bake until soft, then the centers are mashed with butter, sour cream, and cheddar and baked again until hot. The shells crisp while the filling heats through.
1 hr 35 min · Easy
View recipe
Baked Potatoes
Russet potatoes bake with oil and salt until the skins are crisp and the centers are soft. Butter, sour cream, cheddar, and chives go on after they are split.
1 hr 15 min · Easy
View recipe
Classic Guacamole
Ripe avocados mashed with lime, salt, onion, jalapeño, and cilantro. Chunks stay in the mash. It is meant to be eaten the day you make it.
15 min · Easy
View recipe
Spinach Artichoke Dip
Cream cheese, spinach, and chopped artichokes baked until the edges bubble and the top browns. Squeeze the spinach dry or the dip turns watery.
40 min · Easy
View recipe
Loaded Beef Nachos
Tortilla chips layered with seasoned ground beef and cheddar, baked until the cheese melts, then finished with salsa, jalapeño, and sour cream.
35 min · Easy
View recipe
Puppy Chow Muddy Buddies
Chex cereal coated in melted chocolate and peanut butter, then shaken in powdered sugar. The coating should set before you pack it up.
18 min · Easy
View recipe
Buffalo Chicken Dip
Shredded chicken stirred into cream cheese, ranch, and buffalo sauce, then baked until bubbling. Serve it hot with celery.
35 min · Easy
View recipe
Soft Pretzel Bites
Yeast dough boiled briefly in a baking-soda bath, then baked until deep brown. The bath is what makes them taste like pretzels instead of plain rolls.
39 min · Medium
View recipe
Maple Cinnamon Roasted Almonds
Raw almonds get coated in maple syrup, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt, then roasted until crisp. The result is a lightly sweet snack that keeps well in a jar.
20 min · Easy
View recipe
No-Bake Peanut Butter Oat Bites
Rolled oats, peanut butter, and honey mix into small snack balls that firm up in the fridge. They need no oven and hold together for grab-and-go bites.
15 min · Easy
View recipe
Air Fryer Sweet Potato Chips
Thin sweet potato slices cook in a single air-fryer layer until crisp at the edges. A little oil and salt are all they need for a simple homemade chip.
24 min · Easy
View recipe
Stovetop Garlic Parmesan Popcorn
Popcorn cooks in a covered pot, then gets tossed with garlic butter and grated Parmesan. It is a savory bowl snack ready in minutes on the stove.
13 min · Easy
View recipe
Oven Tomato Mozzarella Bites
Cherry tomatoes and mozzarella cubes roast briefly until the cheese softens and the tomatoes blister. A drizzle of balsamic finishes a warm savory snack.
22 min · Easy
View recipe
Honey Sesame Skillet Edamame
Frozen edamame warms in a skillet with honey, soy, and sesame seeds. The sticky glaze turns plain pods into a savory-sweet finger snack.
13 min · Easy
View recipe
Honey Roasted Cashews
Raw cashews get tossed with honey, oil, and a light spice mix, then roasted until glossy and crisp. They work as a small sweet-savory snack you can portion into jars.
20 min · Easy
View recipe
No-Bake Cocoa Oat Bites
Rolled oats, peanut butter, cocoa, and honey press into small bites that set in the fridge. They are a portable sweet snack without turning on the oven.
15 min · Easy
View recipe
Stovetop Chili Lime Popcorn
Plain kernels pop on the stove in a covered pot, then get tossed with lime zest, chili powder, and salt. The result is a bright, spicy bowl for movie-night snacking.
13 min · Easy
View recipe
Spicy Air Fryer Edamame
Frozen edamame pods roast in the air fryer with chili oil and salt until the pods blister. Squeeze the beans out for a high-protein spicy snack.
15 min · Easy
View recipe
Deviled Eggs
Hard-boiled eggs filled with a yolk mash of mayo, mustard, and a little vinegar, dusted with paprika.
27 min · Easy
View recipeRelated categories
28 categories