70 Summer Appetizers to Make for Every Barbecue and Picnic This Season

• Time Commitment: 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegan, <30 minutes, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser

Nutty, spicy and ridiculously refreshing, this summer appetizer deserves a spot on your picnic table. Any firm melon works well—Cantaloupe or honeydew will work best; watermelon will work in a pinch, but it’s wetter and not as firm.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy, vegan, <10 ingredients

Shaving the cukes into ribbons makes for an elegant, unexpected presentation. The key is removing most of their excess water with a generous dusting of salt before mixing the salad, so the dressing doesn’t get diluted and the texture is crisp.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, <30 minutes, make ahead, vegan

Need to occupy the kids while you set up the sprinkler? This garlicky, herby mix of cashews, almonds and walnuts is sure to keep them busy. (It gets its cheesy flavor from nutritional yeast, BTW.)

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, vegetarian, <30 minutes

This party dip is giving intimate summer dinner vibes. Serve it with plenty of chopped vegetables, toasted pita or crackers for dipping (oh, and a bottle of your favorite rosé).

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, high protein, beginner-friendly

Tomatillos are at their most delicious in early summer, so take advantage at the farmers market by using them in this hearty salad. Make a double batch of the dressing for drizzling over grilled corn, veggie burgers, chicken wings and summer pizza.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, vegan, kid-friendly

If you have an hour to spare and four russet potatoes on hand, this snack is within reach. They’ll blow the store-bought kind way out of the water. (Chalk it up to the Old Bay seasoning.)

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly, high protein

Party appetizers don’t get more iconic than deviled eggs. But I suggest you give them a modern makeover with roasted garlic, crispy capers and hot sauce.

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, vegetarian, beginner-friendly

Come summer, watermelon and feta beats tomato and mozzarella every time. (Don’t @ me.) Feta is also perfect for grilling, since it’s firm enough to hold its shape against the hot grates.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, kid-friendly

Think of this layered masterpiece as a giant elote. The tortilla chips are buried in fresh corn, cotija cheese, homemade queso, sour cream, fresh cilantro and all the lime juice, so you’ll never pull a naked chip.

• Time Commitment: 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, no cook, vegan, make ahead

It turns out that this tropical fruit and buttery avocado have been soulmates for a looong time. The sweet mango is just the thing to balance spicy serrano chiles and acidic lime juice.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegan, <10 ingredients, no cook, make ahead

Lettuce? I don’t know her. Try a salad starring cucumber, the most refreshing vegetable around. They’re quick-pickled in rice vinegar with onion, garlic and fresh dill.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, make ahead

It’s crunchy, creamy and savory, just like the sandwich it was inspired by. Instead of simply using traditional mayonnaise, spruce up the dressing with Dijon mustard and apple cider vinegar for zing.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, pescatarian, high protein

Behold: the quickest, most flavorful shrimp recipe you’ll ever make. Serve it with sliced baguette for soaking up all the leftover lemon-garlic butter.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, special occasion-worthy, pescatarian

Few sandwiches scream summer as loudly as a lobster roll. Don't let their size disappoint you: Using tiny buns means that every bite has the perfect ratio of meat to bread.

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, vegetarian, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly

Small hot dogs are the way to go in the winter (or for the Super Bowl). Once the weather’s warm, I lean on this baked carrot alternative instead—odds are you’re grilling plenty of meat for the main course anyway.

• Time Commitment: 55 minutes
• Why I Love It: keto, <10 ingredients, low carb, high protein

Nope, I’m *not* over everything bagel seasoning…and I’m pretty sure I never will be. Try it on buttery baked chicken wings instead of Buffalo sauce to give them some bonus crunch.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, vegetarian, <10 ingredients

Who else has been counting the minutes until they can hit the summer farmers market? Pick the ripest zucchini, the juiciest tomatoes and the freshest basil you can find and you’re halfway there.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: no cook, vegan, <30 minutes, beginner-friendly

This cold tomato soup is so chic and impressive that no one would believe how little effort it took to make. (Seriously—you basically just toss the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blitz it to perfection.)

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly

It’s as simple to put together as a kale Caesar—but a million times more exciting. Picture dressed Bibb lettuce and microgreens on a layer of ricotta, all topped with pepperoncini, mozzarella and more fixings.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser

Even self-proclaimed seafood haters can get behind this famously crunchy summer appetizer. Each batch of shrimp only takes about four minutes to turn golden brown.

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, vegetarian

Sure, I could tackle these tiny pies (which start with store-bought pizza dough) in my trusty cast iron skillet year-round. But I’ll be popping them on the grill come summer, thank you very much.

• Time Commitment: 55 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly

Sharp cheddar cheese, tangy buttermilk and fresh scallions—need I say more? It’d taste divine as a side for homemade chili, but I wouldn’t blame you for noshing on it straight from the skillet.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, vegetarian, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly

Who knew store-bought frozen puff pastry could do all this? These photogenic starters have alfresco dinner party written all over them.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly

Turn your backyard get-together into a Sicilian picnic with this epic charcuterie board. It’s loaded with herbed cheese, salami, prosciutto, sun-dried tomatoes, marinated artichoke hearts, olives and more.

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: keto, low-carb, high protein, crowd-pleaser

If everyone has full-sized burgers coming their way, choose another app. But if you’re making fish, pork or chicken for the main, these are sure to scratch your guests’ itch for beef.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, high protein

Before you bake the pie in the oven, take the time to grill the fresh peaches and red onion on the barbecue. The char will give them that smoky flavor you crave.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, vegan, crowd-pleaser

Speaking of grilled produce, you’ll never look at jarred salsa the same way again after trying this tropical rendition, featuring charred mangos, tomatoes, red onions, jalapeños and limes.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser

This 20-minute gem couldn’t be simpler, but salty salami, punchy artichoke hearts and a zingy balsamic vinaigrette make it beyond flavorful. Make it a day or two ahead to save time before your guests arrive.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser

The cheeseburgers are shaking in their boots over these savory bites. These skewered sammies are loaded with cherry tomatoes, prosciutto and pearl mozzarella.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: no cook, vegetarian, special occasion-worthy

There’s truly no better way to show off your farmers market haul than with this vibrant centerpiece. Think sliced baguette topped with seasoned ricotta and balsamic-kissed basil pesto, finished with fresh tomatoes.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: low carb, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, vegetarian

Proof that the cruciferous veggie can do just about anything. Not only does this side skimp on the spuds, but it’s dressed in a tangy mix of Greek yogurt, sour cream and Dijon mustard instead of mayonnaise.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy

Go ahead, have a pile of cold appetizers for dinner—I won’t tell. The only cooking this 15-minute masterpiece requires is toasting the za’atar-seasoned pita in a skillet.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, vegetarian, special occasion-worthy

Any salad topped with that much cheese is my kind of salad. Even better, it’s practically no cook, minus blanching the asparagus and sugar snap peas. Bonus points for grilling the peaches and plums.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: no cook, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, <30 minutes

You can throw some deli meat between two slices of bread, or you can spend a few extra minutes rolling them into pinwheels on flour tortillas. The choice is yours...but I think it’s an obvious one.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly

I’m most definitely whipping this up for the first alfresco brunch of the season. The brown sugar streusel puts the cornbread firmly between breakfast and dessert territories.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: no cook, vegetarian, <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser

When the weather is particularly hot, I’m more in the mood for fresh produce than meat. Pair a few of your favorite cheeses with all the seasonal fruit you can get your hands on, from kiwis to cherries to cantaloupe.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: no cook, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly

It’s your pantry’s time to shine, considering that this recipe calls for canned refried beans, canned green chiles and store-bought taco seasoning. (It also calls for premade guacamole and salsa, so all you’ll have to do is assemble.)

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: no cook, vegan, beginner-friendly

Portable? Check. Easy to assemble? Check. Can be made two days ahead of serving? You bet. These vegan handhelds are prime for a picnic or potluck. Pass the peanut butter dipping sauce, please.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, high protein, special occasion-worthy

It’d be simply cruel to serve barbecue without a side of creamy mac and cheese. This one gets upgraded with briny pickled jalapeños, crisp green onions and mild avocado.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegan, dairy free, special occasion-worthy

Aka liquid sunshine. As if cold soup (aka gazpacho) wasn’t summery enough, this take calls on mild yellow tomatoes, fresh peaches and bell peppers instead of standard tomatoes, cucumbers and onion.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy

You might not think fresh strawberries, balsamic vinegar and Brie belong together, but you’ll change your mind at first bite. The fruit is macerated in a mix of vinegar, olive oil, sugar and salt before crowning the crostini.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, vegan, beginner-friendly

Trade store-bought ranch dressing for a wow-worthy, robust romesco sauce made with roasted bell peppers, sweet-hot dried peppers, almonds, garlic and breadcrumbs. Your guests won’t miss it, promise.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly

Aren’t they adorable? Make these creamy, dreamy green gems once and you’ll have to whip them up for every future barbecue you ever host.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, vegetarian

Hi, 20-minute miracle. Each serving has 13 grams of protein and only 213 calories, so it’s cool if I devour the whole skillet for dinner, right? Serve it with tortilla chips, pita chips or sliced bell peppers.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: high protein, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy

The more char marks, the better. The grill will mellow the acidity of the pineapple, while also giving the pork a solid outer crust. Finish them with sliced scallions and a drizzle of sriracha.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, vegetarian

Presenting your new go-to potluck contribution. Show up with these handhelds (complete with corn, red onion, cotija cheese and cilantro) and prepare to be hounded for the recipe.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, beginner-friendly, vegetarian

Two summer staples, one bowl. The soup comes together in minutes with creamy Greek yogurt, lime juice and lots of fresh mint and parsley, while the Asiago-encrusted bread only takes a few minutes to bake in the oven.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly

Sure, corn on the cob is a side…if it’s plain. When it’s topped with four-ingredient sriracha aioli, it deserves your undivided attention.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, vegetarian, crowd-pleaser

They’re crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside and ever so cheesy. One batch makes a whopping 48 bites, but I have a feeling you’ll go through them quicker than you think (especially if there are kids at the cookout).

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, high protein, pescatarian

Whether you’re making steak, chicken or hot dogs, one truth remains: Everyone always has room for a taco (or three) on their plate. Might I suggest drizzling them with avocado crema or sour cream?

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, <30 minutes, high protein

How do they come together in a flash yet look so gourmet, you ask? By starting with the oldest cheat in the book: a store-bought rotisserie chicken. It’ll be our little secret.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, vegetarian

Place it in the center of the picnic table on a big platter and let the oohs and aahs commence. The grilled slabs of halloumi and peach halves offer just enough smoke to this summer stunner.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients

Roasted summer corn not only adds texture to this decidedly chunky guac, but it also offers a pop of sweetness to this otherwise zesty dip. Pile it onto a burger or slather it on a steak if you’d like.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly

Sliders are an easy crowd-pleaser, but they’re even easier if you can make them all in one fell swoop. Just halve a pack of buns, nestle them into a pan, assemble the sammies and bake them to buttery perfection.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, vegetarian, crowd-pleaser

With seasonings this flavorful, people will almost forget all about the main course. I’m talking lime-chili mayonnaise, smoked paprika and Parmesan cheese.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why We Love it: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser, high protein

The heavily seasoned Cajun butter packs all the flavor of a traditional shrimp boil into a much less messy package. Layer your picnic table with newspaper, place the skewers on top and let your guests go to town.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser

Let this pie finally convert you to Team Pineapple on Pizza. Grilling the pineapple rings brings out their sweetness, making them just the match for salty prosciutto and peppery arugula.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours and 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser

These handhelds are light as a feather and impossibly tender. I suggest using them as slider buns, but they’re an ideal pairing for barbecue ribs or pulled pork, too.

• Time Commitment: 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: no cook, <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser

The key to this soul food recipe’s texture is shredding the cheese yourself, since pre-shredded cheeses contain added ingredients to prevent clumping. Scoop it up with pork rinds, celery stalks and crackers.

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser

Behold: a cross between cornbread, blueberry muffins and coffee cake. I’m betting they’d pair beautifully with beef brisket, ribs and pulled pork alike.

• Time Commitment: 55 minutes
• Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, pescatarian, beginner-friendly

Light, refreshing and served with a sweet-and-spicy dipping sauce. In other words, they’re prime for kicking off an alfresco meal. (They’re also free of dairy, and could be gluten-free if you use a rice-based wrapper to roll them.)

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, vegetarian

Show off your farmers market tomato haul with this simple dish that’s equal parts creamy, crunchy and tangy. Wash it down with something crisp and bubbly.

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes (plus chilling time)
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy

No one at your backyard dinner party will see this Indian-inspired twist on Italian arancini coming. Instead of breadcrumbs, mashed potatoes hold these risotto balls together.

• Time Commitment: 15 hours and 40 minutes (includes resting time)
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly

Psst: I found your weekend baking project. Dip it in pesto, add it to a charcuterie board or drag it through quality olive oil spiked with salt and pepper. Your guests will gobble up a loaf in 30 seconds flat regardless.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser

Sure, you can serve them sliced with syrup and hot sauce for dipping...or you can use them in place of rolls for pulled pork sandwiches. The kids at the party will be psyched.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegan, dairy free, special occasion-worthy

Kale, quinoa, avocado, tomatoes, chickpeas—the gang’s all here. Substitute sweet potato for butternut squash in the off season; just don’t skip the marinated beets.

• Time Commitment: 5 minutes
• Why I Love It: no cook, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, <30 minutes

Instead of fussing over assembling a Pinterest-worthy charcuterie board, opt for these burrata-topped cuties instead. You can even set out multiple cheeses, cured meats, fruits and spreads to let your guests make their own.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, vegetarian

Is this sweet-spicy corn the queen of all summer appetizers? I’ll let you be the judge, but with its eight ingredients and rich, garlicky topping, I think I already have my answer.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, vegetarian

If you’re serving barbecued meats, I’d suggest you pair them with this iconic Southern recipe. Frying sounds complicated, but really all you have to do is season your tomatoes, batter them in flour, put them in oil and go. (Serve them with pimento cheese to go OTT.)

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients

This summer appetizer calls for Kewpie mayo—which is rich and umami-forward—and a dusting of shichimi togarashi, a Japanese spice blend that contains chili flakes, seaweed and sesame seeds. If you don’t want to slice the corn into wedges, whole cobs will be just as delish.