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Nerdy Science in the Kitchen

Easy Hors D’oeuvres Recipes for a Crowd

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Beautiful spread!
Beautiful spread!

Hors d’oeuvres are perfect for parties, no matter what size. They satisfy your hungry dinner guests until the main dish that’s still cooking, while demonstrating your chef’s prowess. There are so many hors d’oeuvres options, some very difficult and some quite easy, all shapes and sizes of delicious bites. Depending on your dinner party, your hors d’oeuvres could vary from a formal delicacy to a casual yet tasty snack -and it’s easy to please with these simple recipes.

Grilled Cheese and Fruit Chutney Quarters

For a casual, laid back party, try some mini grilled cheese and fruit chutney toasted bites. These are super easy to make. Simply butter up some bread and lightly fry it, buttery side down. Once it’s nicely toasted, add some cheddar and the chutney, close the sandwich, and continue to fry until the cheese has nicely melted. Cut the sandwich into quarters and serve warm. These will accompany some red wine quite nicely and get your guests in the mood for the main event.

Keep your cheeses fresh for longer with these tips on how to store cheese in the fridge!

Crostini

Crostini is always a great option for hors d'oeuvres
Crostini is always a great option for hors d’oeuvres

Need a brilliant way to jazz up a simple hors d’oeuvre? Try Crostini! They’re small pieces of toasted bread, served with any sort of topping. A classic is the crostini with a piece of Parma or Serrano ham topped with a thin slice of fennel, and a drizzle of lemon juice atop.

Check out the Lenox French Perle Hors D’Oeuvre Tray at Amazon

You could also season it with a twist of cracked black pepper. These are so easy to make, but the best part is that they very fancy. Best served to accompany a cold glass of white wine.

If you’re opening a lot of wine bottles, you’ll want to see this post on the best wine key.

Pork Stuffed Dumplings

Add a little Asian flare to your party with some pork stuffed dumplings. These look like they might be tricky to make, but the truth is that they’re actually quite easy. Pick up some wanton pastry, circular ones are the best, and some pork mince. Mix the pork with some chopped up pak choi, sesame oil and soy sauce. Place a teaspoon of the mix onto the pastry and fold it over, pressing the edges with a fork to seal them. Fry the dumplings in sesame oil on one side until brown. Add half a cup of water to the frying pan and cover. The water will be absorbed into the pastry, giving them a truly authentic look.

Check out Bluegrass Bourbon Barrel Aged Soy Sauce at Amazon

Serve alongside a dipping sauce of soy sauce, ginger, green chili and garlic. Delicious!

Pigs-in-a-blanket

Fancy in a blanket.
Fancy in a blanket.

A universal favorite, pigs-in-a-blanket are a simple, yet versatile, snack. Don’t underestimate these little snacks for your fancier guests. Take some small sausages and wrap them in bacon. Baste them in a bit of melted butter and honey to add a slight sweetness to them. Toss them in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until the meat is cooked and the bacon appears nice and crispy. Serve with toothpicks and a mustard honey dipping sauce.

Check out Honeycup Uniquely Sharp Mustard at Amazon

Smoked Salmon on Soda Bread

An absolute classic, smoked salmon on some nicely buttered soda bread with a squeeze of lemon juice is a truly delicious hors d’oeuvre. You don’t even need to buy the top quality smoked salmon for this. Smoked salmon is fairly consistent across the board unless you’re something of a salmon connoisseur. Make this even tastier by adding a mustard and dill sauce to drizzle over. The dill compliments the salmon excellently.

See this post for a great recipe for smoked salmon. You might also want to learn how to do a salmon brine.

Tapas

These Spanish delicacies are excellent choices for hors d’oeuvres. They’re so easy to prepare, and offer a lot of variety too. Serve on a rustic looking chopping board to complete the look. You can serve this alongside some cured meats, sardines and olives; just like the Catalans do in the bars of Barcelona!

Need a good cutting board? Find out about the best cutting boards.

Hors d’oeuvre Hour

So if you’ve inadvertently created a bit of a last minute rush for yourself, fear not. There are plenty of delicious hors d’oeuvres out there that are so easy to make and which will add a whole new level to your party, whether it’s a formal gathering or a casual get together.

Need guacamole in a hurry? Find out how to make guacamole with unripe avocado.

If you’re looking for reviews of kitchen essentials that are great for preparing appetizers, check out this article on tools for cutting hard cheese.

For more fun appetizers for get-togethers, see these delicious picnic food recipes.

Kitchen Professor author
About the Author: Bryce Heitman

Bryce is not a real professor, but he's real nerdy in the kitchen. He's been barbecuing, chopping, and generally blazing food for many decades. He thinks there's definitely a better spatula or utensil out there that hasn't been invented yet.

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