Appetizers

Stone Fruit Caprese

A standout caprese starts with great fruit. You need ripe tomatoes to weep juices, which then mingle with grassy olive oil and milky cheese to make your dressing. Basil adds freshness, black pepper and flakes of sea salt add crunch, and that’s it, a perfect combination. But if the stone fruit options are looking better than the tomatoes at the market, you can use them instead. They’re similar in flavor to tomatoes, but need cajoling to relinquish their juices. By letting sliced fruit macerate with salt, sugar and lemon juice, their fruitiness becomes more electric and their juices pool on the plate. Start with fruit you can smell and pair it with equally quality ingredients. Caprese is more about shopping than cooking.

20 min

Black and Tan Chocolate Popcorn

This Black and Tan Chocolate Popcorn recipe by Andrea Nguyen is a two-toned sweet snack with caramelized white chocolate and bittersweet dark.

1 hr 45 min

Garlic Confit Recipe

This delicious garlic confit recipe is versatile, and easy-to-make, plus you can eat it on just about anything.

Honey Garlic Chicken Tenders

Crispy cornflake-coated chicken tenders tossed in a sweet, sticky honey-garlic sauce. Ready in about 20 minutes, these air-fried tenders are juicy, crunchy and perfect for a quick weeknight meal or snack.

Herby Feta and Yogurt Dip With Sumac

This tangy and creamy dip is the perfect appetizer for a warm summer evening outside, and it makes a nice condiment for grilled meats and veggies, too. Fresh green herbs brighten up the salty feta, and sumac gives it another layer of flavor and a gorgeous pop of color. Choose a feta in brine over vacuum-packed, if you’ve got the option. Feta varies a lot in salt content, so you won’t see a measured amount of salt here; just taste the dip and add a bit if you think it needs it.

5 min

Instant Pot Mini Frittatas

Make a quick and delicious brunch appetizer or snack with your Instant Pot®.

Shrimp Dumplings With Saffron Shallot Sauce

Aushak and mantoo (or mantu), dumplings found in Afghan cuisine, are often filled with soft cooked leeks and onion or ground beef, but this shrimp-filled iteration is the product of the chef Shamim Popal’s journey from Afghanistan to the United Arab Emirates and, eventually, Washington, D.C. After opening a French creperie in 2003, Mrs. Popal decided to share dishes inspired by her upbringing in Afghanistan at Lapis, a restaurant in the city’s Adams Morgan neighborhood. A filling, yet light appetizer, these are meant to be prepared by and for a group, which makes light work and speaks to Mrs. Popal’s own memories of making aushak in Kabul with family.

1 hr 30 min

Honey Butter Potato Chip Tower With Crispy Salami

Turn potato chips into a fancy snack. This salami and potato chip tower, inspired by Korean honey butter chips, is fun finger food for holiday entertaining.

Brownie Cookies

Fudgy, crackly-topped brownie cookies with an intense chocolate flavor and a soft, gooey center. Chill the batter for thicker, fudgier cookies and bake briefly for a crisp, crackly top.

Greek fennel and leek pie (marathopita)

Chef and restaurateur Jonathan Barthelmess shares the secrets to one of his favourite family recipes.

Crab and Artichoke Dip

Briny crab and artichokes, paired with creamy cheeses, sour cream and mayonnaise, set the groundwork for this American coastal favorite with regional variations. On the East Coast, this dip is sometimes referred to as Maryland crab dip, as it uses blue crabs from the Chesapeake Bay and Old Bay seasoning; in the Pacific Northwest, Dungeness crab and artichokes are essential to the mix. This version pulls inspiration from both, and you can use whatever variety is available to you at your local market. You don't need to use lump crab. Instead, look for less expensive options, which have small pieces of crab that distribute more evenly in the creamy base. The cheese pull — that long, gooey string that extends as a result of cheese being pulled apart — is the telltale sign that a dip has reached peak richness. Here, fontina achieves maximum cheesiness and doesn’t overpower the other flavors. Serve with crostini, pita or a sleeve of saltines.

50 min

French Onion Baked Brie

The flavors of French onion soup meet gooey melted Brie in a buttery puff pastry crust in this irresistible appetizer.

1 hr 20 min

Spicy Thai Basil Bacon Jam

A sweet, savory and spicy bacon jam with Thai basil and lime brightness — perfect spooned over burgers. Palm sugar, fish sauce and oyster sauce give deep umami while Thai chiles add heat and fresh basil and lime finish the jam.

Hellenika’s silverbeet and veal dolmades with tzatziki

While a little fiddly, these dolmades are well worth the effort.

S'mores Cookies

These cookies merge two classics into one. Chocolate chip cookie dough is baked on top of a s’more (in this case, a layer of marshmallow, chocolate, and graham cracker). After banging the pan mid-way through baking, the melted marshmallow peeks out on top and gives the cookies a perfect, gooey pull. Once cooled, you can flip them over to see the golden brown graham cracker square on the bottom. They’re easy to batch and assemble in advance and you can store them in the freezer to bake off whenever the craving hits. Tips & Tricks - It helps to have the eggs and butter at room temperature so the two will easily blend together and create a more homogeneous and even batter. - It may seem like we’re adding a lot of salt, but since we’re using unsalted butter you’ll need it to balance out the sweetness of the cookie dough. If you don’t have kosher salt and are using table salt instead, decrease the amount of salt by at least ½ teaspoon. - The longer the cookie dough rests, the more flavor will develop. If you don’t want to wait an hour, 30 minutes is better than none.

Bacon Jalapeño Mozzarella Poppers

Crispy, smoky bacon wrapped around spicy jalapeños stuffed with gooey mozzarella — a crunchy, cheesy appetizer perfect for game day or any get-together. Golden-breaded and fried (or baked), these poppers deliver heat, melty cheese and irresistible crunch.

Focaccia di Recco

This Ligurian flatbread recipe is a prime example of how important focaccia is to the region. Stringy stracchino cheese is sandwiched between two layers of bread dough and baked in a roaring hot oven, resulting in an indulgent snack that's perfect for any time of day.

Grana Padano crisps with thyme and pink pepper

These cheese crisps are perfect for serving with a few drinks before a dinner with friends. Incredibly simple and quick to make, they showcase the incredible flavour of Grana Padano – simply double (or triple) the recipe if you're feeding a crowd.

French Onion Baked Brie

Instead of being covered in pastry, this baked Brie recipe lets the runny, tangy cheese take center stage, happily oozing into a baking dish along with a caramelized onion topping, which gives the whole thing French onion soup vibes. You can make the onions a few days ahead of time. Then just spread them onto a round of Brie or Camembert and pop it into the oven before serving with crostini or crackers. Like all melty cheese dishes, this is best served warm while the cheese is at its softest and most delightfully gooey.

45 min

Crispy Beef Cones

Savory ground beef and peppers tucked into oven-baked tortilla cones, topped with gooey mozzarella. Crunchy, handheld, and perfect for game day or parties—serve warm with a sprinkle of parsley.

Spiraled Spanakopita With Feta

The first thing you’ll notice about this savory Greek pie — called striftí spanakotyrópita in its homeland — is its alluring spiraled form. But the shape serves a purpose beyond aesthetics: It amplifies the irresistible contrast between the crunch of the crust and the tenderness of the filling by increasing the surface area of the flaky, golden, olive-oil-varnished phyllo that encases the herbaceous greens. A handful of dried currants balances the salty cheese, and fresh parsley helps bring it all to life. If you’re lucky enough to have a Greek grocery nearby, look for frozen “country-style” phyllo, which is thicker and more tender than the paper-thin variety found in most supermarkets, making it closer to the handmade dough preferred by Greek cooks.

10 hr 15 min

Mushroom Queso Fundido

Sizzling and gooey, queso fundido topped with chorizo is a staple on Mexican restaurant menus across the country. But the dish likely stems from home cooks along North Mexico and South Texas. Depending on where you go, different cheeses like Monterey Jack, Chihuahua or Oaxaca cheeses are used. Bricia Lopez, an author of “Asada: The Art of Mexican-Style Grilling (Abrams, 2023)” and “Oaxaca: Home Cooking From the Heart of Mexico” (Abrams Books, 2019), and an owner at Guelaguetza, in Los Angeles, was inspired by the salsa de queso and quesillo she grew up eating at her family’s restaurant to create her version of queso fundido, which uses the Oaxaca cheese to create a great cheese pull. She also tops it with mushrooms and epazote (see Tip), a fresh herb she grew up eating with cheese.

1 hr

Tzatziki

Tzatziki is a popular Greek sauce traditionally served with souvlaki and pita bread, but it’s super versatile in its potential: It’s a great snacking dip with crudités and chips, as well as a bright and tangy sauce to drizzle on grain bowls or serve alongside roasted chicken or salmon. Most commonly finished with dill, tzatziki is sometimes made — and equally delicious — with other fresh herbs, like mint or oregano. It can be made a few hours ahead and will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

10 min

Arayes (Meat-Stuffed Pitas)

Crispy, juicy Middle Eastern pita sandwiches stuffed with a spiced ground beef mixture and served with a bright garlic-tahini sauce. Crunchy outside, flavorful meat inside — perfect for dinner or a shareable appetizer.

Crab Cakes

Flavored with Old Bay seasoning, mustard and a splash of Worcestershire sauce, these classic Maryland-style crab cakes are heavy on the crab, with just enough bread crumbs and mayonnaise to hold everything together. Serve with homemade tartar sauce, lemon wedges and a green salad for a special lunch, dinner or appetizer any time of the year. For an hors d’oeuvre-sized portion, form smaller cakes (about 3 tablespoons of batter each) and pan-fry as directed. The batter can be made up to 24 hours in advance and stored, covered, in the refrigerator.

1 hr

Spicy Chicken Bacon Bites

Bacon-wrapped, jalapeño-studded chicken bites cooked in the air fryer for a crispy, spicy snack. Seasoned with a savory chicken rub and finished with your favorite BBQ rub — serve hot with ranch for dipping.

Cranberry-Wine Swirl Cookies

These pinwheel-style swirls pair classic sugar cookie dough with cranberry and red wine jam. They’re equally at home on a cheese plate and served as dessert.

Chocolate Mousse

Each mouthful of this dessert is a marvel: as light as a meringue pie topping, but with the eggy silkiness of a creamy chocolate custard. This mousse has a particularly airy texture, but is still a little rich from the bittersweet chocolate, which makes it the ideal not-too-sweet dessert. Because the mousse develops an even deeper flavor over time, it’s perfect for parties. You can make it up to five days ahead of time and serve it straight from the refrigerator.

Lumpia Shanghai

Crispy Filipino-style spring rolls filled with seasoned ground pork and finely chopped vegetables — perfect as a party finger food or snack. Golden, crunchy outside with a savory, juicy filling that pairs beautifully with sweet chili or spiced vinegar.

Kimchijeon (Kimchi Pancake)

At Pyeong Chang Tofu House in Oakland, Calif., Young S. Kim’s golden kimchijeon are a revelation. Tart with pungent kimchi, the pancakes are both satisfyingly chewy and shatteringly crisp. At the Tofu House, where Mrs. Kim turns 1,400 pounds of Napa cabbage into kimchi each month, her homemade kimchi is the secret to her kimchijeon’s unsurpassed flavor. Use the most flavorful traditionally prepared kimchi you can find — it’ll make all the difference in this simple recipe. This version, adapted from Mrs. Kim’s original recipe, comes together quickly: Just combine kimchi and its juice with a few dry ingredients into a simple batter, then fry it in a cast-iron skillet into a mouth-watering pancake. Serve it to a crowd as an appetizer, or eat it on its own as a filling meal.

15 min

Tangy Tzatziki

Inspired by the tzatziki served at Sto Kastro, a Greek restaurant in Germersheim, Germany, this thicker, fluffier iteration of the sauce lets the pairing of cucumber and yogurt shine. The main technique here is to really squeeze the liquid out of both the cucumbers and the yogurt, which results in tzatziki that’s both creamy and almost fluffy. A second trick, from the cookbook author Suzy Karadsheh, is to use distilled white vinegar instead of lemon juice. The vinegar’s straightforward acidity delivers the best of the cucumber and yogurt. This cool, creamy mix tastes fantastic when spread on warm pita bread and crackers or used as a dip for chips and fresh crunchy vegetables.

15 min

Crispy Chicken Nuggets with Cane's Sauce

Crispy, crunchy homemade chicken nuggets made from minced chicken, double-battered and fried until golden, served with a tangy Raising Cane’s–style dipping sauce. Sparkling water in the batter gives extra lightness and crunch; the sauce is quick to mix and benefits from chilling to meld flavors.

Supper Spanakopita

Crisp, buttery phyllo surrounds a creamy filling of spinach and feta makes an impressive vegetarian main course with very little work.

50 min

Grana Padano cauliflower florets with parsley dip

This dish of crisp, cheesy cauliflower florets is a fantastic dish to serve either as a starter or as part of an antipasti platter.

Lemon Pepper Wings

Crispy baked wings get tossed in a punchy sauce of black pepper, lemon, and butter for a homemade take on the Atlanta classic.

Savory Feta Turnovers

Inspired by the Greek tradition of frying a whole block of feta, these versatile flaky pastries offer a delightful blend of salty, tangy and sweet flavors. The creamy feta and zesty preserved lemon create a harmonious filling that's both comforting and indulgent. With just a handful of ingredients (including handy store-bought puff pastry), these turnovers are a quick and easy starter perfect for dinner parties or a casual weeknight gathering. They may also be enjoyed as a snack or on-the-go meal at room temperature. Store leftovers in an airtight container or bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, and reheat at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. And for a bite-sized treat, consider turning them into finger food appetizers by using smaller pastry sheets and dividing the filling accordingly.

40 min

Air-Fryer Gochujang Chicken Wings

These wings are the reason so many people in the Two Sleevers Facebook group ran out to buy air fryers. Crispy, salty, sweet, and spicy with Korean chile paste—little bites of heaven! And, of course, super easy to make. If I were you, I’d inaugurate my air fryer with this super-simple recipe. Excerpted from EVERY DAY EASY AIR FRYER © 2018 by Urvashi Pitre. Photography © 2018 by Ghazalle Badiozamani. Reproduced by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.

Spanakopita

Spanakopita, the classic Greek savory pie, is elegant and impressive, yet easy to make. The star ingredient is spinach, and lots of it (two pounds to be exact). This pie tastes best when made with fresh spinach, though you could also use the same amount of frozen spinach — just be sure to thaw completely and squeeze out all the excess water before using. This recipe can be baked a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator overnight, then rewarmed at 400 degrees until heated through, about 15 minutes. Cut into small squares or triangles to serve as an appetizer, or for a more complete meal, serve larger squares of the pie alongside soup or salad.

2 hr

Mama Kaye's Salmon Breakfast Croquettes

Grilled Asparagus with Taramasalata

This best-ever taramasalata gets flavor from fresh herbs, garlic and lemon juice. Get the recipe on Food & Wine.

1 hr 30 min

Tiramisu Cupcakes

Soft vanilla cupcakes soaked in brewed coffee and topped with a light mascarpone-vanilla cream — all the classic tiramisu flavors in convenient cupcake form. Make the vanilla pudding a day ahead for the best texture.

Pa Amb Tomàquet (Catalan Tomato Bread)

In Barcelona, this tomato bread with garlic and olive oil is served all over the city. Steven Raichlen puts his mark on the classic dish by grilling the bread instead of merely toasting it, creating a bit of bitter char that offsets the tangy, sweet tomatoes. Get the recipe at Food & Wine.

15 min

Garlic Butter Steak Bites

Inspired by bite-size steak tips — the highly snackable bar food that’s beloved in Boston and the greater New England area — these garlic butter steak bites follow a classic bistro flavor profile accented with a punch of soy sauce. They’re quick and clever: Cutting steak into small pieces creates more surface area to quickly soak up a marinade, and the morsels cook off in just minutes. Here, they are marinated in a mixture of soy sauce and olive oil, then finished in the pan with a swirl of butter, garlic and parsley. They are perfect for summer spreads alongside a hearty, lemony farro salad or a summery corn salad, plus some bread to swipe up the rich sauce. Serve with toothpicks for easy snacking, or small plates.

1 hr

Cheddar Caramel Slices

A shortbread base made with cheddar cheese provides a salty contrast against a chewy caramel in this playful cookie bar that pays homage to Chicago mix popcorn.

Nigerian Beef Suya (Spiced Grilled Skewers) Recipe

Suya is Nigerian street food at its finest: Skewers of spiced, nutty, smoky, charred beef, served with raw onions, tomatoes, cilantro, lettuce, and freshly squeezed lime juice.

1 hr 35 min

Saganaki Halloumi (Cypriot Fried Halloumi)

This Saganaki Halloumi recipe showcases Halloumi fried in butter and served with caramelized nectarine, lemon yogurt, and spiced honey.

2 hr 45 min

Jammy Brie Galette

This Brie galette is party food at its finest—and easiest! A 5-ingredient sweet-salty appetizer that takes just five minutes to prep.

Fugazzeta (Cheese-Stuffed Pizza)

The influence of Italian immigrants is apparent in Argentinian pizza culture: Immigrants brought focaccia with them, which morphed into a focaccia-pizza hybrid known as fugazza, a thick pizza topped with cheese and shaved onions. This got dialed up a few notches to become fugazzeta. In a fugazzeta, two pizza crusts are sandwiched around cheese before being crimped shut and topped with a heap of thinly sliced onions. The onions may initially seem like overkill, but don’t skimp: They soften and char, providing a nice reprieve from the copious molten cheese.

1 hr 15 min

Halvah Semifreddo With Hazelnuts

Aglaia Kremezi, a historian of Greek food who eschewed sesame desserts as a child, is now an enthusiast. In her own kitchen, she has rethought the traditional tahini filling for a Lenten cinnamon roll called tahinopita, and developed a super-easy recipe for halvah semifreddo, a frozen emulsion of fresh whipped cream and crystalline halvah. It is a spectacular dessert to serve at a dinner party, and the sesame undertones will surprise and delight guests.

30 min

Breakfast Crescent Ring

The ultimate breakfast sandwich ingredients are piled high inside crescent dough then shaped into a ring for the perfect brunch party recipe.