The holidays are quickly approaching, but keep the stress of meal prep at bay! Instead of long hours in the kitchen seeking that perfect home-cooked taste, enjoy gathering with friends and family at home by creating easily shareable appetizers that will fill guests and earn your cooking skills great acclaim. For a memorable gathering full of dairy-delicious options, pick from these mini-appetizer favorites to gather together, share, and celebrate with one another.
It’s never a bad idea to start with dessert! This Ricotta Peach Tart is a buttery puff pastry paired with creamy, lightly sweetened ricotta cheese and juicy ripe peaches. It’s the perfect crowd-pleasing dessert for all your entertaining needs. Easily replace the peaches with another stone fruit such as plums or nectarines for a year-round mini dessert.
The white cheddar cheese in these Cheesy Corn Fritters not only makes the perfect pairing for the sweet, fresh corn but helps hold the fritters together. If sweet summer corn isn’t in season—or takes too much time—substitute canned corn.
Mini Beef and Cheese Empanadas
These Mini Beef and Cheese Empanadas have everything you could ever want in a perfect handheld pie. And they’re hassle-free! The simple ingredients paired with a store-bought chimichurri sauce make these delicious empanadas super easy to prepare for any event.
Imagine a classic Caprese salad mixed with grilled chicken and cream cheese, topped with more mozzarella, and then baked until it’s bubbly —yum! This Hot Chicken Caprese Dip is full of cheese, spices, and chicken to make a creamy dip perfect to serve with toasted crostini or pita chips.
Creamy Polenta with Wild Mushrooms
This Creamy Polenta with Wild Mushrooms adds extra flavor to the traditional polenta dish without overwhelming your taste buds. The creamy, cheesy polenta topped with a wild mushroom ragú makes a great weeknight meal or shareable dish for a fall gathering—and it doesn’t require much prep time, making a quick dish for unexpected guests.
Mini Chocolate Mascarpone Cheesecakes
Mini Chocolate Mascarpone Cheesecakes are perfect two-bite cheesecake desserts for any celebration. With a simple sugar cookie crust, they provide a decadent update with milk chocolate chips and tangy mascarpone cheese topped with chopped toasted hazelnuts. Delicious!
Mini Naan Mix and Match Pizzas
Mini Naan flatbreads make the perfect crust for a homemade pizza. For big events, the topping options are endless. Set out a make-your-own-toppings bar and let family and friends mix and match to make their own perfect Mini Naan pizza. Simply slice and place the flatbreads in the oven so everyone can enjoy their unique creations and remove extra work for you!
Sweet Potato Poutine with Cheese Sauce
The classic poutine French dish gets a Southern makeover with crispy sweet potato fries and an herb cheese sauce. Serve the Sweet Potato Poutine with Cheese Sauce directly from the baking sheet or use mini cast iron skillets to serve this cheesy creation tapas-style. Simply place sweet potato fries in smaller pans after they are baked and then top with cheese curds, sauce, bacon, and garnish.
Meatballs in Creamy Tomato Sauce with Burrata
The creamy tomato cheese sauce is the perfect partner for store-bought meatballs to still call a meal homemade. Topping the Meatballs in Creamy Tomato Sauce with decadent, rich burrata cheese takes it to a whole different level. And bonus, there’s plenty of extra sauce for dipping crusty, chewy bread in to!
Be sure to follow us on Facebook this November for entertaining tips, recipes and giveaways. In addition to these great appetizers, you may win a cheeseboard or recipe book for your next gathering.