8 of the Speediest Thanksgiving Appetizer Recipes Ever
Get the recipes for eight of the fastest-ever Thanksgiving appetizers.
Renee Comet, 2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
The appetizers you make for Thanksgiving dinner are arguably some of the trickiest to plan; after all, they kick off one of the most-important meals of the year. They should likely be more special than carrots and ranch, and they need to be hearty enough to satiate your guests, but they should not be so heavy that guests don't want to eat that enormous meal that's coming right up. Plus, your kitchen will likely be overrun with all manner of pots and pans on Thanksgiving, so when it comes to the hors d'oeuvres especially, the easier and faster the better. Enter: our fast-fix starter solutions. All eight of these recipes are ready to eat in 35 minutes or less, and they're guaranteed crowd-pleasers — think cheese logs, shrimp cocktail and cheesy dip.
With oven and stove space at a premium on Thanksgiving, you can be thankful that these eight-minute bites require only assembly — no cooking necessary. When it comes to the cheese, Giada De Laurentiis opts for a mix of rich goat cheese and creamy mascarpone.
Sweet, salty and just a bit spicy, Ina Garten's warm cashews are tossed in an herbed brown sugar-cayenne combo for craveable flavor.
"It should look lovely and 'mossy,'" Ree Drummond notes of the goat cheese log covered with vibrant dill.
Tara Donne
Crisp rendered bacon gives Rachael Ray's top-rated dip a subtle smoky flavor, while the cream cheese-mayo mash-up delivers creamy comfort. Prefer something with more bite? Check out Rachael's note about adding horseradish.
Many bruschetta recipes call for tomato-basil toppings, but there are no rules when it comes to building up the bread. Here Ina tops the toasts with a pepper-caper mixture and finishes them with rich Gorgonzola before moving them to the oven to warm.
Ina likes to make her own cocktail sauce with a lemony ketchup-chili sauce combination. Just a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce add an especially savory bite. For the shrimp, she skips the boiling process and simply roasts them in the oven.
The addition of breadcrumbs brings heft to the garlicky, cheesy filling in Giada's healthy appetizers.
You know how jam is a go-to pairing with cheese, the sweet and savory flavors naturally complementing each other? Quince paste, which is more firm than jam but boasts a subtle sweetness, works well, too, especially with nutty Manchego cheese. Can't find Manchego? Tyler Florence notes, "Parmigiano-Reggiano can be substituted for the Manchego."
Visit Thanksgiving Central for more of our best turkey day recipes.
