Thanksgiving is a time to gather and go all in on a festive spread shared with friends and family. But when you and your guests come hungry for the feast ahead, it’s easy to go a bit overboard on appetizers before even sitting down for the main event.

Here, we’ve put together a list of healthier Thanksgiving appetizers, a majority of which are vegetable-forward, so you can get your fill of veggies and save room for the turkey, sides and dessert goodness we wait for all year. And don’t mistake healthy for boring or bland. These appetizers range from soul-warming soups to creamy dips to crunchy crostini and more, so you’ll have plenty of options to choose from.

Mushrooms stuffed with garlicky, cheesy breadcrumbs make for an ideal appetizer. This flavor-packed, veggie-centric Air-Fryer Stuffed Mushrooms recipe keeps things simple, and best of all, there’s no need for pots, pans or an oven.

Nothing says Thanksgiving more than a warming butternut squash soup. To serve for a crowd, cool slightly and serve in mini mugs or shooter glasses.

These “tortellini” aren’t made with pasta — they’re thin slices of cured meat folded around a simple ricotta-and-pesto filling. You’ll need just three ingredients, and you can fold up a bunch in about 10 minutes. We opted for salami here, but you could use almost any thinly sliced cured meat. A small indulgent piece of cured meat can fit in a healthy eating plan – and a little goes a long way in these clever bite-size snacks.

Here’s a vibrantly colored and creamy dip that’s a flashier alternative to hummus. The sweet potato also provides a healthy boost of the antioxidant beta-carotene. If you don’t want to make your own pita chips, use store-bought instead.

Originating from India, chaat, which refers to savory snacks, can take many forms. Most boast an impressive, but beautifully cohesive, variety of flavors and textures. In this recipe, Maneet combines whimsically shaped star fruit and sweet potatoes for a bright start to a meal.

These small toasts, topped with a garlicky spinach mixture and a sprinkle of goat cheese, feel festive while providing a variety of nutrients – vitamins A and C, iron, magnesium and potassium – thanks to spinach.

This Italian zucchini tart from the region of Tuscany gets its name from the word scarpa (shoe), perhaps referring to the tart’s resemblance to the soles of well-worn shoes. In this version, we’ve added red bell pepper and fresh corn to the mix, but feel free to experiment with other ingredients.

Whipping ricotta makes it light and fluffy, while raisins add sweet flavor and nuts add crunchy texture. Serve with baguette slices or crusty bread for an elegant appetizer.

Egg and pepper is known as kosua ne meko in Twi, a language spoken by the Akan people in Ghana. Kosua ne meko is a hard-boiled egg sliced in half and topped with meko, a sauce or relish of fresh tomatoes, onions, Scotch bonnet or habanero pepper and sometimes garlic or ginger. These eggs provide a good base of protein at the start of the meal, especially if you tend to opt out of turkey.

This hors d’oeuvre recipe transforms canned tomatoes into luscious ruby gems. Canned tomatoes aren’t just more convenient to keep on hand; they’re also packed with lycopene — a powerful antioxidant that, compared to fresh, is found in higher amounts in canned and processed tomatoes. These toasts are designed to be enjoyed at room temperature, so you can feel good about setting them out in advance as guests trickle in.

This rich vegan dip is packed with kale and cannellini beans. All of these healthful ingredients provide fiber which most Americans could use more of. The kale is also packed with nutrients likes antioxidant vitamins A and C, folate and manganese, while the canned beans pack a powerful protein punch, which helps maintain muscle mass and support bone health. It includes nutritional yeast, a great dairy-free alternative to cheese if you’re looking to reduce or eliminate dairy. Serve with whole wheat sliced baguette, sliced carrots, radishes or cucumbers sticks.

These potato skins look gorgeous topped with broccoli florets, cheddar cheese and a cream made with avocado, cilantro, lime juice, scallions and sour cream. Potatoes provide an excellent source of the antioxidant vitamin C, which aids in collagen production — a major component of muscle tissue.

This beta-carotene-packed appetizer looks pretty on the table and tastes even better! To make these more party-friendly, divide into shooter glasses and serve warm when guests arrive.

A spin on the pureed chickpea dip, this crowd-pleasing hummus is made with black-eyed peas. It still offers protein, fiber and a variety of good-for-you nutrients. Save a handful of black-eyed peas to garnish for a pretty presentation.

This gorgeous appetizer screams holiday with layered white beans and red pomegranate seeds. White beans and pomegranate both add fiber, which is under consumed by most people in the U.S., and offers an array of benefits including helping digestive health and lowering blood cholesterol.

These roasted olives are flavored with rosemary, red chile, garlic and tangerines tossed in a red wine vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil. The sweet and spicy combo is sure to be a hit on turkey day, as it balances out heartier turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes.

Polenta, or ground corn meal, is often referred to as “Italian grits.” When polenta is baked in a baking pan, you can slice and turn a batch into squares. The mushrooms add a plant-forward yet meaty texture and provide a variety of good-for-you nutrients including vitamin B6, potassium and antioxidants.

Kale chips are an easy-to-make crowd-pleaser. This recipe only requires three ingredients, plus a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and can help you meet your vegetable quota without much additional fuss.

This simple method of pureeing firm tofu results in a silky smooth and airy dip with an exceptionally creamy texture, similar to hummus. The addition of nutty garlic confit – slowly roasted garlic in a bath of olive oil – kicks the flavor up a notch with a nutty sweetness, while a generous squeeze of lemon juice and sprinkling of lemon zest provide some brightness. This app is great for omnivores and vegetarians alike. Serve with your favorite crudités and crackers or bread for dipping.

Serve up this Southwestern version of squash soup with tortillas, chile peppers and cumin. Top with your choice of pomegranate seeds, sliced scallions, toasted pepitas or cooked bacon.

Baba ganoush is a classic Levantine eggplant and tahini dip that is beloved throughout the Middle East. Our version calls for grilling the eggplant and skipping the yogurt to allow the charred smoky flavor to really shine. Serve with pita chips, crusty bread or crudité.

This Mediterranean-inspired appetizer is stuffed with a mixture of fennel, brown rice, herbs and pine nuts. Make it vegetarian by swapping the chicken for vegetable broth.

Beets bring a vibrant spin and sweet earthiness to this Middle Eastern favorite. The stunning dip is topped with a dollop of creamy labneh. If you can’t find labneh, substitute with full-fat Greek yogurt for the same rich dairy tang.

This savory finger appetizer is made using a combination of dried porcini and fresh button mushrooms for a punch of umami flavor.

This simple but elegant appetizer is served with a Greek yogurt dip made with capers instead of the traditional cucumbers.

Jerk seasoning breathes life into potassium-rich carrots. To make this bright dip, douse the vegetables in the spices and roast until sweet and tender. Add coconut milk to temper the heat, and make the dip ultra-creamy.

The secret ingredient in this dip is cottage cheese. When blended it becomes light and creamy, making your dip a perfect consistency. Cottage cheese brings a sizeable amount of protein to this dish. Between the cottage cheese and beans, you’ll get a whopping six grams of it per serving, and that’s before you even take a bite of turkey.

Crunchy cucumbers balance the blend of cream cheese and mayo with celery, bell peppers and crab meat. At 80 calories apiece, these boats are a seamless way to enjoy smaller portions of higher-calorie ingredients.