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Impress everyone with these easy healthy appetizers! These recipes are packed with flavor and wholesome ingredients, perfect for parties, gatherings, or snacking.

Healthy appetizers
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It’s hard to find great appetizer recipes: ones that have flavors guests will love and are easy to make while juggling cooking the main meal. So if you’re also looking for healthy appetizer recipes, and it’s triply difficult!

What does healthy mean when it comes to appetizers? We’re cookbook authors and experts in the Mediterranean diet style of eating and living, a diet that’s been called one of the healthiest in the world. To us, healthy appetizers fit into this style of eating. Here, we’ve put together the best healthy appetizer recipes that get the most rave reviews when they make them for parties.

What does healthy mean?

The Mediterranean diet has been called one of the best diets in the world according to US News and World Report. This way of eating and living derives from the countries that border the Mediterranean Sea, like Italy and Greece. It’s not a strict diet, but more a set of guidelines.

We’ve been eating this way for over a decade and can confirm: we’ve never felt better! Here’s how the Mayo Clinic defines the Mediterranean diet:

  • Whole grains like oats, quinoa, barley, and so forth. Prioritize whole wheat or whole grain bread.
  • Fruits and vegetables
  • Nuts and seeds
  • Yogurt in moderation
  • Milk and natural or light cheeses in moderation, like cottage cheese, ricotta and goat cheese (per the Cleveland Clinic and Mayo Clinic)
  • Eggs in moderation (1 egg per day)
  • Olive oil (instead of butter)
  • Fish and some poultry
  • Limited red meat and added sugars

And now, our top healthy appetizer recipes!

To us, healthy is not so much about calorie-counting. It’s eating whole foods with lots of nutrients, heavy on the vegetables. Many of the recipes below are made with nutrient-rich ingredients and are gluten-free appetizers, vegan appetizers, or vegetarian appetizers. All of them are delicious and total crowd pleasers!

Want our top favorites? Try the Loaded Hummus Dip and Apple Nachos.

Frequently asked questions

Are there healthy appetizer recipes for different dietary restrictions?

Yes! This post includes recipes that are gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian. Be sure to check the recipe notes for ingredient substitutions to cater to specific dietary needs.

Can I make healthy appetizers ahead of time?

Yes! Many healthy appetizers are perfect for prepping in advance. Try making loaded hummus dip, avocado dip, corn salsa, fruit dip, or marinated olives the day before your gathering.

Can I still have some protein in my appetizers?

Grilled shrimp skewers with a zesty marinade are light and flavorful. Edamame pods are a great source of plant-based protein and fiber. Or, try this cucumber and smoked salmon appetizer!

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Healthy Loaded Hummus Appetizer

Healthy appetizers
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Here are the best easy healthy appetizer recipes for parties! They’re delicious crowd pleasers full of fresh ingredients.

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 4 to 6 1x
  • Category: Appetizer
  • Method: No Cook
  • Cuisine: Mediterranean
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 to 1 1/2 cups hummus (10 to 15 ounces)
  • ½ cup chopped English cucumber
  • ¼ cup finely chopped red onion
  • ½ cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • ½ cup canned artichoke hearts, chopped
  • ¼ cup Kalamata olives, chopped
  • ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese (omit or substitute vegan cheese for dairy-free)
  • 1 handful fresh parsley or dill, chopped
  • Olive oil, for drizzling
  • Pita chips, for serving

Instructions

  1. Prepare the vegetables as noted above.
  2. Spread the hummus on a large plate, bowl or platter. Top with the cucumber, onion, tomatoes, artichokes, olives, feta cheese, and chopped herbs. Drizzle with olive oil, if desired. Serve with pita chips. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for 3 days.

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About the authors

Alex & Sonja

Hi! We’re Alex & Sonja Overhiser, authors of the acclaimed cookbooks A Couple Cooks and Pretty Simple Cooking—and a real life couple who cooks together. We founded the A Couple Cooks website in 2010 to share seasonal recipes and the joy of home cooking. Now, we’ve got over 3,000 well-tested recipes, including Mediterranean diet, vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, smoothies, cocktails, and more!

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