Drinks Wine 24 Wine Party Starters to Serve Nosh, sip, repeat — these are the best appetizers to fuel your wine tasting shindig. By Food & Wine Editors Food & Wine Editors This is collaborative content from Food & Wine's team of experts, including staff, recipe developers, chefs, and contributors. Many of our galleries curate recipes or guides from a variety of sources which we credit throughout the content and at each link. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on May 12, 2024 Close Photo: Photo by Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Christina Brockman Though wine and cheese are a natural match, wine party fare needn't be relegated to cheese boards alone. This selection of small bites features recipes to accentuate the variety of wines you may be serving and tasting. From herb-roasted olives to creative crostini, these are the hors d'oeuvres that will elevate your next wine party. 01 of 24 French Onion Baked Brie Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Amelia Rampe With gooey cheese, savory caramelized onions, and the crunch of golden, buttery pastry, this decadent appetizer captures all the deliciousness of that first spoonful of French onion soup. Smear the cheesy snack on slices of toasted baguette. Get the Recipe 02 of 24 Marinated Feta with Lemony Herb “Jam” Balls Greg DuPree These green herb jam balls are made from steamed chard and herbs studded with preserved lemon and currants, submerged in olive oil along with strips of lemon peel and cubed feta. Serve them with crackers or crostini for an instant appetizer. Get the Recipe 03 of 24 Red Pepper Blini with Creamed Corn and Smoked Salmon © Con Poulos Chef Jonathan Waxman presents tender red pepper pancakes with a sweet corn sauce, decadent smoked salmon, and caviar for a unique riff on blini and caviar. Get the Recipe 04 of 24 Onion Jam and Goat Cheese Rugelach Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Dickey / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis Rugelach are typically layered with sweet, fruity jam, but the dough makes a surprisingly compatible home for savory fillings. These are spread with a thick homemade onion jam flavored with balsamic vinegar, sumac, and coriander. Serve them as an hors d'oeuvre with a glass of sparkling wine. Get the Recipe 05 of 24 Cheese Straws Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Shell Royster Crisp, savory, and with a satisfying snap, cheese straws are a Southern staple, and these were honed to perfection by the legendary culinary duo of Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock. They ripen in flavor and benefit from being made ahead. Get the Recipe 06 of 24 Zucchini and Pepper Gratin with Herbs and Cheese © James Merrell Chef Daniel Humm uses pleasantly salty Sbrinz cheese to top his gratin made with a ratatouille-like mix of sautéed zucchini strips, bell peppers, and tomato, but the recipe also works with Parmigiano-Reggiano. Pair this with a crisp, full-bodied white such as Swiss Chasselas or a northern Italian Pinot Bianco. Get the Recipe 07 of 24 Gougères with Smoked Salmon, Caviar, and Prosciutto Photo by Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Christina Brockman These cheesy puffs look fancy, but come together in minutes to make any snack feel like an occasion. We topped ours with slivers of prosciutto and smoked salmon and dollops of caviar and crème fraîche, but any toppings will do. Or, simply eat them plain — they shine on their own. Get the Recipe 08 of 24 Garlic-Butter Steak Bites Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Missie Crawford These quick stir-fried beef bites are an easy way to achieve all the luxury of a steakhouse-caliber steak at home. The buttery, velvety sauce coats every piece nicely, and the vermouth's herbal richness pairs well with the savory Worcestershire. Serve as an appetizer with toothpicks. Get the Recipe 09 of 24 Mushroom Conserva Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis Marinated in a blend of Champagne vinegar, olive oil, toasted fennel seeds, garlic, and thyme, these tender mushrooms are a winning appetizer waiting to happen. Spoon them over ricotta-topped toast or gooey baked Brie, or add them to a cheese board with plenty of crusty bread. Get the Recipe 10 of 24 Crudités and Fermented Soybean Dip Greg DuPree For her Crudités and Fermented Soybean Dip, 2018 F&W Best New Chef Katianna Hong keeps it simple, pairing just-picked vegetables with a thick, tangy soy dip. It's an ideal way to show off whatever fresh vegetables you can get your hands on. Get the Recipe 11 of 24 Gambas al Ajillo (Shrimp in Garlic Sauce) Diana Chistruga For this quick and easy Spanish tapa, shrimp is sautéed in garlicky, spicy olive oil and then tossed with dry sherry, lemon juice, and a handful of parsley. Serve it with crusty bread to sop up the sauce. Get the Recipe 12 of 24 Roasted Tomato Pissaladière Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Victoria Granof / Prop Styling by Thom Driver Made simple with a base of store-bought puff pastry, this pissaladière includes roasted canned tomatoes along with the usual anchovies, olives, and caramelized onion. Shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano rounds it all out. Get the Recipe 13 of 24 Popcorn with Sesame-Glazed Pistachios © John Kernick Mixing popcorn with glazed pistachios creates a sweet-salty snack that's equally fantastic with cocktails, beer, or wine. Get the Recipe 14 of 24 Fritto Misto with Calabrian Chile Aïoli Jose Mandojana / Food Styling by Robyn Valarik / Prop Styling by Christine Wolheim Shrimp, calamari, anchovy-stuffed olives, and paper-thin lemon slices are dredged in a Pernod-spiked batter and fried to crispy, golden perfection. Jarred Calabrian chiles add a fruity heat to the creamy aïoli dipping sauce. Get the Recipe 15 of 24 Two-Bite Parmesan Biscuits Caitlin Bensel These biscuits are baked on a bed of grated Parmesan cheese, resulting in a crispy, cheesy crust around the bottom of each biscuit. Perfect on their own, try them drizzled with a bit of honey, or improvise by tossing a few handfuls of fresh thyme or chives into the dough to take them over the top. Get the Recipe 16 of 24 Prosciutto, Tomato, and Olive Bruschetta © Maura McEvoy Salty and savory appetizers, like this prosciutto and bruschetta combination, pair well with a variety of wines and cocktails, making your gathering a flavorful and inspiring evening. Get the Recipe 17 of 24 Herb-Roasted Olives © Edward Pond These herb-roasted olives are an elegant, simple hors d'oeuvre that's easy to prepare and even easier to snack on. Serve them warm or at room temperature. Get the Recipe 18 of 24 Rosemary, Almond, and Parmesan Cocktail Cookies © Quentin Bacon To bring out the flavor of the rosemary in these barely sweet cookies, expert baker Dorie Greenspan first rubs the leaves with granulated sugar — a technique she learned from renowned French pastry chef Pierre Hermé. Get the Recipe 19 of 24 Fig Bars with Red Wine and Anise Seeds © Andrew Purcell This delicious homemade grown-up version of Fig Newtons calls for adding red wine and anise seeds to the jammy fig filling. The crust gets even more tender the day after baking. Get the Recipe 20 of 24 Pimiento Cheese with Salt-and-Pepper Butter Crackers © CON POULOS Chef Carla Hall makes her own crunchy crackers to serve with this cheese spread, her take on a Southern classic. Get the Recipe 21 of 24 Bacon-Wrapped Dates Abby Hocking A perfect cocktail party snack, bacon-wrapped dates are chewy, crispy, sweet, savory, and smoky all at once. Plump and tender Medjool dates are stuffed with a mixture of blue cheese and cream cheese, and a toasted walnut stands in for the pit. Get the Recipe 22 of 24 Black Olive Tapenade with Figs and Mint © David Malosh What makes Jacques Pépin's tapenade special is the clever mix of oil- and brine-cured olives and the surprise of sweet, fresh, and tangy notes from the dried figs, mint, and capers. Get the Recipe 23 of 24 Lemon Curd Toasts with Coconut © John Kernick Olive oil and cocoa butter make this lemony curd extraordinarily creamy and luscious. Spread on baguette toasts, it doubles as a fantastic dessert. Get the Recipe 24 of 24 Wine Bar Nut Mix © Tina Rupp This fantastic sweet-savory mix of pecans, almonds, and walnuts from The Casual Vineyard Table, by Carolyn Wente and Kimball Jones, makes a great gift or party snack. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit