Easy Thanksgiving Appetizers (12 Make-Ahead Recipes)

These easy Thanksgiving appetizers cover everything from roasted shrimp cocktail to deviled eggs with bacon, so there's something for everyone to snack on before dinner. All of them can be made ahead, so you're not scrambling right before the meal.

I like having something that feels a bit special and a couple of easy finger foods. It keeps things simple and gives everyone something to nibble on while the main dishes finish cooking.

There's seafood, finger foods, a few cold dips, spiced nuts, and two fall soups for a more traditional starter. Most of it is served chilled or at room temperature, so it doesn't need the oven or the stove on Thanksgiving Day.

You can roast the shrimp, make the dips, fill the deviled eggs, and bake the nuts the day before. And it all goes in the fridge or the pantry until you need it.

Seafood Thanksgiving Appetizers

Shrimp feels special for a holiday, and both of these take very little work.

1

Easy Shrimp Salad

This shrimp salad takes just 10 minutes to make. Pre-cooked shrimp is tossed with celery, red onion, and a lemony dill dressing. Spoon it into Bibb or romaine lettuce cups for an easy appetizer, or set it out with crackers. Make it ahead and keep it chilled until it's time to serve.

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2

Easy Roasted Shrimp Cocktail

Shrimp cocktail is fancy enough for company, and this version is about as simple as it gets. The shrimp roast in the oven in 10 minutes or less. Roast them a day ahead and serve them chilled, so they don't need the oven on Thanksgiving. The homemade cocktail sauce has only five ingredients and stirs together in minutes.

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Finger Food Thanksgiving Appetizers

These are easy to pick up and easy to make ahead.

3

Deviled Eggs with Bacon

Deviled eggs are an easy finger food to make ahead for Thanksgiving. Fill them the day before and keep them chilled until it's time to set them out. These are made without mayo, and you can top them with bacon and chives or roasted red peppers and olives. For a crowd, set out the toppings and let everyone make their own.

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4

Antipasto Salad Platter

This antipasto platter is a real crowd pleaser, and there's no cooking at all. Layer prosciutto, olives, artichoke hearts and more over a bed of romaine, and serve the Italian dressing on the side. To make it fancy for the holiday, roll the prosciutto into little rosettes. You can also put everything on cocktail skewers so it's easy to eat.

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5

Easy Baked Meatballs

If you want something warm, these meatballs are simple to make. They bake in marinara sauce, and they're made with almond flour instead of bread crumbs, so they're gluten-free. For appetizers, make mini meatballs and garnish with fresh basil. Serve them warm with toothpicks.

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Make-Ahead Dips

Set these out with a big plate of cut-up vegetables.

6

Easy Ranch Dip

Vegetables and dip is the easiest appetizer, and this ranch takes 5 minutes to whisk together. It's made with fresh herbs, garlic, and lemon, and it's dairy-free. Make it a day or two before and serve it with carrot and celery sticks or any veggies.

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7

Roasted Cauliflower Hummus

Make this dip ahead so it's ready to set out when everyone arrives. It's hummus made with roasted cauliflower, blended with tahini and lemon in the food processor. Drizzle it with olive oil right before serving with sliced cucumbers and red peppers for dipping.

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8

Roasted Garlic Baba Ganoush

This baba ganoush is made with roasted garlic instead of fresh, so the flavor is sweeter and milder. Roast the eggplant and garlic, then toss everything in the food processor to blend. It's one of my favorite dips, and it's great next to the cauliflower hummus since you can use all the same dippers for both.

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Spiced Nuts and Snack Mix

Put out a bowl of these for snacking.

9

Easy Snack Mix

Make this snack mix and that's one easy appetizer done. It's a smoky, savory mix of nuts baked with smoked paprika and smoked sea salt that tastes like the classic party mix.

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10

Chili Spiced Mixed Nuts

These nuts have a little sweet and a little heat from honey and smoked paprika, with as much cayenne as you like. They disappear quickly, so I recommend doubling the recipe for a crowd. They take just 25 minutes start to finish.

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Fall Soups to Start the Meal

A small bowl of soup is an easy way to start Thanksgiving dinner, and both of these can be made ahead and reheated.

11

Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Soup

This fall soup cooks in the slow cooker, so it doesn't take up the oven or the stove on Thanksgiving. Butternut squash, onion, and garlic cook until tender, then it's blended smooth and creamy with coconut milk. Set out a few toppings and let everyone finish their bowl the way they like it.

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12

3-Ingredient Sweet Potato Soup

This soup has just three ingredients, and it's great plain or loaded with toppings. Dress it up for the holidays with a garnish like bacon or lump crab meat. You can cook the sweet potatoes in the slow cooker in the morning and blend the soup later, so the oven stays free.

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An Easy Start to Thanksgiving Dinner

This list gives your guests plenty of options. Pick one of the seafood or finger food recipes, add a dip and a bowl of nuts, and you've got enough nibbles to set out before the main meal.

Whatever you make, I hope it's an easy, happy Thanksgiving. For the rest of the meal, my easy gluten free Thanksgiving recipes have the turkey, the sides, and dessert covered.