20 Light Thanksgiving Appetizers To Munch On Before The Main Event

close up view of Florentine Artichoke Dip in a white baking dish
Photo: Christina

You cannot — we repeat, cannot — fill up on appetizers before a Thanksgiving feast. Sorry! We don't make the rules. You can, however, snack on light appetizers in the meantime. These 20 recipes will hold you over till turkey time comes.

01 of 21

Sweet Potato Hummus

Sweet Potato Hummus

"A nice change from traditional hummus. The potato gave it a nice creamy texture and a light sweet taste, and the seasoning was mild." - ScubaT

02 of 21

Tarragon and Spice Deviled Eggs

Tarragon and Spice Deviled Eggs

"Layering the minced green onion and chopped tarragon into the egg white shell really gives you a pop of flavor, particularly the tarragon, that I don't think you'd have if you just mixed them into the yolk filling. There's a good balance of spiciness from the horseradish and sweetness from the pickle juice." - lutzflcat

03 of 21

Roasted Pumpkin and Goat Cheese Crostini

Roasted Pumpkin and Goat Cheese Crostinis on white plate
Kim's Cooking Now

Fresh sage, pumpkin, and leek bring savory, seasonal flavor to bite-sized slices of crostini.

04 of 21

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Prosciutto Poppers

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Prosciutto Poppers
Kim's Cooking Now

Sneak more veggies into your Thanksgiving feast with in-season Brussels sprouts, layered between slices of salty prosciutto.

05 of 21

Sweet, Salty, Spicy Party Nuts

Sweet Salty Spicy Party Nuts
Photo by Marianne.

"These are very, very good and simple to put together. I get asked for the recipe every time I bring them to a gathering," Emily M. says.

06 of 21

Pepper Vodka Cherry Tomatoes

Pepper Vodka Cherry Tomatoes

Reviewers write that habanero- or jalapeño-infused vodka adds a delicious kick to this simple appetizer.

07 of 21

Easy Endive, Cranberry, Walnut Appetizers

platter of endive leaves filled with mix of blue cheese, walnuts and cranberries
Billy G

"I followed the recipe as is and my guests we're just raving about it. Simple and yet delicious, I will be doing this again and again," Emelyn Almonte says.

08 of 21

Carrot Chips

Carrot Chips

Cut carrots into thin slices for crunchy, salty-sweet chips.

09 of 21

Spicy Cranberry Salsa

Spicy Cranberry Salsa
RJStasiak

"This salsa was the perfect mixture of spicy and sweet. I recommend making it for a Thanksgiving app," Kristen Massee says.

10 of 21

Kicked Up Olives

kicked up olives

"Wow, to say we loved these olives is an understatement! They have layer upon layer of interesting flavors, the most unique one being the tangerine," writes lutzflcat.

11 of 21

Balsamic Roasted Mushrooms

Balsamic-Roasted Mushrooms

Easy to make and serve to a crowd, this recipe for tasty balsamic mushrooms "comes together in a flash" says recipe creator Soup Loving Nicole.

12 of 21

Tasty Toothpick Appetizers

Tasty Toothpick Appetizers
Carrie Dave Sedlik

Reviewers rave that the unexpected combination of maraschino cherries, green olives, kielbasa, and cubed cheese tastes delicious.

13 of 21

Apple Chips

baked apple chips

"These yummy cinnamon apple chips will disappear almost as quickly as you make them," recipe creator walkerkr says. "The secret is baking at a very low temperature for a long time, which dehydrates the apples."

14 of 21

Spiced Air-Fried Chickpeas

Spiced Air-Fried Chickpeas
Soup Loving Nicole

"My favorite thing in the air fryer so far. Big thumbs up on this recipe and 5 stars all the way!" says Allrecipes Allstar Soup Loving Nicole.

15 of 21

Beet Salad on a Stick

Beet Salad on a Stick on a white plate
Lindsey

Sweet roasted beets complement tangy, walnut-topped goat cheese.

16 of 21

Savory Pumpkin Hummus

Savory Pumpkin Hummus in a glass bowl
NancyLou

"I was skeptical, wondering how pumpkin in hummus could possibly be any better than my standard homemade hummus. It is fantastic! The addition of pumpkin, paprika and cayenne turned out to be surprisingly delicious," Jennifer Korpak Bechtel says.

17 of 21

Festive Olive and Cheese Appetizer

wreath made of olives, cheese, rosemary and tomatoes
Jones

"This easy-to-assemble appetizer platter makes for a beautiful display, and the rosemary smells amazing!" - Jones

18 of 21

Arugula, Orange, and Fennel Salad

Arugula, Fennel, and Orange Salad
Kim's Cooking Now

"The medley of flavors with the fennel and arugula is delicious." - Helena

19 of 21

Pear and Prosciutto Bruschetta

Pear and Prosciutto Bruschetta
Lincoln Hayes

Diced pear lightens up rich blue cheese and salty prosciutto.

20 of 21

Florentine Artichoke Dip

close up view of Florentine Artichoke Dip in a white baking dish
Christina

Lighter than a traditional baked artichoke dip, this version will leave room for turkey and all the fixings. "I have been making this dip for at least 10 years without any changes. People always rave about it at parties and ask for the recipe," according to a 5-star review from Amanda.

21 of 21

More Inspiration

Olive Puffs

Visit our entire Thanksgiving Recipe Collection to prepare for the big feast!

See More: Browse All Thanksgiving Appetizer Recipes

Was this page helpful?

You’ll Also Love