25 Make-Ahead Hors d'oeuvres for Stress-Free Entertaining (2024)

The best hors d'oeuvres ideas don't require hours of prep work and sweating away in a kitchen while your guests enjoy each other's company. In fact, our favorite hors d'oeuvres recipes are ones you make ahead, pack away, and bring out just in time to plate and serve.

Make-ahead hors d'oeuvres not only help you plan, strategize, and work in advance, but they let you really enjoy the event you've worked so hard to bring together. Here, we assembled some quick and easy dishes, so you can pick and choose what fits your palate and preferences. Wow your guests and save time with these 25 easy hors d'oeuvres recipes.

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Creamy Smoked Fish Dip

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Make this hors d'oeuvre if you're short on time. In fact, you'll only need around 10 minutes to prepare this satisfying party dip. Serve with bagel chips, potato chips, or crudités.

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02of 25

Chicken Pot Pie Empanadas

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Skip the last-minute fussing with these ridiculously delicious stuffed pockets that can go from oven to serving platter with no additional day-of prep needed. All you need to do is prepare the empanadas the day before your party and store them in the fridge until you're ready to bake.

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03of 25

Bacon-Wrapped Apricots With Sage

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Talk about convenience―apricots swathed in bacon can be assembled days before and then cooked straight from the freezer. Place toothpicks beside the dish to serve. This savory appetizer is sure to satisfy.

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04of 25

Caramelized Onion Tarts With Apples

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Want to look like a pro? Here, frozen puff pastry dough is spread with tangy crème fraîche and topped with a sweet and savory mix of onions and apples. There is minimal prep time because the recipe uses a pre-made puff pastry and just the right amount of toppings to make this dish quick and tasty.

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05of 25

Goat Cheese Spread

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Some spreads (like this goat cheese spread) actually taste better when they've had a few days to sit and "meld." So feel encouraged that you should be making this recipe ahead and not on the day of the party. This herbaceous spread pairs well with salty crackers.

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06of 25

Rosemary Pecans

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You can cook this nut mix up to a week in advance. Keep it fresh in an airtight container stored at room temperature. Pecans are tossed in melted butter, cayenne pepper, sugar, and salt before being roasted, then rosemary is added for an immaculate earthy taste.

07of 25

Mini Grilled Cheese Sandwiches With Chutney

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Add a surprising twist to a familiar favorite with this gooey grilled cheese that is refreshed with a dollop of fruit chutney. Fortunately, you can make this hors d'oeuvre in minutes during a casual get-together.

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08of 25

Eggplant, Feta, and Lemon Tart

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Remember, not everything needs to be served hot or cold to be delicious. Room-temp hors d'oeuvres that are baked in advance make the last-minute rush to assemble a non-factor. This tart can be cut into bite-sized pieces and served warm or at room temperature (and still be delicious either way).

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09of 25

Chimichurri-Yogurt Dip

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Aside from stirring in yogurt, herbs, and a few other ingredients, the magic of this dip is in the chimichurri. There's no need to waste time baking here. Just mix together the ingredients and serve with a side of lettuce and radishes.

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10of 25

Caprese Skewers With Balsamic Glaze

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Vegetable and cheese trays can be assembled in advance—but try a classic flavor combination on a skewer for a playful twist. You'll only spend five minutes putting these bright and colorful skewers together. Bite-size mozzarella balls and juicy cherry tomatoes make the perfect snack.

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11of 25

Chickpea and Mint Crostini

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To save time on this recipe, toast baguette slices in advance and store. Then mix the topping ingredients and set aside. The best part about this hors d'oeuvre idea is that you don't need to spend time topping the crostini. Leave the topping in a serving bowl for your guests to serve themselves.

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12of 25

Crispy Homemade Baked Potato Chips

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You only need a short list of ingredients to pull off these homemade crispy potato chips. Make ahead, and store in an airtight container to keep them from becoming stale before serving. Get creative and add different seasonings to your taste. Here, we've added paprika, but try chili powder, rosemary, or onion powder for a fun twist. Did we mention it's vegan?

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Vegan Ranch Dressing

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Silken tofu replaces regular buttermilk and mayonnaise in this vegan ranch dressing recipe. Serve with a variety of crudités for dipping. No one will even know it's vegan.

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14of 25

Spicy Parmesan Crackers

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Make a double batch of these spicy parmesan crackers—we promise one just won't be enough. Contain them in an airtight zip-top bag until you're ready to serve. We recommend serving them with something sweet, like some homemade chocolate chip cookies for the perfect contrast.

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15of 25

Pink Hummus

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This pink hummus will get everyone's attention. Use a cooked magenta beet to achieve the pink color. Serve with an array of crudités for dipping: Think of your favorite vegetables, crackers, pita bread, and more.

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16of 25

Cowboy Caviar

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This scoopable appetizer went viral on TikTok for a reason: It's delicious and so customizable to your taste. Jalapeño, a variety of bell peppers, onion, corn, canned beans, and sliced olives are the basic ingredients to the mix, however, you can add whatever you like.

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17of 25

Carrot-Ginger Dip

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A touch of maple syrup is added to this cooked carrot puree for a bit of sweetness. This dip is best served cold and tastes better when the dip has time to marinate in the refrigerator, which makes it a perfect make-ahead hors d'oeuvre option. Serve with rice crackers, pretzels, and crudités.

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18of 25

Many-Cheese Cheese Ball

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Inspired by the French cheese spreadfromage fort, this cheese ball is made with whatever leftover cheeses you have in your fridge. Preferably, about three to four varieties of different firmness levels. Store pre-made crostini in an airtight container, and the cheese ball in the fridge until you're ready to serve.

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19of 25

Caramelized Onion Chutney

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A quick and easy chutney recipe can take you far. Chutneys can be used as a sauce alongside grilled meats or as an appetizer. Just add them to a cheese and charcuterie platter or serve alongside grilled or toasted baguette, crackers, and soft cheese.

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20of 25

Double Tomato Crostini

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When entertaining a large crowd, sometimes simple is better (and faster). Crostini, a co*cktail-party classic, gets an upgrade with a flavorful double tomato combination.

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21of 25

Pears With Rosemary Sugar

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Sliced pears, oranges, sugar, and rosemary are all you need to whip up this 10-minute appetizer. Use your fingers to sprinkle sugar in an even layer all over the pears. Double the recipe if serving a crowd.

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22of 25

Glorious Green Dip

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Charred scallions, spinach, chives, mild cannellini beans, lemon juice, and mayonnaise are pureed to make this healthy green dip. Make up to two days in advance, and store in an airtight container. Serve with homemade potato chips, broccoli, carrots, and whatever other dippables your heart desires.

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23of 25

Orange-Chili Shrimp co*cktail

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Want to let the sauce shine? For an easy make-ahead hors d'oeuvres, thaw a few pounds of cooked peeled and deveined shrimp and partner the crowd-pleasing seafood bites with a stand-out orange-chili topping that can be made earlier in the day.

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24of 25

Easy Homemade Mild Salsa

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Like hot salsa? Keep the seeds in, but remove them if you like a mild blend. This homemade salsa can be stored for up to five days in advance, but aim for less time for ultimate freshness. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips.

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25of 25

Garlic and Rosemary Focaccia

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You'll definitely need to make this hors d'oeuvre ahead of time because a garlic and rosemary focaccia will take about 10 hours to finish—but it only requires about a half hour of active effort. When it's ready, you'll brush it with garlic- and rosemary-infused olive oil. You can serve it in strips alongside some balsamic and olive oil dip or olive tapenade. Whipped feta cheese also pairs nicely with it.

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25 Make-Ahead Hors d'oeuvres for Stress-Free Entertaining (2024)

FAQs

How to make hors d'oeuvres in Disney Dreamlight? ›

Simply approach any cooking station in the game, place the selected spice into the cooking pot, and start cooking. The energy restored upon consumption and the dish's selling price at Goofy's Stall will vary based on the selected ingredient.

What are examples of hors d'oeuvres? ›

Hors d'oeuvre
NameOrigin
Deep-fried avocadoCalifornia, United States
Deviled eggsItaly
Devils on horsebackEngland
Eggplant salads and appetizersMiddle East, Arab culture
68 more rows

What does hors d'oeuvres literally mean? ›

Etymology. from French hors-d'œuvre "appetizers," from the phrase hors d'œuvre, literally, "outside of work"

Which one of the following is an example of hors d oeuvres? ›

General hors d'oeuvres include cold preparations such as salad, cold meat, and fish. Classical hors d'oeuvres include fruit juice and soft drinks, grapefruit, shellfish co*cktail, and so on.

How to get rid of tree stumps in Dreamlight Valley? ›

With everything you need in your inventory, go to a crafting station to craft the Shovel Blade. Open your inventory to use this item and upgrade your shovel. With your shovel upgraded, head to the Forest of Valor and clear out the stumps. Each stump you clear will give you softwood and hardwood.

How do you make crackers with Mickey in Dreamlight Valley? ›

Use a few Wheat on its own to create the Crackers, and then Apples (and any other fruit if you have some) to create the Fruit Salad. Then go to Mickey and see what he thinks. He'll think it's wonderful, and upon completing the conversation the quest will conclude.

Is there a difference between appetizers and hors d'oeuvres? ›

You're supposed to eat hors d'oeuvres before a meal begins, versus appetizers, which are considered part of the meal. Then there is the quantity served, with appetizers being served once to a table, versus hors d'oeuvres being served several at a time.

What's the difference between charcuterie and hors d'oeuvres? ›

Other hors d'oeuvres include miniature baked tarts (or “tartlets”) and skewered foods or kabobs, which are served hot, and charcuterie, which is an assortment of meats served cold, often on a board.

What is the hors d'oeuvres menu? ›

Hors d'oeuvre

A French term for small one or two-bite portions of food, that are flavorful and highly seasoned to encourage a guest to drink more. Hors d'oeuvres are defined as "apart from the main work" and served before sitting down to meal service. They may be hot or cold items.

What is the main purpose of hors d'oeuvres? ›

These are small dishes served before a meal. They're ideal for people to eat because they're designed to be eaten by hand, with minimal use of cutlery involved. Therefore, they're convenient. They generally don't require dishes, spoons, forks, knives, placemats, and other items involved in eating an actual meal.

What are the three main types of hors d oeuvres? ›

Types of Hors d'oeuvre
  • Hot- sausages, smoked fish or meat, Potato Napoleon with caviar and sour cream etc.
  • Cold- Pates, oysters, cheeses, crudités etc.
  • Finger food- empanadas, wontons, deviled quail eggs, tea sandwiches.
  • Canapés- 1 or 2 bites- always consists of four parts. Base. Spread. Primary ingredient. Garniture.
Oct 4, 2022

Why are hors d'oeuvres called that? ›

The name hors d'oeuvre, in case you hadn't already guessed, is French. The word hors means “beside” or “outside of,” while oeuvre means “work” and refers to the main dishes of a meal. Therefore, hors d'oeuvres are those snacks served before (outside of) the main courses.

How do you make bug platters in Disney Dreamlight Valley? ›

Recipe: 2 colorful bug, 1 slimy bug, 2 red bug. And make it 3 times. - Cook three Bug Platters using the Red Bugs, Colorful Bugs, and Slimy Bugs. - Make sure you have the Bug Platters (3) in your Inventory.

How do you unlock more recipes on Disney Dreamlight? ›

Quests. This is how you will naturally unlock a number of different recipes, where during a quest you may be tasked with cooking a specific dish to progress. NPC Characters will often give you a recipe book/sheet that you can use within your Inventory to unlock it for future use!

How to get falling water and ice heart Dreamlight Valley? ›

Falling Water is found in the Glade of Trust. Ice Heart is obtained by planting the Ice Heart Seed received from Merlin. Plant it in any area, water it, and after a few seconds, the Ice Heart can be harvested.

How do you make meals at Disney Dreamlight? ›

How to Cook Meals in Dreamlight Valley. To cook recipes, simply gather your meal ingredients and interact with any stovetop. From the menu, place the required ingredients into the pot and start cooking.

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