Kick off your holiday feast with these easy Thanksgiving appetizers! They include fun, festive ideas like stuffed mushrooms, baked brie, and more.
If I’ve learned one thing from hosting Thanksgiving over the years, it’s this: Thanksgiving appetizers are essential. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve served a holiday meal 30 minutes or an hour (or two) later than planned because my roasted beets were still rock-hard or the water for my mashed potatoes took longer than expected to boil.
In those moments, Thanksgiving appetizers save the big day. They tide over hungry guests until it’s time to sit down to dinner, keeping everyone’s spirits up and the atmosphere light.
I’m sharing my 25 best Thanksgiving appetizer ideas below. They include a simple cheese board, gooey baked brie, festive butternut hummus, and more. All of them are easy, and many you can make ahead. Choose a few to complete your holiday feast this year!
Our Top 5 Thanksgiving Appetizer Ideas
Baked Brie
If you ask me, baked brie is one of the best Thanksgiving appetizers. The gooey, melty cheese feels elevated, but it’s so easy to make. Top it with honey, pecans, and fresh herbs, and serve it with apple slices and crostini.
Stuffed Mushrooms
These bite-size appetizers will vanish as soon as they come out of the oven. They’re filled with a crispy, savory combo of breadcrumbs, herbs, sun-dried tomatoes, and cheese.
Butternut Squash Hummus
I blend roasted butternut squash into this festive twist on classic hummus. Seasoned with earthy spices and topped with pomegranates, it’s a gorgeous, flavorful seasonal appetizer. Bonus: you can make it ahead!
Deviled Eggs
Cook the hard-boiled eggs a day or two in advance so that these creamy, tangy apps are easy to assemble on Thanksgiving day.
Candied Pecans
Coated in a crisp brown sugar glaze, these candied pecans are majorly addictive. Your guests won’t be able to get enough of them!
More Appetizers for Thanksgiving
Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip
You won’t find sour cream or cream cheese in this plant-based twist on the classic party dip. Instead, it has a rich cashew base that’s every bit as creamy and delicious.
Whipped Feta Dip
Feta lovers, this creamy, tangy cheese dip is for you! I love to top it with a drizzle of honey for a sweet and savory party appetizer.
Focaccia Bread
This homemade focaccia recipe is super simple, but it will still wow guests. The bread is crisp around the edges, soft and pillowy in the middle, and full of rich flavor from olive oil and sea salt.
A Cheese Board
A cheese board might be one of the simplest Thanksgiving appetizers, but it’s also one of the best. It looks gorgeous, and it offers guests a variety of snacks and bites to enjoy. Use a mix of store-bought and homemade components to streamline prep.
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
If you’re serving acorn squash or delicata squash at Thanksgiving dinner, don’t discard the squash seeds! Instead, roast them up to serve as a salty, crunchy Thanksgiving appetizer.
French Onion Dip
This twist on classic French onion dip is totally vegan, but no one would guess it from the taste. It’s super creamy, umami, and packed with silky caramelized onions. Serve it with ridged potato chips for a fun Thanksgiving appetizer!
Sweet Potato Pomegranate Crostini
Slather these cute crostini with a vegan sunflower spread or soft goat cheese before topping them with roasted sweet potatoes and pomegranate seeds.
Butternut Squash Soup
If you’re looking for Thanksgiving appetizers that you can serve as a first course of your meal, you can’t go wrong with soup. I love this one for fall occasions. Butternut squash, sage, and rosemary fill it with cozy autumn flavor.
Olive Tapenade
Add this bright and briny spread to a cheese board, or serve it on its own with crackers or baguette.
Garlic Knots
Move over, dinner rolls! These garlic knots are just as soft and fluffy…but even more flavorful. They’re one of my favorite Thanksgiving appetizer ideas, but they’d also be a delicious side dish for your holiday feast.
Sweet Potato Appetizer Bites
These vibrant veggie appetizers would be a fun, fresh way to kick off your holiday meal! Each one consists of a roasted sweet potato round, a crisp radish slice, and a spoonful of creamy, nutty avocado “tartare.”
French Onion Soup
A small bowl of French onion soup is my favorite sit-down starter. This version is vegetarian, made with loads of caramelized onions, tamari, and balsamic vinegar. Don’t skip the cheesy baguette on top!
Herb Compound Butter
Jazz up plain old butter with fresh herbs and other add-ins to create a flavorful spread for baguette or sourdough bread! I offer four variations in this recipe. The honey rosemary sage is my favorite for Thanksgiving.
Muhammara
Add bright, bold flavor to your Thanksgiving menu by serving this red pepper and walnut dip as an appetizer. Zingy, spicy, and sweet, it’s delicious with veggies and pita bread for dipping.
Whipped Ricotta
Made with just 4 ingredients, this 5-minute dip is one of the easiest appetizers on this list. Dress it up with a drizzle of honey, lemon zest, and fresh thyme before serving.
Jalapeño Cornbread
Loaded with jalapeños, scallions, and cheddar cheese, this homemade cornbread is moist, tender, and flavorful. Serve it with honey butter for a Thanksgiving appetizer that will rival the big meal.
Potato Leek Soup
Before you serve the turkey, kick off your Thanksgiving feast with small bowls of this soup. It’s creamy, oniony, and delicate. Take it up a notch by sprinkling homemade croutons on top.
White Bean Dip
This simple lemon, garlic, and white bean dip is easy to customize. Toss in fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme to make it a perfect appetizer for Thanksgiving!
Beet Hummus
A classic Thanksgiving dinner can be a pretty beige meal. Add a pop of color to the table by serving this vibrant beet hummus as an appetizer!
Antipasto Platter
This mouthwatering appetizer board features marinated mozzarella balls, gigante beans, olives, fresh veggies, and more. Prep all the components a day ahead so that you can quickly assemble it before your guests arrive.
For more Thanksgiving appetizer ideas, check out these 50 Easy Appetizer Recipes!
Best Thanksgiving Appetizers: Baked Brie
Serves 6
- 1 (8-ounce) round brie cheese, chilled*
- Honey, for drizzling
- Chopped toasted pecans, for sprinkling
- Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling, optional
For serving
- Fresh rosemary or thyme sprigs, for garnish
- Sliced baguette, crostini, or crackers
- Apple slices
- Grapes
Prevent your screen from going dark
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Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Place the chilled brie on the baking sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until soft in the middle.
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Remove from the oven and carefully transfer to a serving dish (the brie will be fragile after baking).
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Drizzle generously with honey and sprinkle with chopped pecans and flaky sea salt, if using. Garnish with rosemary or thyme and serve with baguette, apple slices, and grapes.
*Make sure that the brie is cold from the fridge when you put it in the oven, not at room temp. If it starts out too warm, it will melt as it bakes.