12 Holiday Appetizers Featuring Pantry Items

Let dessert come first. Take brie or another soft, gooey cheese and drizzle caramel and crunchy slivered almonds on top for an unexpected appetizer that's sure to please the crowd.

Pantry items: Jarred caramel sauce and sliced almonds

Whip out the food processor for a quick rosemary white bean dip that can be served with saltines or whatever other cracker you have in the cupboard.

Pantry items: White beans and garlic

Take common cheese-plate items and layer them together to make a bite-size vegetarian appetizer.

Pantry items: Dried apricots, almonds, and honey

Transform salami from your pantry into crispy chips by baking them in the oven.

Pantry item: Salami

Don't buy premade tapenade. Instead, opt for this buttery green olive tapenade, which can be served with homemade or store-bought crostini.

Pantry items: Oil-packed anchovy fillets, garlic, and pitted brined green olives

Red lentils take the stage in this Japanese-influenced vegan paté that is anything but skimping on savory flavor.

Pantry items: Dried red lentils, vegetable stock, bay leaf, dried basil, mirin, walnuts, and umeboshi paste

Umami, oh my! This sweet, salty, and everything in between tiki snack mix calls for all pantry-ready ingredients, save for the bacon.

Pantry items: Peanuts, cashews, candied pineapple rings, sesame seeds, soy sauce, honey, and cayenne pepper

More of an assembled appetizer than a cooked one, this crostini topped with hummus and sun-dried tomatoes can be garnished with whatever tender green you have on hand, or just left off.

Pantry items: Baguette and sun-dried tomatoes in oil

This seven-layer dip will clear out in seven minutes or less. The best part is, most of the ingredients are from the pantry.

Pantry items: Garlic, canned pinto beans, pickled jalapeño chiles, canned black olives, and tortilla chips

The rosemary-sesame coating on these roasted pecans will have guests coming back for more scoopfuls.

Pantry items: Demerara sugar, sesame seeds, and pecan halves

Pop large quantities of popcorn, and dust it with garam masala for a unique twist.

Pantry items: Garam masala, popcorn kernels, and cayenne pepper

Amped up with beer and refried beans, this queso recipe can be kept warm throughout the party by using a slow cooker.

Pantry items: Beer, ground cumin, dried oregano, garlic, canned refried beans, canned Ro-Tel diced tomatoes and green chiles, and tortilla chips