Start a holiday party the easy way by crafting these appetizers featuring (mostly) pantry items like nuts, canned beans, olives, and other nonperishables. We promise your guests will never suspect a thing . . .
Brie With Caramel and Sliced Almonds
Let dessert come first. Take brie or another soft, gooey cheese and drizzle caramel and crunchy slivered almonds on top for an unexpected appetizer [1] that's sure to please the crowd.
Pantry items: Jarred caramel sauce and sliced almonds
White Bean and Rosemary Dip
Whip out the food processor for a quick rosemary white bean dip [2] that can be served with saltines or whatever other cracker you have in the cupboard.
Pantry items: White beans and garlic
Apricot, Goat Cheese, and Almond Bites
Take common cheese-plate items and layer them together to make a bite-size vegetarian appetizer [3].
Pantry items: Dried apricots, almonds, and honey
Crispy Salami
Transform salami from your pantry into crispy chips [4] by baking them in the oven.
Pantry item: Salami
Green Olive Dip
Don't buy premade tapenade. Instead, opt for this buttery green olive tapenade [5], which can be served with homemade or store-bought crostini.
Pantry items: Oil-packed anchovy fillets, garlic, and pitted brined green olives
Vegan Paté
Red lentils take the stage in this Japanese-influenced vegan paté [6] that is anything but skimping on savory flavor.
Pantry items: Dried red lentils, vegetable stock, bay leaf, dried basil, mirin, walnuts, and umeboshi paste
Tiki Snack Mix
Umami, oh my! This sweet, salty, and everything in between tiki snack mix [7] 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
Hummus Toast
More of an assembled appetizer than a cooked one, this crostini topped with hummus and sun-dried tomatoes [8] can be garnished with whatever tender green you have on hand, or just left off.
Pantry items: Baguette and sun-dried tomatoes in oil
Seven-Layer Dip
This seven-layer dip [9] 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
Rosemary-Sesame Pecans
The rosemary-sesame coating on these roasted pecans [10] will have guests coming back for more scoopfuls.
Pantry items: Demerara sugar, sesame seeds, and pecan halves
Garam Masala Popcorn
Pop large quantities of popcorn, and dust it with garam masala [11] for a unique twist.
Pantry items: Garam masala, popcorn kernels, and cayenne pepper
Nacho Cheese Dip
Amped up with beer and refried beans, this queso recipe [12] 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