Delicious Party Appetizers Under 30 Minutes

by Rohit Bumrah Writter

Appetizers are a great start to any meal. Whether it’s a potluck, a picnic or a get-together with family and friends, here’s our collection of some delicious appetizers that will stir up any conversation. These starters can also be served as entrées or palate cleansers in between courses. These recipes are vegetarian, healthy and made with wholesome ingredients.

• Tomato & Basil Crostini: Drizzle some olive oil on thin and small pieces of crostini bread and grill in the oven for 2 minutes. Chop some cherry tomatoes and thinly slice some basil leaves. Arrange the tomatoes and basil on top of the crostini. Drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, and pepper.

• Caprese Skewers: Caprese is a much-loved Italian salad. Start with assembling the ingredients into bowls. Stack the bocconcini, cherry tomatoes and folded basil leaves into bamboo skewers. Drizzle a bit of balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Serve cold.

• Avocado Sushi: This makes the most delicious finger food at any luncheon. Place cooked sushi rice on a sushi mat. You can also use basmati rice to make this recipe. Add diced avocado in the middle. Roll the sushi using the mat to fold. Sprinkle some black sesame seeds on top. Serve cold with soy dip, wasabi, and pickled ginger.

If you are using a sticky rice substitute, use the best basmati rice or brown rice to make these delicious rolls.

• Seed Crackers with Mango Salsa & Guacamole: To make the guacamole, dice some ripe avocados. Add salt, pepper, olive oil, cilantro, and lemon juice. Mix well with a fork. For the salsa, add some chopped mangoes, red onions, kiwi and cilantro and mix well with a drizzle of orange juice. Serve with seed crackers on the side.

• Mini Pita Bites Two Ways: Get some whole-wheat pita bread and layer with some hummus. For the first batch, add diced green and black olives. In the next batch, add pomegranate seeds and chopped mint leaves. Finish the pita bites with a sprinkling of sumac.

• Mushroom Tostada: Drizzle corn tortillas with olive oil, and sweet paprika and bake at 180 for 5 minutes. Sauté some white onions. Once the onions start caramelizing, add an assorted selection of cremini, porcini and button mushrooms. Sauté the mushrooms for 10 minutes with a knob of butter. Add some thyme sprigs, salt, and pepper to taste. Add a layer of lemon tahini sauce on the tortillas. Scoop a spoonful of mushrooms and finish with some chopped coriander.

• Buffalo Cauliflower Bites: Bake medium sized cauliflower florets with some olive oil and paprika. In a bowl, mix flour, garlic powder, soy milk, and pepper. In another bowl, add the breadcrumbs. Coat the baked cauliflower in the wet coating and breadcrumbs. Bake for 18 minutes. Season with salt & pepper. For the vegan ranch dip, blend together soaked cashews, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, salt, pepper, 1 clove of garlic, julienned cucumber, chopped cilantro.

These vegan appetizer recipes can be prepared within 30 minutes. Serve these treats at brunch parties or any gatherings to delight your guests.