Take the stress out of hosting with an easy three-ingredient canapé. Ripe figs are baked with tangy goats' cheese and honey for a sweet and savory combination. They'll be at their best straight out of the oven, so bake when guests arrive.
Chunks of squash are roasted with honey, fennel seeds and chili flakes, then skewered with manchego, crispy sage and slices of Parma Ham. It's super straightforward to make and incredibly delicious – what more do you want from a canapé?
Get the recipe for Parma Ham and butternut squash skewers here
These little tarts are filled with a creamy mixture of mascarpone, wafer-thin ham and Stilton. Buy ready-made shortcrust pastry to save on time and, to guarantee a stress-free evening, make and bake your tartlets 24 hours ahead – just reheat them in a hot oven for about 15 minutes before serving. If you don't have any Stilton to hand, you can use any blue cheese you like, or even swap it for a mature Cheddar.
Falafel are easy and quick to make for an appetizer or canapé. Whiz up an onion, a clove of garlic, a 400g (14oz) can of drained chickpeas, 1tsp each of ground cumin and cilantro, a handful of parsley and an egg. With damp hands, form into balls or patties then shallow-fry until crisp and golden. Serve with lemon wedges and a yogurt dip. You can prepare them the day before, then reheat in the oven before serving.
Always a winner, guacamole can be rustled up in just 15 minutes. Better than anything you could buy from a store, this simple recipe makes use of extra-ripe avocados, plus fresh cilantro, lime, chili and tomatoes for extra zing. Serve with tortilla chips, toasted pitta or bread sticks for a casual pre-dinner snack.
Garnished with dill, red onion and capers, store-bought gravadlax (salmon cured with dill) on rye bread makes for a straightforward but impressive appetizer. It takes all of 10 minutes to assemble, and you could do a similar version using smoked salmon if you like.
It's the combination of sweet figs, salty ham and halloumi cheese that makes this snack so moreish. You can serve them as a canapé with drinks, or add a few salad leaves for a simple appetizer ready in under 30 minutes.
Get the recipe for baked figs with halloumi, prosciutto and basil here
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Very quick to prep, only 15 minutes, this favorite British snack is given a twist with a layer of salty-sweet Parma Ham, plus sausagemeat packed with garlic, fennel seeds, chili flakes and dried oregano. This recipe makes 16 sausage rolls, so depending on how hungry your guests are, you can pop a few in the freezer for another day.
If you have a sandwich toaster, mini toasties are an ideal accompaniment to a drink or two. Just make them as you normally would, then carefully cut into small triangles with a very sharp knife. The trick is to butter the bread on the outside before toasting, so you get that lovely, crunchy exterior. Spread a little mustard on the inside to add an extra kick too.
Get the recipe for grilled cheese and chutney sandwiches here
While you can make blinis from scratch, they're easy to find in the grocery store – just remember to bake them in the oven before serving so that they crisp up nicely. Top with smoked salmon, cream cheese or crème fraîche, and some snipped chives to garnish.
These little veggie parcels can be made 24 hours ahead, stored in the refrigerator then cooked in the oven when you need them. Slices of eggplant are baked, then filled with tomato, oregano and halloumi, and held together neatly with a cocktail stick. Serve with fresh tomato salsa for dipping, or with salad leaves as an appetizer.
Bowls of hummus make an easy appetizer – they're super simple to make and will keep for a few days in the refrigerator too. Add beetroot, green vegetables or red peppers for added flavor, and serve with sesame flatbreads, tortilla chips or toasted pitta.
A popular way to serve shucked oysters, the shellfish are grilled with chopped bacon and a dash of Worcestershire sauce. Or, for an even easier appetizer, arrange oysters on the shell with wedges of lemon and a bottle of Tabasco, and let everyone help themselves.
Tapenade – a black olive paste that originates from Provence – makes for a quick and easy snack to be eaten with drinks. It's best when served on little toasts: slice a baguette and brush the rounds with oil, then bake in a hot oven until crisp. Tapenade will keep for up to four days in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
Wedges of Spanish tortilla make a great appetizer, especially when served with a salsa or salad. Tortilla doesn't take too long to make and you can add different ingredients, such as chorizo or zucchini, to the base for extra flavor. To save time on the night, make it the day before then heat in the oven just before serving.
Soft goats' cheese on crostini or bruschetta is quick to assemble for an appetizer. The salty cheese pairs well with the sweet beetroot, and you could even drizzle over some pesto or runny honey. To make it extra impressive, crumble over some homemade honeycomb, which you can make in advance and store in an airtight container.
Cheese gougères are savory bites of choux pastry. They are easy to make and, best of all, you can freeze them then bake from frozen. Use our recipe for choux pastry below then, at the end, add salt, a pinch of paprika and 55g (2oz) strong grated Cheddar. Pipe or spoon the mixture into rounds, then scatter more grated cheese over the top. Open-freeze them on a tray, then pack into bags once they are solid. Bake in a hot oven until well risen and golden, which should take around 30 minutes.
Muffins aren't just a sweet treat – they make for super satisfying savory snacks too. These feta and dill delights take very little time to prep and cook, plus you can freeze them once baked and reheat them in a warm oven. Serve as a warming snack or as an appetizer with smoked salmon and cream cheese.
Colorful dips served with chips or crudités are an almost instant appetizer. The recipe for this beetroot dip can be sped up by buying cooked, vacuum-packed beetroot. It makes use of low-fat quark, but you can just as easily substitute it for cream cheese.
Probably one of the quickest canapés you can throw together, these olive, anchovy and pickled pepper skewers will go down a treat with a cold beer or sparkling wine. They’re called gilda, a tapas-style snack from northern Spain’s Basque Country. The key is to use the best-quality pitted olives, anchovies (preferably ones that come packed in oil) and peppers (such as guindilla peppers), then layer on a skewer.
Utterly moreish and simple to whip up, these rich, cheesy biscuits are great washed down with a few festive drinks. To make the dough, whiz up 225g (8oz) all-purpose flour, butter, strong grated cheese, salt and pepper, plus a pinch of cayenne pepper, dried mustard and an egg. Pulse briefly until combined, then roll into a cylinder in plastic wrap and freeze. To serve, slice 0.5cm (one-quarter inch) rounds or shapes, then bake at 375°F/190°C for about 10 minutes.
These little paneer (an Indian hard cheese) and spinach bites are a great veggie appetizer. Chili and ginger give the bites a delightful kick, while korma paste and fresh cilantro packs in extra flavor. You can make them the day before, then reheat in a hot oven to serve with a yogurt and mint dip or a spicy chutney.
These comforting mini sausage rolls are filled with beef and mushrooms, plus grain mustard and Worcestershire sauce to add a bit of zing. The recipe makes 30 and they freeze brilliantly, so it's worth having a stash ready to bake or reheat for those last-minute arrivals.
It's time to bring back the vol au vent. This 1970s favorite still goes down a treat and, to save time, you can buy the cases and bake them, then fill as you like. You could try mayonnaise with avocado and shrimp, or keep the retro theme going and fill yours with a classic shrimp cocktail mix.
The irresistible combination of sweet Parma Ham, tangy sundried tomato paste and salty Parmesan means these savory palmiers will be gone in minutes. Using ready-rolled puff pastry, this is an easy snack to prepare too.
You'll need to make lots of these, as guests always come back for more. The recipe is basically a thick white sauce flavored with basil and goats' cheese, made into balls then coated and deep-fried. Serve as a canapé or make them into an appetizer served with a leafy salad.
The ultimate retro canapé, the deviled egg is back in style. In its simplest form, hard-boiled egg yolks are mashed with mayonnaise and seasoning, then piped back into the egg and topped with paprika, caviar or anchovies. If you fancy something different, check out this great Middle Eastern twist on the classic recipe, with yogurt, tahini and za'atar. You can prepare the filling the day before, if you like, though it's fast enough to make from scratch on the day.
Get the recipe for deviled eggs with tahini and za'atar here