Figuring our your finger food ideas before a party or event can be as tricky as wrangling the event itself. Are you going for something sweet, something savoury? A punchy bruschetta on crispy bread? Or perhaps a snack sized cheese filled tart? We’ve rounded up our best finger food ideas, including dolmades, blini, mini tarts, bruschetta, quiches and croquettes – everything you need for your next party food menu. Plus a few cocktail and mocktail recipes for drinks inspiration.
Mini chicken & asparagus quiches
A filling entree or easy to make canape.
Julie Goodwin’s French onion tarts
A stunning starter for entertaining season.
Julie Goodwin’s devilled eggs
Add a touch of retro flavour to your feast.
Tomato & goat’s cheese pissaladière
A feast not only for the eyes but the tastebuds, too.
Baked brie fondue on the barbecue
Baked brie as you’ve never made it before!
Air fryer chicken drumsticks
Coated in a spicy and sticky Portuguese-style marinade.
Korean-style crunchy chicken wings
An oven-baked recipe inspired by double-fried Korean fried chicken.
Lemon & ricotta-filled zucchini flowers
They’re coated in tempura batter and fried.
Air fryer zucchini balls with lemon yoghurt
Get the air fryer working hard at your next party.
Mini crustless quiche with bacon & tomato
Bacon & eggs on the go!
Pork skewers with satay sauce & coconut rice
Fire up the grill.
Zucchini chips with aioli
Cook these zucchini chips in the air fryer.
Little chicken and leek pies
Creamy chicken and crunchy celery make for a moreish filling in these bite-sized pies that are ideal for a big party. They disappear pretty fast, though, so make sure you set aside a few for later.
Spelt blini with hot smoked salmon and crème fraîche
Entertaining is simple with these quick spelt blini topped with hot-smoked salmon and crème fraîche
Easy baked brie with quince and walnuts
3…2…1… Everybody say cheese!
Buffalo chicken wings
These make a great starter for any party.
Bulgogi-inspired fried broccolini
Make the snacks the highlight of your next party.
Bacon and cheese arancini
Is there a combination more satisfying than crispy bacon, melted cheese and creamy risotto? We think not! These delicious Italian arancini are sure to become your go-to snack for the kids.
Salmon quichettes
If you’re looking for a simple and tasty finger food to that will please a crowd, look no further than these salmon quichettes. They are delicious hot or cold and a also make a perfect after school snack.
Dolmades
You’ll love this classic Greek starter.
Sausage rolls
Because it’s a long way to the shop when you want a sausage roll.
Ham and cheese croquettes
Snacking doesn’t get much better than this.
Pork and noodle spring rolls
A tasty way to use up leftover pork.
Mango daiquiri
A cocktail perfect for summer entertaining.
Air fryer pickle chips with ranch dipping sauce
You’ll love these tasty air fried pickle chips.
Air fryer chicken nuggets
Make a batch for your next party or a dinner the kids will love.
Fried harissa-stuffed green olives
They’ll be a hit at your next party! As will the lemon and fennel seed aioli.
Mini falafel with cucumber yoghurt
Bite-sized and full of flavour.
Frickles with sriracha mayonnaise
Watch out! This is a seriously addictive snack.
Baked brie with pine nut dukkah
As it bakes, the creamy centre of this brie becomes infused with garlic. Topped with pomegranate molasses and pine nut dukkah, this molten cheese is a delight for the senses.
Strawberry and elderflower mocktail
Refreshing and fruity, this gorgeous vanilla infused strawberry and elderflower mocktail is the perfect drink to serve at your next summer party.
Artichoke and asparagus fritters with olive relish
The perfect party starter.
Air fryer avocado fries with lime dipping sauce
Fuss free party food.
Chile con queso
This chile con queso dip is packed with flavour.
Rosé sangria
This rosé sangria recipe is delightfully sweet and refreshing – perfect for enjoying long, balmy summer evenings.
Blinis with smoked salmon
These mini pancakes are smokin!
Zucchini koftas with harissa yoghurt
Your new go-to finger food.
Bruschetta
This classic tomato-based bruschetta is an antipasto favourite but can be turned into a complete meal with the addition of a poached egg.
Passionfruit and pineapple spritzer
Cool down with these delicious passionfruit and pineapple spritzers – perfect for a warm Summer day!
Crispy fried pork dumplings
For something so small, dumplings sure pack in a lot of flavour!
How to make a classic mojito
You’ll come back to this one over and over again.
Spiced paneer and eggplant pakora
Spicy, crispy and somehow succulent all at once, these paneer and eggplant pakora with coconut and mint chutney make an unusual and delicious platter of nibbles for a party. Looking for more Indian recipes? Roast the eggplant and make the coconut mint chutney in the morning. Refrigerate in separate airtight containers until needed. Note
Five-ingredient tomato fritters
Five ingredients, forty minutes and a couple of pantry staples is all you need to create a tasty tomato snack.
Mulled “wine” mocktail
Indulge alcohol-free with the delicious taste of this mulled “wine” mocktail.
Salt and pepper squid
This salt and pepper calamari recipe is perfect for a party.
Corn blini with avocado cream and crab
Micro cress and herbs are available from gourmet green grocers and some growers’ markets. If unavailable, use small coriander leaves or chopped chives. Note
Marinated baby bocconcini with prosciutto
If you’re looking for a simple, tasty and appealing platter for a party then marinated baby bocconcini with prosciutto is your friend. Salty meat wrapped around mild, sweet cheese and spiked with basil. Perfect.
Haloumi and asparagus bites
lemony dressing Note
Roasted garlicky pumpkin and sage pies
Fight off colds (and vampires) with these tasty vegetarian pies.
Caramelised leek and brie tartlets
Simple and satisfying bite-sized tarts featuring creamy brie and the sweetness of caramelised leek.
Arancini with tomato and balsamic sauce
The appetiser that everyone searches for at the party.
Pork balls with soy and lime dipping sauce
Exciting Asian-style nibbles, these pork balls with a soy and lime dipping sauce are perfect for cocktail parties.
Prosciutto wrapped haloumi
Prosciutto and haloumi are a match made in nibble-platter heaven – or use this recipe to take this pumpkin, spinach and haloumi salad to the next level.
Spinach and fetta pinwheels
Perfect for a quick and easy snack.
Pear and walnut pizza
If you prefer, you can, use mild pancetta or prosciutto, as well as mild creamy blue cheese in place of goat’s cheese. For a thinner crust, try mountain bread. Note
Mini cream cheese tarts
A golden, flaky crust surrounds the divine cream cheese filling in these sweet mini tarts. Topped with fresh strawberries and passionfruit, they are perfect for a quick dessert or light finger food when entertaining guests.
Salt and pepper calamari
Crispy and delicious.
Bread crisps with confit tomatoes
Looking for a new snack or canape? Slow-roasted tomatoes on home-baked bread crisps with ricotta and olive paste will be sure to impress your guests. Leftover tomatoes can be stored in the fridge and make a great pre-dinner snack.
Roasted mushroom bruschetta
Take your bruschetta up a notch.
Poached eggs and smoked salmon on blini
More sophisticated than pancakes, these buckwheat blinis topped with poached eggs and smoked salmon make a gorgeous dish for brunch with friends.
Chicken and mango rice paper rolls
Enjoy these light, refreshing chicken and mango rice paper rolls on a warm summer’s afternoon. A Vietnamese classic, the rolls are wonderful served as finger food with a zesty chilli lime dipping sauce.
Tomato and rocket tarts
These pretty little tomato and rocket tarts are a great vegetarian option for a platter of finger food. Rocket can be replaced with baby spinach. Add some baby basil leaves just before serving, if you like.
Beef, haloumi and spinach borek
This crispy Mediterranean-style pastry filled with lamb, haloumi and spinach is great for lunch or dinner served with salad.
Eggplant and haloumi skewers with roasted tomato sauce
These eggplant and haloumi skewers with roasted tomato sauce are the perfect easy finger food to serve at your next gathering. This kind of cheese is just begs to be fried and served warm.
Beef and stilton pies
Any beef cut suitable for stewing can be used for the pie filling: gravy beef, skirt, blade or chuck steak. These cute little beef and stilton pies make excellent finger food.
Feta and spinach stuffed potato balls
These tasty Greek style feta and spinach stuffed potato balls make a delicious starter, finger food or light snack.
Individual spanakopita
Both the adults and kids will love these crispy Greek pies.
Fish scrolls with capsicum salsa
These delicious fish scrolls are beautiful topped with a zesty capsicum salsa – healthy, fresh and super tasty! They make the perfect finger food for dinner parties.
Mango dream bars
Turn mango cheeks into these ice-cream inspired desserts. They’re a perfect way to end a summer dinner party or barbecue.
Chocolate and smoked almond ice-cream sandwiches
These indulgent treats are perfect for people who love to make things from scratch.
Watermelon mocktail with strawberry & mint
Look forward to the good times with a colourful fizz.
Espresso martini cocktail
Two of your favourite things in one elegant glass – the ideal after dinner pick-me-up.
What is a fancy finger food called?
Hors d’oeuvres, canapés and appetisers are all fancy versions of finger foods that have slightly different meanings. Hors d’oeuvres (pronounced “or derv”) is a French term for small savoury foods served before a meal – typically with cocktails and drinks – and is often used interchangeably with ‘appetiser’. But canapés are technically a type of appetiser with a bread or biscuit base and simple spread or cheese topping.
In fact, the variety of finger foods means sometimes other ‘fancy’ terms could apply, such as mezze, antipasto, charcuterie or tapas. But it does depend on what nibbles you’re serving and making. So if you want a fancy term that covers most dishes, hors d’oeuvres or appetisers are both usually safe bets.
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