Everyone Loves a Good Snack
Whether you are having friends over for cocktails, or you are planning to cater your own birthday party, you will want to ensure that you are ready to host. Hosting a party can feel stressful, but with these quick and easy party snacks you do not have to worry about anyone going hungry, or missing out on the party yourself due to last minute preparations.
1. Hummus
Hummus is a staple to any great party buffet, and can be served with pita bread, vegetable sticks, or tortilla chips. Add whatever topping you like to jazz up your hummus.
Ingredients (for 1 Large Bowl)
- 2 cans of chickpeas (drained and rinsed).
- 1 clove of garlic.
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice.
- 1/4 cup of oil (you may need more if you like your hummus to be less dense).
- 2 tablespoons of tahini.
- Pinch of salt.
- A sprinkle of paprika.
Preparation (5 Minutes)
- Pour all of the ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth. You may need to add a few tablespoons of water until you reach your desired consistency.
- Place in a bowl and top with a drizzle of olive oil and another pinch of paprika.
2. Guacamole
A firm party favorite, this Mexican-inspired dip needs to be on every party menu!
Ingredients
- 2 avocados.
- Small red onion.
- Lime juice.
- 1 garlic clove (crushed).
- 1 large tomato.
- Seasoning (to taste).
Preparation (10 Minutes)
- Mash the avocados in a large bowl.
- Stir in all the other ingredients, and mix together.
- Serve with tortilla chips.
3. Kettle Corn
No party is complete without a bowl that is overflowing with sweet kettle corn — we can already smell it!
Ingredients (for 1 Large Bowl of Corn)
- 1/2 cup of corn kernels.
- 1/3 cup of sugar.
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
- 1/4 cup of vegetable oil.
Preparation (5 Minutes)
- Heat the oil in a large pan for one to two minutes.
- Add the sugar and the corn, giving the pan a little shake, then cover it with a lid.
- As the corn starts to pop, shake the pan so the bottom does not burn and the corn does not stick.
- When it stops popping, remove it from the heat, and pour in a large bowl.
- Sprinkle with salt to finish.
4. Spiced Nuts
Spicing your nuts at home offers a more luxurious feel to your party, and the flavors stand out more than store bought nuts. You can tweak the recipe depending on what you favorite spices are.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil.
- 1 cup of walnuts.
- 1 cup of almonds.
- 1 cup of pecan halves.
- 1/2 teaspoon of cumin.
- 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
- 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper.
- 1/4 cup of sugar.
- 1/4 cup of water.
- 1/3 teaspoon of salt.
Preparation (20 Minutes)
- Preheat your oven to 300F, and line a baking tray with foil and a coating of olive oil.
- Combine all nuts and spices in a large bowl and toss together.
- Heat water, sugar and butter in a pan until the sugar and butter dissolve, then remove from heat.
- Pour the mixture over the nuts, and pour everything onto the baking tray (make sure it is a single layer).
- Cook in your oven for 10 minutes, or until the nuts are roasted (they will look sticky).
- Allow to cool before adding to a bowl to serve.
5. Bruschetta
This Italian-inspired favorite is served warm or cold, and will go well with red wine at your party.
Ingredients (Serves 24)
- 8 ripe tomatoes.
- 2 cloves of garlic.
- Bunch of basil leaves.
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
- Pinch of salt and pepper.
- French bread stick.
Preparation (15 Minutes)
- Cut the French bread into thin slices and toast them on a baking tray.
- Dice the tomatoes (remove all seeds and juice), and place in a bowl.
- Stir in the minced garlic, salt, pepper and basil leaves.
- Pour a little of the mixture over the bread slices and serve.
6. Tortilla Rolls
These tortilla rolls are perfect for making ahead of your party, and will go perfectly with your homemade guacamole.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces of cream cheese.
- 6 ounces of sour cream.
- 4 ounces of spring onions.
- 4 ounces of grated cheese.
- 1 green chili, finely chopped.
- Pinch of salt.
- 8 flour tortillas.
Preparation
- Simply combine all ingredients and spread an equal amount onto each tortilla wrap.
- Roll up each wrap in cling film and place in the refrigerator for at least two hours.
- Cut into small slices and serve with guacamole or salsa.
7. Steak Lettuce Cups
These tasty lettuce cups look super cute and are sure to be a hit. You can make your sauce the day before your party so that you are ready to build your steak lettuce cups in under 10 minutes. This recipe yields 20 cups.
Ingredients
- 1 10-ounce flank steak
- 20 crunchy lettuce leaves.
- Your sauce of choice (we like this Chimichurri recipe).
- Seasoning (to taste).
Preparation (10 Minutes)
- Ensure the steak is left out of the refrigerator for 30 minutes so it reaches room temperature.
- Heat a grill pan that has been brushed with olive oil.
- Season the steak and quickly fry it for six minutes before resting for another six minutes.
- Wash and prepare your lettuce on a tray.
- Cut the steak into small strips and put on top of the cups.
- Drizzle your sauce of choice over the steak, and it's ready to serve.
8. Easy Chicken Salad
If you have health-conscious guests, then you can prepare a large bowl of this low-calorie chicken and salad. The tangerine adds a lovely zing to the dish, and is perfect alongside a glass of crisp white wine.
Ingredients
- Leafy greens (lettuce, spinach).
- 1 cup of chopped mixed vegetables (carrots, peppers, tomato).
- 3 ounces of grilled chicken breast.
- 1/2 cup of cooked white beans (drained).
- 2 tablespoons of reduced-calorie salad dressing.
- 1 tangerine.
Preparation (5 Minutes)
- Simply add all of the ingredients to a large salad bowl and toss in order to get all of the ingredients coated in dressing.
- You can leave out the chicken if you are expecting vegetarians.