Cold appetizer recipes are a fantastic addition to any event, particularly one where electricity or a way to warm or cook food isn’t available. Depending on the weather and the location of your event, you just need to be careful about keeping anything that’s heat-sensitive cold for the duration. You can also try to use foods that can be served as they are at room temperature (olives and seasoned nuts come immediately to mind).
Keep Cool!
If you decide on cold appetizers that need to stay cold, there are a lot of simple ways to accomplish that. For example, you can make a block of ice using a cake pan, un-mold it quickly in hot water, and place the ice on a cookie tray. Lay waxed paper or aluminum foil over the block and use it for displaying your appetizers. It will take several hours for the ice to melt, particularly with the aluminum on it - yet the aluminum neatly transports the cool to your edibles.
Ideas for Easy Cold Appetizers
If you find you’re fresh out of ideas, how about taking cubes of cheese, cubes of ham (or salami), and tortellini and marinating them in Italian dressing in the fridge? Just before serving you can put these on long toothpicks or skewers for tasty finger food. Think of it as deconstructed antipasto! Other interesting options include:
-Crab stuffed cherry tomatoes (hint: use a melon baller to hollow out the tomatoes)
- large olives stuffed with herb goat cheese (use a plastic bag with a small corner cut open to fill the olives neatly with the cheese)
- meatballs (barbecue, Swedish, taco flavored, Tai -you name it!)
- Deviled eggs (add a little red pepper flake so they live up to the name!).
- Fresh salsa and chips (mince up banana pepper, tomato, sweet pepper, garlic and onion and you’re done. Or add some mango or pineapple for a tropical treat).
- Flat bread roll ups (avoid sliced tomato - that will make these soggy)
- sesame noodle salad (with green onion and soy sauce).
- Melba toast pizza (use pizza sauce, a slice of cheese and slice of pepperoni).
- dilly beans (pickled with garlic)
- shrimp sprinkled with lime and ginger
- pineapple stuffed ham slices
- fondue
The list could go on for pages. If all you’re having is cold appetizers (i.e. no main dish) you definitely want to diversify so that there’s some with meat, some with vegetables, some fruit, and something sweet. You’ll find lots of ideas for appetizer recipes, party planning, and more at Divine Dinner Party.