PART OF Summer Grilling

33 Best 4th of July Appetizer Ideas

Whether you're planning a backyard BBQ at home or a potluck block party, these delightful dips, bites and beyond are perfect for opening up the appetite and getting you ready for the burgers and dogs. All that's left to do is grab a cold beverage and give three cheers for the red, white and blue!

Texas Caviar Party Salsa

"Outstanding! I do believe this is the best recipe I have ever made. The recipe is certainly easy to make, but does require a lot of vegetable chopping. All my family and guests raved about it."

-George wyrick

Tomato, Basil & Mini Mozzarella Bruschetta

"This bruschetta is out of this world! The garlicky bread soaks up all of the flavor from the salad. It's so good!"

-Jonathan Melendez

Original New York Buffalo Wings

"The preparation was simple and the product yummy. This will be our go to recipe. Seriously enjoyed these wings."

-Courtenay775

DIY Pigs in a Blanket

"Wow! This is a great, simple recipe for a go-to party finger food. This dough is super easy to put together. I like to use full fat buttermilk for best texture and flavor. Don't overstir the dough when combining, as that will result in a tougher biscuit. I brush my biscuits with melted butter as soon as I pull them out of the oven. Yum!"

-Leah W.

Flag Focaccia

This 4th of July, get festive with a patriotic Flag Focaccia! It's fun to make and a real show-stopper!

Oven-Fried Chicken Sliders

"I've been dreaming of these sandwiches since we first tried them in early 2018. I swear, they're a thousand times better than fried chicken sandwiches."

-Ethan at Food.com

Spicy Tomatillo Salsa Verde

"Wow! I love this recipe! I'm a salsa verde addict and this is one of the best! I love the smokiness from the chiles in adobo and the heat from the habanero. I LOVE heat but had to tone it down for the rest of my family. I used the whole pepper but scraped out all the seeds and membrane."

-Mika G.

Heirloom Tomato Tart

"This tart looked so beautiful and it was so quick to assemble. I had a hard time spreading the mustard onto my tart as the pastry was flaking as I did it so next time I would mix it with a bit of oil and drizzle that over."

-Izy Hossack

Mini Caesar Salad Bites

"These are so good. I had them as an appetizer for my party last week and everyone commented on how cute and unique they were!"

-Prarie Dawn

Super-Creamy Hummus

Baking soda is the key to creating this velvety-smooth hummus. Make it a full meal with sautéed mushrooms, pickled onions and plenty of pita.

Rocket Lobster Rolls

Northeastern-style lobster and shrimp roll, served on buttery brioche, topped with a ginger chow mein slaw and spicy sriracha mayo drizzle.

Heavenly Pimento Cheese

"Try this as the filling for a grilled cheese sandwich... or top a burger with it! Oh yeah, here in the South we know how to use some pimento cheese!"

-elizabeth.walls

Charred Lemon Shrimp Skewers

Marinating shrimp in vibrant citrus makes a special ingredient even better.

Caprese Salad

"I just have one suggestion. Drizzle on some balsamic vinegar along with the olive oil. I traveled all over Italy last summer and ate this salad everywhere. Many places added the balsamic and it makes a good salad really good!"

-Rebecca1

Honey Barbecue Chicken Wings

"Absolutely love this recipe! Have used it on boneless chicken, pork chops and ribs as well. Can't get enough."

-hjrx1424

Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers

"They're called armadillo eggs in Texas. They're good baked, as anything with bacon is good. But try grilling these over charcoal, or wood with a nice thick sirloin, a baked tater, and a cold beer. Tastes so good it makes you want to slap yo' momma."

-Lambo

Zucchini Salsa

"What an awesome way to use up my zucchini (there always seems to be too much). This recipe surprised my friends and family who couldn't believe there was more zucchini than tomato in it. We found it was plenty hot with only five jalapeños."

-Karen7

Perfect Boiled Shrimp

"Now I know why this recipe is so highly rated. Both my wife and I have cooked shrimp our whole life the old way, just bring your water to a boil and drop 'em in until done. Needless to say it was a hit or miss cooking method. They were cooked to perfection. I do believe these shrimp were probably the best I've ever eaten. Each and every one were perfectly cooked. We ate until we couldn't hold anymore."

-RNTHOM54

How to Build a Charcuterie Board

Meats, cheeses, nuts and more... what's not to love?!

Beef Taquitos

"Instead of trying to warm them in the microwave (which didn't work for me the first time I made these), I dipped the tortillas in hot oil to soften them before adding the filling and rolling them. It made a big difference... so much easier to roll since they didn't fall apart on me!"

-Kzim4

Chunky Guacamole

"Yummy! I've never made guacamole before, but my hubby and I really enjoy it, so I thought I'd give it a shot. Wonderful, fresh flavor. Beautiful appearance. Comes together quickly and easily."

-AndreaVT96

Sweet Potato Fries with Chipotle Mayo

"My family had an OMG foodie moment. I followed the recipe except for adding a little brown sugar when mixing with the oil. The complexity of the flavors... the fennel, oregano and coriander combined with the chipotle mayo was phenomenal."

-gailanng

Garlic Feta Cheese Dip

"Anything with feta cheese in it gets an A+ in my book, but this dip is out of this world! It's so simple to make, and the garlic flavor was perfect! Try it with Ritz crackers!"

-txcupcake

Olive Garden's Toasted Ravioli

"I didn't have a chance to thaw the frozen ravioli, so I cooked them in boiling water until they rose to the top, drained them and then followed the recipe. I served them with a roasted garlic sauce (Recipe #149182)... Once you start you can't stop"

-Chef yogi 77703

Deviled Eggs

"I made these for a neighborhood get together and they were gone in 60 seconds! Not really, but almost. I used Victoria's Louisiana seasoning and sprinkled them with celery salt just before the paprika. These were delish!"

-Ann Cecile

Lynn's Killer Clams Casino

"Thank you so much for this delicious recipe. Being from Long Island and a family of clammers, clams were pretty much an everyday things. we had them every which way, but Clams Casino was always my favorite! Your recipe is quick easy and by far the tastiest."

-ItalianMomof2

World's Best Baba Ganoush

"Excellent recipe! I do prefer a lot of eggplant flavor myself, so the cumin and parsley are optional for me. The roasting of the eggplant to start is essential."

-ravenwork

Grilled Harissa Carrot Hummus

Chickpea meets carrot in this refreshing summer dip. With plenty of lemon juice, garlic and spicy harissa, it's alive with flavor!

French Onion Dip

"This is always such an easy and delicious dip to prepare. Excellent for a crudité platter or even just for chips! I've used this recipe many times."

-- Carla -

Garlic-Lime Chicken Wings with Chipotle Mayo

"Deliciously messy! Come hungry and leave your dignity at the door. My husband especially loved the chipotle mayo."

-gailanng

Spicy Mexican Corn Dip

"We tried this just this week. It's delicious and unique. Love the creaminess with the texture of the ingredients. I recommend using extra sharp Cheddar; it seems to intensify the flavors."

-PanNan

Granny's Fried Green Tomatoes

"I picked this recipe because it had all the ingredients I normally have on hand. Simple and delicious. I have made it a couple of times already. Will probably make it a couple of more times before the tomatoes are gone for the year!"

-Chef Booshman

Seven-Layer Dip

"I absolutely love this dip, but learned early on that serving it in a bowl doesn't work. A plate or platter works best where a swipe of the chip captures all the layers and the chip doesn't break in the process. Love it!"

-kaswedberg

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