29 Easy Appetizers for BBQ Summer Parties or Backyard Cookout Party Events
Below are my favorite outdoor summer party food ideas for any backyard BBQ, cookout, pool party or summertime picnic-style get-together – whether you’re hosting and need to feed a crowd, snacking by the pool or going to a cookout party and need a ‘bring-a-dish’ potluck-style summery snack dish to bring.
From fun watermelon “fries” to a tangy simple dip, there is sure to be at LEAST one appetizer recipe you WILL save for later!
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From single serve snacks, cold dips and crowd-pleaser summer appetizers for any outdoor party crowd, these are my favorite recipes.
They’re all easy-enough to make and look fancy (like you SLAVED over them ALL day haha!)
Best Summer Appetizers For Party Events (make ahead easy!)
Jalapeno Popper Cracker Dip
Let’s start with my absolute favorite summer dip to whip together – Jalapeno Popper Cracker Dip.
Creamy, cheesy and with just the right amount of jalapeno spice – so good – especially during the summertime lounging by the pool!
Ingredients:
2- 8 ounce blocks of cream cheese (softened)
3/4 Cup mayonnaise
1- 4 ounce can chopped green chilis (drained)
2 ounces canned diced jalapeno peppers (drained)
1 Cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
Mix everything together and warm up in your crockpot. Serve hot OR serve cold (it’s delicious either way!)
3-Ingredient Wonton Cups
Ingredients:
– 1 Harry & David Pepper and Onion Relish jar
– 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
– 12 Wonton Sheets
Optional: parsley for garnish
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Place wonton wrapper sheets onto a baking pan.
Fill each wonton sheet halfway with relish.
Sprinkle grated mozzarella cheese on top of the relish.
Fold wonton wrappers upwards to form a “bowl” around the relish and mozzarella.
Bake for 8 minutes or until the wontons are golden brown.
Recipe from Harry & David on Instagram
Sheet Pan Cold Veggie Pizza
This cold veggie pizza recipe starts with soft crescent dough as the crust and gets topped with a creamy cheesy ranch topping and loads of fresh, crisp veggies. This is one of those summer snacks that people can’t get enough of!
PLUS – lots of easy sheet pan appetizers on the same page!
Sheet Pan Cold Veggie Pizza Recipe
Cucumber Melts Appetizer Bites
Ingredients:
1 small cucumber sliced
1 can of tuna **
Mayo
Everything Bagel seasoning
Sliced American Cheese
Instructions:
Mix the tuna and mayo to your liking. Add the Everything Bagel Seasoning.
Make little scoops, about a teaspoon, on a large plate.
Top the scoops with a little piece of the cheese covering the whole scoop.
Microwave about 20 seconds or to when the cheese just melts.
With a spatula lift the scoops and place on the sliced cucumber carefully.
Sprinkle more Everything Bagel seasoning on top.
** NOTE** my crowd is not a big fan of tuna salad, but we all LOVE chicken salad so….
I changed this recipe up and used canned chicken breast instead of canned tuna – so So SO good!
Recipe from JayniesJourneys on Instagram
Stuffed Pepper Bites
Not only are these little one-bite stuffed peppers VERY pretty to look at, they’re also VERY easy to make ahead (which makes them the BEST summer appetizers to make!)
Just cut of the top of each pepper then scoop out your pepper “tubes”.
Take softened cream cheese and mix with a pack of ranch – then stuff that mixture down into each pepper and slice ’em up.
TWO TIPS:
1 – For a shortcut – just get the cream cheese that’s already flavored – I use this kind.
2 – If you let your stuffed peppers sit and set in the refrigerator for a while, they will be MUCH easier to slice up.
Tangy Poolside Dip
INGREDIENTS:
16 oz sour cream
1 can of Rotel, drained
2 Tbsp Taco Seasoning
2 Tbsp Ranch Seasoning
1 cup shredded colby jack cheese
STEPS:
1. Mix all ingredients together and done!
Recipe from KristysKetoLifestyle on Instagram
Watermelon Fries
Can you even CALL it a cookout without watermelon!?!?
Uh, NO – you can’t! haha!
Here’s a fun twist for serving watermelon at your BBQ party – Watermelon “fries”!
I found these sweet little bites of heaven on Instagram and thought, “ehhhh they look a little tedious to make”…
But they’re NOT – they’re EASY… and FUN! And oh SO refreshing on hot summer days (or nights!)
For the “fries:
Use a crinkle cutter (available here on Amazon) to cut the watermelon into fry shapes.
✅ Make sure to refrigerate and serve cold for a refreshing shareable snack!
For the Dip:
Blend together 1/2 cup plain yogurt with 3 to 4 strawberries and a little honey (or whatever sweetener you want).
Really, that’s all there is to it!
Mini Bacon Cheeseburger Bites
Little mini cheeseburgers topped with bacon, onions, pickles and a cherry tomato all speared together with a patriotic toothpick – yummy and perfect for a summer party!
Video recipe from ChelseyDavisxo on Instagram
Cold Tomato Bruschetta
Ingredients:
1 baguette, sliced and toasted
4 large ripe tomatoes
1 shallot, finely diced
4 tbsp good quality olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Handful fresh basil
Flaky salt
3 oz feta cheese
Instructions:
Slice bread and brush with olive oil. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 325 degrees F until golden and toasted.
Finely dice shallot and chop tomatoes into small pieces.
Add to a bowl and season with salt.
Add balsamic, olive oil and balsamic. Mix.
Top the toasted bread with three tomato mixture.
Sprinkle with crumbled feta and flaky salt.
Recipe from Cassandra Wardrope on Instagram
Spinach and Pepperoncini Baked Feta Dip
Ingredients:
1 (8-oz.) block feta cheese
3/4 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 grated garlic cloves
A generous pinch of red pepper flakes
1 (12 to 16-oz.) bag frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 cup sliced pepperoncini, roughly chopped
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
Fresh dill and extra-virgin olive oil for garnish
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375ºF.
Grease an 8×8-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Place block of feta cheese in a large bowl; use a fork to crush and crumble into small pieces.
Place spinach in a clean kitchen towel and wring out as much water as possible.
Add to bowl with feta cheese, along with yogurt, mayo, garlic, red pepper flakes, pepperoncini, and mozzarella; mix well.
Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish; bake for 30 minutes, until bubbly with golden edges.
Garnish with fresh dill and a drizzle of EVOO.
Serve warm, chilled, or closer to room temperature with crostini, pita chips, or tortilla chips.
Recipe from Jamie Vespa MS, RD on Instagram
Sweet and Salty Bacon Party Crackers
Ingredients:
Club crackers
Bacon
Brown Sugar
Black pepper
Directions:
Cut the bacon in thirds.
Wrap each cracker in a piece of bacon and place seam side down in the air fryer basket.
Sprinkle with brown sugar and pepper.
Air fry 400° 6-8 minutes until the bacon is cooked and crispy.
Recipe from Stephanie Gigliotti on Instagram
Stuffed Shrimp
If you’re cooking steak on the grill at your summer backyard party, you will absolutely want to make a batch (or 3) of these stuffed shrimp from Toni Chapman on Instagram… so crazy good!
I found the video recipe on Pinterest here.
Crab Stuffed Mushrooms
My husband absolutely LOVES these easy crab-stuffed mushrooms! Best of all, they are super easy to prep, cook quickly, and can even be reheated in the microwave. I make them for every summer cookout!
Tip: Add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the stuffing mix for a little spicy kick!
Hawaiian Cheesecake Salad
While this YUMMY tropical fruit salad is not what I consider an appetizer, it’s more of a side dish or a refreshing no bake dessert, but EVERY summer cookout party should be serving this.
It is THAT good!
Packed full of fresh strawberries, oranges, kiwi, mango, banana and canned pineapple all mixed together with this surprisingly simple cheesecake filling mixture (with instant pudding – yay for easy!).
Totally recommended!
Oh, and she has a red, white and blue cheesecake fruit salad recipe here that is perfect for 4th of July.
More Fun Party Food Ideas
post tagged: easy appetizers for bbq summer parties, outdoor summer party food ideas backyard bbq
