5-Ingredient Appetizers

Get the party started with easy 5-ingredient appetizers, such as a homemade hummus dip. This flavorful appetizer recipe skips the tahini (an ingredient commonly used in hummus) and combines chickpeas, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes.

Recipe: Garlic and Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus

When you need a last-minute appetizer, you can't go wrong with this easy bruschetta. All you need is half a baguette, some honey, and a little blue cheese, and you've got something elegant and impressive.

Recipe: Blue Cheese and Honey Bruschetta

Video: How to Measure Honey

Use only five ingredients for this easy and elegant appetizer. The tangy goat cheese and sweet dates create a perfect flavor combination.

Recipe: Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates

Video: Local Flavor's Belle Chèvre Goat Cheese

Just a small amount of smoked salmon is needed to highlight the flavor in the creamy filling of these bite-sized potato nests. Because each serving costs only 52 cents (roughly 13 cents per piece), you can treat your guests without hurting your pocketbook.

Recipe: Potato Nests with Sour Cream and Smoked Salmon

Savory and rich with a little peppery bite, these cheese wafers are great party snacks. They're easy to make, they travel well, and you can freeze them.

Thread blue cheese wedges, apple slices, cubes of deli ham, and fresh watercress leaves onto wooden skewers for a super fast, super easy appetizer.  Arugula and spinach are less expensive than watercress, so try one of those options if desired.

Recipe: Ham-and-Cheese Skewers

This simple bruschetta tastes best on sourdough bread, but feel free to use whatever bread you have on hand to cut down on cost. Also, choose dried oregano over fresh for an inexpensive option.

Recipe: Cherry Tomato Toasts

Don't skip the Gorgonzola cheese because of cost. It has a strong flavor, so only a small amount is needed to top each tartlet. The flavor combination of the tangy cheese with the sweet peach spread is sure to impress your guests.

Recipe: Peach-and-Blue Cheese Bites

Pita rounds, garlic powder, and cooking spray are all you need for these homemade pita chips.  This recipe yields 4 dozen chips from only 6 pita rounds, so the cost is considerably less than purchasing them ready-made. Pair with your favorite dip, or skip the garlic powder and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar instead for a sweet treat.

Recipe: Garlic Pita Chips

The distinctive flavor of blue cheese and the crunch of pecans earn these tasty leaf-shaped wafers rave reviews. Use star-shaped cutters for another holiday variation.

These 5-ingredient, money-saving mini sandwiches will satisfy the heartiest of appetites. Using premade frozen meatballs keeps preparation swift and simple.

Recipe: Monster Meatball Sandwiches

A bowl of olives is a classic addition to any appetizer buffet. Choose your favorite inexpensive variety and dress them up with fresh rosemary and red pepper flakes. Note that this recipe serves 30 guests, so if you are entertaining a smaller group, decrease the ingredient quantities.

Recipe: Warm Rosemary Olives

Jarred bruschetta topping, chock full of flavorful herbs and veggies, saves both money and prep time for these cheesy pizza sticks.  Simply top a refrigerated thin pizza crust with the bruschetta topping and a shredded cheese blend, bake, and cut into bite-size strips.

Recipe: Pizza Sticks

Serve these mini tomato and mozzarella skewers in individual glasses as an appetizer at a seated dinner party, or arrange on a platter for your buffet. The price of grape tomatoes rarely fluctuates, making these caprese bites a cost-effective option.

Recipe: Mini Caprese Bites

Coat cocktail-sized smoked sausages with a homemade glaze featuring barbecue sauce, cherry preserves, chipotle peppers, and adobo sauce for an easy party appetizer that's sure to be gobbled up in no time. 

Recipe: Spicy Chipotle Barbecue Sausage Bites

Serve this easy, 3-ingredient gazpacho in tall shot glasses garnished with cucumber sticks for an eye-catching appetizer.

Recipe: Gazpacho Shooters

Top Bartlett pear slices with baked pancetta, crumbled goat cheese, and a drizzle of honey for an easy, salty-sweet hors d'oeuvre that tastes delicious and looks gorgeous.

Recipe: Pancetta Crisps With Goat Cheese and Pear

Use frozen mini phyllo pastry shells as the base for this colorful holiday appetizer. Keep these shells on hand so that you can always throw together a last-minute appetizer.

These little cream cheese-filled pecan bites are the perfect combination of creamy and crunchy. You'll have a hard time stopping with just one bite.