15 of My Favorite New Year’s Party Appetizers
Whenever the holidays happen, New Year’s Eve is one of my favorite parties. I love glitter, stupid glasses and hats, traditions, but most of all I love food. The best holiday fare is a snack that can be shared and taken to hand often – all of which are my favorite descriptions of food.
As someone who really enjoys the vibrant and hectic nature of party planning , you might be surprised to know that so far I’ve only been a guest at a New Year’s Eve party. (I guess I can’t capture all the big parties.) But it’s just a matter of time: the New Year’s Eve party is my host white whale, and when I do , I’ll be serving up a select few with the best delectable treats I’ve taken to past parties. Here are 15 of my favorites.
Air fried mushroom chips
A bowl of these crispy and savory mushroom chips is a must-have for your snack table. They’re super easy to make: you drain a jar of chopped mushrooms, drizzle them with oil, and air fry them until crisp. Mushroom chips are incredibly flavorful, so you can snack on them as is or use them as tiny chips for dipping. Plus, they’re completely vegan and gluten-free. Read the full recipe.
Mushroom and onion sauce
Is it weird to dip mushroom chips in mushroom sauce? Maybe, but it sounds great to me. This umami bomb is made with caramelized onions and duxelles (finely chopped mushrooms cooked to enhance their flavor). This sauce goes great on any salty chips or pretzels, and is just as delicious spread on a hamburger bun. Serve the mushroom duxilles warm to make them easier to spread.
Vegan French Onion Dip
Let’s face it: all sides need a few sauces, and this is French onion sauce, not weighed down by mayonnaise or sour cream. Silken tofu provides a medium that provides an easy-to-dip texture (both hot and cold) and serves as a blank canvas for the savory onion flavor. Check out the full recipe .
Air fryer pork bellies
When offering snacks to a crowd, it’s best to keep it simple, small, and tasty. Let me introduce you to these Air Fryer Pork Belly Bites . A simple dressing of fish sauce, oil and a few other seasonings coats the tiny pieces before they hit the fryer. The machine takes care of the rest while you set up the confetti cones and 2025 cups.
Meatloaf Wellington
Just because finger food rules the world doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy one slightly dramatic centerpiece. Wellington Meatloaf is the perfect middle ground between gourmet and comfort food. You can make it easier by making my meatloaf in the air fryer a day ahead and wrapping it in Wellington parts before the party. Here are the detailed instructions.
Crispy brie wrap in mole
Give your Crunchwrap Supreme cheese the treatment . It’s a real buzz, and if you’re a Taco Bell fan, let’s just say you’re going to be a hero. Taking a bite of this beef and salad monstrosity is the best way to end 2024.
Brie baked in the microwave
If you’re looking for an easier way to make baked brie, skip all the baking entirely and use the microwave. You don’t have to fuss with puff pastry wrappers or fuss with egg soap: use a science oven to gently heat the cheese in batches before adding toppings like chopped nuts, honey or jam to the wheel.
Pizza with chicken crust
Ordering pizza on New Year’s Eve is no easy task, at least in New York City, where any normally reliable delivery spot turns into complete crap. Make your own pizza instead. Better yet, make a pizza that you can’t get anywhere, like chicken crust pizza. Honestly, it’s much better than it has any right to be .
Pizza with hot dog crust
There’s another weird pizza that has found a place on my New Year’s Eve table, and it’s the hot dog crust pizza . Not only is this pie super fun to make, but it’s also perfect for sharing—the crust is a gathering of pigs in blankets for crying out loud! It will be especially popular among the children who come to your party.
Tartiflette
If you’re looking for a cozy potato dish with an elegant name, look no further than tartiflette. While you can make this pile of roasted potatoes and brie small enough for two, you can also double or triple this recipe in a casserole to feed a larger carb-loving crew.
Rösti Potato Pie
Requiring just three ingredients and a cast iron skillet, this dish is sure to be a crowd pleaser with the least impact on your wallet. Simply slice the boiled potatoes and place the ribbons in an oil pan to brown. Flip the potato pie over and brown the other side before serving, sprinkling with plenty of flaky salt. Get all the details here .
Pretzels
Regular pretzels are dry and sad. The seasoned pretzels are strong and lively. The best part is that you barely have to do anything to make a big batch of delicious pretzels. To get started, grab a packet of ranch hot sauce powder, some butter, and a bag of mini pretzels. (I have to warn you, you’ll be asking questions all night about what recipe you used to make these, so keep this link handy .)
Microwave Rice Krispies
I usually recommend these as an emergency snack, but I think they make sense for parties too. The microwave makes it easy, and using a muffin tin allows for quick cooling and easy preparation of individual servings. You can whip up a batch of these emergency Rice Krispies treats 30 minutes before your party and be in great shape.
Gooey Butter Pie
Celebrate the New Year in the most enjoyable way. Clearly not an original creation, the sticky butter cake came straight out of Pandora’s Box of Butter Golden cake mix in St. Louis. It’s cute, decadent and sure to be a conversation starter. I recommend having hot coffee at the ready to balance it out – the sugar and caffeine will ensure everyone has enough energy to get through the middle of the night.
Air fried sausage
I have fond memories of childhood New Year’s parties where someone would always serve baked sausage slices skewered on toothpicks along with mustard and sauerkraut. It’s an improved, faster version of the classic snack, made even crispier with the help of some clever slicing and frying.