40+ Appetizers for Your New Year’s Eve Menu

in Appetizers, Holiday Favorites, Menus

40+ Appetizers for Your New Year's Eve Menu

How do you celebrate New Year’s?

Growing up, we’d stay up late to watch the festivities in Times Square on TV and set off fireworks at the end of the driveway. And a couple of times, my uncle or dad even set themselves on fire. Neither got hurt… nor did they learn any lessons because it happened a few times over the years.

On New Year’s Day, my dad always barbecued and made his famous baked beans while mom simmered a pot of black eyed peas (you have to eat a bowl for good luck!) using the leftover ham bone that she stuck in the freezer after Christmas dinner.

Now, Jason and I usually celebrate New Year’s Eve with a couple of friends, a spread of appetizers and finger foods and a pitcher (or 3) of homebrewed beer and tequila-based cocktails. Then on New Year’s Day, we celebrate recuperate alone, with the leftovers of that spread. And lots and lots of water. And Tylenol.

And predictably, it all ends with me and a stack of Cooking Light and Weight Watchers magazines after that emotionally scarring trip to the bathroom scale.

It’s a tradition.

This upcoming New Year’s might be one of my favorites in recent memory. NYE falls on a Saturday night which means my favorite hobbies will all be combined this weekend: cooking, eating, drinking, and watching a whole lot of football. And Mission: See My Toes Again, the 2012 edition, will start on Monday.

Find something for your New Year’s Eve menu in the list below or click here and scroll over the pictures for the recipe name and link.

Happy (and filling!) New Year’s Eve to you!

Dips
Hot Asiago Crab & Artichoke Dip
Pimento Cheese
Houston-Style Green Salsa*
Chile con Queso
Restaurant-Style Queso Blanco
Kalamata Olive Hummus*
Marinated Artichoke Dip*
Roasted Jalapeno Hummus*
Restaurant Style Hummus*
Peach Salsa*
Creamy Baked Crab & Artichoke Dip
Tzatziki Sauce*
Red Pepper Jelly & Cream Cheese
Hatch Chile con Queso
Grilled Pineapple Guacamole
Cantaloupe-Pineapple Salsa

Finger Foods
Blackberry and Pinot Noir-Glazed Meatballs
Prosciutto-wrapped Grissini with Figs*
Kalamata Olive Tapenade with Roasted Pepper and Goat Cheese Crostini*
Cranberry and Red Wine Meatballs
Pesto Palmiers
Goat Cheese Crostini with Sundried Tomato Jam
Spanakopita
Smoked Mozzarella Crostini
Prosciutto Bruschetta with Browned Sage Butter
Bacon (or Pancetta) Wrapped Dates
Fried Ravioli
Spicy Honey-Roasted Peanuts

Heavy Appetizers
Brie & Brisket Quesadillas
Okra Fritters with Grilled Corn & Goat Cheese
Baked Brie with Cranberry-Apricot Chutney
Filet Oscar Crostini
Green Chile Crab Cakes with Tomatillo Salsa
Blue Corn Blini with Crab and Avocado Crema
Goat Cheese Phyllo Purses
Bruschetta Platter*
Brie en Croute with Crackers, Fruit, and Toasted Bread
Arancini Caprese (Fried Risotto Balls)
Crostini with Figs, Prosciutto, and Goat Cheese*
Crab Cakes with Spicy Avocado Sauce
Meatball Sliders
Pepperoni Pizza Monkey Bread
Pizza Pinwheels with Prosciutto, Basil, and Mozzarella
Cuban-Style Pulled Pork Sliders
Ham and Cheese Sliders
Buffalo Chicken Monkey Bread

*Healthier/Healthy-ish options. If that matters to you before January 2nd.

5 comments… add one
  • I’ve already decided that I’m making the crab-artichoke dip for NYE. I think it’s just going to be us, but I’m feeling it this year. Homebrew (cherry cream ale), maybe some Jell-O shooters,maybe a ruby red marg here and there. New Year’s is always such an exciting time – so much possibility lay before us for the year, but – it’s always sad to say goodbye to the old year too. My favorite night of the year – fo’ sho’!

  • Love, love this post! I’m always looking for new appetizers to make for parties!

  • Sigh. I’m looking forward to that seeing-toes-thing also. We can do this!

    But first. Appetizers. Yum!

  • Helloooo Blackberry and Pinot Noir glazed meatballs! That sounds amazing!

  • Oh my goodness…. I NEED to make that pepperoni pizza monkey bread…ASAP!!!!

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