We all have our favorite go-to appetizers, but summer gatherings are the perfect time to try something new.
Finding recipes that are both crowd-pleasing and gluten- and dairy-free can sometimes be a challenge, but these appetizers deliver on both flavor and presentation.
Even better, they feature anti-inflammatory ingredients that can help support your health goals while still feeling festive and fun.
Recipes Include:
- Crispy Prosciutto & Pear Cups
- Cucumber Hummus Bites
- Cucumber with Sun Dried Tomato Spread
- Avocado Shrimp Cucumber Cups
- Roasted Garlic and Tahini Spread
- Sweet & Savory Watermelon Skewers
- Zucchini Hummus
- Sweet & Sour Quinoa Balls
- Asian Quinoa Meatballs
Crispy Prosciutto & Pear Cups
Recipe from MarthaStewart.com
Servings: 24
3 oz prosciutto, thinly sliced
1 ripe Bartlett pear, finely diced
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cut prosciutto into 24 two-inch squares. Place on square (overlapping any tears) in each cup of a mini cupcake tin.
Bake until fat turns golden, about 15 minutes. Using a fork, immediately transfer to a paper towel to drain, cool completely. In a small bowl, combine pear and lemon juice. Place 1/2 tsp of mixture into each cup right before serving.
Cucumber Hummus Bites
Recipe from NoshingwiththeNolands.com
Servings: 18
1 English cucumber, sliced in ¼-inch rounds
½ cup hummus, any flavor
9 cherry tomatoes cut in half
¼ cup feta cheese, crumbled
Fresh parsley, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste
Za-atar seasoning, optional
Spread about 1 tsp of hummus on each cucumber slice. Add a half of a tomato on top of each slice.
Sprinkle on crumbled feta and fresh parsley. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste and za’atar, if using.
VeggieInspired.com offers a similar recipe but using a sun dried tomato spread instead of hummus:
Sun Dried Tomato Spread
Recipe from VeggieInspired.com
Servings: 16
1 cup raw cashews
1 cup sun dried tomatoes, dried (NOT oil-packed)
½ cup water
2 garlic cloves
2 green onions
4-5 large fresh basil leaves
Juice of ½ lemon
½ tsp salt
Dash of pepper
Soak cashews and sun dried tomatoes in hot water for 30 minutes. Drain and rinse.
Place cashews and sun dried tomatoes in a food processor fit with the S blade. Start to puree, then drizzle in the ½ cup water. Puree until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Add the remaining ingredients and puree until smooth. Refrigerate until serving.
Tip: These sun dried tomatoes come in a bag, not a jar, as they are not packed in oil.
Avocado Shrimp Cucumber Cups
2 large English cucumbers
8 oz cooked shrimp, peeled, deveined and chopped
2 ripe avocados
1 TBSP fresh lime juice
1 TBSP olive oil
2 TBSP finely diced red onion
1 TBSP chopped fresh cilantro
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
Pinch of chili flakes or smoked paprika, optional
Extra cilantro, lime zest or diced cherry tomatoes, optional for garnish
Slice cucumbers into 1½-inch thick rounds. Scoop out the center of each cucumber slice with a melon baller or spoon, leaving the bottom intact to create cups. Pat cucumber cups dry lightly with a paper towel.
In a medium bowl, mash the avocados until mostly smooth with a little texture remaining. Stir in lime juice, olive oil, red onion, cilantro, garlic, salt, pepper, and optional chili flakes.
Fold in the chopped shrimp gently. Spoon or pipe the avocado shrimp mixture into cucumber cups.
Garnish as desired. Chill for 15 to 20 minutes before serving for best flavor.
Optional Add-Ins:
- Diced mango or pineapple for sweetness
- Finely diced jalapeño for heat
- Everything bagel seasoning on top
- Chopped cucumber from the scooped centers mixed into filling for crunch
Storage:
Best served fresh. If preparing ahead, make the filling no more than a few hours in advance and press plastic wrap directly onto the avocado mixture to minimize browning.
Roasted Garlic and Tahini Spread
Recipe from 10-Day Detox/Eat Fat, Get Thin
Servings: 12
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 TBSP freshly chopped rosemary
2 TBSP freshly chopped thyme
1 1/2 cups tahini
½ cup freshly chopped parsley
2 tsp sea salt
2 TBSP apple cider vinegar
Peel all the garlic and then slice thin. Repeat with the shallot. Place the olive oil, garlic and shallots in a medium sauté pan and heat on low heat for 5 to 6 minutes to infuse the oil. Remove from the heat, stir in the rosemary and thyme and set aside to cool.
In a medium mixing bowl, add the tahini, the remaining ingredients and the garlic and oil mixture. Stir to combine.
Serve with sliced vegetables or flax crackers. Best served at room temperature. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Sweet & Savory Watermelon Skewers
Recipe from DrMarkHyman.com
Servings: 16
2 cups watermelon, cut into 2-inch cubes
16 cherry tomatoes
3 large Persian cucumbers, cut into ribbons using a vegetable peeler
16 black olives, pitted
4 oz sheep or goat feta cheese, cut into 2-inch cubes (omit if dairy-free)
1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 serrano pepper, thinly sliced
1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
4 mint leaves, thinly sliced
1 TBSP za’atar seasoning
Assemble skewers by threading a watermelon cube, followed by a cucumber ribbon, then cherry tomato, an olive and lastly, a feta cube.
Start a new skewer until you have 16 in total.
After skewers are built, garnish with onions and peppers, then drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with mint leaves and za’atar and serve.
Zucchini Hummus
Recipe from DrKaraFitzgerald.com
Servings: 4 – 6
2 large zucchini, summer squash or mixture of both, chopped (about 3-4 cups total)
1-2 cloves garlic, chopped
¼ cup cilantro or fresh parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
¼ cup tahini
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp ground turmeric
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp fine sea salt
Dash black pepper, to taste
Add all the ingredients to a high-speed blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.
Enjoy as a dip or spread, with vegetables or your favorite gluten-free crackers.
Sweet and Sour Quinoa Balls
Recipe adapted from HealthyLittleFoodies.com
Servings: 15
1 TBSP olive oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp minced ginger
2 TBSP white wine vinegar
1 TBSP soy sauce
1 TBSP tomato paste
½ cup pineapple juice
½ cup water
½ cup quinoa
1/3 cup pineapple, finely chopped
1 egg, beaten
Heat oil in pan over medium / high heat. Reduce heat and gently fry the onion until softened (approx. 5 mins). Add the garlic and ginger and fry for another minute.
Add the vinegar, soy sauce, tomato paste, pineapple juice, water and quinoa and then stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and allow to simmer for 15 mins, until the liquid has been absorbed.
Turn heat off, fluff with a fork, replace lid and leave the quinoa to sit for another 5 minutes. Stir in the pineapple and let quinoa completely cool.
Pre heat oven to 355 degrees and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
When quinoa is cool, stir in the egg. Form TBSP-sized balls and place on prepared baking tray. Cook in the oven for 20 minutes, until golden and cooked through.
Asian Quinoa Meatballs
Recipe adapted from AllergyAwesomeness.com
Servings: 18
1 lb ground pork
½ cup quinoa, rinsed
2/3 cup chicken broth
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
1 TBSP gluten-free soy sauce or coconut aminos
2 tsp sesame oil
½ tsp Sriracha
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
In a small saucepan, bring the chicken broth to boil, add in quinoa and cover. Lightly simmer for 10 minutes, or until it has popped and is soft. Allow quinoa to cool enough to handle with your hands.
While waiting for quinoa to cool, in a large bowl, combine ground pork, garlic, onions, soy sauce, sesame oil and Sriracha to taste.
Add in cooled quinoa. Using a wooden spoon or clean hands, stir until well combined. Roll the mixture into 1 1/4-to-1 1/2-inch meatballs, forming about 18-20 meatballs.
Place meatballs into a 9 x 16-inch glass pan and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until all sides are browned and meatballs are cooked through.
Tip: A cookie scoop can help make uniform balls.
