Food & Cooking Recipes Seasonal Recipes Summer Recipes 19 Summer Appetizers for All Your Warm-Weather Gatherings From chilled soup and grilled shrimp to fresh dips, delight guests with our brightest and best summer appetizers. By Kelly Vaughan Kelly Vaughan Kelly is a former associate digital food editor for MarthaStewart.com. Editorial Guidelines and Victoria Spencer Victoria Spencer Victoria Spencer is an experienced food editor, writer, and recipe developer. She manages the Martha Stewart recipe archive and is always curious about new ingredients and the best techniques. She has been working in food media for over 20 years. Editorial Guidelines Updated on May 9, 2024 Close Photo: Chelsea Cavanaugh Get the party started with a selection of our favorite summer appetizers. They're packed with seasonal produce and are light and refreshing—just the kind of dishes to serve on your deck or in the garden, around the pool, or beside the grill. Many of these recipes are no-cook; some only need a turn on the grill. Several need to be made ahead, which is a boon for the busy host—you'll know your appetizers are ready in the refrigerator for when guests arrive. Choose from chilled soups, fresh dips, antipasto platters, and grilled appetizers—and celebrate the season. 32 Summer Dinner Recipes That Are Fast, Easy, and Packed With Seasonal Produce 01 of 19 Grilled Prosciutto-Wrapped Melon Marcus Nilsson You know how good the paring of cantaloupe and prosciutto is. Give it a summer slant on the grill. It takes minutes and transforms the flavors. Even better, it works with any melon and cured meat you like. View Recipe 02 of 19 Roasted Tomatoes and Cheese With Thyme William Abranowicz Ten minutes of prep producess this delightful summer appetizer. Simply combine small tomatoes with thyme, olive oil, salt, and cheese, then bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Top with more cheese, bake for another five, and watch how fast it disappears. View Recipe 03 of 19 Chilled Avocado-Cucumber Soup With Crostini Con Poulos Not only are chilled soups refreshing, they’re also excellent for entertaining, as they must be made ahead to allow time for them to chill in the refrigerator. This creamy but dairy-free version is packed with cucumbers, cilantro, scallions, and avocados. View Recipe 04 of 19 Grilled Herbed Shrimp This summer appetizer takes 15 minutes to prep and just five to cook—but you’ll need to allow time for the shrimp to marinate, so start this dish the morning of your party or the night before. View Recipe 05 of 19 Cantaloupe and Mozzarella With Prosciutto and Basil A summer antipasto platter that tastes as good as it looks. In this no-cook appetizer, melon balls make a refreshing pairing with prosciutto and the bite-sized mozzarella balls known as bocconcini. The main work is arranging the platter, drizzling it with olive oil, and scattering fresh basil leaves. View Recipe 06 of 19 Roasted-Garlic Toast With Tomato Lennart Weibull Take tomato bruschetta to the next level with these toasts that top the bread with a luscious roasted garlic spread and juicy sliced tomatoes. While the recipe calls for making the toast in the oven, the grill would be an excellent alternative. View Recipe 07 of 19 Greek Layer Dip Pernille Loof Whip up a creamy bean spread with canned cannellini beans, garlic, Greek yogurt, and lemon juice. It's spread onto a platter and topped with juicy cherry tomatoes, cool cucumbers, olives, feta cheese, and herbs. View Recipe 08 of 19 Shrimp Cocktail With Three Sauces Whether you serve the shrimp on a platter or arranged in individual serving dishes, this fresh take on the classic shrimp cocktail will be a winner at your party. Guests can choose from mango-basil, tomato-horseradish, or remoulade sauce. View Recipe 09 of 19 Zucchini, Avocado, and Jalapeño Tartine Dana Gallagher It's easy being green with this bevy of flavorful toppings—crisp zucchini, creamy avocado, spicy jalapeño, and fresh cilantro. It's the perfect starter to show off seasonal produce. View Recipe 10 of 19 Hearts of Palm Dip Ren Fuller This vegan dip gets all of its creaminess from canned hearts of palm, which are pulsed in a food processor along with chopped chives, cilantro leaves, the juice and zest of a lime, and extra-virgin olive oil. View Recipe 11 of 19 Citrus and Green Olives With Goat Cheese Lennart Weibull Serve this rich platter of green olives, mixed oranges and tangerines, goat cheese, and rustic Italian bread to kick off an extra-special dinner al fresco. Mix the cheese with good-quality olive oil for a creamy spread. View Recipe 12 of 19 Tomatoes With Lightly Whipped Cream CHELSEA CAVANAUGH This might be one of our best summer appetizer recipes. All you need are high-quality heirloom tomatoes, fruity olive oil, flaky salt, fresh basil, and heavy cream. The tomatoes get a dollop of unsweetened whipped cream as a garnish—resulting in one of the simplest yet most delicious warm-weather dishes around. View Recipe 13 of 19 Grilled-Vegetable Agrodolce Ryan Liebe Grilled zucchini, yellow squash, and eggplants, plus assorted cured meats, burrata, goat cheese, and crusty bread create a stunning summer antipasto platter. View Recipe 14 of 19 Spanish Gazpacho Dana Gallagher No matter when or how you serve it, tomato and bell pepper gazpacho is one of the best no-cook summer dishes. This chilled soup recipe makes about five cups, so you can serve small cups to a crowd. View Recipe 15 of 19 Greek-Taverna Salad Petrina Tinslay Every color and flavor of summer shines on this platter appetizer—cocktail tomatoes, mini cucumbers, bell peppers, feta cheese, and pepperoncini peppers. View Recipe 16 of 19 Creamy Artichoke Ranch Dip Petrina Tinslay When artichoke dip meets ranch dip, the result is twice as tasty. This easy appetizer is a no-cook favorite. Simply whizz marinated artichoke hearts, anchovy fillets, parsley, Greek yogurt, and extra-virgin olive oil in the food processor and serve. View Recipe 17 of 19 Chilled Sour-Cherry Soup Mikkel Vang Sour and savory flavors marry in this seasonal soup that uses fresh sour cherries, cucumbers, and scallions, plus plenty of fresh cilantro and dill. View Recipe 18 of 19 No-Knead Tomato Focaccia Marcus Nilsson Fresh, juicy cherry tomatoes shine on top of our easy-to-make focaccia. While it only requires 15 minutes of prep work, the dough should rise for at least 12 hours, so plan ahead if you want to make this scrumptious summer bite. View Recipe 19 of 19 Creamy Edamame Dip CHELSEA CAVANAUGH This healthy dip is deceivingly indulgent, thanks to creamy cottage cheese. It's also satisfying thanks to the edamame, while cilantro, serrano chile, and lime juice give it a lively flavor. Serve drizzled with olive oil alongside pita or crudités. View Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit