New Hanukkah Appetizer Recipes
'Tis the season for fried food! These new ideas for Hanukkah appetizers are sure to help the Festival of Lights shine even brighter than before.
Are you planning a Hanukkah feast? Latkes are a sure bet, but you'll need to serve some tantalizing appetizers beyond potato pancakes (or perhaps you’re saving them for the main meal). To help you celebrate Hanukkah in style, we've pulled together a list of easy appetizer recipes and festive finger foods.
Smoked Salmon 7-Layer Dip
Smooth goat cheese and cream cheese combine with sharp, tangy horseradish and radishes in this indulgent smoked salmon dip. Served with endives and pumpernickel toasts, this recipe has it all: crunchy, creamy, zingy, fresh, and mellow. What's not to love?
Chanukah Mince Pies with Kiddush Wine Mincemeat
Don't let the name fool you — there's no meat in these pies from the United Kingdom. The mini pies are filled with dried fruit, spices, and a splash of wine and rum, then baked in a crust until golden brown.
Gefilte Fish Cakes with Horseradish Sauce
Who says gefilte fish is just for Passover? Feel free to use breadcrumbs in place of the matzo to make these tasty cakes for any Jewish holiday. Flavored with dill, fried, and topped with a creamy horseradish sauce, these crunchy fritters are an easy dish you'll find yourself making year round.
Libyan Jewish Pumpkin Spread
If you still can't get enough of pumpkin season, this recipe is for you! Spicy harissa is balanced by sweet honey and pumpkin pureé with savory notes of garlic, cumin, and smoked paprika. Serve with pita bread and a dollop of sour cream to tame the spice. Bonus: The leftovers make a great sandwich spread for the next day.
Cheese Latkes
It wouldn't be a proper Hanukkah appetizer roundup without at least one latke recipe. This recipe eschews the usual potato in favor of ricotta and sugar for a mild and sweet addition to your appetizer tray. Be sure to check out the recipe reviews for ideas on how you can personalize them further! For more latke recipes — from traditional potato latkes to unusual new alternatives — check out our 10 Creative Takes On Latkes.
Patacones
Patacones have taken the place of potato latkes on Jewish tables in Columbia; try this favorite Latin American Hanukkah recipe to see why! With just three ingredients — green plantains, sea salt, and oil — this easy recipe is gluten free, paleo, Whole 30 compliant ... and most importantly, delicious.
Beet Hummus
The deep, vibrant color of this beet hummus is reason enough to add it to the menu for your Hanukkah party, but the addictive taste means the color won't last on your table for long. Like its traditional garbanzo-bean cousin, this hummus can be made up to three days in advance; paired with your favorite cracker or crudité, it's an easy recipe to get your party started.
Grape Leaf Wrapped Camembert with Pesto
You might need to live somewhere warm (or enjoy extreme cooking) to take on this appetizer recipe, but the idea of grilling camembert on an open flame was too good not to include! The brined grape leaves aren't just there for a beautiful presentation, but add a nice salty counterpoint to the rich, creamy camembert. Grape leaves can be found in many Greek grocery stores, specialty food stops, and at your favorite large online retailer.
Feta Cheese Jalapeño Poppers with Wasabi Dipping Sauce
Stuffed mushrooms are so passé... This year, kick things up a notch with these cheesy stuffed jalapeño poppers! A combination of feta cheese, cream cheese, and cheddar fill these spicy peppers before being coated with breadcrumbs and heading to the fryer. Wasabi-horseradish dipping sauce adds extra heat for all the spice lovers around your table.
Ricotta, Potato, and Scallion Fritters
Looking for something different to serve? These Italian fritters may contain potatoes and be fried, but they're a far cry from a traditional potato latke. A rye pastry dough surrounds the soft potato and ricotta filling for a bite that tastes more like a cross between empanadas and pierogi. They can be assembled a day in advance and then finished off right before serving.
Spanikopita Boureks
This unique Hanukkah appetizer recipe melds traditional Greek Spanikopitas with Jewish Boureks for a tasty finger food that can be prepared and frozen in advance. Using puff pastry instead of fussy phyllo dough makes them much easier to work with, without sacrificing that buttery, flaky taste.
