Create easy party appetizer skewers using only 15 ingredients.
Looking for easy party food ideas for a crowd? These appetizer skewers are super simple to make, and they only require a few ingredients. These make ahead toothpick appetizers are served cold, so no need to worry about keeping your appetizers hot during a party or get together. With only 15 ingredients, you can make endless combinations of your favorite finger food appetizers.
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I'm always looking for an easy appetizer. Something that I can whip together, but still, of course, tastes good! Luckily, these no cook appetizer skewers are the perfect answer!
We have all experienced a time when people last minute come to our house, or we need to quickly pull together an appetizer to bring to a friend's game night. While you could just run to the store and pick something up, I know there are other overachievers out there (like me) who love the challenge of pulling together a quick appetizer.
The reason I love these make ahead toothpick appetizers so much is that you can create 15 unique bites only using 15 total ingredients. Let me show you how!
What Are Appetizer Skewers?
If you've been following along in our hors d’oeuvres series, you'll know there are generally two categories of hors d'oeuvres (cold hors d'oeuvres and hot hors d'oeuvres). Our appetizer skewers, while they are technically eaten cold, don't really classify into any of the five cold hors d'oeuvre categories - canapés, crudités, dips, caviar, and sushi/sashimi. However, small skewers are a part of hot hors d’oeuvres, we're just making things easy and eating them cold today!
So let's break down a little bit more what exactly an appetizer skewer is. It's mini bites of food that complement each other all layered on a toothpick. Optionally, you can add a sauce on top to spice things up!
What Ingredients Are Needed?
The best part about these appetizer skewers is that we only need 15 ingredients total. Here's what you'll need:
- Arugula
- Bacon
- Blackberries
- Brie
- Cherry tomatoes
- Cucumber
- French bread
- Honey
- Mozzarella balls
- Pesto
- Pineapple
- Prosciutto
- Ranch (I love the homemade ranch in this recipe)
- Romaine
- Sweet cherry peppers
And, of course, don't forget your skewers. You'll want something a little longer than a traditional toothpick (about 4 - 5 inches). Here are some of my favorite options:
Skewer Combinations To Try
Here are 15 fun ways to use the ingredients to make 15 different appetizer combinations:
- French bread + mozzarella + prosciutto + cherry tomato + pesto
- Romaine + cucumber + tomato + sweet cherry peppers +bacon + ranch
- Mozzarella + arugula + sweet cherry peppers + bacon + pesto
- Brie + pineapple+ blackberry + honey
- Brie + pineapple + arugula
- Bacon + romaine + French bread + ranch
- French bread + blackberry + prosciutto + honey
- Bacon + prosciutto + arugula + French bread + mozzarella
- Cucumber + brie + cherry tomato
- French bread + sweet cherry peppers + prosciutto + pesto
- Cherry tomato + mozzarella + prosciutto
- Romaine + bacon + mozzarella + ranch
- Cherry tomato + arugula + mozzarella + pesto
- French bread + pineapple+ bacon + honey
- Blackberry + French bread + arugula + prosciutto + honey
Not all of the skewers have a sauce included with them. However, if you love a good sauce or dip as much as I do, feel free to add pesto, ranch, or honey to the skewers without any sauce.
How To Serve Appetizer Skewers At A Party
The great thing about this type of hors d'oeuvre is that it can be made ahead of time! Just make sure to hold off on adding the french bread and sauces until right before you're ready to serve. Other than that, you can prepare these ahead of time and have them ready to go!
To serve these for a party, all you really need to do is grab a cute tray, and pile them up. I'd suggest grouping each of the same appetizer skewers together in case someone has an allergy. Then they'll know to steer clear of certain skewers that they can't eat.
Another great perk to making appetizers on a toothpick is that you can customize them with food that your guests will love, food that goes along with your menu, or stay away from certain foods if your guests are allergic to. They're super easy to switch up and substitute ingredients as needed.
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No Cook Appetizer Skrewers
Ingredients
- 8 ounces arugula
- 8 slices cooked thick cut bacon cut into 1 inch strips
- 8 ounces blackberries
- 8 ounces (1 inch) brie cubes rind removed
- 8 ounces cherry tomatoes
- ½ large English cucumber cut into 1 inch wedges
- 1 cup (1 inch) toasted french bread cubes
- ¼ cup honey
- 8 ounces mini mozzarella balls
- ⅓ cup pesto
- 1 cup (1 inch) pineapple cubes
- 8 ounces prosciutto rolled into 1 inch sticks
- ⅓ cup ranch dressing
- 1 cup (1 inch) romaine lettuce chunks bottom (light green) part only
- 8 ounces sweet cherry peppers
Instructions
- To a 4 inch toothpick skewer, thread a piece of french bread, mozzarella, prosciutto, and cherry tomato. Drizzle with pesto.
- To another 4 inch toothpick skewer, thread a piece of romaine, cucumber, tomato, sweet cherry pepper, and bacon. Drizzle with ranch
- To another 4 inch toothpick skewer, thread a piece of mozzarella, arugula, sweet cherry pepper, and bacon. Drizzle with pesto.
- To another 4 inch toothpick skewer, thread a piece of brie, pineapple, and blackberry. Drizzle with honey.
- To another 4 inch toothpick skewer, thread a piece of brie, pineapple, and arugula.
- To another 4 inch toothpick skewer, thread a piece of bacon, romaine, and French bread. Drizzle with ranch.
- To another 4 inch toothpick skewer, thread a piece of French bread, blackberry, and prosciutto. Drizzle with honey.
- To another 4 inch toothpick skewer, thread a piece of bacon, prosciutto, arugula, French bread, and mozzarella.
- To another 4 inch toothpick skewer, thread a piece of cucumber, brie, and cherry tomato.
- To another 4 inch toothpick skewer, thread a piece of French bread, sweet cherry pepper, and prosciutto. Drizzle with pesto.
- To another 4 inch toothpick skewer, thread a piece of cherry tomato, mozzarella, and prosciutto.
- To another 4 inch toothpick skewer, thread a piece of romaine, bacon, and mozzarella. Drizzle with pesto.
- To another 4 inch toothpick skewer, thread a piece of cherry tomato, arugula, and mozzarella. Drizzle with pesto.
- To another 4 inch toothpick skewer, thread a piece of French bread, pineapple, and bacon. Drizzle with honey.
- To another 4 inch toothpick skewer, thread a piece of blackberry, French bread, arugula, and prosciutto. Drizzle with honey.
- Repeat above combinations until all your ingredients run out. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve (see note below).
Notes
Nutrition
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P.S. If you made any of these appetizers on a toothpick, share a picture with me on Instagram using #HomebodyEats. I love seeing your creations!!
Nicole
Hi! wonderful post! quick question let's say you are serving bocconcini with tomato and fresh basil how long can you store it without harden it? or drying it? (in terms of hours- I know you said hold off the sauces ie Olive Oil and Balsamic Glaze)
also for other types of cheeses, can I prep a few hours before?
Thank you!!!
Jessica Mode
Hey Nicole! Great question! I would be most worried about the basil wilting. The cheese (both bocconcini and other types) should be fine as long as it's covered in plastic wrap to seal in moisture & stored in the fridge. I'd say your skewers should easily last 2-4 hours in the fridge if you wanted to prep them ahead of time.
What you could do is make just one skewer ahead of time, store it covered in the fridge, and see how long it lasts without the basil wilting or cheese drying out. This could be a good control test, especially if you're making a bunch of a party! Hope they turn out well 🙂
Sara
Just made these for a party appetizer and EVERYONE loved them! Thanks for the super easy recipe!