These Are the Crowd-Pleasing Appetizers You’ll Want to Make All Spring

Cilantro makes this hummus fresh and bright green–just right for a holiday gathering or spring event!

Simple and delicious, these low-carb, bite-sized artichoke appetizers have been a Sunset favorite since 1971.

Fresh from the spring market or your own garden, tender sweet fava beans taste wonderful on fresh ricotta. An easy homemade cracker completes the dish. Serve it as an appetizer with glasses of chilled sauvignon blanc, or even as a first course on a shared platter.

Cheese, nuts, and dried fruit are a classic combination. Put them together in a small stack that’s easy to pick up and enjoy.

A grilled tartine topped with creamy cheese and fresh ingredients is a sure party pleaser. Make one sweet and one savory to satisfy every craving.

Chef Ravi Kapur’s restaurant Liholiho Yacht Club brings the best of Hawaiian food and attitude to San Francisco. Transport your friends to the islands, too, by serving his gently flavored poke atop homemade nori crackers.

A Middle Eastern spice blend, zaatar has a slight citrus note that goes well with vegetables. Enjoy the flavor combo in this no-utensils-required dish.

Single-serving mini lamb chops are just right for appetizers. Think meaty lollipop!

Tuna bellies, or toro, are prized in sushi bars for their velvety texture. That said, you can also use tuna loin in this recipe; it will simply be a little lean. Make sure that your knife is very sharp—it’s the key to slicing through the soft fish easily without tearing it.

Use one herb or a combination of your favorites for this easy-to-make appetizer. Serve with your favorite crackers or sliced baguette.

Chopped kalamata olives, capers, and a splash of white balsamic vinegar add Mediterranean flavor to liven up this classic appetizer.

Fresh artichokes usually take a long time to cook, but if you slice them thinly and then saute them, they cook up in a flash.

Any sliced vegetable can be turned into tempura, but sweet asparagus at the height of spring is hard to top. Folding fluffy egg whites into the batter gives this coating its delicate crispness.

Wine maker and hostess extraordinaire Amelia Ceja shares her recipe for salmon ceviche. Assemble mini-tostadas or serve with thick tortilla chips.

Asian flavors blended to perfection for a bright green hummus that pairs well with rice crackers and raw vegetables.

With its tangle of bright carrot strips and bits of spicy chorizo, this beautiful tart makes an exciting appetizer or even a light main dish. An all-butter puff pastry, such as Dufour, gives especially flavorful and flaky results, but it’s delicious made with any kind of puff pastry.

Skip the optional panko for an even lower-carb version of these tasty Vietnamese-inspired surf-and-turf meatballs.

This is the hands-down best guacamole that we at Sunset have ever tasted. It’s made right in a stone mortar, which gives it performance appeal; make it in front of your guests at your next party and watch them dip those chips before you’re even finished.

Part salad, part appetizer, and all delicious, this is a great way to turn small artichokes into a special dish.

This surprising and unusual combination of flavors really works together. Creamy cheese, tart rhubarb, spicy peppercorns, on top of crusty bread–yum!

Spring rolls can be labor intensive if you need to make a bunch. That’s why we suggest setting out all the ingredients and letting guests make their own. If you’re not a fan of papaya, you can easily substitute mango.

We didn’t think there was a way to improve on the avocado until we tried these fries from Chef Trey Foshee of George’s at the Cove in La Jolla, California.

This simple no-cook dip that starts with cream cheese and puréed artichoke hearts, then adds parmesan, parsley, lemon, and garlic for flavor. Serve with crackers, crostini, or crudité.

Radishes and butter are a classic pairing. It’s taken an Asian detour with the earthy, nutty flavor of nori added.