19 Easy Retro Appetizer Recipes

They were party gold years ago, and they're even better now.

By
Sara Bir
Sara Bir
Sara Bir
Sara is a chef, culinary educator, and author of three cookbooks, The Pocket Pawpaw Cookbook, Tasting Ohio and The Fruit Forager's Companion. The latter won a 2019 IACP Cookbook Award.
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Published December 27, 2023
Sara Bir
A dish of chutney cheese appetizer dip with crackers in the background

Simply Recipes / Coco Morante

Thumb through old general topic cookbooks and you'll notice that appetizers take up a lot of real estate, perhaps coming in third after dessert and cookie recipes. People back then took hors d'oeuvres seriously.

What makes an appetizer retro? Any number of things. It's served in a chafing dish. It uses canned clams. Its name contains the words "puff" or "ball".

Many of the recipes below are ones I'd nibble when I was a kid when my parents had big bashes for the neighborhood. I remember the sense of merriment and boisterous laughter when I'd pad out in my pajamas to give mom and dad goodnight hugs.

Conjure up those happy times when you serve these retro appetizers at your own gatherings. They're bound to make a snazzy impression...and to disappear quickly.

  • Clam Dip

    Creamy clam dip in a black bowl and served with crackers and vegetables.

    Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas

    This creamy dip utilizes convenient canned clams, which are an underappreciated pantry item. This one is easy to make ahead and pack up, so it's perfect to bring to a potluck.

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  • Pineapple Glazed Ham Balls

    Four glazed ham balls on a platter

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    Ham balls are like meatballs, except made with ground pork and minced ham. You bake these in the oven, but if you happen to have a chafing dish, by all means serve them in it. The glaze adds sweetness and makes them oh-so-handsome.

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  • Shrimp Butter

    Bowl of Shrimp Butter with a Cheese Knife, Sitting on a Platter of Crackers at a Table Setting with a Glass of Wine, Stack of Plates, and a Kitchen Linen

    Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel

    Author Laura Manzano dug this recipe up for us from a James Beard cookbook. "Guests will delight in the novelty of a dish called shrimp butter, and then be sold on the sheer deliciousness of it," she says. "A little shrimp goes a long way here, and best of all, the effort is minimal AND it all comes together in one bowl! 

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  • Cheddar Cheese Puffs

    Cheese Puffs Gougeres

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    Known in France as gourgères, these cheese puffs are made with pâte a choux, which is an eggy dough that you cook on the stovetop before baking. If that sounds odd, you should for sure give this recipe a try, because making them is a culinary adventure that's not nearly as complicated as it sounds. And the airy yet rich puffs are such a joy to eat, especially as a foil to stiff cocktails.

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    Continue to 5 of 19 below.

  • Narsai’s Chutney Cheese Paté

    Platter of cheese chutney appetizer with crackers on the counter next to it

    Simply Recipes / Coco Morante

    Contributor Coco Morante's mom would make this low-effort, high-payoff appetizer. It's whipped cream cheese with a bunch of Major Grey's chutney on top. The recipe came to her through Bay Area food personality Narsai David (wow, I've not heard that name in ages). "You can truly put this together in five minutes, right before your guests arrive," Coco assures.

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  • Angels on Horseback

    A small plate of angels on horseback

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    These bacon-wrapped oysters originated in Victorian England, but contributor Hank Shaw first encountered angels on horseback at a 1980s wedding on Long Island. "It was one of those classic Long Island weddings," he writes, "with all the glass clinking to make the couple kiss at awkward moments, a thicket of big hair, and so much Billy Joel music I had to listen to the Dead Kennedys for a week afterward to recover."

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  • Chicken Liver Pâté

    Chicken Liver Pate

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    I will eat this stuff over any other appetizer around. You simply can't beat a good pâté. It's not for everyone, but we pâté lovers flock to it with adoration, in part because we don't get it often. I always meet kindred spirits over a crock of pâté.

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  • Shrimp Cocktail

    Shrimp Cocktail + Shrimp Cocktail Sauce

    Simply Recipes / Annika Panikker

    Poaching shrimp so they're plump and succulent only takes a moment, and this homemade cocktail sauce delivers bold flavor with few ingredients. Doing it all yourself makes for a vast improvement over a refrigerated tray from the store.

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    Continue to 9 of 19 below.

  • Hot Reuben Dip

    Hot Reuben Dip

    Simply Recipes / Summer Miller

    At a party in the Midwest, you'd be likely to run into a hot, rich, and meaty dip like this one. It has all of the elements of a Reuben sandwich—including the kraut—but in dip form. Serve with rye toasts.

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  • Crab Fondue

    A fondue fork lifted out of a pot of crab fondue with a dipped cube of bread speared at the end

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    If you got a fondue pot as a wedding gift eons ago, dust it off for this rich dip. Gathering around a fondue pot breaks the ice among timid guests in no time flat.

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  • Classic Cheese Ball

    A cheese ball rolled in nuts on a platter with crackers

    Simply Recipes / Nick Evans

    A cheese ball is party fare bar none. It takes minutes to make and can be made ahead of time and set out with crackers at a moment's notice. You can use a mix of cheeses you like.

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  • Prosciutto, Melon, and Mozzarella

    Prosciutto Melon Mozzarella

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    Any time a melon baller is involved, you know you're in retro territory. People always adore little canapés, and these are made with only three components and require no cooking. They're a symphony of contrasting flavors and textures, delivering major Silver Palate Cookbook vibes.

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    Continue to 13 of 19 below.

  • Shrimp Dip

    Shrimp Dip

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    Those tiny frozen salad shrimp are just the ticket for this moreish dip. "There's a time for fancy, and there's a time for oh-my-gosh-I-only-have-10-minutes-to-make-something-that-I-wouldn't-be-ashamed-to-serve-to-guests," writes Elise Bauer, who shared posted this recipe ages ago. "Some little pink shrimp (they're sustainable and sweet), some cream cheese, a touch of mayo, a little lemon, some chopped herbs, a dash of hot sauce and presto! A lovely dip—thick, shrimpy, and brightly flavored with the lemon, herbs, and hot sauce."

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  • Curried Chicken Salad With Endive

    Curried Chicken Endive Salad

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    Light, crispy, and slightly bitter endive leaves make dainty boats for chicken salad that's lightly seasoned with curry powder and honey. As dated as curried chicken salads may be, they're also quite good.

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  • Salmon Mousse

    A small crock of salmon mousse with water crackers on the side for serving

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    I worked at a restaurant where this was an option for catered events, and we'd serve it in anthropomorphic fashion, shaped from a fish mold. The fish mold makes quite the statement, but I think salmon mousse tastes and looks better from a ramekin. Which you are much likelier to have around, anyway.

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  • Pickled Shrimp

    Bowl of Pickled Shrimp with Bread and Glasses of Wine in Background

    Simply Recipes / Prerna Singh

    Shrimp cooked just until pink and then marinated in oil, lemons, and seasonings is a Southern classic. Leftovers make a great snack, straight from the jar in the fridge.

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    Continue to 17 of 19 below.

  • Cheesy Slow Cooker Sausage Balls

    Cheese-stuffed sausage balls on a plate

    Simply Recipes / Nick Evans

    Toothpicks as serving utensils deems an appetizer retro, and there are bonus points for the slow cooker. Cream cheese and cheddar cheese bind these meatballs instead of eggs and breadcrumbs, so they're exquisitely rich and tender.

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  • Stuffed Mushrooms

    Stuffed mushroom caps on an appetizer tray

    Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas

    Pop one of these in your mouth and there's likely another one soon to follow. I didn't care for mushrooms as a kid, but even I couldn't resist a platter of hot stuffed mushrooms.

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  • Homemade French Onion Dip

    Caramelized Onion Dip

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    I want to grab one of those potato chips and scoop up a giant blorb of that dip right now! That's the power of French onion dip. This one's made with slowly caramelized onions, but if opening up a packet of Lipton's dry soup mix and stirring it into a carton of sour cream is more your speed, no one will scoff, I promise.

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