12 Thanksgiving Starter Recipes to Begin the Feast

Start the feast right. These Thanksgiving starters — from baked brie to soup shooters — keep guests happy while the turkey finishes roasting.

Below you’ll find 12 reader-favorite recipes, each with a photo, ingredients, and step-by-step instructions. Save your favorites and enjoy!

1. Baked Brie with Cranberry

Gooey brie in puff pastry with tart cranberry and pecans.

Ingredients

• 1 wheel brie
• 1 cup cranberry sauce
• 1/2 cup pecans
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 sheet puff pastry
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 sprig rosemary

Instructions

1. Wrap brie in puff pastry with cranberry sauce.
2. Brush with egg wash.
3. Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes.
4. Top with pecans, honey, and rosemary.
5. Serve warm with crackers.

2. Butternut Squash Soup Shooters

Elegant little sips of creamy autumn soup.

Ingredients

• 2 cups butternut squash
• 1 onion
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup cream
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 pinch nutmeg

Instructions

1. Roast squash and onion at 400°F for 25 minutes.
2. Blend with broth, cream, and curry.
3. Simmer 10 minutes.
4. Pour into shot glasses.
5. Dust with nutmeg.

3. Herbed Deviled Eggs

Classic deviled eggs with fresh herbs and a paprika dust.

Ingredients

• 12 eggs
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tsp Dijon
• 2 tbsp chives
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tbsp pickle relish
• 1 pinch sea salt

Instructions

1. Hard-boil, cool, and peel eggs.
2. Halve; mash yolks with mayo, Dijon, and relish.
3. Pipe filling into whites.
4. Top with chives and paprika.
5. Chill before serving.

4. Cranberry Glazed Meatballs

Sweet-tart cranberry meatballs that vanish in minutes.

Ingredients

• 1 lb frozen meatballs
• 1 cup cranberry sauce
• 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
• 1 tbsp orange zest
• 1 tsp Dijon
• 2 tbsp green onions
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes

Instructions

1. Simmer cranberry sauce, barbecue sauce, and Dijon.
2. Add meatballs; simmer 20 minutes.
3. Stir in orange zest.
4. Garnish with green onions.
5. Serve with toothpicks.

5. Harvest Cheese Board

A gorgeous grazing board with cheeses, fruit, and nuts.

Ingredients

• 8 oz cheddar
• 8 oz gouda
• 4 oz salami
• 1 cup grapes
• 1/2 cup mixed nuts
• 1/2 cup crackers
• 1/4 cup honey

Instructions

1. Slice cheeses; fold salami.
2. Arrange on a board in clusters.
3. Add grapes, nuts, and crackers.
4. Drizzle honey over the brie.
5. Serve at room temperature.

6. Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms

Savory bites with creamy spinach filling.

Ingredients

• 24 mushroom caps
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1/2 cup parmesan
• 1/2 cup spinach, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

1. Remove stems; brush caps with oil.
2. Mix cream cheese, parmesan, spinach, and garlic.
3. Fill each cap.
4. Top with breadcrumbs.
5. Bake at 375°F for 18 minutes.

7. Sweet Potato Bites

Two-bite sweet potato rounds with pecan crunch.

Ingredients

• 3 sweet potatoes
• 1/2 cup pecans
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup marshmallows
• 1 pinch sea salt

Instructions

1. Slice potatoes into rounds.
2. Roast at 400°F for 20 minutes.
3. Top with butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
4. Add pecans and marshmallows.
5. Broil 2 minutes.

8. Classic Shrimp Cocktail

Chilled shrimp with zesty homemade cocktail sauce.

Ingredients

• 2 lb shrimp
• 1 cup cocktail sauce
• 1 lemon, wedged
• 2 tbsp horseradish
• 1 tsp hot sauce
• 1 tbsp parsley
• 2 cups ice

Instructions

1. Boil shrimp 3 minutes; chill.
2. Mix cocktail sauce with horseradish and hot sauce.
3. Arrange shrimp over ice.
4. Garnish with lemon and parsley.
5. Serve with sauce.

9. Warm Spinach Artichoke Dip

Bubbling, cheesy dip that never lasts long.

Ingredients

• 10 oz spinach
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1 cup mozzarella
• 1/2 cup parmesan
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 bag tortilla chips

Instructions

1. Sauté spinach and garlic.
2. Mix with cheeses and sour cream.
3. Transfer to a baking dish.
4. Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes.
5. Serve with tortilla chips.

10. Maple Spiced Nuts

Warm, sweet-spicy nuts for nibbling.

Ingredients

• 3 cups mixed nuts
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp rosemary
• 1/2 tsp cayenne
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tbsp maple syrup

Instructions

1. Melt butter with maple and brown sugar.
2. Toss with nuts, rosemary, and cayenne.
3. Spread on a sheet pan.
4. Roast at 325°F for 15 minutes.
5. Cool; sprinkle with salt.

11. Apple Butter Crostini

Crisp crostini with apple butter, brie, and pecans.

Ingredients

• 1 baguette
• 1/2 cup apple butter
• 8 oz brie, sliced
• 1/2 cup pecans
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 sprig thyme
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

1. Slice and toast baguette with oil.
2. Spread with apple butter.
3. Top with brie slices.
4. Add pecans and honey.
5. Garnish with thyme.

12. Turkey Cranberry Pinwheels

Festive roll-ups with turkey, cranberry, and cream cheese.

Ingredients

• 4 tortillas
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1 cup turkey, shredded
• 1/2 cup cranberry sauce
• 1 cup spinach
• 1/2 cup cheddar
• 1 tsp Dijon

Instructions

1. Spread tortillas with cream cheese and Dijon.
2. Layer turkey, cranberry, spinach, and cheddar.
3. Roll tightly; chill 1 hour.
4. Slice into pinwheels.
5. Secure with toothpicks.