25 Make-Ahead Appetizers for Easter

This list of Appetizers for Easter will give you lots of ideas for the holiday coming up. Best thing is you can make these appetizers (fully or partially) ahead of time leaving you more time for other things on the day of.

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Easter, or Resurrection Day as we call it around here, is a big deal for us though I actually don’t cook that much. I dislike that a lot of times the holidays are such a whir of preparations that you don’t have time to enjoy them. With that said, it’s still nice to have something festive on the table.

Here is where these appetizers come in. Make them ahead of time (or prep as much as possible), and only do minimal work on the day of. If only cooking was always so easy!

Without further ado, here are 25 Appetizers for Easter that you can make ahead.

1. Cured Salmon Lox

One of my personal favorites to make any time of year, this cured salmon is almost totally hands off. Just throw it in a dish with a salt and sugar mixture (add herbs if you’d like extra flavor) and refrigerate for 24 hours. After that, rinse off the extra salt and your lox is ready. Slice and serve with butter or cream cheese toast. GET THE RECIPE.

2. Smoked Salmon Dip

Another Salmon recipe for the appetizers (the color is just perfect for Easter). This dip is creamy, smoky and full of fresh herbs. It goes so well with chips, crackers, or vegetables. All you need is a food processor and your dip is done in a bout 10 minutes. GET THE RECIPE.

3. Deviled Quail Eggs

A unique twist on normal deviled eggs, these eggs made with quail are small, one-sized bites that are perfect served as appetizers (no more crumbling, messy bites). Prepare the eggs and the filling ahead of time and assemble shortly before serving. GET THE RECIPE.

4. Antipasti Crostini

These Antipasti Crostini are for a fast and easy recipe. Antipasti means “before the meal” and this crostini recipe is a combination of cheese, meats, and olives with herbs served on crusty pieces of bread. Assemble before serving or let each person assemble their own. GET THE RECIPE.

5. Caramelized Onion Tartlets with Brie

These caramelized onion tartlets are made with phyllo dough, brie cheese, and of course lots of caramelized onions. Make ahead of time and store in the refrigerator before serving. No additional work required on the day of. GET THE RECIPE.

6. Naturally Dyed Easter Eggs

Eggs are a huge part of Easter for most people. Here is how to dye them naturally to get some beautiful colors. Serve deviled or sliced plainly (they look so pretty as is). GET THE RECIPE.

7. Honey Goat Cheese Balls

These Honey Goat Cheese Balls are simple but festive and beautifully looking appetizers. Form the cheese into a ball and roll into a mixture of honey, preserves and nuts. Make your own favorite combination if you like. Refrigerate before serving GET THE RECIPE.

8. Cucumber Sandwiches

These cucumber sandwiches are creamy, lemony, easy to make in advance and taste awesome. These dainty sandwiches are a favorite food for any gathering and the nice pastel color works great for Easter. GET THE RECIPE

9. Mediterranean Charcuterie Board

A charcuterie board is always a good idea for an appetizers. Many different things laid out on a board allow guests to make their own little bites of goodness using foods they prefer. This Mediterranean board is no exception. Filled with healthy dips, cured meats, cheeses, olives etc. it is sure to be a hit at your Easter table. GET THE RECIPE

10. Million Dollar Dip

Make this dip ahead of time and serve with crackers, chips, fresh vegetables and/or as a part of a charcuterie board. You’ll need about 5 minutes to make this and at least a couple of hours in the fridge. Perfect recipe to make ahead. GET THE RECIPE

11. Cream Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

These cream cheese stuffed mushrooms are perfect little bites of mushroom goodness. Made with bacon, cheese, and green onions, they are full of flavor. Prep the mushrooms and make the stuffing ahead of time. Fill later or even ahead of time. Cook shortly before serving. GET THE RECIPE

12. Pickled Eggs

These pickled eggs are a unique alternative for normal or deviled eggs generally served at Easter time. It is also a way to use up all the extra eggs you might be preparing. It takes about 5 minutes to make the eggs and they can last up to 3 months in the fridge. Prepare 2-3 days in advance. GET THE RECIPE

13. Sun Dried Tomato Crostini

These tomato crostini are look so elegant and are yet very easy to make. Made with sun-dried tomatoes, different cheeses, basil and some garlic, these crostini are full of flavor and are sure to be enjoyed by all. GET THE RECIPE

14. Roasted Carrot Red Lentil Dip

Made with carrots and red lentils this is basically hummus with a very unique and flavorful twist. Lots of spices that just take this to another level. Serve with crackers or bread, or pita chips. This recipe is especially easy to prepare in advance. GET THE RECIPE

15. Cold Spinach and Artichoke Dip

This spinach and artichoke dip is another great appetizer to serve with crackers, tortilla chips, pita chips, or sliced baguette. The recipe comes together fast and the dip can be store in the fridge for up to 3 days. So make it ahead and just stir before serving. GET THE RECIPE

16. Easy Italian Pinwheels

These pinwheels are a delicious, savory appetizer that is perfect for lunch, a party, or even as a snack. Made with a cream cheese spread, lettuce, cheese, and favorite meats. These need to be refrigerated for at least an hour before serving, so it’s a great recipe to prepare ahead of time and just slice right before serving. GET THE RECIPE

17. Cuban Sandwich Appetizer Skewers

These Cuban Sandwich skewers are easy to make and yet they are full of flavor. They also look pretty and unique. Make these ahead of time and store in the fridge before serving. . GET THE RECIPE

18. Cheese Caraway Crackers

With all the dips presented in this list, these cheese caraway crackers make a great addition. They are easy to make with a food processor, but you can still make them even if you don’t have one. If you don’t like caraway, customize the flavor to your liking by using salt, sesame seeds or even poppy seeds. GET THE RECIPE

19. Chicken Liver Parfait Pate

This chicken liver pate is an elegant and unique appetizer to make for your Easter lunch/dinner. It’s a good way to incorporate organ meat, which is very healthy, into your diet. This recipe is easy to prepare and it can be made 3 days in advance. GET THE RECIPE

20. Cream Cheese Stuffed Mini Peppers

These cream cheese stuffed mini peppers are make a delicious, crunchy, and spicy appetizer or snack. Make this cold appetizer in advance and store in the fridge until it’s time to serve. These can be served hot or cold and. GET THE RECIPE

21. Blue Cheese Mini Pretzels

These mini pretzels are great to make in advance. They’ll keep fresh for a while store in a glass jar after cooling. Perfect to serve on a charcuterie board or with a delicious dip. GET THE RECIPE

22. Air Fryer Crab Cakes

These air fryer crab cakes are full of fresh crab flavor and are ready in 25 minutes. These can be made ahead and kept in the fridge for up to 2 days or up to a month in the freezer. Just reheat the crab cakes before serving. GET THE RECIPE

23. Air Fryer Chicken Meatballs

These chicken meatballs can be made in advance and frozen (either cooked or raw). Once ready to serve, either cook the meatballs or reheat. Serve with a favorite sauce or dip. GET THE RECIPE

24. Bacon Brown Sugar Smokies

These bacon wrapped smokies are an easy and delicious appetizer to make. They can be made ahead of time and frozen. These can then just be baked from frozen when needed. GET THE RECIPE

25. Smoked Deviled Eggs

These smoked deviled eggs are another fun twist on a classical recipe. They’re packed with flavor thanks to the bacon, mustard and paprika. These are best enjoyed the next day, so they are great for making ahead. GET THE RECIPE

And here are your 25 Appetizers for Easter to make ahead of time. I hope you enjoyed scrolling through these and make one or more for the upcoming holiday.

Lastly, if you do make any of these appetizers for Easter, let me know in the comments below which one you found to be especially good.