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The holiday season is right around the corner. So, it’s time to think about one of the most important aspects of the holiday season: the food! While our kids may be thinking about all the gifts they’re going to receive, we adults are all about the holiday food we’re going to serve and get to eat.
To help you start planning, we’ve got 5 delicious holiday food ideas that are sure to be a hit at all your events this holiday season!
5 Delicious Winter Holiday Food and Thanksgiving Appetizer Ideas
1. Wrapped Asparagus
Wrapped asparagus is a delicious combination. We take it a step further by adding puff pastry to this recipe! Serve this as a Thanksgiving appetizer or as a side for another big holiday meal.
To make this holiday food recipe, you’ll need:
- A packet of puff pastry
- Egg wash (an egg yolk beaten with water)
- A pastry brush
- A handful of sesame seeds
- A packet of fresh bacon
- A packet of asparagus
For baking utensils, go check out SurLaTable for quality finds! You can also find fresh ingredients here at FreshDirect.com!
Here’s what you need to do for this holiday food idea:
- Pre-heat the oven to around 390°F or 200°C
- Cut off the woody end of the asparagus
- Roll a slice of bacon around each piece of asparagus
- Cut long strips of the pastry sheet with the knife lengthways
- Roll the pastry piece around the asparagus in a spiral (it should have a ½”-1” gap between each spiral)
- Close the ends and place your asparagus on a cookie sheet or baking tray (best to spray or drizzle the tray with oil)
- Brush each asparagus with the egg wash
- Sprinkle with some sesame seeds
- Bake them for 15 minutes, until puffed and golden brown
- Serve and enjoy!
2. Cheese and Bacon Baskets
These are great if you have lactose-intolerant guests. They’re essentially like little savory muffins with the middle filled with a rose of bacon. In other words, they’re delicious! You’ll need:
- A puff pastry sheet
- Egg wash (and a brush)
- Dairy-free cream cheese
- Arugula (you can choose a different salad leaf if you prefer. Green onion would also work well here!)
- Cooked bacon or vegan bacon bits
- Cupcake liners
For baking utensils, go check out SurLaTable for quality finds! You can also find fresh ingredients here at FreshDirect.com!
Here’s what you need to do to make this holiday food:
- Pre-heat the oven to around 390°F or 200°C
- Cut equal rectangles out of the pastry sheet about the width of a cupcake liner
- Arrange the squares in the cupcake liners to create a basket or nest. You’ll probably have a few folds (it doesn’t need to be tidy!)
- Brush with the egg wash
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, until puffed and golden brown
- Now, fill the baskets, adding the arugula at the bottom, followed by dairy-free cream cheese
- Finish the top with a slice of bacon in a rose-spiral shape or a sprinkle of your bacon bits
- Serve!
3. Flower Vol Au Vents
Vol au vents are a delicious, vegetarian-friendly appetizer made with sundried tomatoes, cream cheese, and spinach. To make them, you’ll need:
- A puff pastry
- Egg wash
- Sundried tomatoes in olive oil
- Cooked spinach
- Dairy-free cream cheese
- A 3” wide cookie cutter. We use one in the shape of a flower, but round or other small shapes work well, too. Just avoid anything too intricate
You can find fresh ingredients here at FreshDirect.com!
Once you’ve gathered everything you need for this holiday food option, follow these steps:
- Pre-heat the oven to around 390°F or 200°C
- Cut the pastry with a cookie cutter
- For half of your shapes, create a second hole in the center using something small and round. It should be about an inch across (a clean lid off a spray bottle or similar works well)
- Glaze all the shapes with your eggwash
- Carefully arrange the cut-outs with the holes on top of the ones without holes. The top layer should adhere to the glaze easily (one on top of each base)
- Place them on the tray and bake them until golden (for about 15-20 minutes)
- Once they’re ready, push the center down with the back of a teaspoon so you have space to fill
- Mix the spinach with the dairy-free cream cheese, then fill your flower vol au vent with the mixture
- Top with some sundried tomatoes and enjoy!
4. Shells with Pearls
These look seriously impressive and a little intimidating, but they’re not as hard to make as they look!
You’ll need:
- A puff pastry sheet
- Egg wash
- A handful of chopped chives
- 10-14 boiled quail eggs
- A packet of pre-cooked shrimp
You can find fresh ingredients here at FreshDirect.com!
Here’s how to make them:
- Pre-heat the oven to around 390°F or 200°C
- Cut your pastry sheet in half longways, then cut it into equal-sized rectangles, doubling the layers
- Cut out the pointed edges of the “shell” with a small round cutter or knife. Then, gently use a knife to cut lines toward each point and create the shell shape. After that, press the back of the shell “closed” with your fingers to create the join at the back of the shell
- Place them on the tray
- Brush them with the egg wash and bake them for 10 minutes
- Let the pastries cool, then carefully make a horizontal cut to open the shell, pushing the inside down
- Chop the shrimp (you may be able to use whole if they’re small enough) and cut the eggs in half diagonally until you have enough for each shell. Then, chop the remaining eggs and add them to your shrimp
- Mix the chives in with the shrimp and chopped eggs to create the filling
- Insert the filling in the shell
- Add the egg as the “pearl”
- Serve and reap the praise!
5. Pesto Pinwheels
Pesto pinwheels are easier to make than the shells but just as delicious. You’ll need:
- A puff pastry sheet
- Egg wash
- Sundried tomatoes in oil
- A jar of pesto (here’s a recipe to make your own)
You can find fresh ingredients here in FreshDirect.com!
To make:
- Pre-heat the oven to around 390°F or 200°C
- Spread a thin layer of pesto sauce on the pastry sheet
- Sprinkle a few sundried tomatoes
- Roll the puff pastry sheet into a tight log, seam side down
- Slice into 1″ rounds with a knife
- Place the pinwheels on a baking paper sheet and brush them with the eggwash
- Bake them for 20 minutes, until golden brown, and enjoy!
Bon Appetit!
We hope these holiday food recipes bring a lot of holiday cheer to your table! We’ve got a few more ideas for you; why not make our Christmas Cookies or Italian Panettone bread for something sweet?
