Please a crowd with these 3 delicious easy grilled appetizer recipes.

Firing up the grill is a spring and summer season prerogative. The best part about rolling out the grill is that it is never a singular affair – it’s a family, friends, and overall party-worthy occasion. But don’t just assume grilling is reserved to hefty slabs of meat – it is actually a great tool to prepping delicious appetizers that can make the rounds at your next cookout. The following 3 grilled appetizer recipes are easy to prep, even easier to cook, and a delight to the senses. Enjoy!

Note: most of these appetizer recipes can turn vegetarian or vegan with a simple modification, which is mentioned in their descriptions.

3 Easy Grilled Appetizer Recipes

1. Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

Makes 10 wraps

Ingredients

• 20 asparagus spears
• 10 slices prosciutto
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• The juice of 1 lemon

Directions

Snap off the rough end of the asparagus spears where they naturally break when bent. Hold two asparagus spears side by side and wrap one slice of prosciutto around them, tying them together. Set aside on a plate. Repeat with the remaining spears. Gently brush the asparagus with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Grill the asparagus over direct medium heat for about 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove from the grill and squirt each with lemon juice.

Note: To make this recipe vegan, replace the prosciutto with thin slices of eggplant.

2. Grilled Tomato Crostini

Serves 8-12

Ingredients

• 1 baguette
• 1 garlic clove, halved
• Large assortment of red and yellow tomatoes
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• Handful of fresh basil, finely chopped

Directions

Cut the tomatoes in half and thread onto skewers, alternating colors. Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill them over medium heat (350 degrees Fahrenheit) with the lid closed for about 10 minutes, flipping them often.

While the tomatoes cook, slice the baguette into 8-10 thick pieces. Grill both sides of each slice for about one minute, or until charred. Remove from the grill and rub one side of each slice with the halved garlic clove. Once the tomatoes are ready, slide them off their skewers and onto the bread slices.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil and vinegar and then pour the mixture evenly atop each crostini. Garnish with fresh basil. Serve!

Optional: top each crostini with grated parmesan for added depth.

3. Grilled Pepper Poppers

Makes 8 stuffed peppers

Ingredients

• 8 jalapenos, halved and seeded
• 12 ounces cream cheese
• 8 ounces soft goat cheese
• 8 ounces shredded white cheddar
• 6 ears corn, shucked, grilled and kernels removed
• 4 green onions, grilled and chopped
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a bowl, mix together the cream cheese, goat cheese, white cheddar, corn, green onions, chili powder, salt, and pepper.

Fill each jalapeno evenly with the creamy stuffing and place them, filling side up, on the grill over medium heat. Cook for about 6 minutes, or until the jalapeno is tender the filling is juicy!

Serve with a seasoning of chili powder and salt and pepper.

Note: For a vegan version of this appetizer, replace the cheese components with 3 cups of pureed white beans.

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Grilling Veggies, Prosciutto Wraps, Homemade Bruschetta, Stuffed Jalapeno Images from Shutterstock

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For something extra special this holiday season, make this indulgent baked brie and cranberry sauce appetizer. Brie is a cheese platter staple. Its amazingly creamy texture makes it a perfect spreading cheese that also goes well with slices of fruit. While usually served at room temperature, I like to serve my brie hot and almost completely melted. Kick things up a notch by baking your brie until it’s molten and absolutely delicious.

Instead of a plain old cheese platter, greet your guests with a gooey, sweet and cheesy treat. Serve this baked brie with a warm loaf of sliced French bread or water crackers. Make fresh cranberry sauce up to two days before. The beauty of this appetizer is that it’s so easy. Simply slice off the top rind of the brie, slather on the cranberry sauce and bake. 

This recipe works best if you have a small baking dish that snugly fits the brie. Either a mini cast iron pan or small glass baking dish will do. In a pinch, use aluminum foil shaped into a bowl on a baking sheet.

Cranberry Sauce

Makes 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients

1 bag of fresh cranberries (12 oz)
2 tablespoons of sugar
1 cup water

Directions

Combine the sugar, water and cranberries in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium high heat.

Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. The cranberries will start to pop, use the back of a wooden spoon to stir the mixture against the sides of the pot. Once the cranberries have released the pectin and appear gelled. It’s done. About 30-45 minutes.

Baked Brie and Cranberry Sauce Appetizer

Serves 6

1 small wheel of triple cream brie cheese
1/2 cup cranberry sauce
1 small baguette to serve

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Use a sharp knife to remove the top layer of the cheese rind so the cheese is exposed. Place the brie in a small cast iron skillet or other small metal or glass oven-proof dish.

Slather the brie with cranberry sauce and bake for 10-15 minutes until brie is almost completely melted. Serve with sliced French bread.

Related on Eco Salon

Nectarine, Arugula and Brie Panini 

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10 Quick, Easy and Tasty Appetizers 

Photos by Ally Jane Grossan 

The post Throwback Recipe: A Classic Bubbling Baked Brie with Cranberry Sauce appeared first on EcoSalon.

Simple, seasonal vegetarian appetizers that you can easily prepare in advance. 

When it comes to party planning, the more that can be done in advance, the better. No one likes standing in the kitchen the day of an event, stressed and wondering what to feed people.

Hosting a Halloween party this year? Consider some of these make-ahead vegetarian appetizers that are perfect for stress-free party planning…Allowing you even more time to spend making one of these Halloween costume ideas!

10 Make-Ahead Vegetarian Appetizers

1. Five Seed Crackers

Made with a base of seeds, these crackers are 100 percent gluten-free and as long as you store them in an airtight container, can be made a few weeks before you need to serve them. Serve with some goat cheese or a simple olive tapenade for last-minute vegetarian appetizers.

2. Pickled Root Vegetables

Carrots and beets can be steeped in a delicious brine and stored for one to two months in the refrigerator. Just take them out and arrange on a plate or in a bowl come party day. If you cut the vegetables small, it can also work as a great garnish for sandwiches.

3. Mole Black Bean Dip

When it comes to make-ahead vegetarian appetizers it doesn’t get much easier than this simple dip. Make it ahead of time and stored in the freezer. Take it out about 6 hours before you want to serve it and put it in the refrigerator to defrost. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips.

4. Sweet and Spicy Pecans

These spiced nuts work great as a solo vegetarian appetizer, or as an addition to a green salad. Make them ahead of time and store in an airtight container, or even package up small bundles as gifts for your guests. Much better than standard trick-or-treating candy.

5. Baked Carrot Chips

Pre-slice carrots, store in the refrigerator, and then put them in the oven before your guests arrive. You’ll end up with a healthy chip that’s the perfect color for the season.

6. Bruschetta with Fig Compote with Blue Cheese

You can never go wrong with vegetarian appetizers that call for figs. This fig compote which can be made ahead and served with quite a lot of things. Vary the accompanying cheeses, or instead of spread on slices of toasted bruschetta instead of crackers.

7. Butternut Squash Hummus

Though it contains tahini, this recipe depends on butternut squash and not chickpeas for its smooth texture. Make a day or two in advance and store in the refrigerator.

8. Marinated Olives and Feta

You don’t have to spend a fortune in the bulk olive section – make your own marinated olives at home. These ones are marinated with rosemary, lemon and garlic, and if you’re serving vegan friends, just skip the cheese.

9. Kale and Pumpkin Seed Pesto

Save the seeds from your pumpkin carving and make this pesto, which can be stored up to a week in the refrigerator.

10. Chilled Double Chocolate Torte

If you need to wow your guests with a dessert, try this vegan chocolate cake that you store in the freezer until it’s time to serve.

Related on EcoSalon:

17 Vegan Halloween Recipes to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth

Tasty, Quick and Easy Holiday Appetizers

Images: Anna Brones, Aylin Erman

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