31 Best Valentine’s Day Appetizers to Snack on With Your Sweetheart
Pigs in a blanket = true love! 😍
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A romantic Valentine's Day dinner is about so much more than just the main course or even the sweet dessert. It's equally important to kick off your feast with a bang by dishing out plenty of delicious Valentine's Day appetizers! After all, whether you're celebrating with your partner, gal pals, or kids, food is a clear path to anyone's heart. That's why you should take the time to whip up these mouthwatering Valentine's Day snacks before you start your romantic movie marathon or candlelit dinner. Think of it as a warmup of sorts.
Here, you'll find cozy starters and finger foods, like baked brie, Instant Pot French onion soup, cheesy pull-apart bread, and spinach-artichoke cups. Plus, there are some truly elegant appetizer ideas, like olive tapenade and fig crostini that are sure to impress. Just don't forget to grab the champagne! Looking for some classic pink dishes and heart-shaped foods? There's nothing wrong with getting into the spirit of Valentine's Day by whipping up a bright pink batch of beet hummus or making the cutest mini heart-shaped pizzas that anyone would love. You can even bake heart-shaped rolls!
If you want to take the more subtle route with your Valentine's Day snacks, how about heating up your evening with an hors d'oeuvres that has a spicy kick, like the jalapeño poppers or the sweet and spicy bacon-wrapped dates. For more deliciously romantic ideas, check out Ree Drummond's favorite date night menu and our list of Valentine's Day desserts!
Crab Rangoon
Skip the takeout and impress your partner with a batch of homemade, crispy crab rangoons! Crack open the golden exterior to reveal a gooey filling made of cream cheese, imitation crab, and chopped jalapeño to spice things up.
Get the Crab Rangoon recipe.
Roasted Shrimp With Cranberry Cocktail Sauce
If these savory, fresh thyme and paprika seasoned shrimp aren’t enough to get you going, let the on-theme dipping sauce sell you on this dish! It gets its festive, ruby red hue from cranberries and ketchup.
Get Ree's Roasted Shrimp With Cranberry Cocktail Sauce recipe.
Pull-Apart Pigs in a Blanket
These perfectly shareable pigs in a blanket were practically made for a Galentine's Day bash. The whole thing is brushed with buttery honey mustard sauce and baked to yield a crowd-pleasing, pull-apart treat. Don't forget to serve it with plenty of honey mustard!
Get Ree's Pull-Apart Pigs in a Blanket recipe.
Blue Cheese and Pear Flatbread
If you and your pookie head love to partake in pizza dates, consider making this elevated version to kickstart your Valentine’s Day dinner! This crispy flatbread is chock full of tangy blue cheese and sweet pear for a burst of flavor in every bite.
Get Ree's Blue Cheese and Pear Flatbread recipe.
Whipped Goat Cheese
If cheese is the key to your heart, you’ll love this creamy, dreamy dip! The smooth whipped goat cheese comes to life with a topping of crisp pancetta and toasted panko breadcrumbs. It pairs perfectly with sliced veggies, crackers, or crusty bread!
Get Ree's Whipped Goat Cheese recipe.
French Onion Soup Stuffed Mushrooms
French onion soup is great on its own, but when stuffed into bite-sized mushrooms, it's simply fung-tastic! Think meaty mushrooms filled with caramelized onions and gruyère cheese for the perfect cheesy bite.
Get Ree's French Onion Soup Stuffed Mushrooms recipe.
Ham and Cheese Pinwheels
The classic ham and cheese combo gets a gooey, crispy upgrade in this pinwheel recipe. All you need is store-bought crescent dough, a cream cheese ranch mix, cheese, and ham to achieve these crowd-pleasers.
Get the Ham and Cheese Pinwheels recipe.
Cheesy Asparagus Tart
Puff pastry is layered with ricotta, thyme, and asparagus and then baked to crispy, flaky perfection in this recipe. It pairs perfectly with a glass of white wine.
Get Ree's Cheesy Asparagus Tart recipe.
Crispy Brie-Stuffed Mushrooms
These bite-sized stuffed mushrooms are the perfect finger food for any Valentine's Day party or dinner. Baby bella mushrooms are stuffed with brie cheese, topped with panko bread crumbs, and baked until the cheese melts and the bread crumbs crisp up.
Get Ree's Brie-Stuffed Mushrooms recipe.
Garlic Shrimp
The Spanish knew what they were doing with this tender, buttery shrimp starter. Plus, you can drizzle leftover garlic sauce from the pan onto toast to make the perfect companion to the shrimp: garlic bread.
Get the Garlic Shrimp recipe.
Smoked Salmon Dip
If you love bagels and lox, you'll be happy to add this smoked salmon dip to your Valentine's Day spread. Smoky salmon, tangy cream cheese, and briny capers are enhanced with fresh herbs and lemon zest, which add a wonderful brightness to the dip.
Get Ree's Smoked Salmon Dip recipe.
Spinach Artichoke Cups
Put a twist on date night (and your favorite dip) with these delectable spinach artichoke cups! They're made with a cheesy mixture of spinach and artichokes with lemon zest, hot sauce, and garlic that fills golden-brown baked wonton cups.
Get Ree's Spinach Artichoke Cups recipe.
Pear and Blue Cheese Crostini
Similar to you and your sweetheart, blue cheese and fruit are the perfect pair! Here, the sharpness of the slightly melted blue cheese contrasts deliciously with the sweet pear slices placed atop toasted baguettes.
Get the Pear and Blue Cheese Crostini recipe.
Bacon-Shrimp Skewers
Everything is better when it's wrapped in bacon—and that rings true on Valentine's Day, too! These bacon-shrimp skewers also include a chunk of pineapple... all lathered in barbecue sauce, then roasted for ten minutes.
Get Ree's Bacon-Shrimp Skewers recipe.
Gougères
These French savory pastries are the perfect mix of crispy and cheesy—plus they'll pair wonderfully with the champagne that's sure to be served on your romantic evening.
Get the Gougères recipe.
Apple Butter Cheese Twists
Just as easy to make as they are tasty, you'll quickly fall in love with this savory and sweet treat. It takes just a handful of ingredients, including flaky store-bought puff pastry, apple butter, and two types of cheese.
Get the Apple Butter Cheese Twists recipe.
Fig and Blue Cheese Bruschetta
After toasting baguette slices on the skillet, spread each piece with fig jam or preserves—then top them off with blue cheese and basil. Basically, this mixture will be the key to anyone's heart!
Get Ree's Fig and Blue Cheese Bruschetta recipe.
Arancini
Creamy, crunchy, and full of rice with melty cheese? Yes, please! Better yet, these arancini work beautifully in an air fryer so you can focus on prepping the rest of your romantic dinner.
Get the Arancini recipe.
Upside-Down Puff Pastry Radish Tarts
No need to stress before date night—these handheld tarts are made with a convenient store-bought puff pastry. The pretty pink color and subtly sweet flavor of the radishes makes them so fitting for the holiday.
Beet Hummus
Talk about pretty in pink! This twist on hummus adds cooked beets to brighten things up. It also adds a sweet, earthy flavor that makes it unique.
Get the Beet Hummus recipe.
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