10 Make-Ahead Toothpick Appetizers

These 10 make-ahead toothpick appetizers are perfect finger food to assemble in advance and bring to a party! The formal recipe cards are at the bottom of the post. 

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Make-Ahead Toothpick Appetizers

Looking for a last-minute dish to bring to a party? These ideas toothpick appetizers balance flavor and nutrition with a few healthy ingredients that are easy to eat!

They are easy to assemble in minutes and serve as finger food to a hungry crowd. 

They are also totally delicious!

Toothpick apps are a popular party snack because guests love not having to set down their drink in order to enjoy a bite and continue the party conversation.

There is no need for shared utensils – add a toothpick and enjoy!

And you’ll either save money on disposable plates or save time not having to wash 100 dishes or hauling a slow cooker around. 

Make Toothpick Appetizers Ahead Of Time

You can make these toothpick recipes ahead of time and not have to worry about rushing to cook or decorate a tray at the last minute. Bring out your platter and you’re done! 

These finger foods are great for in-home parties, but they’re also easy to transport to a party too. Just be sure to store them on a tray or platter with sides so they don’t shift too much in transport. 

Here are the three main recipes and 7 more ideas to run with for your holiday party and beyond! 

Mini Beet Salads on a Toothpick

The cutest little beet salad toothpick, plus it has greens in the form of spicy arugula!

Using a harder texture feta will allow these to stay together better.

Beet Salad Ingredients

• 5-6 small beets, cooked (you can often find these already cooked near the fruit at Whole Foods like the Love Beets brand)
• 6 ounces feta cheese (any other hard cheese will work too)
• Arugula (about 4 ounces)
• Walnut halves (about 1 cup)
• Optional: Balsamic vinegar or vinaigrette

Instructions

1. Cut beets into small squares.
2. Dice feta into small cubes, about the same size as the chopped beats.
3. Bring everything together: Fold the arugula leaves in half and bunch on the end of a toothpick, then add the beet. Carefully skewer the walnut (through the middle works best) and finish with the feta.
4. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar reduction or vinaigrette just before serving if desired, but of course the feta combination is also good on its own!

Balsamic Drizzle

Zucchini Goat Cheese Roll Ups

Three ingredient magic with this one – just slice zucchini, spread with goat cheese, and roll up!

Garnish with a little red pepper or some herbs.

You can cook or grill zucchini if you like or just leave it raw.

Zucchini Roll Up Ingredients

• 2-3 zucchinis
• 4 ounces soft goat cheese
• Roasted red pepper (about 1), diced into small cubes or strips

Instructions

1. Thinly slice the zucchini lengthwise into long strips. A mandolin slicer should work well, but you can also just slice thinly with a sharp knife. If thinly sliced, raw zucchini will work great, but you could also grill them for added flavor and to make them softer.
2. Gently spread the goat cheese in a thin layer across the strip of zucchini. You could add herbs at this point if desired.
3. Skewer a small piece of red pepper and push it about halfway up.
4. Roll up the zucchini. Add it below the red pepper on the toothpick.

Antipasto Salad Toothpicks

Who doesn’t love a good antipasto?

This one is totally flexible – mix it up with whatever sounds best to you.

Sun dried tomatoes, roasted peppers or zucchini bites, or even stuffed grape leaves would also be great additions!

Antipasto Salad Ingredients

• 6 ounces cured meat (salami works great)
• 1 jar olives, drained
• 1 can of artichoke hearts (sliced in quarters if they are large)
• Spinach or other salad greens

Instructions

1. Start with a base of greens. If you’re using spinach, fold the leaves in half and skewer first. This will ensure they stay in place!
2. Next, fold a slice of meat in quarters and skewer below the spinach.
3. Add the artichoke, followed by the olive to finish.

7 More Toothpick Appetizer Ideas

Because you can never have enough apps! Here are 7 more ideas to get your creative juices flowing. 

Classic Caprese

Tomato + Basil + Mozzarella. Mozzarella balls work great here with cherry tomatoes. You can fold up the basil leaf in half to skewer it easily and neatly with the toothpick.

Sweet + Savory Dates

Two ingredient magic: bacon or prosciutto wrapped dates (option to add a little blue cheese inside!)

The Swiss Sandwich

Cheese square + Piece of Ham + Mini pickle. It’s like a mini fondue appetizer!

Caesar Salad

Bite-sized lettuce tossed with dressing + a crouton + small piece of parmesan cheese. A small piece of crispy romaine would be perfect here!

Cucumber + Smoked Salmon

Cucumber slices (if it’s a small cucumber, or thicker quarters if it’s bigger) + cream cheese + smoked salmon. Garnish with a caper!

Meatballs

Harvest meatballs or sun-dried tomato meatballs. Turn them into mini ones for even more!

Apple + Cheddar

Small diced sweet apple and cheddar chunks – a perfect pairing, especially with wine!

Toothpick Appetizer Tips

Get fancy toothpicks

Up-level your toothpicks with these fun finds from Amazon:

• Gold pearl toothpicks
• Club frill toothpicks
• Natural bamboo with soft edge toothpicks
• Bamboo knot toothpicks

Label what’s inside

Guests these days expect to know what’s in the foods they’re about to enjoy. Use mini chalkboard labels like these to write the simple ingredient lists.

Have a toothpick disposal bowl

Give guests an easy place to discard their used toothpicks. You can use an extra chalkboard label to let them know the bowl, mason jar, or tray is for the dirties so no one grabs a dirty to use for clean! 

Happy entertaining!

More Party Recipes:

• DIY Charcuterie Board
• Bedazzled Goat Cheese
• Homemade Vegetarian Quiche
• A Festive Holiday Brunch
• Holiday Charcuterie Board
• Smoked Salmon Sliders

The Recipes

Print Pin

Mini Beet Salad

The cutest little beet salad toothpick, plus it has greens in the form of spicy arugula! Using a harder texture feta will allow these to stay together better.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword arugula, beet, feta, walnuts

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 5-6 small beets cooked (you can often find these already cooked near the fruit at Whole Foods like the Love Beets brand)
• 6 ounces feta
• Arugula about 4 ounces
• Walnut halves about 1 cup
• Optional: Balsamic vinegar or vinaigrette

Instructions

• Cut beets into small squares.
• Dice feta into small cubes, about the same size as the chopped beats.
• Bring everything together: Fold the arugula leaves in half and bunch on the end of a toothpick, then add the beet. Carefully skewer the walnut (through the middle works best) and finish with the feta.
• Drizzle with balsamic vinegar reduction or vinaigrette just before serving if desired, but of course the feta combination is also good on its own!

Print Pin

Zucchini Roll Up

Three ingredient magic with this one – just slice zucchini, spread with goat cheese, and roll up! Garnish with a little red pepper or some herbs.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword goat cheese, red pepper, zucchini

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 2-3 zucchinis
• 4 ounces soft goat cheese
• Roasted red pepper about 1, diced into small cubes or strips

Instructions

• Thinly slice the zucchini lengthwise into long strips. A mandolin slicer should work well, but you can also just slice thinly with a sharp knife. If thinly sliced, raw zucchini will work great, but you could also grill them for added flavor and to make them softer.
• Gently spread the goat cheese in a thin layer across the strip of zucchini. You could add herbs at this point if desired.
• Skewer a small piece of red pepper and push it about halfway up.
• Roll up the zucchini. Add it below the red pepper on the toothpick.

Print Pin

Antipasto Salad Toothpicks

Who doesn’t love a good antipasto? Sun-dried tomatoes, roasted peppers or zucchini bites, or even stuffed grape leaves would also be great additions!

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword artichoke, cheese, olives, salami, spinach

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 6 ounces cured meat salami works great
• 1 jar olives drained
• 1 can of artichoke hearts sliced in quarters if they are large
• Spinach or other salad greens

Instructions

• Start with a base of greens. If you're using spinach, fold the leaves in half and skewer first. This will ensure they stay in place!
• Next, fold a slice of meat in quarters and skewer below the spinach.
• Add the artichoke, followed by the olive to finish.