Top Finger Food Ideas For Your Next Dinner Party

Is there anything better than party finger food? There’s something so decadent about bite-sized, flavour-charged morsels. And best of all, they are designed for one-handed eating while you’re juggling drinks, serviettes and small talk. Easy appetiser ideas give you, and your small appliances, the chance to shine! If you’re staying in to entertain, pull out the air fryer and the food processor to make short work of scrumptious nibbles.

Prepare these easy finger food recipes ahead of time for no-stress entertaining, then bask in the compliments.

Get The Kitchen Gadgets Working For You

Catering for a crowd? Make your kitchen a sweat-free cooking zone with an oven, microwave and army of benchtop appliances to lighten the load.

“Small appliances really come into their own when you’re entertaining, by automating some of the cooking process. It means you can serve a range of finger foods in that short window of time before the main meal,” says Tracey Ellis, The Good Guys Buyer – Portable Appliances.

Appetiser recipes traditionally are a single mouthful. No knives or forks should be required – even plates are optional.

Want a pretty and functional food prep zone? Check out our guide to kitchen benchtop styling.

Shop Air Fryers

Cuisinart Express Oven Air Fryer

Philips Air Fryer Essential Compact

NUTRIBULLET XXL 7 Litre Digital Air Fryer

“Small appliances really come into their own when you’re entertaining, by automating some of the cooking process. It means you can serve a range of finger foods in that short window of time before the main meal.”

Crispy Air Fryer Portuguese Chicken Wings

These tasty wings pack a bit of heat, with the Portuguese seasoning mixing paprika, chilli, lemon and oregano. Guests arriving soon? Make quick work of all kinds of party nibbles with an air fryer. Recipe by Cuisinart.

Serves 4

Prep time: 10 mins

Air-fry time: 50 mins

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp baking powder

• 3 tsp Portuguese seasoning

• 1 ½ tsp garlic salt

• 1 tsp onion powder

• 1.5kg chicken wing nibbles

• Olive oil cooking spray

• Lemon wedges and sriracha mayonnaise, to serve

Method

1. Combine baking powder, seasoning, garlic salt and onion powder in a large bowl.

2. Pat dry wings with kitchen paper towel. Toss in spice mix until coated evenly.

3. Place air fryer basket on drip pan. Spray basket with oil spray. Place wings in a single layer in air fryer basket. Spray lightly with oil. Cook in rack position 2. Select air-fry preset Chicken Wings, with temperature set at 180°C for 20 minutes.

4. Turn wings over, brush with oil from drip pan. Air fry again at 200°C for a further 5 minutes until golden and crispy. Repeat with remaining wings.

5. Serve with lemon wedges and sriracha mayonnaise.

Smoked Salmon Mousse Canapes

Go fancy with this elegant combo of light, fluffy salmon mousse and crunchy cucumber. These canapes are perfectly paired with chilled champagne and party pleasantries. Recipe by Vitamix.  

Serves 4

Prep time: 10 mins

Ingredients

• 200g smoked salmon

• 150g spreadable cream cheese

• 50g mayonnaise

• ¼ cup dill

• 2 tbsp lemon zest

• 2 tbsp lemon juice

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 1 cucumber, to serve

• Dill leaves, to serve

• Crackers, to serve (optional)

Method

1. Add smoked salmon, cream cheese, mayonnaise, dill, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper to the Vitamix. Blend on a pulse setting 5 times, until creamy and smooth.

2. Place smoked salmon mousse into a piping bag with a star-shaped nozzle.

3. Cut cucumber into 1cm rounds. Pipe the mousse onto cucumber rounds and garnish with dill leaves.

4. Serve with crackers, if desired.

Shop Food Processors And Blenders

VITAMIX Ascent Series A2300i High-Performance Blender Black

Kenwood Multipro Express Food Processor

Sunbeam Multi Processor Plus Food Processor Black

Firecracker Prawns

A barbecued skewer is definitely approved party finger food. Mouth-sized meats and vegetables ready for nibbling, without the need for a knife or fork.  For less fire in these prosciutto-wrapped prawns, cut down on the chilli sauce. Recipe by Weber.

Serves 6

Prep time: 40 mins

Cooking time: 4 mins

Ingredients

• 24 green prawns, peeled, deveined, tails intact

• 2 tbsp chilli garlic sauce (such as sriracha)

• 2 tsp chipotle chilli powder

• 24 strips prosciutto, thinly sliced

• Store-bought aioli, for dipping

Method

1. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes.

2. Prepare the barbecue for direct cooking over high heat (230°C to 290°C).

3. Brush both sides of the prawns with the chilli sauce, then sprinkle all over with chipotle chilli powder. Wrap a slice of prosciutto around each prawn. Thread onto skewers, using 1 to 2 prawns per skewer.

4. Place the prawns on the barbecue over direct high heat, close the lid and barbecue for 2 minutes on each side.

5. Serve the firecracker prawns with aioli.

Shop BBQs

Weber Family Q 3100N+ LP Midnight Black

BeefEater 1200 Series Black Enamel 5 Burner BBQ & Trolley

BeefEater ProLine Intergraded Built in BBQ with Hood

Goats Cheese And Spinach Pizza

Pizza is literally made to eat with your hands! Use smaller bases to keep it snack sized, and heat up the BBQ for a wood-fired flavour. Recipe by BeefEater.

Serves 4

Prep time: 30 mins

Cooking time: 6 mins

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp instant yeast

• 2 tsp caster sugar

• 1 ½ cups warm water

• 5 cups plain flour, plus extra to dust

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle

• Pinch sea salt

• 350g tomato passata

• 100g goat’s cheese

• 100g mozzarella cheese, sliced

• 250g cherry tomatoes, halved

• 100g spinach and rocket leaves

• Chilli flakes, to serve

Method

1. Combine yeast, sugar and warm water in a large bowl. Set aside for 5–10 minutes until bubbly.

2. Add flour, oil and salt to the bowl and stir with a spoon until the yeast mixture is smooth. Add a little more water or flour, if needed, to form a smooth dough. Knead dough on a flat surface for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.

3. Heat pizza stone in the barbecue to high, or 300°C.

4. Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour and divide dough into 6 even pieces. Roll out each piece to 5mm thick. Spread each base with tomato passata.

5. Top with goat’s cheese, mozzarella and tomatoes. Drizzle with olive oil.

6. Cook on pizza stone for 5–6 minutes, rotating halfway through cooking time.

7. Remove pizza from stone, place on a board and top with spinach, rocket leaves and a drizzle of olive oil. Sprinkle with chilli flakes, if desired.

A scrumptious starter for any style of soiree, finger food makes the most of small appliances that are perfectly built for bite-sized canapes. Get your food processor out and fire up the barbie to get the party started right! Ready to get cooking? Head in-store or online. You can get the party started sooner with Afterpay.