Fried Anchovy-Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms
Light and airy, with a subtle squash flavor, zucchini blossoms are wonderful to cook; they make a flavorful, delicate appetizer when stuffed with salty anchovies and fried. Landon Nordeman
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Hors d’oeuvres come in all forms, but for our money the best finger foods are deep-fried. Whether you’re making game day snacks or party appetizers, you can’t go wrong with a spread of fried appetizers. From bar food staples like Buffalo wings, French fries, and tater tots to more refined options like anchovy-stuffed zucchini blossoms, artichoke hearts, and mushroom tempura, we’ve rounded up our favorite deep-fried finger food recipes.

When it comes to fried snacks, it doesn’t get more classic than French fries and onion rings. To give our French fries a deep, meaty flavor we fry them in a mixture of duck fat and canola oil. For our sweet potato fries we stick with vegetable oil, letting the flavor of sweet potato shine. For onion rings, we have two delicious optionsmdash;try battering the onions in a mix of honey, paprika, and lager beer or dipping them in buttermilk and crusting them with cornmeal.

A simple frying elevates all kinds of vegetables to comfort-food perfection. Check out our recipes for fried artichokes and mushroom tempura. Even vegetables that are typically garnishes become a satisfying snack when fried—try frying scallions, as well as parsley, basil, mint, and other herbs.

Fried seafood is crunchy, briny, and awesome. Fried oysters are a favorite of ours, especially when served with a spicy remoulade or a zesty dip made with butter and hot sauce. For something a little more substantial, stuff sardines with an herbaceous charmoula and fry until crispy.

Find all of these recipes and more in our collection of deep-fried finger food recipes.

"Crab

Crab Rangoon

An adaptation of the fried wonton, crab rangoon is one of the most enduringly popular appetizers at the posh Polynesian restaurant chain Trader Vic’s. Get the recipe for Crab Rangoon »
"Boudin

Boudin Scotch Eggs

Soft boiled eggs are encased in boudin sausage, tossed in bread crumbs, and then deep-fried in this recipe from chef Harold Marmulstein of Austin restaurant Salty Sow. Get the recipe for Boudin Scotch Eggs »

Alaskan Shrimp Chips

Mother-daughter chef team, Kirsten and Mandy Dixon, turn this staple of Indonesian and Malaysian cuisine into an addictive snack and appetizer served at their rural Alaskan adventure lodges, Within the Wild. Get the recipe for Alaskan Shrimp Chips
"Mozzarella

Mozzarella Sticks

Crispy breading encases gooey melted mozzarella cheese in this classic appetizer. Get the recipe for Mozzarella Sticks »
"Hawaiian

Hawaiian Fried Chicken (Mochiko Chicken with Ponzu)

The chicken for this Japanese homestyle dish is traditionally coated in mochiko, sweet rice flour, before frying, but cooks at Ethel’s Grill in Honolulu, Hawaii, use Japanese potato starch to yield an extra-crispy crust. Get the recipe for Hawaiian Fried Chicken (Mochiko Chicken with Ponzu) »
"Potato

Potato Chips

This recipe makes a party-size batch of chips, perfect as a snack (with or without a dip) or as a side dish—not only with sandwiches but also on the plate with roasted or grilled meats (or game). If there are chips left over, cover them loosely with aluminum foil and store in a cool, dry place. Get the recipe for Potato Chips »
"Homemade

Hot Fries

These spicy, crunchy fries are our take on the classic packaged snack. Get the recipe for Hot Fries »
"David

David Kinch’s Tater Tots

Using a traditional French confit method in which the potatoes are slow-cooked in duck fat, chef David Kinch, of Michelin-starred Manresa restaurant in Los Gatos, CA, makes a particularly luxurious tot. Get the recipe for David Kinch’s Tater Tots »
"Fried

Fried Stuffed Castelvetrano Olives

Making for a substantial snack, Rosa Pepe stuffs olives with a simple beef and pork filling; then dredges them in breadcrumbs before crisping them up in the deep-fryer. Get the recipe for Fried Stuffed Castelvetrano Olives »
"Fried

Fried Anchovy-Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms

For this simple hors d’oeuvre, delicate zucchini flowers are filled with salty fish and batter-fried.
"Beef

Beef Brisket and Picadillo-Stuffed Empanadas

Tender, braised beef brisket is combined with raisins, sherry, pine nuts, and spicy chile powder in the fragrant filling for sugar-dusted, savory-sweet empanadas. Get the recipe for Beef Brisket and Picadillo-Stuffed Empanadas »
"Padang-Style

Padang-Style Mashed Potato Fritters (Perkedel Kenteng)

To make these crisp-crusted fritters, mashed potatoes blended with pan-fried shallots and freshly grated nutmeg are dipped in beaten egg and fried. Get the recipe for Padang-Style Mashed Potato Fritters (Perkedel Kenteng) »
"Pakoras

Indian Vegetable Fritters (Pakoras)

Crispy chickpea-battered vegetable fritters are a popular street-food snack throughout India. This recipe calls for potatoes and onion, but cauliflower florets, eggplant slices, or plantains can also be used. Get the recipe for Indian Vegetable Fritters (Pakoras) »
"Honey-Dill

Honey-Dill Dipping Sauce

Honey-Dill Dipping Sauce
"Indian

Indian Spiced Potato Pastries (Aloo Samose)

With their golden, flaky shells and sweet aroma, Indian samosas are a crowd-pleasing classic. Get the recipe for Indian Spiced Potato Pastries (Aloo Samose) »
"Upperline's

Upperline’s Oysters St. Claude

Fried oysters are paired with a garlicky sauce in this toothsome appetizer served at Upperline, a restaurant in New Orleans’ Uptown neighborhood.
"Indian

Indian Mashed Potato Fritters (Aloo Bonda)

For this Mumbai street-food snack w, mashed potatoes are seasoned with cumin, mustard seeds, curry leaves, ginger, and chile; balls of the aromatic mash are then coated in a turmeric-accented chickpea-flour batter and deep-fried until crisp and golden. Get the recipe for Indian Mashed Potato Fritters (Aloo Bonda) »
"Barbecue

Barbecue Potato Chips

Barbecue chips’ smoky, tangy flavors are easy to create at home with a simple mixture that combines classic barbecue sauce spices such as chile powder, garlic powder, and onion powder, with the added kick of cayenne pepper.
"Beer-Battered

Beer-Battered Onion Rings

A flavorful batter infused with honey, paprika, and lager beer is the secret to these crunchy onion rings. Get the recipe for Beer-Battered Onion Rings »
"Pan-Fried

Pan-Fried Salt Cod Chips (Fritas de Bacalhau)

A thin batter of salt cod, garlic, and onions is shallow-fried to make fine, crisp chips.
"Fried

Fried Oysters with Spicy Rémoulade

Oyster shells act as a natural serving platter for these crispy fried oysters with a creamy, spicy sauce.
"Fried

Fried Chicken Livers

Fried Chicken Livers
"Charmoula-Stuffed

Charmoula-Stuffed Sardines

Fresh or canned sardines can be used in this spicy, crispy Moroccan snack. Eat ’em like french fries. Get the recipe for Charmoula-Stuffed Sardines »
"Broccoli

Broccoli Rabe and Italian Sausage Fried Ravioli

Broccoli Rabe and Italian Sausage Fried Ravioli
"Zucchini

Zucchini Fritters (Kolokitho Keftedes)

Based on a recipe from author Nancy Harmon Jenkins, this Cretan meze dish can be served hot or at room temperature. Get the recipe for Zucchini Fritters (Kolokitho Keftedes) »
"Crab

Crab-Filled Crispy Wrappers

Crab Spring Rolls
"Fried

Fried Chickpea-Battered Potatoes (Bhajiya)

For this Mumbai street-food snack from Raghavan Iyer, chunks of potato are dredged in a light chickpea-and-rice-flour batter that is spiced with turmeric and chile powder. The potatoes are then deep fried until a golden crust forms and served with cilantro and tamarind chutneys. The spiced batter can be also used for other vegetables such as cauliflower and broccoli florets, sliced plantain, and eggplant.
"Fried

Fried Eggplant

Crunchy on the outside, soft and creamy on the inside—this is eggplant at its best. Get the recipe for Fried Eggplant »
"Sweet

Sweet Potato Fries

The pale yellow, thin-skinned sweet potato and the moister, orange-fleshed American “yam” (which is not really a yam, but another kind of sweet potato) both work well for these alternatives to conventional french fries.
"Fried

Fried Artichoke Hearts with Taratur Sauce

We found this recipe—a flavorful local favorite, in which tender artichoke bottoms are fried and served with an intense, tahini-based sauce—at al-Az, a casual but well-known restaurant in Damascus. Get the recipe for Fried Artichoke Hearts with Taratur Sauce »
"Sage

Sage Tempura Shiitake Mushrooms

Earthy sage enhances the woodsy flavor of shiitake mushrooms in this simple fried appetizer.
"Fried

Fried Fish Pies (Pastels)

A popular snack along Senegal’s coast where seafood is plentiful, these small fried hand pies are filled with a spicy herb and fish filling. Get the recipe for Fried Fish Pies (Pastels) »

Buffalo Wings

These classic wings are tossed in margarine and hot sauce, just like at Anchor Bar where they were invented.
"Swiss

Swiss Fondue Fritters (Malakoffs)

A decadent mixture of Gruyère, garlic, wine, and kirsch is scooped onto bread rounds and fried to perfection—golden and crisp outside, gooey inside. Get the recipe for Swiss Fondue Fritters (Malakoffs) »
"Virginia

Virginia Ham and White Cheddar Croquettes

Crisp on the outside and creamy on the inside, potato croquettes filled with a combination of white cheddar and salty ham are the ultimate party snack. Get the recipe for Virginia Ham and White Cheddar Croquettes »
"Cornmeal-Crusted

Cornmeal-Crusted Onion Rings

Buttermilk-dipped and cornmeal-crusted onion rings are fried extra-crispy at Anthony’s Steakhouse in Omaha. Get the recipe for Cornmeal-Crusted Onion Rings »
"Fried

Fried Curly Parsley

Crunchy, batter-fried parsley sprigs not only make a great appetizer, but are equally good as a garnish for grilled fish or soup.
"Falafel"

Falafel

Any way you make it, there is nothing like falafel’s first bite: the crisp-fried exterior giving way to a creamy center of seasoned mashed beans, garlic, and parsley.
"Lemony

Lemony Fried Cauliflower

In this take on a traditional Sephardic Jewish dish, culupidia frita con limón, cauliflower are coated in a flour and egg batter, fried, and then bathed in lemon juice. As a side or a snack, it’s crunchy, tender, and brimming with fresh, tangy flavor. Get the recipe for Lemony Fried Cauliflower »
"Bistro

Bistro Pommes Frites (Bistro French Fries)

The secret to the stellar bistro fries? Duck fat, a superior frying medium that gives the potatoes a deep, meaty flavor.

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