As summer winds to a close, it's time to make full use of the last of the season's bounty and get ready to move on to autumn's bounty. We've collected our favorite late summer appetizer recipes for you to check out.
Tomato season is one of our favorite times of year. When fresh tomatoes start to fade away at the end of the summer, we rush to eat as many as we can before they're gone. We use them in salads with baby arugula and fried pizza dough, tarts with anchovies, and salmorejo, a chilled Spanish soup that is a richer cousin to gazpacho.
Eggplant starts to come into season in late summer. We love to throw them onto the grill, either to dress with a basil vinaigrette or to make melintzanosalata, a Greek dip of charred eggplant, olive oil, and parsley. Eggplant is also delicious pan-fried and served with briny capers, floral basil, and a drizzle of balsamic reduction.
Our season squash tart with puff pastry and goat cheese has the ability to evolve with the seasons. If fresh summer squash and zucchini are available then use them, but come fall butternut squash is fantastic as well.
Find all of these dishes and more in our collection of late summer appetizers.
Pan-Fried Eggplant with Balsamic, Basil, and Capers
Creamy, mild eggplant pairs with briny capers, floral basil, and a drizzle of balsamic reduction for a knockout appetizer or side dish. Get the recipe for Pan-Fried Eggplant with Balsamic, Basil, and Capers »
Angioletti Fritti con Rucola e Pomodori (Fried Dough with Arugula and Grape Tomatoes)
A simple salad adds fresh contrast to fried strips of pizza dough.
Crispy Calamari with Pesto Mayonnaise
Chef Jim Leiken of DBGB in New York City serves pesto-spiked mayonnaise as a dipping sauce for fried calamari, cauliflower, and chickpeas.
Fried Anchovy-Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms
For this simple Italian hors d’oeuvre, delicate zucchini flowers are filled with salty anchovy fillets and batter-fried.
Clams in Sherry Sauce
This classic Andalusian seafood dish is traditionally served with lots of crusty bread, to soak up the piquant broth.
Spanish Chilled Tomato Soup (Salmorejo)
Gazpacho’s richer cousin, this cool, creamy tomato soup topped with egg and jamon iberico will have you mopping up every drop with bread.
Tomato-Cheddar Tart
Salting and draining fresh tomatoes before baking ensures a crisp, flaky crust in this savory tart recipe from the Dominican sisters of Heartland Farm in Pawnee Rock, Kansas. Cut the final product into thin wedges to serve as an appetizer or snack.
Baked Brie with Raspberry Jam
There’s a reason this recipe is a classic party appetizer: crowned with jam and wrapped in puff pastry, a wheel of brie turns into a gooey, irresistible treat that’s great eaten with crackers or toast. Get the recipe for Baked Brie with Raspberry Jam »
Shrimp and Rosemary Crostini
For this simple appetizer, shrimp are sautéed in smoky bacon fat and served on grilled bread with rosemary.
Tuna Tartare with Avocado
Associate test kitchen director Farideh Sadeghin relied on this elegant appetizer often when she worked as a private chef—it’s tasty, quick to prepare, and simple to plate. For best results, use the freshest tuna you can find. Get the recipe »
Baked Ricotta with Orange Blossom Cherry Sauce
Frozen cherries and orange blossom water make a deliciously sweet topping for creamy baked ricotta.
Spanish-Style Toast with Tomato (Pan con Tomate)
This satisfying Spanish snack requires only toast, a ripe tomato, some good-quality olive oil and a sprinkle of salt.
Grapefruit and Seafood Ceviche
Grapefruit juice, fiery jalapeño, and fragrant ginger transform shrimp, scallops, and calamari into an aromatic, spicy salad. Get the recipe »
Almond-Flour Crab Cakes with Lemon Aioli
The substitution of almond flour for conventional wheat flour in this recipe originated as a gluten-free workaround, but because almond meal absorbs moisture without becoming starchy, it provides structure while keeping the cakes moister and more tender than a traditional crab cake.
Labaneh
Thick, tart, and creamy, this yogurt-like cheese, is perfect eaten with olive oil, pita bread, and za’atar.
Grilled Scallion Skewers (Kao Xiang Cong)
Double-skewering scallions ensures they don’t fall through grill grates and allows for easier basting and flipping.
Seasonal Squash Tart
Naturally sweet squash is brightened by goat cheese and lemon zest in this light and tasty appetizer.
Herbed Tomato Tart
Fragrant herbs and anchovies underscore the bright sweetness and acidity of ripe cherry tomatoes in this eye-catching tart from Tuscany—cut into small squares, it makes an elegant appetizer.
Grilled Eggplant with Basil Vinaigrette
Basil vinaigrette makes a perfect topping for grilled eggplant—also try it with other summer vegetables such as zucchini.
Ricotta Crostini with Cherry Tomatoes
Ripe cherry tomatoes add sweetness to crostini topped with fresh ricotta.
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.
Chile-Garlic Shrimp (Gambas Al Ajillo)
These shrimp are cooked in a hot cast iron pan with tons of garlic and red Thai chiles.
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