25 Terrific Dairy-free Appetizers
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Find the perfect nibble and bite among these delicious dairy-free appetizers, they taste outrageously good and your guests will not stop eating them.
I can guarantee you nobody will miss the cheese!

It’s impossible to stop nibbling on warm pieces of Italian focaccia, spicy olives and bruschetta. Creamy, decadent dips and crispy crackers and breadsticks, amazing falafels and smoked devil eggs.
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All terrific recipes without any dairy ingredients.
They’re easy to make, and most of them keep well in the fridge, perfect to make ahead and to serve when your guests arrive.
Whether you’re lactose-intolerant or just want to cut back on your dairy intake, you’ll love these delicious dairy–free appetizer recipes.
Enjoy!
Dairy-free Appetizers
Easy focaccia recipe (no-knead)
Here is my NO-KNEAD easy focaccia recipe that you can make in 1 bowl. Its golden crisp oil-scented crust and chewy texture are absolutely delicious. Serve it with olives, your favorite dips or alongside a charcuterie boad, it’s perfect for sharing and it has been a party favorite at our house for many years!
Festive 5-Minute Creamy Avocado Dip
If you're looking for a eye-catching holiday appetizer that comes together in 5 minutes, this festive 5-minute creamy avocado dip is a sure crowd-pleaser.
5-Ingredient carrot fritters
Turn a bag of convenient, inexpensive carrots into these crispy patties fresh from the oven! They require only 5 ingredients and are so simple to put together. Serve them with a dip of your choice, they will taste super delcious!
Cauliflower Pizza Bites
These vegan cauliflower pizza bites will satisfy any pizza cravings!! Customize them with your favourite pizza toppings, like this pizza sauce or marinara sauce. They look scrumptious, and they will be gone in no time.
Pinzimonio
Fresh crudités and good-quality extra virgin olive oil are the stars of the show in this Italian pinzimonio, the esiest dairy-free appetizer ever. It's essentially a dressing, perfect to celebrate seasonal, fresh produce.
Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs.
These everything smoked salmon deviled eggs are a delicious twist on the classic! They look so pretty and festive on your holiday table, everyone will love these delicious little bites.
Beet Hummus
You’re going to be dipping everything into this creamy delightful beet hummus! It makes a super easy party appetizer that looks and tastes fabulous. It’s also healthy, packed with protein, and easy to whip up in no time!
Focaccia with Tomatoes (super easy!)
This golden brown tomato focaccia is the ultimate comfort food! It’s perfectly soft, chewy, topped with juicy tomatoes, crunchy flaky sea salt, and fruity olive oil. Best of all, it’s so easy that you can make it in 1 BOWL. I promise, you won't miss mozzarella cheese!
Sweet & Spicy Roasted Party Nuts
These nuts will be a hit at your holiday parties, They are a little sweet and a little spicy, crispy and completely irresistible!
Homemade Falafel
This restaurant-style homemade falafel is perfectly seasoned, with hints of cumin, coriander and cilantro. They're crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and super delicious.
Easy Crackers with Everything Bagel Seasoning
These crispy, light, toasty, gluten-free crackers are made with flax, chia, hemp, sunflower, and pumpkin seeds. They're perfect with dips, spreads, and make the perfect finger food for any get-together.
Chickpea Bruschetta
There’s no faster way to get a party started than with this chickpea bruschetta. The crispy artisanal bread is rubbed with fresh garlic and topped with mashed chickpeas and scrumptious sun-dried tomatoes. It's packed with Mediterranean flavor.
Salmon Cakes
These easy salmon patties come together in no time at all for a low carb appetizer or healthy addition to any meal. Make them in the air fryer, oven, or on the stove! They make a fantastic dairy free appetizer, the look luxurious and are perfect for sharing.
White Bean Dip
This quick and smooth bean dip is garlicky, nicely spiced with cumin and coriander and lighten up with parsley and fresh lemon juice. Delicious with toasted pita bread and fresh veggies!
Italian Spicy Olives
Flavoured with garlic, herbs and chili, these Italian spicy olives are juicy and packed full of flavor. They make a terrific appetizer, the perfect finger food for parties.
Focaccia with Olives
Focaccia with olives is SO scrumptious, moist with golden oil-scented crust and tasty, juicy olives. This recipe is so SIMPLE to make in one bowl and no kneading is required. Double the recipe, it will be devoured in no time!
Roasted Carrot Hummus
Easy to make and economical, this carrot hummus is full of lemon and garlic flavor, deliciously creamy and absolutely bright and festive. And it also happens to be healthy, vegan and pairs beautifully with crackers and crudités.
Roasted Spicy Cashews
These roasted spicy cashews are the perfect nibbles! They are nutty, salty, and have just the right amount of heat. It’s so hard to stop eating them, they make a delightfully different addition to a holiday table.
Green Olive Tapenade
This tasty green olive tapenade makes a super quick appetizer that’s economical, easy, and full of fresh flavors. Serve it with crispy panini rolls and it will be a hit. The last-minute party recipe that pleases everybody!
10-Minute Vegan Tzatziki
This garlicky vegan tzatziki sauce uses coconut yogurt and it's ready in minutes. It’s great for dipping or served with pita bread, falafels, olives, crudites, grilled vegetables, or canapés. I love to serve it with cucumber slices, it looks so pretty and you can make loads!
Easy Hummus Recipe
Ready in less than 5 minutes, this simple hummus is smooth, creamy, and delicious! All you’ll need are canned chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, a pinch of salt, and a bit of water. It makes an easy crowd pleaser that is healthy and inexpensive.
Hummus Quesadillas!
These quesadillas are made with hummus instead of cheese, and they are absolutely delicious and versatile. Everyone will be back for seconds.
Savory Roasted Chickpeas
Roasted chickpeas are super easy to make. Season them with all your favorite herbs and spices, they're crunchy and makes a lovely and tasty nibbles.
Sun Dried Tomato Paste
Sun dried tomato paste is always a huge hit, quick to make and a big crowd pleaser! And it's so rich, piquant and full of big flavor. It's one of my fav Italian appetizers, so easy to make, loaded with flavor and keeps well for days.
Easy Breadstick Recipe
Looking for the perfect accompaniment to your dips and hummus? Look no further because these Italian breadstick recipe doesn’t require any stand mixer and makes irresistible crispy breadsticks perfect with classic appetizers.
Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
These buffalo cauliflower wings have delicious crispy edges and an amazing spicy, tangy flavor. They make a fantastic appetizer that is economical and scrumptious.
Maple Chipotle Pumpkin Hummus
Maple chipotle hummus is the perfect fall dip. Smoky and spice, hearty from the pumpkin with a hint of sweetness. Grab your crackers and breadsticks, a glass of wine, and let's forget the cheese.
Smoky Beans on Toast
Simple yet flavorful, these crispy slices of bread rubbed with garlic and topped with fluffly smocked beans are totally delicious and make a dairy-free appetizer sure to pleased everybody.
Not only dairy-free appetizers…
Here more ideas to add to your dairy-free menu, a few salads and desserts that you might love:
- Winter salad with roasted vegetables
- Potato salad with olives
- Lentil tabbouleh
- Mediterranean bean salad
More appetizers recipes
If you plan to make dairy-free appetizers and also appetizers that might contain dairy products, you might be interested in these collections of terrific 40+ Italian appetizers, 40+ Party food ideas and colourful vegetarian appetizers!
Whether you plan a dinner party, potlucks or any other special occasion, I hope that a few of these lovely recipes will be on the menu!
25+ Dairy-free Appetizers
Ingredients
Pinzimonio
- 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon balsamic vinegar or lemon juice (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
Crudités (use more veggies if you like!)
- 1 fennel bulb, sliced
- 4 small carrots, cut into sticks or sliced lengthwise
- 1 small cucumber, sliced lengthwise
- 4 radishes, cut into halves
- 1 endive or romain salad, use the whole leaves
Instructions
- Place the ingredients for pinzimonio in a small serving bowl and whisk until well combined. You can also place them into a glass jar with lid and shake until they are emulsified. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your taste.
- Pour the pinzimonio into small serving bowls, one per guest if you wish.
- Trim the veggies, remove filaments, cut each vegetable into slices or sticks, and separate salad leaves. Wash them well under cold runny water and pat them dry with a kitchen towel.
- Arrange all the veggies on a serving platter or on a wooden board and serve them along with the pinzimonio.