Most appetizers are great while you’re eating them, but half an hour later you’re hungry again. These are a little different.
This list is built around chicken, beef, salmon, shrimp, cottage cheese, and other ingredients that bring some protein to the table. Some work well for parties and game day, while others are good when you just want a filling snack instead of a full meal.
Garlic Steak Bites
These steak bites are probably one of the easiest ways to turn steak into party food. They’re cut into small pieces, seasoned with garlic and spices, and cooked in the air fryer in just a few minutes.
Serve them with toothpicks and a dipping sauce and you have a simple high-protein appetizer without much work.
Salmon Skewers
Salmon already has plenty of protein, and putting it on skewers makes it much easier to serve as an appetizer. These are made in the air fryer, so there’s no need to fire up the grill.
They’re also a good choice when you want something a little lighter than wings or meatballs.
Cranberry Meatballs
Meatballs are always easy to serve at a party, especially when the slow cooker does most of the work. The cranberry sauce gives these a sweet and savory flavor that works especially well around the holidays.
Leave some toothpicks next to the slow cooker and people can help themselves.
Crispy Buffalo Wings
It’s hard to make an appetizer list without wings. They’re naturally high in protein and work for everything from game day to a casual party.
Serve them with celery, carrots, and your favorite dipping sauce.
Shrimp Toast
Shrimp toast gives you crispy bread with a savory shrimp topping, so it’s more filling than many small appetizers.
Cut the toast into smaller pieces if you’re serving a larger group.
Salmon Cucumber Wraps
These wraps combine salmon and fresh cucumber with a creamy green goddess dressing. They can be sliced into smaller pieces if you want to serve them as finger food rather than lunch.
They’re also a nice cold appetizer to have alongside heavier hot foods.
Cottage Cheese Dip
Cottage cheese makes this simple dip much more filling than your average party dip. It takes only about five minutes to make and works with vegetables, crackers, or toasted bread.
It’s an especially easy one to make ahead and keep in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve.
Smoked Salmon Bagel
Smoked salmon and cheese make this much more substantial than a basic bagel. For a party, you don’t have to serve whole bagels. Cut them into smaller pieces so guests can grab one or two along with the other appetizers.
This one also works well for brunch.
Crispy Chicken Tenders
Chicken tenders aren’t just for dinner. Cut them into smaller strips or pieces and serve them with a few dipping sauces for an easy high-protein appetizer.
Making them in the air fryer also keeps things simple when you’re preparing several foods at once.
Ćevapi
I grew up eating ćevapi as a meal, but they work surprisingly well as party food too. They’re small grilled meat sausages that are popular throughout the Balkans.
Instead of serving them traditionally with flatbread and onions as a full meal, put them on a platter with toothpicks and serve ajvar on the side for dipping.