Healthy snack recipes

Votes: 25

Keep the party going with these healthy and wholesome appetizers from the chefs.

Guacamole in pieces

Here's another reason to love guacamole: avocados are rich in "healthy" fats, which nutritionists recommend including in your diet. In Ellie's recipe, sliced red onion plays a key role: it adds a tangy note to the tender avocado.

Recipe: Guacamole in pieces

Black Pepper Potato Chips with Onion Dip

Ellie's baked crispy chips are lower in fat than store-bought ones. And once you try this simple homemade onion dip, you'll never want to buy store-bought ones again.

Recipe: Black Pepper Potato Chips with Onion Dip

Potato skins stuffed with broccoli, cheddar, and avocado cream

Ellie makes a healthy version of the classic snack, using low-fat sour cream for the avocado topping and Canadian bacon, which has only 1/4 the fat of regular bacon.

Recipe: Potato skins stuffed with broccoli, cheddar, and avocado cream

Mini corn dogs in the oven

This cute snack is just as delicious as the corn dogs you buy at the fair. But with one important difference: two of these corn dogs contain fewer calories than one classic one.

Recipe: Mini corn dogs in the oven

Five-layer Mexican dip

Ellie's 5-Layer Mexican Dip features beans, corn, avocado, cheese, and cilantro; serve with baked tortilla chips, pita chips, or vegetable crudites.

Recipe: Five-layer Mexican dip

Baba Ganoush

For this flavorful appetizer, Ellie roasts eggplant until just tender, then tosses the pureed flesh with garlic, lemon, tahini, and chopped fresh parsley.

Recipe: Baba Ganoush

Mushroom stew on polenta squares

For a simple yet elegant appetizer, Giada De Laurentiis tops small squares of polenta with a savory mushroom sauce.

Recipe: Mushroom stew on polenta squares

Warm Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Start the party with Ellie's favorite restaurant dip; it's made healthier with low-fat cheese and light sour cream.

Recipe: Warm Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Healthy Crispy Mozzarella Sticks

Baked mozzarella sticks are a crispy, cheesy snack for the whole family, and they're also rich in calcium. Kids will especially love these pizza-style ingredients.

Recipe: Healthy Crispy Mozzarella Sticks

Light and creamy white bean dip

Cottage cheese gives the bean dip a creamy texture and serves as an additional source of protein.

Recipe: Light and creamy white bean dip

Chicken satay with spicy peanut sauce

A marinade of ginger, fish sauce, lime, and lemongrass infuses the chicken with vibrant flavor without adding excess fat. The nut sauce is made with light coconut milk and low-fat peanut butter. Crispy coleslaw completes the dish.

Recipe: Chicken satay with spicy peanut sauce

Crostini with mushroom pesto

Savory porcini mushrooms, garlic, and Parmesan add a delicious flavor to Giada's pesto sauce, which complements crisp crostini slices. This appetizer is perfect for a boisterous party or just as a snack.

Recipe: Crostini with mushroom pesto

Artichoke and Kale Dip

It has the same delicious creamy texture as the popular spinach dip, but with far less fat and calories. Kale makes the dip filling and nutrient-dense—it's one of the healthiest vegetables around.

Recipe: Artichoke and Kale Dip

Hot crab dip sauce

Low-fat cream cheese and sour cream give this dip its signature creamy texture, but it's also lighter. Crab spice, lemon, and fresh herbs add flavor without the extra calories.

Recipe: Hot crab dip sauce

Spicy edamame pods

Toss tender, cooked edamame beans with homemade seasoning salt, chili powder, red pepper flakes, and dried oregano. The savory mixture complements the beans' subtle sweetness.

Recipe: Spicy edamame pods

Easy American Seven-Layer Dip

Flavor enhancers like chili paste, garlic, cilantro, and jalapeño make this layered dip even more delicious than the original version, with less fat and calories.

Recipe: Easy American Seven-Layer Dip

Cherry tomatoes stuffed with chicken salad and apples

Sweet, peeled cherry tomatoes are perfect as a "bowl" for this apple and chicken salad filling.

Recipe: Cherry tomatoes stuffed with chicken salad and apples

Lima Bean Sauce

Frozen lima beans are an unexpected ingredient in this garlicky guacamole alternative.

Recipe: Lima Bean Sauce

Antipasto with sausage skewers

For a hearty, healthy appetizer, Ellie skewers Italian sausage, artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, and fresh basil.

Recipe: Antipasto with sausage skewers

Green Goddess Dip Sauce

Instead of ranch dressing and mayonnaise, serve vegetable crudités with Ellie's dipping sauce. The base is low-fat buttermilk, infused with avocado, fresh green onions, tarragon, and parsley.

Recipe: Green Goddess Dip Sauce

Stuffed champignons

Stuff mushrooms with crab meat for a compact, savory appetizer.

Recipe: Stuffed champignons

Onion-yogurt dip

For a healthier version of the beloved onion dip, use Greek yogurt. The recipe combines shallots and chives; serve with sliced vegetables or unsalted pretzels and pita chips.

Recipe: Onion-yogurt dip

Crab fondue

Use wooden skewers to dip fresh vegetables like celery and cauliflower into this easy crab dip. Serve with cubes of whole-grain bread.

Recipe: Crab fondue

Chicken sauté with spicy peanut dipping sauce

Satay is essentially chicken on skewers. Ellie's dish can be cooked on the grill or in a grill pan. Serve the skewers with Thai-style peanut dip.

Recipe: Chicken sauté with spicy peanut dipping sauce

Chicken and mushroom quesadilla

Just a little cheddar adds a burst of flavor to Ellie's simple quesadilla. It's a family-friendly dish perfect for any holiday table.

Recipe: Chicken and mushroom quesadilla

White Bean and Roasted Eggplant Hummus

Roasting eggplant develops a more pronounced smoky flavor and a soft texture. Pair it with tender cannellini beans for a creamy dip that pairs perfectly with cucumber slices.

Recipe: White Bean and Roasted Eggplant Hummus

Breaded chicken fingers and crudité with blue cheese dipping sauce

This nostalgic dish combines two favorite party appetizers: chicken fingers and dip. The chicken is coated with egg whites and panko breadcrumbs for a crispy crust, and the blue cheese dip uses yogurt instead of mayonnaise.

Recipe: Breaded chicken fingers and crudité with blue cheese dipping sauce

Soft Asian summer rolls with sweet and sour dipping sauce

Summer rolls resemble egg rolls in shape, but are made with softened rice paper and chopped vegetables and herbs. Furthermore, they are not deep-fried, but served fresh as a light summer appetizer, hence the name.

Recipe: Soft Asian summer rolls with sweet and sour dipping sauce

Tamari-Glazed Pecans

Tamari is a darker, thicker version of soy sauce. In this recipe, its flavor is enhanced by cayenne pepper, which coats the pecans.

Recipe: Tamari-Glazed Pecans

Roasted Beetroot and Lentil Dip

This colorful dip is rich in fiber thanks to beets and lentils. Serve with vegetables like endive, cucumber, and baby carrots.

Recipe: Roasted Beetroot and Lentil Dip

Filo pastry rolls with minced meat

This lighter version of sausage balls is made with light puff pastry instead of greasy scones. It has the same delicious flavor, but only 220 calories per serving.

Recipe: Filo pastry rolls with minced meat

Yogurt sauce with dill and cucumber

Using yogurt instead of sour cream or cream cheese for the sauce will give you the same creamy texture but with less fat and calories.

Recipe: Yogurt sauce with dill and cucumber

Grilled shrimp with tzatziki sauce and capers

Claire uses an interesting technique: she butterflys the edges of the shrimp so she can place them vertically on the plate, just like in a restaurant.

Recipe: Grilled shrimp with tzatziki sauce and capers

Quiche in tartlets

This individual cheese quiche is a great way to start your meal off right.

Recipe: Quiche in tartlets

Low calorie guacamole

This low-calorie guacamole is made with avocado, green peas, and Greek yogurt.

Recipe: Low calorie guacamole

Crispy crab cakes

For these patties, Ellie Krieger uses high-quality crab meat instead of crab sticks. A panko crust helps retain the juiciness and ensures a crispy crust.

Recipe: Crispy crab cakes

Guacamole with pears and pistachios

Pear chunks and roasted pistachios add an unexpected crunch to the famously smooth sauce.

Recipe: Guacamole with pears and pistachios

Oven-baked kale chips

For a healthy snack, try baked kale leaves or kale chips. A pinch of brown sugar adds a subtle sweetness to this antioxidant-rich vegetable.

Recipe: Oven-baked kale chips

Shrimp popcorn with lime-chili dipping sauce

Ellie's lighter version of breaded shrimp has a delicious crust without the extra calories, thanks to flour seasoned with ancho chili powder, egg whites, and cornmeal. First, coat a baking sheet with canola oil and preheat it in the oven; once you place the shrimp on it, they'll immediately begin to crust.

Recipe: Shrimp popcorn with lime-chili dipping sauce

Spicy Succotash Dip

Succotash salad gets a new twist with this light and airy dip of puréed lima beans and roasted bell peppers topped with fresh corn and tomatoes. No matter the season, the flavors of this delicacy will remind you of summer.

Recipe: Spicy Succotash Dip

Onion rings in the oven

Instead of deep-frying, use a baking sheet to make a healthier version of onion rings. Top the crispy snack with a coating of baked potato chips and low-fat buttermilk.

Recipe: Onion rings in the oven

White Bean and Kale Dip

This rich vegan dip is packed with healthy ingredients. It even contains nutritional yeast, a great alternative to cheese that allows you to reduce or eliminate dairy.

Recipe: White Bean and Kale Dip

Quesadilla with bacon, cheese, and jalapeño peppers

The chefs have created a healthier version of the classic cheese quesadilla without sacrificing its chewy, satisfying texture. Turkey bacon and low-fat cheese make this appetizer delicious and low-calorie.

Recipe: Quesadilla with bacon, cheese, and jalapeño peppers

Light Guacamole Sauce

This lighter version of guacamole has a creamy texture thanks to silken tofu, which is rich in protein. The puree is smooth and contains less fat and calories.

Recipe: Light Guacamole Sauce

Dolma (stuffed grape leaves)

A traditional Greek appetizer of stuffed grape leaves is a great way to start a meal. This recipe makes 30: before the party, ask a friend to help you wrap the tender grape leaves with the herb-and-rice filling.

Recipe: Dolma (stuffed grape leaves)

Carrot Dip with Jerk Seasoning

Serve this carrot dip with coconut milk and jerk spices with a warm flatbread and a tropical drink for a sunny island experience.

Recipe: Carrot Dip with Jerk Seasoning