15 cold appetizers to surprise your guests at home

Gazpacho shots

Something as simple as gazpacho can turn into a cold, easy and irresistible appetizer with a little imagination. You just have to prepare a gazpacho (here you have the step-by-step recipe), divide it into shots and accompany it with some mini toasts with a minced onion, pepper and tomato.

Other versions. To give it a more sophisticated touch, you can accompany it with a prawn or a prawn pierced on a skewer stick instead of with the toast. And if you want a sweet version, try making a strawberry gazpacho with parmesan shavings.

Montaditos of cucumber and smoked salmon

Smoked salmon is synonymous with celebration and is a great fit as a cold appetizer. Cut cucumber slices about 1 cm thick. Top with a teaspoon of cheese spread, followed by a piece of smoked salmon. Repeat the assembly of cucumber, cheese and smoked salmon, mount it on top of the first, prick with a toothpick so that it does not disassemble.

Other versions. You can do the same with Iberian ham shavings instead of salmon and Roquefort cheese instead of cream cheese.

Montaditos of salmorejo and anchovy

Cut the bread into thin slices and toast them. Spread them with salmorejo (here is the step-by-step recipe), place a rolled pickled anchovy fillet on top and decorate with some chives cut into small pieces and some lightly crushed pink peppercorns.

How to make pickled anchovies. Take off their head, guts, and spine. Wash them, dry them and put them in a source. Season them, cover them with vinegar and let them rest for 2 hours. Drain them and put them in another source with peeled and sliced garlic, washed and chopped parsley and covered with oil; and let them marinate for 24 hours in the fridge.
Other versions. You can also make it with canned sardines instead of anchovies.

Tartlets with Russian salad

To make this appetizer, you just have to take some tartlets that they already sell pre-cooked in the supermarket and fill them with a good Russian salad (here is the step-by-step recipe) and top them with peeled prawns, mussels, smoked salmon …

Other versions. You can also serve it in shots or small glasses if you don't want to throw away ultra-processed foods or feel like making tartlets.

Tortilla montaditos

Omelettes are a classic of easy cold appetizers. You can use a traditional potato omelette or any filling (zucchini, spinach, artichokes, peppers …). And to make it more festive you can present it like this: in montaditos, with a small tomato on top and aromatic herbs.

Other versions. You can insert the tortilla taquitos or wrap them with pieces or slices of cheese.

Tostaditas with avocado and cod

Toast with avocado and cod

Cut a few slices of whole wheat bread and toast them. Top them with slices of avocado, slices of cod carpaccio or smoked cod, and slices of radish and tomato. Dress with a light vinaigrette and garnish with chives.

Other versions. Instead of smoked cod you can put salmon or Iberian ham.

Montaditos of marinated mackerel

Cut mackerel fillets into strips and marinate for 2 hours with the juice of 1 lemon and its zest, together with 50 ml of oil and salt. Cut slices of bread into strips and toast them, cover them with a minced pepper and tomato, top with the strips of macerated maceration and decorate with sprouts.

Other versions. If you don't have time or you don't feel like marinating the mackerel, you can put canned mackerel, sardines, anchovies, anchovies …

Stuffed eggs

Cook the eggs in boiling salted water for 10 minutes. Remove them and cool them in a bowl with water and ice. Peel the eggs, cut them in half lengthwise and remove the yolks being careful not to break the whites. Smash the yolks with a fork and mix it with drained and flaked tuna and a little mayonnaise. Fill the whites with the mixture and decorate with slices of cherry tomatoes, cucumber, carrot and radishes, and aromatic herb leaves.

Other versions. If you prefer a lighter version, swap the mayonnaise in the filling for homemade tomato sauce. And if you want the classic presentation, decorate with strips of piquillo peppers or anchovies.

Stuffed figs

Wash the figs, remove the tail and cut them in a cross without reaching the base. Carefully open them slightly and fill them with a little cream cheese. Top them with ham rolls and decorate with some rocket leaves. You can accompany them with a vinaigrette made with oil, apple cider vinegar and honey.

Other versions . If you want a sweet version, fill them with whipped cream and top with peeled hazelnuts.

Zucchini rolls with vegetable pate

With the help of a kitchen mandolin, make thin slices of zucchini. Spread them with vegetable patés (hummus, guacamole, olivada …). Roll them up and decorate them with herb leaves or sprouts.

Other versions. If you don't like raw zucchini, you can substitute it for cucumber or cook it by scalding it or grilling it for a couple of minutes.

Mussels with pico de gallo

To make this cold appetizer, you just have to steam some mussels, and fill them with a tomato mince. Cut the tomato into small cubes. Season with salt, freshly ground pepper, and oil. Stir so that all the tomato is thoroughly impregnated and fill the mussels. Before serving, sprinkle with chopped parsley and cilantro.

Other versions. They are also very tasty with a pepper and onion mince in addition to the tomato.

Vegetable patés

Vegetable patés such as hummus or guacamole, like this one, are ideal as a cold appetizer. The trick to surprise your guests is to make them yourself instead of them (here is the recipe for homemade hummus and guacamole). And instead of serving them with some bagged nachos, serve them with crudités, for example, that is, cucumber, pepper, carrot sticks …

Other versions. You can enrich the hummus with toasted sesame seeds, which you can make by heating them with a thread of oil in a non-stick pan. And you can make a tomato-free version of guacamole by mashing avocado and mixing it with cream cheese and diced onion.

Melon flowers with ham

Cut the melon into quarters and remove the seeds and skin. With the help of a sharp knife, a mandolin or a meat slicer, cut thin, even slices that can be bent without breaking. Spread them out on the board, overlapping them two by two. Cover with slices of Iberian ham - if necessary, cut them, and if they are smaller, superimpose them - and roll them into a flower shape. And in the center of each flower you can put a mixture of sour cream (2 tablespoons), cream cheese (4 tablespoons), ham cubes and washed, dried and chopped fresh mint.

Other versions. If you don't want to complicate your life so much, you can cut the melon into cubes or balls (with the help of a ball scoop), roll them up with a strip of Iberian ham and skewer them on skewer sticks.

Tomato and mozzarella skewers

Cut cherry tomatoes in half, place between the two halves a small piece or a ball of fresh mozzarella, skewer on skewer sticks and sprinkle with fresh washed, dried and chopped basil.

Other versions. If you don't have fresh basil on hand, you can make it with dried basil. And if you want to enrich this cold appetizer, wrap each tomato with an anchovy or a pickled anchovy.

Pickles Banderillas

Pickled Banderillas

Banderillas are another of the stars of cold appetizers. Apart from the ones they sell already assembled, you can make them at home by skewering the pickles that you like the most and other ingredients. We have made these with olives, piquillo pepper, pickled anchovies and quail eggs.