Home

Recipes

Canapés and cocktails

Canapés and cocktails

Our nifty nibbles and classy cocktails will get any party started in no time. Whether you’re handing out pigs in blankets, a crab toastie or some retro devilled eggs, or a (miso twist), everyone will feel thoroughly indulged by our best party food ideas.

It’s not all about savoury – try a sweet bite like orange curd mini tarts. And take your pick of the drinks – how about a spicy martini or espresso martini for a crowd or your Galentine’s bash? Our jalapeño mezcal marg will add some spice to your life, as will our spicy martini.

Discover more canapé recipes for any occasion.

Showing 1-16 of 89 recipes

Save recipe

Dinner party starter recipes

Paul Ainsworth’s The Mariners taramasalata on toast

Taramasalata on toast makes a winning dinner party starter or snack. “There’s no comparison to the homemade stuff," says chef Paul Ainsworth.

Dairy-free

Medium

Save recipe

Trout recipes

Smoked trout with potato rösti and beetroot cream

Crunchy-yet-soft rösti are great for parties.. Top with smoked trout and crème fraîche swirled with beetroot, for a Scandi-style canapé.

Gluten-free Make-ahead

Easy

Save recipe

Halloween drinks

Corpse Reviver No.2 cocktail

This corpse reviver cocktail is a hangover cure from pre-Prohibition times. Try it as a Halloween cocktail or pleasing aperitif before dinner.

Dairy-free Gluten-free

Easy

Save recipe

Cocktail recipes

Bicicletta cocktail

Perfect for aperitivo hour in the garden, a bicicletta cocktail is easy to make. The bitter bite from the Campari is delightfully refreshing.

Easy

Save recipe

Meatball recipes

Mondeghili (fried breaded beef and pork meatballs)

These crunchy meatballs – a Milanese mainstay – may have begun as a way to use up leftover meat, but they’re now a popular aperitivo snack.

Easy

Save recipe

Christmas cocktail recipes

Santa’s spritz punch

Cranberry spritz makes for a crowdpleasing Christmas punch. The ice ring is studded with garnishes, which gently release into the punch.

Dairy-free Gluten-free

Easy

Save recipe

Budget Christmas party food recipes

Gochujang devilled eggs

Is it really a party without devilled eggs? This timeless canapé gets an on-trend glow-up by way of the savoury warmth of Korean gochujang.

Dairy-free Gluten-free Vegetarian

Easy

Save recipe

Nut recipes

Chilli, honey and soy roast nuts and seeds

These easy salty, sweet and spicy roast nuts and seeds from River Cottage's Gelf Alderson are everything you could want in a snack.

Dairy-free Vegetarian

Easy

Save recipe

Trout recipes

Trout cocktail boats

Impress your guests with these retro trout cocktail boats. The lettuce boats are loaded with homemade triple-citrus cured trout.

Dairy-free

Medium

Save recipe

Blue cheese recipes

Blue cheese gougères

Bake a batch of these blue cheese gougères and watch them get hoovered up in seconds. Pillowy, cheesy, crisp and creamy all at the same time.

Easy

Save recipe

Spicy recipes

Jalapeño mezcal margarita

Are you partial to a margarita? This is the best version of the cocktail we’ve come across. Wait until you try it!

Dairy-free Gluten-free Vegan

Easy

Save recipe

Canapés and cocktails

Gochujang bloody mary with a soy-pickled quail egg

This fun Bloody Mary cocktail recipe swaps Worcestershire sauce and tabasco for gochujang, a fermented Korean chilli paste.

Dairy-free Vegetarian

Easy

Save recipe

Canapés and cocktails

Spicy martini

Fans of the dirty martini, listen up! Swap the olive for a pickled green chilli to make a spicy martini. It's the perfect summer sundowner.

Dairy-free Gluten-free Vegan

Easy

Save recipe

Cocktail recipes

New old fashioned

The new old fashioned is the whisky cocktail for people who don't like whisky! Light and refreshing, this cocktail recipe shows how with just a few ingredients you can make whisky into a summery drink.

Dairy-free Gluten-free Vegetarian