Street vendors sell plenty of foods on sticks. Just think about corn dogs, Mexican street corn, chicken on a stick, and literally any kabob imaginable. It doesn’t seem to matter how old we get; we enjoy eating food from sticks. There are also other advantages to stick-based appetizers. For one thing, they’re usually less messy. They also often eliminate the need for plates, forks, and other utensils. Whether you’re making appetizers on a stick for fun, convenience, or ease of clean-up, these 20 stick appetizers have you covered.
1. Antipasto Skewers
Antipasto skewers are common appetizers in Italy. If you’ve never had one, the easiest way to describe them is to say they’re like kabobs; only the food isn’t usually cooked (unless there’s a pasta noodle included). You can make antipasto skewers using various ingredients, but these call for cooked tortellini, olives, Havarti and mozzarella cheeses, salami, and grape tomatoes. The tortellini and mozzarella balls are marinated in Italian dressing for several hours before assembling the skewers. You can also marinate the other ingredients if you like.
2. Cuban Sandwich on a Stick
You can assemble dozens of these four-ingredient appetizers in a matter of moments. All you’ll need are ham slices, cubed Swiss cheese, mini-dill pickles, and whole-grain mustard. Simply spread the mustard over the ham and fold it up. Stick a cheese cube on a toothpick, followed by the folded ham and the pickle. These savory, sour snacks are surprisingly addictive. Be sure your cheese goes on first and that you slide it down to the bottom. It’ll act as a sturdy base that’ll allow the “sandwiches” to stand on your tray without toppling over.
3. Greek Appetizers on a Stick
Most people appreciate Greek food because of how fresh and earthy it is. These stick appetizers are no exception. You’ll use raw ingredients – grape tomatoes, fresh oregano leaves, chunks of cucumber, and feta cheese cubes – to assemble these kabob-like skewers. Once assembled, you’ll drizzle them in a mixture of olive oil, lemon juice, and dried oregano. You’ll love the drizzle’s tanginess and the cool, refreshing freshness of the herbs and veggies.
4. Mini-Cheese Balls on a Stick
Why make one large cheese ball that everyone has to share when you can make dozens of tiny, single-serve ones that already have a salty pretzel in their centers? For this particular recipe, you’ll need cream cheese, bleu cheese (or smoked cheddar), dried cranberries, chopped pecans, and pretzels for sticks. They are a slightly tart, supremely cheesy delight, and just about everyone I know loves them. However, another great thing about mini cheese balls is that you can make three or four different types to suit all your guests’ tastes (and dietary needs).
5. Pizza on a Stick
When pizza’s on a bagel, you can eat pizza anytime! When pizza’s on a stick, you can eat it anytime and anywhere because it’s much less messy than traditional pizza. These curly, cheesy, garlicky pizza sticks are a huge hit with just about everyone, and you can make them hassle-free in less than 30 minutes. Serve them with marinara or pizza sauce for dipping.
6. Pasta Salad on a Stick
The thought of pasta salad on a stick seems weird, but it makes more sense if you think of them more like antipasto skewers. And to be fair, that’s basically what they are. The ingredients are a bit different – you’ll use pepperoni instead of salami, for instance, and there’s no Havarti cheese – but you’ll still use tortellini, olives, tomatoes, and Italian dressing. You’ll also add some bell pepper slices.
7. Caramel Apple Skewers
As you’ve probably noticed – or soon will – there’s a serious lack of sweet appetizers on sticks. That’s why I decided to add these phenomenal caramel apple skewers. You may argue they’re more like dessert, but I think they’re the perfect fall appetizers, especially if you’re at a Halloween party. The apples are crunchy and tartly sweet, and the “caramel” sauce, which is actually maple syrup, drippy almond butter, vanilla extract, water, and salt, is unimaginably delicious. Top them with walnut, almond, and pecan pieces and some mini dark chocolate chips for a decadent, delectable snack that you won’t want to stop eating.
8. Chef Salad on a Stick
These are so leafy and green that you might actually mistake them for a salad at first glance. Once you start examining them, though, you’ll see they’re assembled on kabob skewers. Even so, they contain everything you’d expect to find in a chef salad – lettuce (or spinach), cucumbers, tomatoes, cheese, and your favorite deli meats. You can drizzle them in dressing if you like, but they’re much neater and easier to eat if you serve the dressing as a dipping sauce on the side.
9. Mini-Caprese Skewers
Ripe cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella balls, and basil leaves drizzled with an olive oil/balsamic vinegar/salt and pepper sauce: What’s not to love?! These mini-Caprese skewers are garden-fresh, cheesy, and perfectly scrumptious.
10. Fish and Chips on a Stick
Crunchy, convenient, and packed with umami flavor, this hash brown-covered cod is one of my favorite ways to eat fish. It’s not precisely fish and chips in the traditional sense of the words, but the hash browns are an excellent substitute for the fries. Furthermore, since they take less than 30 minutes to make and are much easier to eat while on the go, it’s hard for anyone not to love them.
11. Pesto Tortellini Skewers
Speaking of “on-the-go,” these pesto tortellini skewers are the simplest way to eat pasta that I’ve ever seen. With fresh pesto-marinated tortellini, mozzarella balls, pepperoni, and grape tomatoes, they have everything they need to cram a full Italian meal in one finger-length treat.
12. Grilled Cheese Sandwich on a Stick
When it comes to the classic grilled cheese sandwich, I’m a traditionalist. However, these grilled cheeses on sticks aren’t bad. Each skewer has a triple layer of bite-sized, Italian-seasoned grilled cheese sandwich bites, a few spinach leaves, and a cherry tomato on top. If you enjoy the combination of butter, cheese, and garden-fresh veggies, you’ll love this flavorful appetizer.
13. Fruit and Cheese Kabobs With Croissant Croutons
With berries, cheese, grapes, and bread, these kabobs perfectly balance sweetness and tartness with just a hint of savoriness thrown in for good measure. If you’re looking for a sweet (but not too sweet) option for your appetizer table, these honey-drizzled kabobs are just the thing.
14. Grilled Shrimp Skewers
If you can marinate and grill shrimp and stick them on a stick, you can make these tangy appetizers. Remember to marinate the shrimp in the lemon-garlic sauce for at least 15 minutes before grilling. (Two hours in the marinade is best. Their flavor will be stronger.)
15. Teriyaki Chicken Skewers
These are just as easy to make as the shrimp skewers, and they’re every bit as scrumptious. The chicken is tender and juicy, and the honey-teriyaki glaze adds a delightful sweetness. The sesame seeds are optional, but I always add them because they give the skewers an excellent bit of crunch that makes them even better.
16. Peach Toasted Ravioli Pops
Of all the recipes on this list, this one is probably the most unique. Maybe that’s why so many people seem to love it. Ravioli on a stick – who would have imagined it? It takes 25 minutes to cook a dozen of them, but they’re relatively simple to make. Each ravioli is seasoned and toasted to crispy, golden-brown perfection. Then you’ll add them and some honey-butter-covered peaches to a toothpick along with a dash of sea salt. The result is a crunchy, sweet, and savory delight that – so far – everyone I know has loved.
17. Sesame Seared Ahi Tuna Bites
These pink-centered tuna bites are perfect for anyone who loves a daily dose of umami flavor. Each piece of tuna is marinated, rolled in sesame seeds, and pan-seared. The outside is crunchy and full of flavor, while the inside remains rare and retains much of its tuna taste. It’s a phenomenal combination.
18. Cocktail Beef Kebabs
If you’re looking for authentic street food or at least something that looks and tastes like it, try these cocktail beef kabobs. They’re tender, saucy, and full of earthy, herby, spicy flavor. They taste just like something you’d be able to buy walking down the streets of Mumbai. (If heat isn’t your thing, cut back on the curry powder.)
19. Chorizo, Manchego, and Olive Skewers
These will remind you of the Cuban sandwiches on a stick, but their flavor is more Spanish than Cuban. You’ll use chorizo instead of ham, manzanilla olives instead of a pickle, and Manchego cheese instead of Swiss. You’ll also drizzle the skewers with honey and sprinkle them with slivered almonds. It’s a wonderful combination, and to be so small, they’re also quite filling.
20. Watermelon Basil Feta Salad on a Stick
These fantastic appetizers are another option that requires no cooking, so you can have dozens of them ready in 5 minutes or so. All you’ll need is a watermelon (cut into chunks/cubes), cubed feta cheese, basil leaves, and salt and pepper. Using a toothpick, assemble them with the watermelon on the bottom, followed by the cheese and the basil leaf. Add salt and pepper as you like. It’s a sweet, earthy combination that’s hard to describe, but even harder not to love. Click on a star to rate it!
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