17 Easy Kentucky Derby Appetizers
Kentucky Derby appetizers can be both easy and elegant, the perfect recipes to share with friends when they're all dressed up in Derby hats and dresses! Fresh southern favorites with peaches, pimento cheese, buttermilk biscuits, and more.
You certainly don't need to live in Kentucky to have fun hosting a Kentucky Derby party for your friends.
If you want a little taste of the South, what better reason to cook up delicious Southern recipes for appetizers featuring fresh peaches, buttermilk biscuits, savory meats and cheeses, to go with those fun mint julep cocktails?
This fantastic list of elegant but totally easy Kentucky Derby appetizers is filled with my favorites from living down south for over a decade. I hope they help you host a party your friends will remember for a long time.
Kentucky Derby Party Tips
Gathering your friends to watch the races is such a fun excuse to throw a special event. Start with my easy Kentucky Derby party ideas and learn how to set up a make-your-own mint julep bar!
Then once you've planed your party menu, be sure to pick one of these easy Kentucky Derby desserts for your buffet table.
The Derby is all about elegance with those fancy Derby hats and stylish dresses. Be sure your home is ready by filling it with fresh flowers. On a budget? Check out how I stock my vases for less than $20 at Trader Joe's.
17 Elegant but Easy Kentucky Derby Appetizers
Don your Derby Hat, pour a mint julep, and be the hostess with the mostess by passing these classic Southern party appetizers for your Derby party.
My Kentucky Derby party menu includes fresh southern peaches, classic flavors like pimento cheese and souther buttermilk biscuits.
Roast Beef Crostini
4 ingredients and oh so easy to assemble, these delicious roast beef crostini are the perfect elegant nibble for a Derby party.
Crispy crostini toasts are topped with horseradish cream sauce, slices of roast beef, and a sprinkle of fresh cherry tomatoes.
Pimento Cheese Spread
A classic Southern staple, creamy homemade pimento cheese spread is perfect spread on a buttery cracker or a crispy crostini.
You could even make simple finger sandwiches with mini biscuits served hot or cold.
The Easiest Cheddar Snack Board
Place a cup of that homemade pimento cheese spread as a centerpieces for this easy cheddar snack board with in-season berries and savory meats and veggies.
Crab Cakes with Spicy Remoulade Sauce
If you want to pass a hot appetizer at your Kentucky Derby party, pick up a box of frozen crab cakes and bake them in your oven or air fryer.
Make a batch of my easy spicy remoulade sauce for the crab cakes, it tastes SO much better than the bottled kind from the store and takes just a minute to stir together.
Seasoned Boiled Shrimp
Don't want to mess with crab cakes? My seasoned boiled shrimp cooks in just 3 minutes and can be done ahead and chilled.
Serve them on a platter with the remoulade sauce or one or two of these easy sauces for dipping shrimp.
Classic Deviled Eggs
In the south it just isn't a party unless there's a platter of homemade deviled eggs. If you're not a fan of mayonnaise, no problem! My recipe has a delicious tweak.
Peach Blueberry Salsa Bites
Fresh peaches are a true southern classic.
This fresh peach blueberry salsa tastes amazing when paired with the crostini and a spread of goat cheese. They're the perfect cocktail appetizer to go with a mint julep.
Sausage Crescent Roll Swirls
For a buttery, savory warm appetizer, you can prep ahead these easy sausage crescent roll swirls and even freeze them!
Just slice and bake before serving and pile them up on your party platter.
Cold Spinach Dip
Cold spinach dip can be made the day before and will taste even better as the flavors mingle in the fridge.
Hollow out a large loaf of fresh bread and serve the dip right inside the well, cube the rest of the bread and pile it up on the platter for dunking in the spinach dip. It also tastes great with bagel chips or tortilla chips.
Easy Cheesy Crab Melts
You can prep the cheesy crab melt topping in the morning and just spread it on the ciabatta breads and bake before serving.
For a hearty appetizer, serve the breads whole but if you want to stretch the dish farther you can cut each toast into bite-sized fourths for a smaller nibble.
Homemade Cornbread Crouton Dippers
Surprise your friends with a new take on classic southern buttermilk cornbread and make a batch of these warm seasoned cornbread croutons.
Serve them on a platter with a cup of homemade buttermilk herb dressing for dipping.
Buttermilk Drop Biscuits with Cheese
Who wouldn't love a warm, fresh buttermilk drop biscuit for an easy appetizer?
You can split these in half to make mini pimento cheese sandwiches using the spread recipe from above or serve them with a dish of hot honey butter for a special treat.
Buttermilk Drop Biscuits with Cheese
This elegant peach pizza has savory pancetta and fresh basil on my homemade pizza dough crust.
Most of the elements can be prepped ahead for easy assembly just before baking. Cut the pizza into smaller squares to turn it into a surprisingly fun Kentucky Derby appetizer.
Glazed Peppered Pecans
Dig out the good china or fill elegant silver nibble bowls with homemade glazed pecans for an easy cocktail nibble.
Sweet and Spicy Peach Salsa
If the weather is going to be warm, try serving my sweet and spicy peach salsa fresh and cold from the fridge with a big pile of salty tortilla chips. I dare you to eat just one bite!
BBQ Chicken Sliders
You could make these BBQ chicken sliders with my pulled chicken or this easy pulled pork recipe when you want an appetizer that is a little more filling to stand up to all your cocktails.
You could also pick any one of these easy 10 chicken slider recipes if you're looking for something different.
Sweet Potato Fries & BBQ Sauce
Bake a big batch of frozen sweet potato french fries in your oven or air fryer.
Sprinkle a dash of seasoned salt over the top and then serve them with a warm cup of this homemade BBQ sauce or this white Alabama bbq sauce for dipping.
Delicious Finger Sandwich Recipes
This is an amazing list of 30 easy finger sandwiches you could prep ahead and serve for an elegant party just like the Kentucky Derby.
FAQ
Several of the appetizer recipes listed above can be made in advance or prepped ahead for easy finishing just before serving. Always store fresh fruit and vegetables, creamy dips and salsas, and meat and cheese items separately from bread or crackers to protect the final texture.
The amount of food you prepare for your party depends on the size of your crowd. Plan for 2 - 3 small bite servings per recipe per person with a minimum of 2 appetizers so your guests have options. It's always smart to offer one vegetarian option in the mix.
Now is the time to dig out your very best dinnerware and serve your appetizers on fancy china or polished silver platters. If you can find food-safe edible roses, that would make the perfect garnish for the party theme. Party napkins or plates with a horseshoe theme would also be a fun way to serve the food.
