This list includes 44 Appetizers that start with S, from “Saganaki” to “Stuffed peppers”. They are small, savory starters ideal for parties, tapas nights, and casual entertaining. You will find both popular classics and regional specialties from around the world.
Appetizers that start with S are small savory dishes, often served before a meal or as finger foods. Many reflect local ingredients and history, with saganaki as a famous cheese example.
Below you’ll find the table with Appetizer, Primary ingredients, Calories (per serving), and Serving size.
Appetizer: The appetizer name helps you find a recipe or shopping list quickly and recognizes regional name variations.
Primary ingredients: Shows the main two to four ingredients so you can judge flavor, allergens, and shopping needs quickly.
Calories (per serving): Provides approximate calories rounded to the nearest ten, helping you plan portions and match dietary goals.
Serving size: Specifies the typical portion used for calorie estimates, so you know how many pieces or grams one serving equals.
Appetizers that start with S
| Name | Primary ingredients | Approx calories per serving (kcal) | Typical serving size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salsa | tomato, onion, chili, cilantro | 10 kcal | 2 tbsp (30 g) |
| Salsa verde | tomatillo, chili, onion, cilantro | 10 kcal | 2 tbsp (30 g) |
| Samosa | potato, pea, pastry, spices | 250 kcal | 1 medium (100 g) |
| Satay | meat (chicken or beef), peanut sauce, spices | 220 kcal | 2 skewers (100 g) |
| Sashimi | raw fish, soy sauce, wasabi | 120 kcal | 3 pieces (60 g) |
| Scallops | scallop, butter, lemon, herbs | 200 kcal | 3 large scallops (90 g) |
| Scallion pancake | flour, scallion, oil | 200 kcal | 1 pancake (100 g) |
| Scotch egg | egg, sausage, breadcrumb | 240 kcal | 1 half (50 g) |
| Seafood ceviche | raw fish/shrimp, lime, onion, chili | 150 kcal | 1/2 cup (120 ml) |
| Seafood chowder | mixed seafood, cream, potato, onion | 220 kcal | 1 cup (240 ml) |
| Seared tuna | tuna, sesame, soy, lemon | 180 kcal | 3 oz (85 g) |
| Shrimp cocktail | shrimp, cocktail sauce, lemon | 120 kcal | 3 large shrimp with sauce (85 g) |
| Shrimp toast | shrimp, bread, sesame seeds | 120 kcal | 1 piece (40 g) |
| Shrimp fritters | shrimp, flour, egg, herbs | 160 kcal | 1 fritter (60 g) |
| Shumai | pork or shrimp, wonton wrapper, soy | 140 kcal | 2 pieces (60 g) |
| Shishito peppers | shishito peppers, oil, salt | 80 kcal | 6 peppers (75 g) |
| Smoked salmon | salmon, salt, smoke, lemon | 120 kcal | 2 oz (56 g) |
| Smoked oysters | oysters, smoke, oil | 30 kcal | 1 oyster (20 g) |
| Smoked trout dip | smoked trout, cream cheese, lemon | 90 kcal | 2 tbsp (30 g) |
| Smoked mussels | mussels, smoke, oil, herbs | 60 kcal | 2 mussels (50 g) |
| Stuffed mushrooms | mushroom cap, breadcrumbs, cheese, herbs | 160 kcal | 2 mushrooms (80 g) |
| Stuffed grape leaves | grape leaves, rice, herbs, sometimes meat | 160 kcal | 2 pieces (80 g) |
| Stuffed peppers | mini peppers, cheese or meat, herbs | 120 kcal | 2 small peppers (80 g) |
| Saganaki | kasseri or halloumi cheese, olive oil, lemon | 200 kcal | 1 piece (70 g) |
| Sliders | ground beef, bun, cheese, pickles | 250 kcal | 1 slider (80 g) |
| Salted edamame | edamame, salt, water | 120 kcal | 1/2 cup (80 g) |
| Saltfish fritters | salted cod, flour, herbs, baking powder | 100 kcal | 1 fritter (40 g) |
| Salmon tartare | raw salmon, lemon, capers, onion | 130 kcal | 2 oz (60 g) |
| Salmon crostini | salmon, bread, cream cheese, dill | 160 kcal | 1 crostini (30 g) |
| Salmorejo | tomato, bread, olive oil, garlic | 150 kcal | 1/2 cup (120 ml) |
| Stracciatella | egg, chicken broth, parmesan | 90 kcal | 1 cup (240 ml) |
| Sopa de tortilla | tomato, tortilla strips, chili, avocado | 140 kcal | 1 cup (240 ml) |
| Spinach and artichoke dip | spinach, artichoke, cream cheese, parmesan | 120 kcal | 1/4 cup (60 g) |
| Spring roll | rice paper, vegetables, protein (shrimp/pork) | 100 kcal | 1 fresh roll (60 g) |
| Spanakopita | spinach, feta, phyllo pastry, onion | 150 kcal | 1 triangle (60 g) |
| Spam musubi | spam, rice, nori | 250 kcal | 1 piece (100 g) |
| Sausage roll | sausage meat, puff pastry, seasoning | 200 kcal | 1 small roll (80 g) |
| Serrano ham | Serrano ham, bread, olive oil | 60 kcal | 1 slice (15 g) |
| Salt cod croquettes | salted cod, potato, breadcrumbs | 120 kcal | 1 croquette (50 g) |
| Smoked salmon blini | smoked salmon, blini (pancake), sour cream | 120 kcal | 1 blini (30 g) |
| Sopes | masa cake, beans, cheese, meat or veg toppings | 180 kcal | 1 sope (80 g) |
| Samosa chaat | samosa, chickpeas, yogurt, chutney | 220 kcal | 1 small plate (120 g) |
| Seared scallop skewer | scallop, oil, lemon, herbs | 120 kcal | 2 scallops on skewer (60 g) |
| Soy-glazed wings | chicken wings, soy, sugar, garlic | 200 kcal | 2 wings (90 g) |
Descriptions
Salsa
A fresh chunky tomato dip from Latin America served with chips or as a bright starter accompaniment.
Salsa verde
Tangy green Mexican salsa often used as a dip or to top small savory bites.
Samosa
Triangular deep-fried pastry filled with spiced potato and peas, a ubiquitous South Asian finger-food starter.
Satay
Grilled marinated meat on skewers served with a savory peanut dipping sauce; popular Southeast Asian appetizer.
Sashimi
Thinly sliced raw fish served plainly or with soy and wasabi as a delicate Japanese starter.
Scallops
Seared scallops make an elegant small plate or canapé, often finished with butter and citrus.
Scallion pancake
Crispy Chinese flatbread studded with green onions, sliced and served as a shareable savory starter.
Scotch egg
Boiled egg wrapped in seasoned sausage, coated and fried or baked—served in pubs and at buffets as a hearty starter.
Seafood ceviche
Citrus-cured seafood tossed with onion and chili for a bright, refreshing Latin American appetizer.
Seafood chowder
A rich, creamy small-portion soup of seafood and potatoes often served as a warming starter.
Seared tuna
Quickly seared tuna, thinly sliced and dressed with sesame or soy for an elegant starter.
Shrimp cocktail
Chilled cooked shrimp served with tangy cocktail sauce; a classic chilled finger-food starter.
Shrimp toast
Fried bread topped with a seasoned minced shrimp paste and sesame seeds—popular as a party starter.
Shrimp fritters
Battered and fried shrimp patties served hot as a crispy appetizer or tapa.
Shumai
Steamed open-faced dumplings common in dim sum, often served with soy or chili oil.
Shishito peppers
Mild Japanese peppers blistered in oil and sprinkled with salt—served whole as a small bar snack.
Smoked salmon
Cured and smoked salmon served on toast, blinis, or alone as a refined starter.
Smoked oysters
Smoky, briny oysters served chilled or on crostini as a concentrated seafood bite.
Smoked trout dip
A creamy, smoky spread made from flaked trout, ideal with crackers or toasted bread.
Smoked mussels
Smoky shellfish served cold or on crostini for a flavorful small seafood starter.
Stuffed mushrooms
Mushroom caps filled with seasoned crumbs and cheese, baked until golden—classic finger-food appetizer.
Stuffed grape leaves
Also called dolmades; vine leaves wrapped around a rice or meat filling, common in Mediterranean mezze.
Stuffed peppers
Small sweet or hot peppers filled with cheese or spiced meat and baked for colorful, bite-sized starters.
Saganaki
Greek pan-fried cheese served sizzling with lemon—salty and theatrical as a starter.
Sliders
Mini burgers served as hand-held appetizers, great for parties and casual starters.
Salted edamame
Steamed young soybeans lightly salted, a simple Japanese appetizer and bar snack.
Saltfish fritters
Crispy Caribbean fritters made from salted cod and seasonings, served as savory bites.
Salmon tartare
Finely chopped raw salmon seasoned and chilled, often served on toast or crackers as a refined starter.
Salmon crostini
Toasted bread topped with smoked or cured salmon and a creamy spread for a bite-sized canapé.
Salmorejo
Thick chilled Spanish tomato soup served as a cool starter, often garnished with egg and ham.
Stracciatella
Italian egg-drop soup served in small cups as a light, brothy starter with a delicate texture.
Sopa de tortilla
Mexican tortilla soup served in modest portions as a warming starter topped with crispy tortilla and avocado.
Spinach and artichoke dip
Creamy baked dip served hot with bread or chips—a crowd-pleasing party appetizer.
Spring roll
Fresh Vietnamese-style rolls packed with herbs and protein, typically served with peanut or hoisin dipping sauce.
Spanakopita
Greek phyllo parcels filled with spinach and feta; flaky, savory, and commonly served as an appetizer.
Spam musubi
Hawaiian portable snack of grilled Spam on rice wrapped with nori, often enjoyed as a finger-food starter.
Sausage roll
Seasoned sausage encased in flaky pastry, a popular warm party finger food.
Serrano ham
Spanish dry-cured ham sliced thinly and served alone or on toast as an elegant tapa.
Salt cod croquettes
Golden fried morsels of salted cod and potato, served hot as Iberian or Caribbean starters.
Smoked salmon blini
Mini pancakes topped with smoked salmon and cream for a classic canapé.
Sopes
Small thick corn masa discs topped with beans, cheese and savory toppings—served as shareable starters.
Samosa chaat
Street-food style appetizer where samosa pieces are dressed with chickpeas, yogurt and chutneys for tangy, crunchy bites.
Seared scallop skewer
Bite-sized skewers of seared scallops, often passed as elegant hors d’oeuvres.
Soy-glazed wings
Sticky soy-glazed wings served warm as a shareable appetizer at bars and gatherings.