Tropical Appetizer Ideas

Fresh fruit is a popular ingredient for tropical appetizers.

Tropical appetizers tend to include seafood, pork and/or fruit as main ingredients. For most people, the exotic fruit is the most expensive ingredient. However, by mixing small bits of imported fruit with other general ingredients, you can create tasty tropical appetizers for a budget-friendly price. Provide both sweet and spicy treats to create a versatile menu that suits many different taste preferences.

Brunch Appetizers

Tropical flavors work as well for brunch-themed appetizers as they do for lunch and dinner. Lemon-almond mini muffins and mini bagels with pineapple cream cheese provide light treats. Mini brown sugar and banana waffle sandwiches with crumbled bacon provide rich and filling appetizers. Jerked chicken finger sandwiches on coconut rolls provide sweet and spicy snacks.

Fresh fruit dishes are easy and refreshing tropical appetizers for any event, especially a brunch where guests almost expect some sort of light fruit selection. Stacked pineapple, and watermelon slices on toothpicks create a unique light taste. Kiwi, coconut and strawberry fruit salad served in a half kiwi skin forms a mini fruit salad treat.

Easy Appetizers

Combine simple recipes and tropical flavors for easy appetizers with an exotic touch.

Celery sticks stuffed with a mixture of pre-cooked shrimp, cream cheese and cilantro provides a light and refreshing appetizer. Honey ham finger sandwiches with brown mustard and thin pineapple slices offer sweet and spicy flavors. Small balls of sticky white rice and shredded coconut create delicate tasting, but filling, appetizers.

Fresh pineapple, papaya and banana spears sprinkled with lemon juice provide an easy, light and tasty tropical appetizer. Mini almond muffins with chopped macadamia nuts are simple and flavorful treats. Large kiwi balls and strawberry slices on toothpicks add a tropical twist to a basic melon ball-style appetizer. Thin slices of star fruit with maraschino cherries in the middle provide a sweet snack with a floral appearance.

Gourmet Appetizers

Go all out with gourmet tropical appetizers if overall cost is of no concern. Coconut fried shrimp with mango salsa and twice-baked sweet potato wedges with chives provide appetizers with a balance of spicy and sweet flavors. Grilled pineapple and peppered chicken skewers with fresh lime provide a slightly sweet and tart appetizer. Pineapple salsa with toasted rice crackers provides a unique and healthy snack. Mini conch and crab fritters with Parmesan dipping sauce are popular treats, but far from healthy.

Mini cabbage rolls with crispy shredded pork, red onions and mango create flavorful chilled appetizers with a tropical theme. Precooked shrimp chilled in a red pepper, lime, chive and cilantro marinade have a refreshing flavor with a spicy edge. Pineapple and mango spears drizzled with raspberry vinaigrette dressing provide a light and healthy snack. Mini key lime pies add a little dessert flavor to the tropical appetizer selection.

Tags: sweet spicy, appetizers with, cream cheese, filling appetizers, finger sandwiches, Fresh fruit, fruit salad