Starters & appetizers
Mini spinach and feta quiches with puff pastry
Bake 12 mini spinach and feta quiches with golden puff pastry and a creamy egg filling. Eight clear steps for a practical muffin-tin starter.
Recipes in this category
Starters & appetizers
Explore 20 published recipes in the Starters & appetizers collection at Manual de Cocina. This page brings together different preparations so you can compare ingredients, serving sizes and estimated times before choosing what to cook. Open a recipe to see the full list of ingredients and follow the preparation in order, from the first task through to serving. Some dishes need oven time, stovetop cooking, chilling or resting, so read the whole method before you start and prepare the equipment you will need. If you plan to change the number of servings, check the measurements carefully and review any storage advice. Photographs are provided as a visual reference where available, although results can vary with ingredients and kitchen equipment. Browse the collection to find an idea that suits the time and food you have.
Explore 20 Starters & appetizers recipes
Starters & appetizers
Crispy air fryer olives with paprika and oregano
Make crisp breaded green olives in the air fryer with paprika, oregano and a measured coat of oil. Includes timing, coating tips and batch guidance.
Starters & appetizers
Air fryer roasted chestnuts: how to score and peel them
Roast fresh chestnuts in the air fryer with a short soak and a damp-cloth rest. An autumn snack with a tender centre, ready to peel while warm.
Starters & appetizers
Air fryer patatas bravas with homemade paprika sauce
Golden air fryer potatoes with a smooth, tomato-free paprika sauce. A Spanish sharing tapa with batch-cooking guidance and adjustable heat.
Starters & appetizers
Spicy Korean tteokbokki with gochujang sauce
Soft, chewy Korean rice cakes simmered in a sweet-spicy gochujang sauce. A simple home version with water, spring onion and sesame, ready in about 35 minutes.
Starters & appetizers
Crispy baked cauliflower with hot honey
Cauliflower bites in a thin batter and panko coating, baked until golden. Add the chilli and lemon honey at the end to help preserve the crisp surface.
Starters & appetizers
Pesto and cheese puff pastry Christmas tree
Two sheets of puff pastry enclose basil pesto, mozzarella and Parmesan. Twist the side strips into branches for a warm Christmas centrepiece to share.
Starters & appetizers
Goat cheese stuffed dates wrapped in bacon
Large Medjool dates are filled with soft goat cheese and wrapped in thin bacon. Roast until golden, then finish with a restrained drizzle of chilli honey.
Starters & appetizers
Cranberry and brie puff pastry bites
Twelve little pastry cups hold melted brie, thick cranberry sauce and walnuts. Bake them in a standard muffin tin for an easy sweet and savoury party appetiser.
Starters & appetizers
Colombian patacones with hogao
Twice-fried green plantain rounds with a warm Colombian tomato and scallion sauce. Crisp patacones to share.
Starters & appetizers
Classic Cheese Soufflé in Individual Ramekins
Tall, golden cheese soufflé made with béchamel, Gruyère, Parmesan and whipped egg whites. Baked in 4 ramekins and on the table in about 45 minutes.
Starters & appetizers
Homemade cabbage and bacon okonomiyaki
Two cabbage, egg and bacon pancakes with measured sauce and mayonnaise: a home adaptation cooked in batches with a center-temperature check.
Starters & appetizers
How to make fresh white cheese at home
Pasteurized milk, vinegar and salt: fresh white cheese with draining, chilling and weighed portions.
Starters & appetizers
Homemade hummus with tahini and lemon
Canned chickpeas, tahini and lemon with measured water and oil: six servings and clear blending stages.
Starters & appetizers
Colombian Papa Rellena
Colombian papa rellena: balls of shredded beef, potato, rice and peas, dipped in a flour batter and fried until golden. Serves 6.
Starters & appetizers
Colombian Aborrajados
Colombian aborrajados: fried ripe plantain stuffed with cheese and guava paste, battered and fried golden. Serves 4 (8 aborrajados), in 60 minutes.
Starters & appetizers
Colombian Empanadas
Colombian empanadas with yellow corn dough, filled with potato and beef stewed in hogao, fried until crisp. Makes 20.
Starters & appetizers
Crispy vegetable lumpia with homemade dipping sauce
Crispy vegetable lumpia with a soy, honey and ginger flavour. Twelve rolls for four servings, with clear wrapping and frying instructions.
Starters & appetizers
Easy avocado toast with hard-boiled eggs
Crisp avocado toast with hard-boiled eggs, radishes and chives. Ready in 25 minutes, with amounts for two people and simple assembly tips.
Starters & appetizers
Baked Stuffed Eggplant Boats
Oven-baked eggplant boats filled with ground meat, tomato sauce and vegetables, then topped with cheese and baked until golden.