18 4th Of July Appetizers That Take Advantage Of All The Summer Fruits & Veggies

This corn salsa with bacon recipe from A Spicy Perspective tastes extra good and crunchy when you use a fresh ear of corn (just use a knife to cut the kernels off). The bacon adds a nice savory taste, and the cilantro and lime juice keep this bright and refreshing.

This mango chickpea salad from Averie Cooks is a wonderful vegan appetizer option, and those can be really hard to come by! The sweet mango and crunchy corn (use fresh for the best flavor) go really well together, and the chickpeas make this filling.

Switch up your salsa by using sweet strawberries instead of tomatoes. This recipe for grilled toast with strawberry balsamic mint salsa from Averie Cooks is a sweet appetizer option that will almost seem like dessert. Mint keeps this incredibly refreshing, and it's super easy to put together.

These jalapeño margarita watermelon slices from Climbing Grier Mountain are the perfect mix of savory and sweet. They also double as a kind-of cocktail — the watermelon slices soak in tequila before being served, the jalapeños offer a spicy kick, while the lime salt they're dipped in complete the dish.

This tomato tart recipe from Cooking For Keeps is one of the absolute best ways to utilize the fresh tomatoes that are beginning to pop up in the beginning of July. Thick juicy slices of tomato sit on top of a savory goat cheese and basil mix, and the pie crust brings it all together.

Why make a regular old cheeseboard when you could make the best summer version of that? The Caprese salad platter from Foodie Crush is gorgeous and delicious, and it features some of summer's best produce: berries, peaches, tomatoes, and arugula. Add in fresh mozzarella, some strategically placed burrata, and some cured meats, and you've got the perfect appetizer.

Listen, there's nothing wrong with regular old potato salad. But this Italian potato salad from Gimme Some Oven just might be a step up. Mixing artichokes, tomatoes, potatoes, mozzarella, arugula, fresh basil, and salami (you can leave this out if you want to make it vegetarian), it's full of flavor and a wonderful starter.

Gazpacho is a chilled soup that is typically very light and refreshing, so it makes an ideal appetizer, especially when you're outside. This watermelon gazpacho from Gimme Some Oven is packed with unexpected flavors: mint, cumin, red onion, and juicy tomatoes.

Creamy goat cheese and fresh strawberries are a match made in heaven in this goat cheese crostini recipe from Half-Baked Harvest. The goat cheese is first marinated in fresh herbs and olive oil to give it extra flavor. Choose a good, crusty bread for the toasts, then be sure to drizzle honey over the finished product.

These gorgeous peach thyme tarts from Half-Baked Harvest sort of look like the fancy, grown-up version of Toaster Strudels, you know? With perfectly ripe peaches and fig preserves, these are sweet, but they have a lot of flavor packed in.

This melon caprese salad from Half-Baked Harvest is a nice alternative to your traditional tomato and mozzarella caprese salad. Melon and prosciutto are a classic combination, and mixed with creamy burrata and an herb vinaigrette dressing, they become even better.

Fruit salad definitely doesn't have to be for dessert only. It's a refreshing and sweet appetizer option that is especially great for a lighter meal. This festive fruit salad from Love and Lemons is made with a tangy lemon ginger dressing for lots of flavor.

Want to keep your appetizer on the healthier side? This blueberry corn basil quinoa salad from Making Thyme For Health is packed with superfoods and still delicious. The fresh blueberries go surprisingly well with the corn, and everything comes together for the ideal summer dish.

These watermelon basil halloumi bites from Making Thyme for Health are such a great appetizer to pass around if you're having a few people over. Halloumi is a cheese that you can grill and it's a lovely vegetarian option for a dish. These require very little effort, but look beautiful.

Fresh seafood is always a good idea for an outdoor summer party, and shrimp tastes best when it's grilled on the barbecue. These spicy garlic shrimp skewers from Simply Delicious Food are packed with flavor and are so easy to make.

Make fresh berries the star of the show with this berry caprese salad from Two Peas and Their Pod. As a bonus, it's perfectly patriotic thanks to the red, white, and blue. A mix of blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries is so good, and fresh mint and mozzarella make it more savory.

July is a great time for crisp cucumbers and wonderfully ripe avocados. This cucumber avocado salad from Two Peas and Their Pod features salty peanuts and a Thai red chili pepper for a touch of Asian-inspired flavor.

You really can't go wrong with grilled chicken kabobs, like this recipe from Well Plated. The chicken is marinated in herbs for a fresh taste, and the addition of crunchy veggies means that this one will be gone in no time.