21 BEST Texas Appetizers—In The South Or Anywhere Else!

Enjoying these 21 best Texas appetizers can give you a taste of the good life in Texas.

These can make any Texan feel right at home and will have others dreaming of a Texas trip in the future.

These foods live at the flavor intersection of Southern/Southwest cuisine with Tex-Mex and a nice touch that can only be found in the Lone Star State.

Everything is bigger in Texas, which means you will want to also increase the batch sizes you prepare since everyone will be going for seconds and thirds.

Those who have lived in Texas or visited often will find familiar recipes like Chicken Fried Bacon and Corn Nuggets.

Despite the reputation of food from Texas, not everything on this list will be deep fried.

You’ll find a great variety of Texas appetizer ideas from all over the state.

For something a little bit lighter, Texas Sushi and Southern Potato Salad will skip out on the fried elements without leaving out the unique taste that draws everyone back toward these special bites.

These appetizers are great when hosting dinner but can also make yummy Texas famous snacks for a football watch party since football rules Texas!

Don’t forget that the Jalapeño Popper was invented in Texas!(probably…)

After creating a few of these appetizers, you can fool some friends into believing you are a born and bred Texan.

Want an appetizer for a Texas BBQ? Let’s get started!

1. Texas Twinkies

Brisket should be its own food group in Texas which means any Texan would love this savory appetizer.

Bacon, jalapenos, and both pepper jack and cream cheese are all complimented with the right level of spices in these “Twinkies.”

No vanilla cake with creme filling here! These are savory and hearty with a spicy kick!

2. Texas Chili Powder Cheese Ball

Texans are not immune to the power cheese has over many people.

This cheese ball has a dash of chili powder, giving some kick to each bite, while the room-temperature cream cheese eases the zing from the spice.

If chili powder is still too spicy, paprika is a great alternative that will be much easier on you.

3. Stuffed Jalapeño Poppers

The famous Texas appetizer comes to the home chef!

Try this cheesy, smoky wonder packed with flavor and a nice little kick!

Reminiscent of a stuffed relleño, these little poppers make a perfect warm snack or finger food for your next game day.

4. Loaded Texas Trash Dip

If you are unfamiliar with this dip, don’t let the word trash in the title turn you off.

This dip is full of cream cheese, sour cream, beans, and cheese with some taco seasoning added in for extra flavor.

Tortilla chips are exactly what you need to scoop out this deliciousness from the bowl into your mouth.

5. Texas Chili Loaded Potato Skins

Potato skins are popular everywhere but with Texas-style chili, they have the right mixture of spices added in but skip out on beans.

Just as you would top off a baked potato with cheese and sour cream, those make a great choice of toppings for your potato skins, too.

6. Texas Toothpicks

Sweet and spicy come together in this appetizer as great as the Lone Star state!

Rather than having just onion rings, add some kick with fried jalapenos and some arbol crema for a creamy way to settle some of the heat that can accompany the jalapenos.

Having your jalapenos and sweet onions cut into quarter-inch sticks, you have the perfect size for your pre-dinner snack.

7. Texas Sushi

Texas is not known for its fish, but its sushi is still top-tier.

Rather than the vegetarian pinwheels shown previously, these feature crispy bacon with tangy Chipotle Tabasco sauce added in.

There is also a nice bit of freshness in each bite thanks to the crisp green onions.

8. Poblano Artichoke Dip

With some Tex-Mex flavors added in, artichoke dip reaches a new level with the spices and richness that make a special appearance.

This can be created ahead of time and saved in the fridge, ready to be heated up when it is time to enjoy.

Pork rinds, veggies, or crackers would be great to dip into this but if those were to run out, you may be tempted to eat it straight.

9. Jalapeno Cheese Fudge

Sometimes referred to as “Texas Fudge”, this actually has no chocolate mixed in.

This is instead made of cheese, pickled jalapenos, pimentos, and garlic, all baked with beaten eggs poured on top.

If you tend to stray away from spicy foods, the good news is that since this recipe calls for canned pickled jalapenos, you can avoid some of the extra heat that might come from fresh jalapenos.

Positively Perfect Game Day Appetizers 🏈🏈🏈

10. Texas Egg Rolls

The melding together of Asian culture with Texas cuisine comes together beautifully in this appetizer.

The egg rolls are fried to a beautiful golden color while the insides feature a creamy yet slightly spicy mixture.

These are simpler to make than you may think at first thought since it only features five ingredients and takes little time to prepare.

11. Texas Caviar

It is hard to decide if this is a salad or a dip, but why can’t it qualify as both?

Beans and fresh veggies fill up this caviar dish with a simple yet powerful dressing poured over it all.

If this is made ahead of time, it gives the dish more time to soak up the dressing and can help you dedicate some time to cooking up your main dish.

12. Texas Cheese Fries

Many of these famous Texas appetizers show a pattern in ingredients and this one is no exception.

Potatoes, cheese, bacon, and jalapenos are a match made in food heaven so any chance you get to put them together should be taken!

With this dish especially, the more the merrier, so feel free to be generous with the toppings you add on.

Check out these 30 BEST Jalapeño Appetizers!

13. Bacon Wrapped Armadillo Eggs

No Texas barbecue is complete without some armadillo eggs served as an appetizer!

Armadillo eggs are jalapenos stuffed with a cream cheese mixture and wrapped in pork sausage.

Of course, bacon makes everything together so wrap your eggs up with a couple of strips before placing them in your smoker.

NEW: Pit Boss Recipes that will blow your mind!

14. Texas Roadhouse Fried Pickles

This one is really one of the best appetizers at Texas Roadhouse restaurant.

If you are already a fan, you will be excited to know that you can have one of their favorite Texas themed appetizers in the comfort of your own home.

These yummy pickle slices are spiced, breaded, and fried into bite-sized pieces for a melt-in-your-mouth taste that holds a strong dill-pickle kick.

Kickle? There, I said it.

Even more copycat Texas Roadhouse Recipes:

• Green Beans
• Chili
• Steak Seasoning
• Seasoned Rice

15. Super Moist Cheesy Cornbread

This cornbread requires little work for a high reward.

It is simple and easy with no crazy ingredients but will give you a moist, cheesy, fluffy, and faintly spicy Southern-style cornbread.

Often cornbread is a side to a bowl of chili, but this version tastes so good, you will want a couple of pieces before dinner even starts.

16. Chicken Fried Bacon

This is an appetizer worthy of a spot at the Texas State Fair.

This is just like a chicken fried chicken or chicken fried steak but instead features bacon.

A thick cut of bacon is just what you need for this paired with some creamy gravy made from a roux.

17. Texas BBQ Brisket Meatballs

The Lone Star State takes a lot of pride in its barbecue which means that you can guarantee these brisket meatballs will be amazing.

These meatballs are simmered in a barbecue sauce which will lead to the brisket absorbing a lot of the flavor.

Starting off your dinner with these meatballs will leave you and your dinner guests excited for the next part of the meal that is to come!

18. Corn Nuggets

These go by many names but whatever you may refer to these by, you cannot deny that they are absolutely delicious.

They are creamy on the inside yet crispy on the outside with extra texture added in from the corn.

Like many other appetizers on this dish, they are deep fried so they should have the excess grease drained before diving in.

19. Tex Mex Queso

Queso should be more than just heated-up Velveeta cheese and this recipe features much more than that.

Cheese from the deli counter is best for this recipe with half and half which adds in creaminess.

It wouldn’t be a Texas recipe without jalapenos and pico de gallo added in, although the pico is optional.

This can also be made in a slow cooker if you would like to leave it to cook while you work on other parts of your meal.

>> Bacon-Wrapped Everything, my friend.

20. Texas Roadhouse Rolls & Cinnamon Butter

So what are Texas Roadhouse appetizers? Amazing! And here’s one of our favorites!

Bread is always an amazing start to your meal.

Although rolls sound like a simple Texas appetizers recipe, it is the cinnamon butter that makes these an excellent way to begin dinner.

A stand mixer takes a lot of the work out of getting the rolls prepared while the cinnamon butter just requires all of the ingredients to be creamed together.

21. Texas Southern Potato Salad

A summer day spent grilling is made better with a delicious appetizer like this potato salad to start off with.

Whether preparing it for a large crowd or for just your immediate family, this is going to be a hit and can feed everyone.

This features common potato salad ingredients like potatoes and boiled eggs but the secret to the tasty end result is the mustard, dill pickles, pickle juice, and a dash of paprika.

The bottom line

The State Fair of Texas is probably best known for its foods, which means this list of Texas appetizers will be full of amazing foods that will be the perfect way to start off a Southern-style dinner.

Or to add to your next authentic Southern brunch, potluck, or BBQ. 

Enjoy, y’all!