30 Outdoor Bridal Shower Recipes For A Tasty Celebration
Treat the bride to a sunny outdoor shower—and make it delicious.
Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Christine Keely
Southerners love to celebrate. When we hear that friends and family are engaged, we're excited for them, but we're also looking forward to planning and throwing a bridal shower. Update your go-to bridal shower menu with a few of our classic (and easy!) recipes for finger foods and punches. All of these recipes are easy to prepare, fresh, and flavorful. They travel well, and they're perfect for an outdoor bridal shower.
Related: 25 Alcoholic Punch Recipes To Liven Up Any Party
Meyer Lemon Cheesecake Bars
Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis
Easy and portable, these Meyer Lemon Cheesecake Bars will surely please a crowd. Combine a bright Meyer lemon curb with a cheesecake mixture for a stunning marbled effect that's as beautiful as it tastes. Remember to strain the curb to prevent any clumps from appearing in the final product.
Spicy Strawberry-Goat Cheese Crostini
Deliver an impressive appetizer with only a few ingredients and a little cooking time. That is our kind of recipe. Combine toasted baguettes with a smear of tangy goat cheese, topped with lightly macerated strawberries and jalape?os. This flavorful appetizer is customizable, so swap out ingredients for some of your favorite flavors.
Spicy Strawberry-Goat Cheese Crostini
Big-Batch Spiked Arnold Palmers
Make this big-batch Arnold Palmer cocktail by spiking it with some Southern bourbon. This refreshing drink is perfect for spring and summer events. Serve this cocktail at brunches, porch parties, or BBQ bridal showers.
Big-Batch Spiked Arnold Palmers
Ham Biscuits
Easy to make and even easier to eat, these classic ham biscuits enhance their flavor by using Creole Mayonnaise, Chive-Radish Compound Butter, Spicy Orange-Peach Butter, or Pecan Cheese Spread. Prepare the biscuits up to two weeks in advance and freeze until you are ready to bake.
Tomato Tea Sandwiches
Tea sandwiches are perfect for an outdoor garden party or summer gathering. This tomato and cucumber sandwich is a refreshing way to feature fresh vegetables at your event. Toasted bread slices add a crunchy texture, while red onion adds flavoring.
Sparkling Punch
Pretty and pink, this punch is perfect for a bridal shower and can be altered easily for alcoholic and non-alcoholic versions. Substitute white cranberry juice instead of pink lemonade for a milder, sweeter taste. Add fresh mint leaves, as stale leaves can add bitterness to the drink.
Mini Cheese Grits Casseroles
The perfect side for a brunchtime shower, cheese grits are a favorite of party planners (and guests!) everywhere. Prepare these mini casseroles the night before your event and bake them right before everyone arrives.
Sweet Potato and Chorizo Sausage Bites
These savory, satisfying mini bites are easy to load onto app plates and eat while chatting with other guests. This recipe gets its spice from the peppery Mexican-style chorizo sausage. This appetizer, paired with extra-sharp cheddar cheese and plum jelly, will be a favorite.
Chicken Salad With Grapes And Pecans
Remember the chicken salad. If it's missing, every Southern lady will notice. This grape-and-pecan-filled chicken salad is a fresh and easy recipe for outdoor parties.
Party Cheese Ball
Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Don't for get the classic, much-loved cheese ball in your spread. Shape this cheese ball into a log for a different presentation. Serve with vegetable slices.
Shrimp on Seasoned Crackers with Pepper Jelly and Cream Cheese
Pepper jelly and cream cheese on crackers are classic appetizer ingredients, but this recipe enhances this tradition by adding pan-fried shrimp. Toss the shrimp in an herb, lemony dressing to add more flavor to this adorable, bite-sized snack.
Baked Brie Bites
This recipe makes baked brie even easier to prepare and eat. Win-win! Start with store-bought phyllo dough shells and top them with pepper jelly and toasted pecans for a classic Southern appetizer.
Basic Pimiento Cheese
Fred Hardy; Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey; Prop Stylist: Caleb Clarke
Pimiento cheese is a must at any bridal shower. Make this classic dip a part of your event. Serve with crackers or as sandwiches.
Fig, Pecan, And Brie Bites
Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Styling: Christine Keely
Make this crowd-pleasing appetizer in under 30 minutes. The combination of salty cubes of Brie cheese, crunchy toasted pecans, and sweet fig preserves will impress any guest. Enjoy creamy cheese in a golden, buttery shell.
Baked Crab Cakes
Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Rebecca Cummins
These crab cakes take just a little prep (15 minutes of hands-on time), and they're a perfect appetizer for an outdoor bridal shower, especially by the coast.
Baked Brie with Jezebel Peaches
Make the most of seasonal produce with this spin on crowd-pleasing baked brie. If brie packed in a wooden box is unavailable, use a small pie plate or baking dish. Serve with water crackers and apple slices.
Muffuletta Deviled Eggs
Without a pretty plate of delicious deviled eggs, no Southern shower would be complete. This deviled egg recipe highlights a combination of olives, eggs, and salty salami. Prepare the day before and keep it covered and chilled for up to 24 hours.
Melon, Mozzarella, and Prosciutto Skewers
This super-fresh, supremely snackable skewers are just perfect for an outdoor shower. The smooth mozzarella cheese perfectly complements the salty cured ham and fresh melon. Sprinkle with cracked pepper before serving.
Herbed Tomato Tart
These are the cutest tarts you could ever serve (and they're perfectly at home served on the patio or in a leafy green garden!). Combining herbs—basil, dill, thyme, and parsley—season this fresh tomato dish with an irresistible flavor. Try using oregano, tarragon, or spices for different flavor combinations.
Cheese Dreams
Antonis Achilleos; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn
Make these cheesy treats up to three weeks in advance and freeze them until the day of your event. If baking them after freezing, increase the baking time by 10 minutes. Substitute your favorite cheese for the sharp Cheddar in this recipe, or follow these ingredients for a classic snack.
Mini Caprese Bites
The fresh flavors of mozzarella and tomato burst into these teensy, party-pleasing bites. Tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, and balsamic combine for the perfect summery appetizer. These mini bites are a real crowd-pleaser and kid-and-adult-friendly.
Pimiento Cheese Sausage Balls
This appetizer is for you if you need a recipe to feed a crowd. Pimento cheese, all-purpose baking mix, and sausage combine for this easy make-ahead appetizer that freezes well (which is good since the recipe makes 50 balls).
Bourbon Basil Smash
Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Lydia Pursell
You'll want to sip this drink on a hot summer afternoon. Bring on a refreshing bourbon drink to celebrate the bride-to-be. Garnish with basil leaves and lemon peel twists.
Luscious Lemon Bars
Fred Hardy; Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey; Prop Stylist: Caleb Clarke
Lemon squares are a classic for a reason, and this delicious recipe argues that you should serve them at every gathering. Make these treats in advance and freeze them up to a month before your event. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.
Mushroom-Stuffed Phyllo Cups
This appetizer, using frozen mini phyllo pastry shells, assembles in under 30 minutes. Use any combination of mushrooms you prefer. Sprinkle with chives and additional thyme, and serve warm or at room temperature.
Deviled Egg Dip
Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Julia Levy, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
You can't go wrong with a dip that's a cross between two favorites: egg salad and deviled eggs. This is a delicious appetizer for serving with chips. crackers, or crudité.
Benedictine Spread
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist:Christine Keely; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer
Make this Kentucky classic at home to celebrate a soon-to-be bride. The light, flavorful. cucumber-based recipe is a delicious idea for an outdoor affair. Pair with crackers, bread, or crudité.
Ritz Cracker Party Sandwiches
Morgan Hunt Glaze; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless; Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling
Have a little fun and invite the Ritz to the party. These bite-sized sandwiches are loaded with Swiss cheese, ham, and a can't be-beat pepper jelly.
Cucumber Cooler
Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Lydia Pursell
If the color palette is green and white, this is the perfect signature cocktail to serve the guests. Plus, the cucumber cocktail is a refreshing way to kick off a summer soiree.
Gingham Cake
Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
Would it even be a classic Southern get-together without gingham making an appearance? Dazzle guests with a cake that's made to charm.
For more Southern Living news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original article on Southern Living.
