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The best supermarket canapés to serve this New Year
The tastiest ready-made, bitesize treats for your next drinks party, tested by The Good Housekeeping Institute
Tested by Georgia Turnell and JoJo Anastasiou
You’ve chilled the champagne, donned your party outfit (or Christmas jumper and turkey trousers), and now all that’s left to do is put out the party canapés.
Whether you’re feeding friends or treating yourself to a picky tea while wrapping the last of the presents (we’ve all been there), the Good Housekeeping Institute has found the very best supermarket canapés to buy this season.
From prawn toasties to katsu bites, there’s plenty to tempt your guests this festive season.
Best canapés to buy for Christmas 2024
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How many canapés should you serve per person?
According to the experts at frozen food specialists COOK, if you’re planning on following up with a main meal later in the evening, you should serve four Christmas canapés per person, per hour. If the event is a “drinks only” affair, think about increasing that to six per person, per hour.
How we test canapés
Our panel tried 65 varieties of canapés (our biggest test to date!) to find their favourite meat, seafood and vegetarian bites — ‘tis the season of goodwill, after all. Each was prepared according to the pack instructions and presented to testers blind to avoid brand bias.
They judged each on their party-ready appearance, aroma, flavour and texture, to find the tastiest canapés for 2024, which will have you going back for seconds (... and thirds).
Score: 91/100
In recent years, bao buns have become an essential component of the festive canapé line-up, so much so, they’ve topped this year’s taste test. These authentic, pillowy-soft steamed buns look incredible, combining lightly spiced prawns with a bold, kimchi flavour and crunchy fresh veg, for an interesting flavour combo this Christmas.
Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Crispy King Prawn Toastie 890g
Score: 89/100
In second place, we have this innovative twist on prawn toast. The fresh-tasting filling stood out with its combination of sweet prawns, spring onions, garlic and coriander. Crunchy, light and zingy, this aromatic morsel makes an excellent finger food.
Score: 89/100
COOK has looked to Thailand for inspiration for these one-bite wonders, flavouring the chicken with lime leaf, ginger and fish sauce. Testers loved the sticky glaze, gentle heat from the red Thai paste, and aromatic lemongrass, and felt they’d make an excellent addition to your drinks party.
They’re also both gluten- and dairy-free, so a very handy freezer-friendly option to have on standby over the festive period.
Score: 89/100
Our testers found the allure of succulent pork belly doused with sweet barbecue sauce irresistible, especially served in this convenient bite-size portion. Enjoy with a glass of pinot noir to cut through the richness.
Score: 88/100
Asda’s sesame-topped prawn toasties are small but make a big impression, with their meaty filling, crispy texture and aromatic herbs, which our testers loved. We recommend serving with sweet chilli sauce for dunking.
Available: 16th November
Score: 87/100
Add a pop of colour to the festive table with these adorable red Santa hats. Their punchy Thai flavour is an absolute treat, combining plenty of vibrant lime leaf with lemongrass-flavoured chicken, all encased in a spring roll wrap.
Score: 87/100
The third entry from Asda, these brightly coloured dim sum will bring some festive flair to your party food. Each pretty parcel is handmade, and the colour indicates the dumpling filling. Choose from the red tiger prawn and Thai basil siumai, yellow penang prawn and bamboo shoot hargau, and green kimchi-inspired lotus gyoza.
Our panel liked the punchy spice profile and meaty texture, describing them as having a “lovely level of sweetness, which tasted fresh.”
Available: 5th December 2024
Morrisons The Best Vegetable Tempura Nests with Sweet Chilli Dip 270g
Score: 85/100
Morrisons’ clever lattice nests provide an edible vessel for tempura-coated, crunchy vegetables and were so generously sized, our testers struggled to eat them in one. Oh-so-moreish, the flavour is further enhanced by the sweet chilli dip included, but you could also use these as a base for additional fillings, should you want to add your own flourish.
Score: 85/100
Co-op's lightly spiced, veggie-friendly bites deliver a fantastic katsu flavour that our testers described as “authentic”. And with a super crispy coating, creamy coconut middle and crunchy veg, the texture is spot on.
Available: 11th December 2024
Score: 85/100
Keep things classic with these freezer-friendly salmon blinis. Topped with trout eggs and filled with mustard-spiked cream cheese, these dainty bites have a premium feel. Our panel loved the convenience too — simply defrost and serve.
Score: 85/100
Give your slow cooker a night off, because Waitrose has done all the legwork for you. Each indulgent square is generously coated with sweet barbecue sauce, resulting in gloriously succulent meat – napkins at the ready!
Available: 27th November 2024
Score: 85/100
Asda’s golden-brown, double-battered crispy samosas would make an excellent addition to this year’s party platter. They’re stuffed with flavoursome chicken thigh, cooked in a rich butter sauce, and are gently spiced with mango chutney and nigella seeds for extra crunch. Try pairing with a refreshing, light lager.
Available: 5th December 2024
Score: 84/100
As classic as they come, Waitrose’s prawn toasts are everything great party food should be. Our testers described these rich and meaty toasts as being restaurant quality, with a fresh, zingy ginger dip for balance.
Score: 83/100
These succulent chicken Kyivs have the classic flavour we’re familiar with, albeit in a handy bitesize format to make eating them one-handed that little bit easier. The creamy, buttery, garlic filling is well seasoned and perfectly complements the succulent meat – all of which is encased in crispy breadcrumbs. Delicious!
Available: 27th November
Aldi Specially Selected Smoked Salmon, Cream Cheese with Chives & Black Pepper Blinis 108g
Score: 83/100
Aldi’s pocket-friendly blinis are packed with flavour. The lightly smoked salmon is deliciously rich, and pairs well with the herby whipped cream cheese and tangy chives. It’s all piled on top of a soft mini pancake, for a vibrant bite.
Available: 19th December
These also passed...
- Asda Mini Fish & Chip Sliders, £2.50 for 200g, Score: 83/100
- Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Mini Scallop & Chorizo Shells, £6 for 82g, Score: 81/100
- Tesco Mini Nduja Wellington with a Hot Honey Drizzle, £5.50 for 380g, Score: 81/100
- ByAmazon Bao Bun Hoisin Duck, £4 for 160g, Score: 81/100
- Waitrose Crispy Bacon Carbonara Cups, £8 for 12pk, Score: 81/100
- Morrisons The Best Duck Straws with Hoisin Dip, £6 for 290g, Score: 81/100
- Waitrose Mexican-Style Vegetable Tacos, £8 for 8pk, Score: 81/100
- COOK Duck Puffs, £8.50 for 140g, Score: 80/100
- Ocado Picard Mini Croque Monsieur, £5.80 for TBCg, Score: 80/100
- Quorn Vegan Mini Sausage Rolls, £2.95 for 500g, Score: 80/100
- Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Mini Southern Fried Chicken Burgers, £6 for 340g, Score: 78/100
- Picard Tomato, Pesto & Mozzarella Mini Paninis, £7.90 for 176g, Score: 78/100
- Tesco Hoisin Mushroom Bao Buns Tear & Share, £3.50 for 220g, Score: 78/100
- Aldi Specially Selected Smoking Hot Honey Pork Belly Bites, £3.99 for 350g, Score: 76/100
- COOK Mini Salmon Frittatas, £8.50 for 230g, Score: 76/100
- Asda Penguin Bao Buns with Hoisin Oyster Mushroom, £3 for 280g, Score: 74/100
- Aldi Specially Selected Mini Posh Prawn Toast with a Ponzu Dip, £3.99 for 248g, Score: 73/100
- Asda Exceptional Vegetarian Antipasti Platter, £7 for 300g, Score: 72/100
- Asda Exceptional Chorizo & Nduja Mac Cheese Cups, £5.50 for 165g, Score: 70/100
- Waitrose No1 Crab and Brown Butter Crumpets, £8 for 8pk, Score: 70/100
Stacey looks after all food and drink reviews — from coffee pods and veg boxes, to natural wine and tequila. Stacey is also founder of Crummbs, where she’s written nearly 2,000 restaurant and hotel reviews since 2013. Prior to this, Stacey wrote hundreds of in-depth buying guides for the Independent, i newspaper and BBC Good Food, as well as reviewing restaurants and interviewing celebrities in her column at Balance Magazine. Stacey has also appeared in BAFTA-nominated BBC documentary Blood, Sweat & Takeaways, where she investigated South East Asia's food production industry, appearing on both Newsnight and BBC World Service to share her findings. Regularly checking out the latest restaurants, bars and product launches, Stacey also loves experimenting with recipes at home, and is a WSET-certified wine and spirits expert, with over 10 years of experience in the business. You can follow Stacey on Instagram @crummbs_uk
Georgia has been part of the hospitality industry for the last nine years. Her starting point was the world-renowned Le Cordon Bleu culinary school where she gained a Diplôme de Pâtisserie. She has worked at a number of well-known restaurants and bakeries including The Club at the Ivy and Ottolenghi, Notting Hill where she was the head pastry chef. Most recently, Georgia worked at The Clink Bakery inside HMP Brixton, which aims to reduce reoffending through teaching. She is an expert in all things baked goods and holds a WSET level 2 in wine.
Joanna Anastasiou is our Food and Drinks Tester, and has completed certifications in Sensory Foundation and WSET Wine Level 2 training. Prior to this she studied geography with conservation biology at the University of Exeter and trained at Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland. Through this she has developed a passion for sustainability within the food and agricultural sectors. Joanna also volunteers in kitchens with FoodCycle, as well as on multiple wildlife conservation projects, where she formed a particular love for bees!
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