8 Asian-Inspired Happy Hour Snacks

Everyone loves happy hour snacks, but it’s easy to get bored with typical bar fare. Luckily, when you’re the host, it’s easy to keep everyone’s taste buds excited by mixing it up with unique, flavorful snacks.

Here, we’ve got a variety of Asian-inspired happy hour snacks that are both mouthwatering and easy to assemble for your next get-together.

1. Golden Island Pork Jerky

Imagine having a happy hour snack that knocks everyone’s socks off and doesn’t take any effort. You can make this a reality with Korean Barbecue Recipe Pork Jerky. Simply leave it in the bag or arrange it on a platter in less than a minute. No preparation or cooking required!

Besides being hassle-free, this is a happy hour snack that everyone will crave.

Fire-grilled and deliciously tender, it’s seasoned with sweet and savory spices like brown sugar, garlic and onion powder, and gluten-free soy sauce. With its versatile flavors, it goes perfectly with all beers and most cocktails!

2. Spring Rolls

Spring rolls are one of those happy hour snacks that happen to be refreshing and satisfying at the same time. Typically rolled with a variety of fresh vegetables, you can simply arrange them on a platter and let your guests go to town. But if you want to shake things up, there are many ways to put a twist on this popular Asian appetizer:

• Add some meat: Try stuffing some fire-grilled Korean Barbecue Recipe Pork Jerky inside your spring rolls to add some sweet and savory flavor!
• Serve on sticks: Slice your spring rolls into bite-sized versions and stick them on toothpicks or skewers for a little flair.
• Sauce it up: Go beyond soy sauce and provide a variety of dipping sauces for everyone to enjoy. Hot mustard, peanut sauce, wasabi or chili sauce can take these tasty rolls to the next level.

3. Spiced Nuts

While nuts are a classic happy hour snack, they can be easy to dismiss. But with an Asian-inspired spin, you can make ordinary peanuts and cashews into an addicting snack that disappears in seconds.

Just toss unroasted nuts in an Asian-inspired marinade of your choice. You can use a mixture of soy sauce or coconut aminos and a sweet component (like honey, brown sugar or maple syrup) as your base.

Whisk in some spices, such as ginger, garlic and chili powder. Toss the nuts lightly in the marinade and roast them in your oven for about 10-15 minutes. Once they’ve cooled, you can set them out in bowls with spoons or use individual muffin baking cups for easy serving!

4. Chicken Wings

There’s nothing like a cold beer with chicken wings at happy hour. But instead of regular fried wings, venture into some Asian-inspired flavors like:

• Korean barbecue chicken wings: Korean barbecue is all about being sweet and spicy. A sweet glaze with hot elements like chili powder or paste delivers just the right amount of fire. Typical glaze ingredients include soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, honey, rice vinegar, garlic and ginger.
• Sticky chicken wings: Bake your wings in a tangy, garlicky marinade made of sesame oil, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, ginger, garlic and brown sugar.
• Teriyaki chicken wings: Fry your chicken wings and serve them with a sweet teriyaki sauce. You can make your own, or cut down on prep by buying a bottle at your grocery store.

5. Edamame

Edamame is incredibly quick and easy to whip up when you buy the beans already-shelled. The secret to crowd-pleasing edamame is to roast it, which only takes 30 minutes or less in a conventional oven.

Toss your edamame beans in a bowl with some olive oil, salt and any other spices you like. Once roasted, you can serve them right from the pan or pour them into bowls placed around your home.

6. Hummus

Creamy and filling, hummus is a happy hour snack that shouldn’t be overlooked. It offers a nice break from fried foods while still providing plenty of satisfaction.

You can go the traditional route with chickpea hummus or step outside the box with bold hummus flavors like spicy chili, sweet potato and avocado. Serve your hummus with pita bread, chips, crackers or a medley of colorful veggies. 

7. Charcuterie Board

With their assortment of meats, cheeses and veggies, charcuterie boards have become mega-popular. But the beauty of charcuterie boards is there’s no single right way to do them. So why not push the boundaries of what can be served on a charcuterie board?

Instead of using sliced meats, spice things up by putting some Korean barbecue-style jerky on your board. Then substitute cheese and crackers with wontons, sushi rolls, barbecue pork buns or lettuce wraps. 

8. Skewers

Skewers are an irresistible happy hour snack that your guests will love devouring. While you can use roasted veggies and meat to create skewers, making them doesn’t have to be a lot of work. For a no-cook option, use Korean-barbecue pork jerky, tropical fruits like mango or pineapple, and soft raw veggies like bell peppers.

Spice Up Your Happy Hour with Golden Island Pork Jerky

You can’t go wrong with any of these happy hour snacks. And when you’re short on time and energy, make your happy hour effortless with our delicious pork jerky. Whether you hand it to them right out of the bag or make an enticing jerky platter, your happy hour crowd will annihilate each tender morsel.

Stock up for your next happy hour hangout by shopping our snacks today!