45 Easy But Impressive Dinner Party Recipes
Recipes for stress-free entertaining.
Brittany Conerly; Food Stylist: Karen Rankin; Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman
It can be intimidating to throw a dinner party, which is why having an arsenal of go-to recipes is a must. These dinner party recipes strike the right balance between impressive and doable. From wow-worthy main dishes like our Porchetta With Lemony Herb Sauce (which looks much harder to make than it actually is) to tried-and-true side dishes like our Easiest Mashed Potatoes, you'll be able to build the entertaining menu of your dreams.
Related: 32 Company-Worthy Casseroles That Are Dressed To Impress
Roasted Lemon-Pepper Chicken
Greg Dupree, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
Let the Dutch oven do all the work with this roast chicken recipe. As a bonus, whole bulbs of garlic roast alongside, which are delicious stirred into butter for spreading on bread served with the meal.
Our Best Lasagna
Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Karen Rankin; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
A solid lasagna is the kind of homey recipe that makes guests instantly feel at ease in your home when entertaining. And we should note, we don't call this version of the classic casserole "our best" for nothing.
Classic Beef Pot Roast
This recipe cooks carrots and potatoes alongside the roast, for a one-pot meal that checks off not only the entrée, but the side dishes too.
Easy Crème Brûlée
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Guests will have so much fun shattering the crisp sugar crusts on these classic French desserts.
Hummingbird Sheet Cake
Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Mary Clayton Carl Jones
While a layer cake can be a bit ambitious for some to try before a big dinner party, this equally as pretty sheet cake delivers the same flavor without any decorating stress.
Easiest Mashed Potatoes
Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
These potatoes keep things simple, and sometimes a simple but well-executed side dish is all you really need to impress guests.
Pan-Seared Salmon
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
This Pan-Seared Salmon easily feels restaurant-quality, but couldn't be easier to make. We serve it simply with a lemon-herb butter, but feel free to get creative and add your favorite seasonings instead.
Porchetta With Lemony Herb Sauce
Greg Dupree; Food Stylist: Micah Morton; Prop Stylist: Ginny Branch
Once you get the hang of rolling up this pork roast, all you have to do is pop it in the oven and let it do all the hard work.
Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin "Filets"
Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
Bacon adds fat and flavor to a lean cut like pork tenderloin. Served in individual portions, it feels as fancy as steak, but is much more affordable.
Herb-Crusted Roasted Leg Of Lamb
GREG DUPREE; PROP STYLING: AUDREY DAVIS; FOOD STYLING: EMILY NABORS HALL
Don't save lamb for just Easter dinner. A perfectly roasted leg of lamb is a mostly hands-off main dish, and it never fails to impress guests.
Sugar Snap Pea Salad
Frederick Hardy II, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
Studded with gorgeous edible flowers, this crunchy salad proves that side dishes don't have to be an afterthought, but rather just as stunning as the main dish.
Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken Cutlets With Haricots Verts
Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
Dress up plain chicken cutlets with this prosciutto-wrapped version. The cured deli meat adds an irresistible salty crust to the lean cut of meat.
Strawberry Cheesecake
Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf
With a shiny and sweet strawberry topping, who could resist a slice of this cheesecake at the end of a good meal?
Flourless Chocolate Cake
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
It can be hard to accommodate guests' dietary restrictions, especially when it come to gluten and desserts. Luckily this flourless cake makes it easy (and delicious) to meet everyone's needs.
Glazed Carrots
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Although you could use any carrots for this side dish, small multicolored ones help make this dish extra colorful and beautiful.
Marry Me Chicken
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
A recipe so good, you might just get a marriage proposal out it.
Million Dollar Spaghetti
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
A baked pasta might not seem like something impressive enough for a dinner party, but just one bite of this Million Dollar Spaghetti will prove just how wrong that assumption is.
Fish And Grits
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Caleb Clarke; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall
Although we love shrimp and grits, a perfectly cooked piece of fish feels extra fancy even when served over something as simple as grits.
Seared Scallops with Lemon-Herb Rice
Quick-cooking scallops make dinner come together fast, so you can spend more time with guests and less time in the kitchen.
Twice-Baked Duchess Potatoes
Greg Dupree; Prop Stylist: Ginny Branch; Food Stylist: Micah Morton
While a regular baked potato might feel lackluster, these gorgeous piped Duchess potatoes are anything but boring for a dinner party.
Grandby's Sour Cream Pound Cake
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
A moist and tender pound cake is the perfect way to end any meal, if you ask us. You can easily dress it up with freshly whipped cream and berries, or a stunning glaze.
Heavenly Key Lime Pie
Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Once you've tried this pie, you'll understand exactly why we call it 'heavenly.'
Slow-Cooker Short Ribs with Pork Rind Gremolata
A slow-cooker makes easy work of the main meal for a dinner party, while also freeing up oven space to use for the dessert and side dishes.
Perfect Beef Tenderloin
Iain Bagwell
Cut this tenderloin at the table so guests can marvel at the perfectly rosy center.
Skillet Chicken Pot Pie With Puff Pastry
Brittany Conerly; Food Stylist: Karen Rankin; Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman
Although you can always go with a classic pie crust for pot pie, the puff pastry on this rendition makes for a pretty design and gorgeous flakes of golden brown dough.
Asparagus with Cheese Sauce and Herb Breadcrumbs
It can be hard to make a side dish that everyone at a party will love. But cover anything in this cheese sauce, and we guarantee there will be no leftovers.
Strawberry-And-Basil Pavlova
Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Melissa Gray; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
This sheet pan dessert can be made in advance and then topped just before serving for easy entertaining.
Make-Ahead Yeast Rolls
Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Micah Morton, Prop Stylist: Kathleen Varner
Take the stress out of making fresh bread for a dinner party with these Make-Ahead Yeast Rolls. They can be prepared and frozen well in advance of the event.
One-Bowl Chocolate Cake
ANTONIS ACHILLEOS; PROP STYLIST: CALEB CLARKE; FOOD STYLIST: EMILY NABORS HALL
A one-bowl dessert is perfect for entertaining because after all the other cooking you've done, there's usually very little space left in the dishwasher.
Apple Rose Tart
Jennifer Causey; Food Stylist: Melissa Gray; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
This dessert may look complicated, but layering the apples is actually quite easy, it just takes a bit of time.
Chicken And Rolled Dumplings
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn
Even if you are a die-hard drop dumpling fan, these rolled dumplings might just convert you and your dinner party guests to new technique.
Mini Confetti Cakes
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Kay E. Clarke; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
There's something about edible flowers that instantly dresses up any dessert. Your guests won't be able to resist digging into these adorable cakes, even if they're stuffed from the rest of the meal.
Garlic Parmesan Green Beans
If there's one side dish that always goes quickest at a dinner party, we think it's these cheesy and garlicky beans.
Garlic Bread
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Pasta doesn't have to be on the menu to serve this oh-so-good homemade garlic bread.
Romaine Salad With Oranges And Radishes
Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Melissa Gray; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
For a refreshing bite in between rich main dishes and creamy sides, serve this crunchy citrus salad.
Maple-Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Bacon
Sweet, salty, and savory, this side dish has it all. Even the Brussels sprout naysayers will be won over.
Roast Beef
Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
A simple roast beef main dish is the kind of versatile centerpiece that allows you to serve any and all of your favorite sides dishes with it. It truly goes with everything from classic mashed potatoes to asparagus, or even your favorite retro salad.
Pork Tenderloin With Apples
Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
The natural sweetness of apples is the perfect compliment for pork tenderloin. The best part? The entire dish comes together in one skillet.
Smothered Pork Chops
The sauce on these pork chops is so good, we could probably enjoy it all on its own.
Pepper-Stuffed Grilled Flank Steak
James Ransom, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
If you're entertaining outside, turn to this impressive grilled flank steak stuffed with flavorful and colorful peppers.
Leafy Green Salad With Sunflower Seed Dressing
Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
The crunch and nuttiness of sunflower seeds is what makes this salad so delicious. Plus, the seeds add texture without using nuts, in case some guests might be allergic.
Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Prosciutto makes any vegetable taste better, and seasons it perfectly.
Crispy Potato Galette
Crispy layers of thinly sliced potato brown up into a gorgeous side dish that you can serve almost like a cake alongside the entrée.
Chocolate Lava Cakes
Greg DuPree; Food Stylist: Ali Ramee; Prop Stylist: Hannah Greenwood
There's nothing like watching guests cut into the soft center of these gooey cakes and seeing the lovely chocolate lava ooze out.
Roasted Green Beans With Spicy-Sweet Glazed Shallots
Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
Although the green beans are the star of this meal, we would argue the best part of this dish is the roasted shallots.
Related: 20 Casual And Confident Supper Club Menus
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