I love hosting my friends and family for dinner parties. No, really. There’s nothing better than seeing my loved ones gathered around a table full of food, chatting and eating. What I don’t necessarily love is the stress that comes along with it (planning menus, shopping for ingredients, spending the whole day cooking—you know the drill) and the last-minute push to get everything done when I’d rather be hanging out with my guests.
Luckily, I’ve honed my hosting technique over the years. My secret to success? Crowd-pleasing dishes that look super impressive, but are actually so simple to pull off. Think jambalaya, an Italian bruschetta bar, easy one-pan ratatouille and all the lightning-fast pastas, for starters. Here are 34 easy dinner party recipes to try for yourself that fit the bill.