34 Easy Dinner Party Recipes for Stress-Free Entertaining

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: sheet pan recipe, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 4 to 6

Can I let you in on a secret? Spatchcocking your chicken—basically, removing the backbone—will yield evenly cooked results in far less time than if you roasted it like usual. "By doing so (easily, with kitchen shears), you can split and flatten the entire thing, which speeds up the cooking time and increases the surface area for more browned, crispy skin," former PureWow senior food editor Katherine Gillen explains. "I like to pair it with peppery radishes and creamy roasted potatoes, but any vegetable will work."

• Time Commitment: 6 hours and 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: slow cooker recipe, make ahead, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 8

Who knew your slow cooker could make such an elegant main course? "When I’ve made this sauce in the past, I’ve been able to freeze a quart of it for later, so it can easily serve at least eight people," Gillen writes. "It's a set-it-and-forget-it number that tastes rich and hearty without much effort on your end." Use a long, flat pasta (like pappardelle) for an elegant presentation and so the noodles can get fully coated in the sauce.

• Time Commitment: 3 hours and 30 minutes (includes chilling time)
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 8

"I know it’s really tempting to use store-bought pie dough, but I promise the ounce of extra effort it takes to make your own is worth it," Gillen urges. "You’ll be rewarded with an ultra-buttery, flaky crust that will impress your guests to next year (or at least the next dinner party). The tomatoes don’t even have to be in season because the oven will concentrate their flavor."

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, one pan, kid-friendly
• Serves: 4

Store-bought pizza dough and a cast iron skillet are the keys to making a homemade pizza party entirely stress-free. "My favorite topping combination is sausage and fennel because their flavors are complementary, but you could put anything on this pie and it would be good," Gillen claims. "Just make sure you cook any vegetables beforehand so they don’t make the crust soggy."

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser, no cook
• Serves: 4 to 6

Take it from me: A charcuterie board can totally count as an entree if you make it big enough. And what better way to take the pressure off entertaining than to indulge in a gorgeous, no-cook spread? "You can follow the recipe to a T or just use my suggested cheese selection as a jumping-off point," Gillen says. "I think all boards are best with a creamy cheese, a semisoft cheese and a blue cheese, but anything goes."

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: one pan, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 6

When it comes to dinner parties, we all want something that looks like it took all day but really took 30-ish minutes. To streamline the process, this take on paella features fewer types of seafood than the original, but doesn’t skimp on flavor. (Bonus: Because it’s made in one pan, you won’t be left with a pile of dirty cookware when all the guests go home.)

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
• Serves: 6

This elegant DIY bruschetta bar looks like it came from a fancy caterer. But really, it’s just a matter of buying the right essentials—like cornichons, marinated artichoke hearts, pesto and charcuterie—and a little artful arrangement. Most importantly, you won't need to do any "cooking," besides toasting the bread.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegan, one pan, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 4

If a cartoon rodent can make this dish look fancy, so can you. With summer squash, tomatoes and eggplant in the mix (and no cheese), it’s totally vegan and gluten free, so it’s a great thing to serve when you’re not totally up on what your guests prefer. Add pasta, rice or quinoa to complete the spread.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: no cook, <30 minutes, make ahead
• Serves: 4

Wondering how to make a salad look impressive? As it turns out, all you need to do is serve it on a board instead of in a bowl, which not only looks nice but also makes all the toppings more easily accessible. This one, full of ripe figs and ribbons of prosciutto, is a first-course knockout.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: one pan, special occasion-worthy, high protein
• Serves: 4

Is there anything more inviting than the smell of a chicken roasting? It’s one of my back-pocket tricks for feeling like the host with the most. While it looks impressive, it really couldn’t be easier to make—you can thank the herbs and lemon for that. Throw some veggies onto the pan or toss a salad and dinner is done.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: vegan, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 6

This classic Moroccan dish is usually made in a tagine, a traditional clay pot with a cone-shaped top that lets out steam as it cooks. But a regular skillet will work in a pinch. Sub in whatever veggies you have on hand, but don’t skimp on all the warming spices. (You’ll never look at cinnamon the same way again.)

• Time Commitment: 8 hours and 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: slow cooker recipe, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
• Serves: 6

OK, I know this is not how Julia Child did things. But the slow cooker is actually a great way to turn the beef melt-in-your-mouth tender. (Plus, you’ll actually have time to make a side of mashed potatoes and dessert, and I know she’d approve of that.)

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, one pot
• Serves: 6

Well, aren't you fancy? Bouillabaisse is a notoriously complex dish that can take several hours (and several trips to the fish market). But paring down the ingredients a bit turns it into a totally manageable (and totally delicious) one-pot meal. Talk about an easy dinner party recipe, am I right?

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: gluten free, high protein, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 4

In my humble opinion, scallops are fabulous for a last-minute, easy dinner party recipe when you haven’t had time to plan or prep ahead of time. They’re pretty foolproof (all you need is a hot pan) and come together in minutes. These are served alongside a citrusy mix of summer vegetables, but you could swap in rice or another grain if you’d prefer.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, high protein
• Serves: 6

Sometimes the best way to throw a dinner party is to keep things as simple as possible. Good steaks, a bright herby sauce and plenty of good wine? You’ll have happy guests, trust me. The meat is marinated in Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, garlic, chile powder and herbs for maximum flavor.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, make ahead
• Serves: 8

Lasagna will always be an entertaining crowd-pleaser. Why? All the work is done ahead of time, it feeds a million people and everyone loves it. This extra-flavorful version is a twist on the classic, and it has a hearty meat sauce and a pesto-packed ricotta filling instead of the usual tomato base.

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: gluten-free, high protein, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4

This one-pan meal features all the different tastes and textures: crispy chicken thighs, salty feta and a spicy, creamy yogurt sauce drizzled on top, to name the highlights. Arrange it on your most elegant platter and congratulate yourself on a hosting job well done.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, <30 minutes, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 2

Behold, a nutritious number that can be enjoyed by everyone at your dinner party. (Don’t worry, the serving size can be scaled up for a crowd with ease.) Honey-ginger glazed carrots, pineapple, crispy cabbage and snow peas keep it interesting.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, one pot
• Serves: 8

Yes, it’s meat-free, but it’s also hearty and seriously delish. Homemade cheesy biscuits tend to have that effect. (If you, like me, aren’t the biggest fan of blue cheese, try swapping in cheddar or goat cheese instead for a less intense funk.)

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: make ahead, vegan, kid-friendly
• Serves: 3

You can’t please everyone all the time, but you can please your vegan friends with these meatballs. They’re made with quinoa and black beans for a tender texture and lots of protein. Toss them over some spaghetti, serve up some crusty garlic bread and your dinner menu is set.

• Time Commitment: 5 hours and 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: high protein, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4

It’s just like grandma used to make. The capers and lemons make the entire dish bright and briny, but most importantly, the trusty Crockpot basically cooks dinner for you. How's that for stress-free hosting?

• Time Commitment: 55 minutes
• Why I Love It: gluten free, vegan, make ahead
• Serves: 4

This healthy side is packed full of flavor, courtesy of beets, avocado and a tahini maple dressing. It's the ideal accompaniment to whatever your dinner party main might be (although personally, I think it would pair great with chicken).

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, high protein, gluten free
• Serves: 6

Everything tastes better on a stick, no? These sumptuous skewers are a nut-free take on Thai-style chicken satay. They’re spicy, nutty and perfect for hors d’oeuvres or as a light entree. You can also pair them with coconut rice or salad if you want to make it a main.

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: gluten free, Paleo-friendly, high protein
• Serves: 4

Light and fresh, these salmon burgers are ideal for a summer night dinner party on the patio. Lemongrass, chiles and cilantro ensure the patties are packed with flavor, but if you don’t like spicy food, just omit the peppers. Ta-da, problem solved.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 6

When I make tomato-based pastas, I like to add a little bit of spice. This Italian sauce is particularly delicious because it’s made with a small amount of cured pork. It gives the sauce enough richness that can stand up to that burst of heat. Guanciale is traditional, but it’s hard to find stateside—I’ve used pancetta with success instead.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4

Hot pot might be the greatest (and easiest) dinner party recipe out there, because everyone picks and cooks their own adventure whatever ingredients you prep ahead of time. Try including multiple meats, seafoods and vegetables (like ribeye, shrimp, broccoli and mushrooms) for variety, and don’t sleep on frozen dumplings for an indulgent twist.

• Time Commitment: 8 hours
• Why I Love It: slow cooker recipe, one pot, <500 calories, dairy free
• Serves: 10

Juicy, slow-cooked pork shoulder makes an excellent easy dinner party recipe, mainly because it's filling and can be served in an endless number of ways. Just serve the meat as the star of a taco bar and you’re set. (Oh, and don’t forget the margaritas.)

• Time Commitment: 2 hours and 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: one pan, high protein, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 4

Recipe creator Gaby Dalkin’s smoky, citrusy grilled salmon with jammy cherry tomatoes will become an instant go-to for any warm-weather holiday. Serve it with a crisp white wine and a simple green salad—and never look back.

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, high protein, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4

I thought fruit and meat sounded like an odd pairing, but here, the berries are just tart enough to pair beautifully with lamb, and the black pepper keeps the dish on the savory spectrum despite the fruit. It doesn’t hurt that the whole thing calls for just seven ingredients either.

• Time Commitment: 8 hours and 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: slow cooker recipe, crowd-pleaser, high protein
• Serves: 10

A slow cooker can be a total dinner party savior. It'll help you do all the heavy lifting earlier in the day, meaning you'll have more time to hang with your guests. This restaurant-worthy dish pairs fork-tender braised beef with al dente pasta, not to mention a dollop of ricotta cheese on top.

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: one pan, crowd-pleaser, high protein
• Serves: 6

Jambalaya is a fun and festive way to feed a crowd (it’s really just a one-pan rice dish packed with shrimp and smoky sausage). Crank up the jazz and serve it with a pitcher of daiquiris for a real New Orleans vibe, and end the meal with beignets to drive the theme home.

• Time Commitment: 5 hours and 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, slow cooker recipe
• Serves: 6

There’s nothing better for a summer gathering than a good old-fashioned shrimp boil with sausage, corn and plenty of Old Bay seasoning. In this easy dinner party recipe, everything cooks together in a Crockpot, so all you'll need to do once friends arrive is slice up some crusty bread for dipping.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly, one pan
• Serves: 2

This recipe serves two, but if you have a larger skillet, you could add another steak and double the vegetables to serve four. In my experience, the easiest way to ensure your steak is perfectly cooked is to use a meat thermometer and check it before your timer goes off. Then, let the meat rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing so it stays juicy.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, high protein
• Serves: 8 to 10

What’s more fun than a build-you-own-taco party with friends, especially when the filling is more exciting than what you usually make on a random Tuesday? This cochinita pibil—savory, citrusy pork shoulder—definitely fits the bill, and you can fix it up easily in a slow cooker or Instant Pot. I won’t tell if you don’t.