27 Easy Dinner Party Recipes for Stress-Free Entertaining

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

When it comes to dinner parties, we want something that looks like it took all day but really took 30-ish minutes. The secret to this one is that it all cooks together in one pan. (Bonus: You won’t be left with a pile of dirty cookware when all the guests go home.)

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
• 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 and a little artful arrangement.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours, 20 minutes
• Why We Love It: one pan, high protein, Whole30-approved
• Serves: 4

Gaby Dalkin’s smoky, citrusy grilled salmon recipe is our go-to for any warm-weather holiday. Serve it with a crisp white wine and never look back.

• Time Commitment: 8 hours, 10 minutes
• Why We Love It: slow-cooker recipe, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 10

A slow cooker can be a total dinner-party savior; doing all the heavy lifting earlier in the day means more time to hang out with your guests. This restaurant-worthy dish pairs fork-tender braised beef and al dente pasta. (And don’t forget the dollop of ricotta on top.)

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

Jambalaya is fun, festive and one of our favorite ways to feed a crowd (it’s really just a one-pan rice dish). Crank up the jazz and serve it with a pitcher of daiquiris for a real New Orleans vibe.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour, 30 minutes
• Why We Love It: vegan, one pan
• Serves: 4

If a cartoon rodent can make this dish look fancy, so can you. Plus, 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.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why We Love It: no cook, ready in <30 minutes, one pan
• Serves: 4

How to make a salad look impressive? Turns out, all you need to do is serve it on a board instead of in a bowl. This one, full of ripe figs and ribbons of prosciutto, is a first-course knockout.

• Time Commitment: 5 hours, 20 minutes
• Why We 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 Crock-Pot, so all you need to do when friends arrive is slice up some good crusty bread.

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

Is there anything more inviting than the smell of a chicken roasting? Also, it really couldn’t be easier. Throw some veggies onto the pan or toss a salad and dinner is done.

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

This classic Moroccan dish is usually made in a traditional clay pot with a cone-shaped top that lets out the steam. But a regular skillet will work too. 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, 20 minutes
• Why We Love It: slow cooker recipe, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
• Serves: 6

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

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

We love a taco party with friends, especially when the options are a little more exciting than you might make on a random Tuesday. This cochinita pibil—savory, citrusy pork shoulder—definitely fits the bill, and you can whip it up easily in a slow cooker or Instant Pot. We won’t tell if you don’t.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, ready in <30 minutes, one pot
• Serves: 6

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 that’s perfect for a dinner party.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why We Love It: gluten free, high protein
• Serves: 4

Scallops are fabulous for a last-minute dinner party when you haven’t had time to plan or prep ahead of time. They’re pretty foolproof (really, all you need is a hot pan) and come together in minutes.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
• 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? We promise you’ll have happy guests.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour, 45 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
• Serves: 8

Lasagna will always be one of our favorite ways to feed a crowd—all the work is done ahead of time, it feeds a million people and everyone loves it. We love this extra-flavorful recipe, which has a hearty meat sauce and pesto-packed ricotta filling.

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why We Love It: gluten-free
• Serves: 4

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

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why We Love It: vegetarian, ready in <30 minutes
• Serves: 2

This easy number can be enjoyed by everyone at your dinner party—and don't worry, the serving size can be easily manipulated.

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

Yes, it's meat-free, but it's hearty and seriously delish (aka the perfect dinner party recipe).

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

Toss it over some spaghetti, serve with some crusty garlic bread and your dinner menu is set.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why We Love It: paleo, Whole30-approved
• Serves: 2

Just like grandma used to make (except with almond flour instead of the regular stuff, making it a great choice for guests following a paleo or Whole30 diet).

• Time Commitment: 55 minutes
• Why We Love It: gluten-free, vegan, Whole30-approved
• Serves: 4

This healthy side is packed full of flavor and is basically the perfect accompaniment to whatever your dinner party main might be (although we love it with chicken).

• Time Commitment: 1 hour, 23 minutes
• Why We Love It: paleo, Whole30-approved, gluten-free
• Serves: 6

Everything tastes better on a stick, no? These sumptuous skewers are perfect for hors d'oeuvres, and beyond.

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why We Love It: gluten-free, paleo, high protein
• Serves: 4

Light and fresh, these are ideal for a summer night dinner party on the patio.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why We Love It: paleo, ready in <30 minutes
• Serves: 4

Curry sauce, broccoli and chicken are topped with pomegranate seeds and cashews, and served over cauliflower rice—this is sure to add some zing to your dining room table.

• Time Commitment: prep time depends
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser
• Serves: any

Hot pot is the greatest and easiest dinner party feast out there, because everyone cooks picks their own adventure with whatever you prep ahead of time.

• Time Commitment: 8 hours
• Why We Love It: slow cooker recipe, one pot, under 500 calories, dairy free, kid-friendly
• Serves: 10

Juicy, slow-cooked pork shoulder makes an excellent dinner party main. Just serve with a taco bar and you're set. Oh, and don't forget the margaritas.