Become the host with the most with these breezy recipes
Become the host with the most with these breezy recipe ideas.
If you're looking for easy dinner party recipes and ideas then you've come to the right place.
Entertaining shouldn't mean you'll be hovering over the stove for hours with endless prep in the kitchen so we've chosen smart and efficient recipes that work well when cooked in a large quantity. Some are relatively hands-off which means you can get on with other jobs at hand - win!
From indulgent gnocchi dishes, baked risotto's and one-pot dishes, our recipes are packed with flavour and will impress your guests.
Don't forget your drinks pairing. Whether you're looking for red wine, white wine, English sparking or Prosecco, we've found the best options regardless of your meal choice - and with a price point to suit all budgets.
One-pan sausage lasagne recipe
Maximum flavour with minimum washing-up, this one-pan lasagne is easy to throw together and is sure to become a family favourite.
Recipe: One-pan sausage lasagne recipe
Stuffed lamb saddle recipe
An impressive yet simple centrepiece. The freshness of the salsa verde complements the rich lamb so well.
Recipe: Stuffed Lamb Saddle
Orzo paella recipe
We've gone for a non-traditional approach to this recipe and used orzo instead of paella rice for a quick and fail-safe alternative. It's vibrant and a really tasty option for a dinner party.
Recipe: Orzo paella
Cheat's satay chicken recipe
This cheat's satay comes together in only 20 minutes so you can get on with the rest of the evenings preparations. Plus, it's deliciously addictive.
Recipe: Cheat's satay chicken and salad
Baked courgette and feta risotto recipe
One of our go-to's when entertaining is a baked risotto. Maximum flavour and creaminess with a hands-off approach. Yum!
Recipe: Baked courgette and feta risotto
Salmon linguine with prawns recipe
This creamy salmon and prawn linguine recipe is perfect for a speedy dinner party recipe.
Recipe: Salmon Linguine with Prawns
Keralan-style prawn and coconut curry recipe
If you want to stretch this dish to feed more guests, add in another tin of coconut milk and 200g more prawns.
Crab and tomato open lasagne recipe
An open lasagne is ultimately layering cooked pasta squares onto your plate with the delicous crab and tomato sauce in between the layers. It looks as good as a restaurant.
Recipe: Crab and Tomato Open Lasagne
Meatball gnocchi bake recipe
This cheesy, tomato-y gnocchi bake is the ultimate feast for feeding friends. Serve with an all-rounder red wine like a pinot noir for a delicious combo.
Recipe: Meatball gnocchi bake
Preserved lemon chicken recipe
Preserved lemon is such a brilliant ingredient. It gives you loads of flavour and works well in this lemon chicken dish which we've served with orzo.
Recipe: Preserved Lemon Chicken
Rösti-topped fish pie recipe
Fish pies are a classic recipe and we've upgraded the classic by topping ours with a crispy potato rösti.
Recipe: Rösti-Topped Fish Pie
Normandy chicken recipe
We can't go past the flavours of chicken, cider and apples and this recipe will have you coming back for more.
Recipe: Normandy Chicken
Lamb ragù with cheesy polenta recipe
Mince is used to speed this recipe up and is served with a cheesy quick-cook polenta for the easiest finish to a dish.
Recipe: Lamb Ragù with Cheesy Polenta
Piri-Piri chicken recipe
Removing the backbone and then flattening the chicken shortens the cooking time by half, whilst still looking impressive.
Recipe: Piri-Piri Chicken
Creamy fried gnocchi recipe
Rich and sumptuous flavours, this creamy fried gnocchi is ideal for an indulgent and speedy midweek feast with friends.
Recipe: Creamy Fried Gnocchi
Slow-cooked Mexican pork pibil recipe
Pibil is a traditional Mexican slow-roasted pork dish that uses annatto, a paste made from the berries of the achiote tree, which gives this dish a beautiful deep red colour and an earthy peppery flavour.
Recipe: Slow-Cooked Mexican Pork Pibil
Salmon and asparagus plait recipe
A recipe you’ll turn to time and time again. Make sure to use fine asparagus, so it will cook through evenly. Serve with fresh side salads.
Recipe: Salmon and Asparagus Plait
Truffle carbonara recipe
For a meaty addition, cook a little diced pancetta along with the mushrooms. If you can’t get hold of truffle paste, use a little truffle oil instead.
Recipe: Truffle Carbonara
Cheat's lobster macaroni cheese recipe
We've used a tin of lobster bisque and prawns to make a cheat's lobster mac and cheese recipe. Delicious!
Recipe: Cheat's Lobster Macaroni Cheese
Saffron and honey chicken recipe
Cooking times for split peas vary considerably depending on the brand and age, so go by feel rather than just on timings – they should still be firm but easy to bite. If not, keep the chicken warm in a low oven, add a little extra stock and cook the lentils for longer.
Recipe: Saffron and Honey Chicken Thighs with Braised Split Pea Traybake
An experienced and highly skilled team of food writers, stylists and digital content producers, the Good Housekeeping Cookery Team is a close-knit squad of food obsessives. Cookery Editor Emma Franklin is our resident chilli obsessive and barbecue expert, who spends an inordinate amount of time on holidays poking round the local supermarkets seeking out new and exciting foods. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Her favourite carb is pasta, and our vibrant green spaghetti is her weeknight go-to. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating crispy corn and nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time (though she cannot resist a slice of tres leches cake). With a wealth of professional kitchen know-how, culinary training and years of experience between them, they are all dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work (and if they don’t – we’ll have the answer for why*) every time (*90% of the time the answer is: “buy an separate oven thermometer”!).
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