Simple Yet Impressive Dinner Party Dishes

Everybody loves a good dinner party. Gathering your family and friends to share a night of excellent food and even better company is the ideal way to commemorate a birthday, anniversary or just for fun. Whether you’re planning a formal affair or something a little more casual, a dinner party is also a fantastic excuse to showcase your culinary skills with delicious courses to delight your guests. Here are some excellent ideas for straightforward, easy-to-make dishes guaranteed to impress.

Welcome Cocktails

Everybody enjoys being greeted with a glass of something magnificent. While there is nothing wrong with the classics, such as prosecco or cava, you could go the extra mile by offering your guests a welcome cocktail. Consider something light, refreshing and crowd-pleasing, such as mojitos, rum punch or Pimm’s with lemonade, mint and fresh fruit. If you have a fully-stocked liquor cabinet and you’re relatively confident in your mixology skills, you could even take cocktail requests.

Bruschetta Bites

Before your guests sit down at the dining table, offering them appetisers to accompany their welcome drinks is always good practice. Bruschetta bites are exceptionally easy to make and pack a punch in terms of flavour. You could use pre-packaged crostini or thick slices of sourdough rubbed with raw garlic and topped with finely-diced ripe tomatoes, olive oil, salt and fresh basil. You could even add some mini mozzarella pearls for a finishing touch.

Prosciutto-Wrapped Figs

Prosciutto-wrapped figs are another light yet flavour-packed appetiser option. You could keep this dish straightforward or add an extra element by stuffing your figs with blue cheese before wrapping them. Transform this course from an appetiser to a starter by serving your stuffed and wrapped figs on a bed of rocket or watercress with a tangy balsamic vinaigrette to cut through the rich creaminess of the cheese.

Charcuterie Board

A well-presented charcuterie board is a crowd-pleasing dinner party delight, best served as a starter or as a cheese course before dessert. The beauty of a charcuterie board is there is absolutely no cooking involved - all of the skill lies within the pairing and presentation. Select a handful of fine cheeses ranging from soft to hard, cold cuts and extras such as artisan crackers, nuts and dried fruits, allowing everyone to grab a taste of what they fancy.

Steak

While the prospect of cooking steak to order may seem nerve-wracking, it is definitely something worth perfecting. A beautifully cooked steak made from expertly selected dry aged beef will keep your guests coming back for more. With a bit of practice in timing and balancing flavours, cooking a restaurant-quality steak at home can be surprisingly easy. Serve your steak with accompaniments such as scalloped potatoes, seasonal roasted vegetables and rich, red wine jus.

Risotto

Risotto is another dish with a (decidedly unfair) reputation for being tricky to perfect. On the contrary, risotto is excellent for beginner chefs. Versatile and hearty, risotto can be tailored to just about any preference or dietary requirement; hence, if you have meat-eaters and vegetarians attending your dinner party, you can make a delicious veggie risotto and add in meat or fish for your omnivorous guests. Keep an eye on this dish during the cooking process, as overcooked risotto rice can be mushy and unpleasant.

Traybake

A tray bake is the ultimate simple midweek meal that can also make for a wonderfully impressive dinner party main course. Quick to prepare, versatile and brimming with flavour, all you need is a tray and a handful of good-quality ingredients. Consider a rich, bright, Spanish-inspired chorizo, halloumi and Mediterranean vegetable traybake, or even pesto-smothered salmon, gnocchi and tender stem broccoli. The advantage of a traybake is its minimal preparation time, meaning you can spend less time cooking and more time socialising with your guests.

No-Bake Cheesecake

Every good dinner party ends with something sweet. However, baking is equal parts art and science - something that comes easier to some than it does to others. Fortunately, there are plenty of delectable no-bake desserts you can whip up in no time with little-to-no skill required. Consider a no-bake cheesecake for a showstopping sweet course guaranteed to impress your guests. Alternatively, you could create a trifle comprising store-bought sponge fingers and pre-made custard - easy and impactful.

Here are some more dinner party tips for the perfect evening.