Dinner party main recipes
From easy crowd-pleasing recipes to fancier fare, try our dinner party menu ideas for fuss-free entertaining.
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Slow-roast pork belly with celeriac & pear mash
- Ready in 2 hrs 50 mins
Soft tender pork with crisp crackling is a treat enough, but contrast with sweet mash for extra indulgence
4
ratings
Easy
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One-pan duck with Savoy cabbage
- Ready in 40 mins
Duck breast is perfect for entertaining - it's easy to cook, readily available, yet not something you eat every day
32
ratings
Easy
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Pan-fried salmon with watercress, polenta croutons & capers
- Ready in 30 mins
Heart-healthy salmon is ideal for a dinner party. Use pre-cooked polenta to make this main course recipe even easier
5
ratings
Easy
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Greek lamb with potatoes & olives
- Ready in 1 hr 30 mins
Entertain the easy way with this quick-to-prepare rustic one-pot - just serve with crusty bread
18
ratings
Easy
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Beef bourguignon
- Ready in 3 hrs 35 mins
This sumptuous, step-by-step recipe for slow-cooked stew from Gordon Ramsay makes a great winter supper
128
ratings
Easy
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Fish pie with saffron mash
- Ready in 1 hr 45 mins
A great dinner party dish. This can be made ahead and frozen so there's always something ready to entertain guests
29
ratings
Moderately Easy
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Chicken, goat's cheese & cherry tomato bake
By
- Ready in 30 mins
This is a really easy meal to cook for friends - you can make ahead and keep in the fridge for 24 hours
20
ratings
Easy
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Braised lamb shanks
By
- Ready in 2 hrs 40 mins
Lamb shanks are good value, and as each one is a portion, serving is a cinch. You can braise the shanks up to two days ahead
29
ratings
Moderately Easy
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Flambéed chicken with asparagus
- Ready in 50 mins
An elegant spring dinner party dish that looks and tastes very special. Perfect with new potatoes
88
ratings
For The Keen Cook
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Creamy chicken & pumpkin
By
- Ready in 2 hrs
Prepare this delicious chicken and pumpkin dish the day before and just pop in the oven as your guests arrive.
25
ratings
Easy
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Salmon coulibiac
- Ready in 3 hrs
This majestic fish pie makes a brilliant dinner party centrepiece which can be prepared ahead
13
ratings
Moderately Easy
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Roast duck breasts with maple syrup vinaigrette
- Ready in 45 mins
The sweet syrup brings out the intense flavour of the duck beautifully in this dinner party winner
13
ratings
Moderately Easy
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Parmesan-roasted potatoes
- Ready in 1 hr
These are a great addition to Christmas dinner, and perfect for Boxing Day bubble and squeak... if you have any left over
38
ratings
Easy
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Squash, ricotta & sage pasta bake
- Ready in 1 hr 20 mins
An impressive but simple veggie main course - perfect with a green salad on the side
31
ratings
Easy
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Simple fish cakes
By
- Ready in 30 mins
Once the preserve of dodgy chippies, fish cakes are now smart dinner party fodder
34
ratings
Easy
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Pepper-crusted salmon with garlic chickpeas
- Ready in 25 mins
Add a crunchy twist to a classic salmon recipe to create a simple yet special supper
33
ratings
Easy
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Mustard-stuffed chicken
By
- Ready in 30 mins
This is so good we'd be surprised if this chicken fillet recipe doesn't become a firm favourite. Add it to your binder now and enjoy
397
ratings
Easy
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One-pan salmon with roast asparagus
- Ready in 1 hr 20 mins
For an easy side dish to complement a spring roast, just cook this recipe without the salmon
184
ratings
Easy
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Roasted butternut squash with goat's cheese
By
- Ready in 1 hr 35 mins
A fantastic vegetarian main packed with veg and smothered with melted goat's cheese
170
ratings
Easy
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Pan-fried chicken in mushroom sauce
By
- Ready in 1 hr 45 mins
Creamy chicken and mushroom dish - a fabulous French seasonal recipe
177
ratings
Moderately Easy
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Goat's cheese & thyme stuffed chicken
- Ready in 1 hr 25 mins
The chicken, goat’s cheese and bacon combo is totally delicious, and the veg adds a welcome sweetness. Serve with a few steamed Jersey Royals
96
ratings
Easy
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Parmesan & parsley-crusted salmon
By
- Ready in 20 mins
Perk up salmon fillets, with a light, Italian-inspired topping
99
ratings
Easy
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Roast duck legs with red wine sauce
- Ready in 1 hr 20 mins
It's almost impossible to overcook duck legs - so try this rich, slow-roasted dish
63
ratings
Easy
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Pan-fried venison with blackberry sauce
- Ready in 25 mins
Blackberries are delicious in savoury sauces, and this version is the perfect match for the richly flavoured venison
53
ratings
Easy
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Moroccan spiced pie
- Ready in 2 hrs
The perfect showpiece to your Christmas Day meal - and it's suitable for veggies
62
ratings
Moderately Easy
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Seven-hour lamb
- Ready in 7 hrs 45 mins
Slow cooked, melt-in-the-mouth meat that needs 7 hours in the oven but little more than 7 minutes work for the chef
43
ratings
Moderately Easy
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Italian chicken with ham, basil & beans
By
- Ready in 1 hr 25 mins
A great recipe for the end of the summer, using sweet roasted tomatoes and garlic. Serve with the best crusty bread you can get you hands on
27
ratings
Easy
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Slow-roasted Tuscan pork with roast garlic mash
By
- Ready in 5 hrs 15 mins
Buy organic or heirloom pork for this dish to really make it worthwhile - it'll have a better texture and flavour
30
ratings
Easy
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Shallot tarte tatin with goat's cheese
- Ready in 1 hr 25 mins
James Martin's easy, rustic cheese and onion tart is sure to become a weekend favourite
16
ratings
Easy
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Crab linguine with chilli & parsley
- Ready in 30 mins
Keep it simple with this restaurant-style dish that takes a few good-quality ingredients and lets them shine
14
ratings
Moderately Easy
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Chicken with sweet wine & garlic
- Ready in 1 hr 45 mins
Simple, delicious and very classically French, this creamy casserole makes an impressive dinner party dish
15
ratings
Moderately Easy
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Slow-roast lamb with cinnamon, fennel & citrus
- Ready in 12 hrs
For lamb that will melt in your mouth and surprise your palate, follow Sarah Cook's easy recipe
19
ratings
Easy
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Guinea fowl with polenta & chard
- Ready in 1 hr
MasterChef judge and chef John Torode cooks a brilliant dish with the very best of the winter season
2
ratings
Moderately Easy
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Poule au pot with stuffing balls & garlic cream
- Ready in 2 hrs 40 mins
Packed with vegetables and aromatic herbs, this classic French dish really delivers
3
ratings
Easy
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Duck confit
By
- Ready in 16 hrs
Turn bargain duck legs into a luxurious dinner party dish which can be prepared well ahead
1
rating
Moderately Easy
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Salmon en croute
- Ready in 3 hrs
If anyone can solve your cooking dilemma it's Gordon Ramsay. This recipe is an impressive and inexpensive fish main course
3
ratings
Moderately Easy
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Roast chicken with salsa & garlic mash
- Ready in 1 hr 5 mins
There's nothing nicer than crispy roast chicken with mash, but the addition of fresh salsa lifts the dish to new levels
3
ratings
Easy
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Roasted cauliflower with garlic, bay & lemon
- Ready in 30 mins
This quick and healthy recipe offers an alternative to covering your cauliflower in cheese
3
ratings
Easy
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Dauphinoise potatoes
- Ready in 1 hr 5 mins
Thin slices of potato slow-cooked in the oven with cream and garlic- the most decadent of side dishes
35
ratings
Easy
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Red onion, cherry tomato & rosemary fougasse
- Ready in 2 hrs 10 mins
This rustic French bread is surprisingly light, the onions give it a full flavour and the tomatoes add a juicy touch
2
ratings
Moderately Easy
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Creamed spinach
By
- Ready in 25 mins
Inspired by the luxurious side dish at Le Café Anglais in London, this proves spinach needn't be boring
3
ratings
Easy
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Petits pois à la Francaise
By
- Ready in 20 mins
Make light work of the celebratory roast with this easy side dish
0
ratings
Easy
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Zingy courgette & spinach salad
By
- Ready in 10 mins
This delicious side dish is simple but smart and will bring a touch of freshness to any main meal
11
ratings
Easy
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Layered roast summer vegetables
- Ready in 1 hr 30 mins
This all-in-one side dish can double up as a veggie main course, perfect for summer
8
ratings
Easy
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Spinach & beetroot salad
By
- Ready in 25 mins
A salad is a fresh idea for a party, and this colourful one livens up the table no end
3
ratings
Easy
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Stir-fried winter greens with garlic & chilli
By
- Ready in 10 mins
Blanching keeps the greens a bright colour in this vibrant dish
1
rating
Easy
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Chicory & gruyère gratin
By
- Ready in 20 mins
A no-nonsense but totally delicious side dish that's perfect for a roast
3
ratings
Easy
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