Make-ahead dinner party main course recipes

Salmon and smoked haddock are perfect partners in this creamy, cheesy fish dish - freeze ahead and thaw for a make-ahead dinner party main

Mix up your festive main with this fabulous Christmas dinner wellington. A make-ahead meal in one, it incorporates stuffing and cranberry sauce, so all you need to think about on the big day is the veg and gravy

Great for casual entertaining, when you fancy a warming beef stew but with some more vibrant flavours

Conjure memories of a Greek holiday with this marvellous make-ahead moussaka, which is ideal for feeding a crowd, served with a simple side salad

Make our easy vegetable lasagne using just a few ingredients. You can use ready-made tomato sauce and white sauce, or batch cook the sauces and freeze them

A crispy Greek-style spinach and feta filo pie that you can adapt for your needs. This simple spanakopita recipe uses just five ingredients.

Spend a weekend afternoon making this classic beef and ale pie with porcini mushrooms and homemade pastry. It's even better made a couple of days in advance.

This smoky, melt-in-the-mouth main course is slow-cooked for several hours, making it ideal for a Bonfire Night feast after the fireworks

A great dinner party dish. This can be made ahead and frozen so there's always something ready to entertain guests

Chinese black vinegar adds a malty, smoky flavour to this dinner party pork dish, slow-cooked in a ginger and oyster sauce until it melts in the mouth

We've made this classic French chicken casserole a little lighter than the traditional version, but it still has a rich, deep flavour

Our melty mushroom and stilton wellingtons are simple to make using shop-bought puff pastry. This smart vegetarian main is perfect for entertaining on winter nights

Forget microwave ready-meal versions and make a homemade lasagne properly: with good ingredients, it becomes the ultimate make-ahead, comfort food crowd-pleaser

This vegetarian main course is packed with festive flavours and wrapped in flaky butter puff pastry - a real Christmas treat

Hosting a veggie dinner party? Try our autumnal quiche with butternut squash, plus sage and hazelnut for a festive flavour – ideal for a meat-free Christmas

Simple, delicious and very classically French, this creamy casserole makes an impressive dinner party dish

A rich and indulgent example of French cuisine for turning spuds into something more exciting

It's almost impossible to overcook duck legs - so try this rich, slow-roasted dish

Fragrantly spiced, this Moroccan-style stew with ginger, cinnamon and cloves will become your go-to main dish for a make ahead dinner party menu

This majestic fish pie makes a brilliant dinner party centrepiece which can be prepared ahead

Serve up a game version of the classic dinner party puff pastry parcel with mushroom duxelles, prosciutto and mustard

Prepare this delicious chicken and pumpkin dish the day before and just pop in the oven as your guests arrive.

Keep this in the freezer ready for dinner parties and serve it with rice and salad or crunchy potatoes and vegetables

Wrap turkey breast, sausagemeat and cranberry sauce in streaky bacon to make an all-in-one main course that's guaranteed to impress your Christmas dinner guests