19 Quick and Easy Recipes for Entertaining—From Appetizers to Desserts (2024)

22 Home Bar Ideas That Will Transform Your Space Into the Ultimate Entertaining Spot

Easy Chicken Thighs With Cherry Tomatoes and Pernod

With just 15 minutes of prep, and then hands-off cooking in the oven, this saucy chicken entrée is just the thing for your next dinner party. While it bakes, you can set the table, wash the salad, and change into your party frock.

Blue-Cheese Spread

A two-ingredient wonder that comes together in 10 minutes and can be made a day ahead. This cream cheese meets blue cheese spread that's made in the food processor is both sophisticated and super easy. Serve with olive oil toast or your favorite crackers.

Chocolate-Mousse Parfaits

Pretty as a picture, these airy chocolate mousses are layered with crushed store-bought spice cookies and topped with generous dollops of whipped cream. The recipe is so forgiving, that you can easily double or triple it for when you have many guests coming over.

Greek Layer Dip

Serve this zesty Mediterranean spin on the traditional seven-layer dip with pita chips for a delightful party starter. It takes 20 minutes to make and doesn't require any cooking—just a whiz in the food processor.

Deviled Eggs With Relish

Deviled eggs are the life of the party, but when you infuse them with pickle relish, the results are even better—sweet, tangy, and definitely a crowd-pleaser for all kinds of occasions.

Spanish Chorizo Meatballs

As delicious at room temperature as they are hot out of the skillet, these crowd-pleasing meatballs spice things up. They're made with fresh chorizo sausage.

One-Pot Seafood Orzo Risotto

Here's a quick and easy main dish that's a combo of paella and risotto, but made with orzo pasta—and even more delicious than either! This one-pan dinner looks and tastes fancy, but is easy to put together in just 45 minutes; you can customize it according to your taste or by using the best seafood available at the market.

Lime Pudding Cups

Take 10 minutes in the morning to make this comforting dessert, then pop it in the fridge to chill before you head out to work. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and some crushed graham crackers and dessert is served.

Ham and Cheese Flatbread

Using purchased flatbread makes this elegant appetizer so easy to put together. You can also serve it with a nice big green salad for a simple lunch.

Broccoli Frito Misto

Who doesn't like crispy food? Here, both broccolini and broccoli get the deep-frier treatment and are served with a vinegary, slightly spicy dipping sauce.

Grilled Halibut Steaks With Potatoes, Olives, and Onions

This recipe is proof you don't need to spend a lot of time cooking to deliver a gorgeous, delicious dinner, be it on a busy workday or in the after hours of hectic weekend shopping. This entrée will be on the table in just 20 minutes.

Dark Chocolate-Walnut Date Bar

Who would ever think that such a sophisticated, celebration-worthy dessert as this would come together fast and be no-bake, vegan, and gluten-free to boot? Our rich chocolate date bar does need time to refrigerate until firm, but make it ahead and concentrate on the last-minute elements of the meal knowing a stellar ending is waiting.

Mixed-Olive Tapenade

For this rustic take on tapenade, the ingredients are whole or very coarsely chopped, which makes for the prettiest presentation of this quick appetizer. Serve with toasted baguette pieces rubbed with garlic.

Potato-Chip-and-Pimiento Mini Crab Cakes

Potato chips bring a salty crunch to these one-bite treats. They are baked instead of fried, so there's less mess to deal with after you finish cooking.

Whole Poached Salmon

Serving a whole side of salmon is just plain impressive. And it's surprisingly simple to put together—this magnificent recipe can be poached, glazed, and prepared for the table in a couple of hours (and can be kept in the refrigerator overnight!).

Butter Pecan Blondies

These treats are perfect if you are expecting a crowd. If you want to gild the lily, go à la mode and top them with ice cream and caramel sauce.

Shucked Oysters With Three Sauces

Nothing says elegance quite like a platter of freshly shucked oysters. With three sauces to choose from, everyone will be happy.

Yogurt-Marinated Lamb and Chicken Skewers

The lamb and chicken in these skewers can be marinated up to one day in advance. Simply, remove from the fridge one hour before grilling or baking, and serve alongside veggie skewers, dips, and pita bread—who says entertaining has to be complicated?

Shaped Icebox Cookies

A ridiculously easy treat, this is truly a one-size-fits-all cookie! Take a basic make-ahead, fold some mix-ins (or infuse the dough with cocoa powder for a rich, decadent chocolatey flavor), and bake them the day of—or the day before—the party.