• Home
• Recipes
• Collection
• 95 easy entertaining recipes

95 easy entertaining recipes

• Helen Salter

loading...

Get 5 months for £5 when you subscribe today

Check out our lighter, nourishing recipes for easy yet impressive entertaining, from roast spatchcock chicken and steamed sea bass to herby chimichurri salad

Looking for easy, effortless recipes fit for entertaining? Try our nourishing dishes including roast spatchcock chicken, whole steamed sea bass or celeriac chimichurri salad. Tuck into a cosy dessert with one of our easy dessert recipes and pair your feast with one of our dessert cocktail recipes.

Ad

Try unique entertaining ideas from our contributors, from Nisha Parma's vibrant sharing menu to John Gregory-Smith's winter feast menu. We also asked 15 top chefs and foodies to share their easy entertaining hacks and tips.

Jump to:

• Starters and sides
• Mains
• Desserts

Listen to Edd Kimber on the olive podcast talking to Janine Ratcliffe and co-host Gurd Loyal about boozy puddings, hero ingredients and creating the right atmosphere at a party.

Want to see this content?

This page contains content provided by Spotify. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Spotify may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Spotify and its required purposes.

Accept and continue

Easy entertaining recipes

Starters and sides

Easy leek fondue toasts

You can cook the leeks, grate the parmesan and make the toast ahead of time in this starter – making it a go-to recipe for entertaining guests.

Salmon flatbread

Missed the butter board trend? Don’t worry – this festive smoked salmon twist takes it up a notch, with the board itself transformed into an edible base.

Smoked salmon tart

Make this colourful tart for a simple yet impressive starter. The combination of soft cheese, salmon, sweet pickle and dill gives the flavours of a deli bagel in tart form.

Devilled eggs with crispy chilli

Transform classic devilled eggs with the irresistible kick of crispy chilli oil. In under 30 minutes, you'll have a platter of addictive finger food that’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

Watermelon, lime and feta checkerboard salad

Arrange pieces of marinated watermelon and salty feta in a checkerboard pattern for a stylish, delicious and refreshing entertaining dish for summer.

Prawn and chorizo skewers

With just six ingredients, these prawn and chorizo skewers are the ultimate surf-and-turf party bite – bold, smoky and perfect with a drink, no messy fingers required.

Tomato tartare with olive oil toast

This veggie riff on a steak tartare makes for an elegant starter to feed four. For the best flavour, use tomatoes when they are at their ripest towards late summer.

Paprika crisps and fennel crudités

Quick and easy paprika crisps and fennel crudités with a mojo verde dip can be ready in 10 minutes, perfect for last-minute entertaining.

Smashed parmesan potatoes with avocado

Smashing potatoes gives you the crispiest edges and a fluffy centre – the perfect base for spicy avocado. Finish with pickled onions and a pinch of aleppo chilli for a bold vegetarian bite.

Summer dips sharing board

Everyone loves a dip and this sharing board mixes up creamy goat’s cheese with tangy beetroot and a spicy olive oil for the ultimate mix and match combo.

Scampi with soured cream dip

This is a really easy way to offer people a bite with drinks without going to too much effort. You can swap the soured cream for mayo, if you prefer.

Italian sausage scotch eggs

Give the classic pub and picnic favourite an Italian twist with these scotch eggs. Add pancetta and parmesan to the meat coating for a beautifully salty flavour. For a Spanish version, swap the pancetta for chorizo and the parmesan for manchego.

Loaded olive, tomato and pepper focaccia

Soft, fluffy squares of salty focaccia, topped with plump green olives, red onion and cherry tomatoes, make the perfect sharing bread for a dinner party. Served with dips like hummus and tapenade, it’s a delicious start to the meal – though there’s a risk guests might fill up before the main course!

Samboosa tikka with green yogurt

The flavours of Bahraini tikka – meat marinated in ground black lime and lemon – have been used for the filling of these samboosas, which make a great dish to share with friends.

Hummus platter with all the veg

If you’re looking for an easy entertaining platter, look no further. Combine hummus with your favourite flavours and serve with veg, focaccia or savoury biscuits.

Gildas

All it takes are three ingredients – anchovies, guindilla peppers and olives – to make this simple Spanish-style snack.

Bloody mary prawn lettuce scoops

Serve this simple and speedy prawn cocktail alternative on a large platter in the middle of the table and let everyone dig in.

Dressed eggs

Present a tray of devilled eggs to a hungry crowd: there are three different toppings here, but the possibilities are endless – we've used nori flakes, sesame seeds and spring onion curls; urfa chilli flakes, coriander leaves and chopped toasted almonds; and chives, fish roe and radish slices.

Swedish roasted beet and apple salad

Try Sebastian Graus’ updated rosolli, a jewel-bright beetroot salad that’s a festive staple in Finland. His dressed-up version keeps the nostalgic flavour but adds a modern touch, making it the perfect fresh counterpoint to a rich festive spread.

Bao bun fillings

Experiment with your choice of bao fillings in this easy entertaining dish – we stuff ours with fish goujons, breaded chicken and sweet potato and top with sweet and sour slaw.

Swedish citrus-cured gravadlax with juniper and pink peppercorns

Brighten your festive table with this Swedish citrus-cured gravadlax, fragrant with orange zest, juniper and pink peppercorns. Effortlessly elegant and perfect for sharing, serve it with rye crackers and a squeeze of lemon.

Stuffed vine leaves with dill cream

Ready in under 30 minutes, this summery starter pairs fried stuffed vine leaves with a quick and creamy dill sauce. Serve with plenty of crusty bread for mopping up.

'Nduja prawns with focaccia

Simply wrap everything in a foil parcel and in a few minutes you’ve got spicy prawns bathed in their own sauce. An easy BBQ starter that's perfect served with focaccia for mopping up the sauce.

Baked feta with roasted grapes and rosemary

With zero prep time required on the day, this simple starter of baked feta with roasted grapes and rosemary makes a fail-safe dinner party starter.

Prawns pil pil

Plump prawns in a deliciously garlicky, spicy oil – a simple recipe that’s perfect for entertaining.

Crudités with chipotle aïoli

This crudité dish requires minimal effort, but the results are impressive – perfect for bringing out at dinner parties over the summer.

Warm bean dip with chorizo and prawns

Using just four ingredients, this go-to recipe is easy to make and ready in under 30 minutes.

Cheese grazing board

Three types of baked cheese, served with plenty of crackers, crudités and chutneys for the ultimate sharing starter.

Cheese pastry

Use any left-over cheese in this simple pie – you don’t need a huge amount, so if you’ve got a strong cheese, a little will go a long way.

Burrata and tomato salad

This salad requires minimal effort, but looks impressive – simply pair creamy burrata and sweet, ripe tomatoes with a punchy dressing of olive brine, lemon and black pepper.

Mains

Moroccan slow-roasted lamb shoulder

This Moroccan slow-roasted lamb shoulder makes a perfect celebratory centrepiece – minimal effort, maximum flavour. Let the oven work its magic as bold spices, garlic and preserved lemon transform the meat until tender.

Creamy mustard chicken

Braising chicken thighs in a mustard-spiked sauce makes a simple but elegant creamy mustard chicken that’s perfect for entertaining.

Julkottbullar (Swedish Christmas meatballs)

Ask chef Sebastian Graus what he can’t live without at Christmas and the answer’s simple – meatballs. His version is dressed for the season with warming spices and soft, buttery onions for an extra dose of comfort.

Sri Lankan prawn curry

This fragrant curry combines jumbo king prawns in a coconut, ginger and turmeric sauce, served with homemade coconut sambal. Perfect food for sharing with friends.

Herby-harissa shawarma with shallot raita

The smoky heat of harissa combined with the freshness of mixed herbs gives Gurdeep’s shawarma a flavour that's both punchy and delicate. Top generously with sharp, cooling shallot raita for the ultimate modern twist.

Crackling roast pork loin with spiced apples

This joint cooks quickly, slices beautifully and can be doubled up easily for a crowd. You can buy a pork joint often labelled ‘crackling joint’ in most supermarkets, which will be scored and tied ready for you to cook.

Hasselback squash gratin with herby gremolata

This creamy butternut squash gratin makes a gorgeous looking side dish to take to the table, topped with a rosemary and parsley gremolata. It can also double as a veggie main centrepiece.

Dovga Azeri (warm yogurt soup)

For something a little different on special occasions, this warm Azerbaijani yogurt soup is ideal. With just eight ingredients and ready in under an hour, it’s exciting and distinctive, yet surprisingly easy to make.

Indian summer lamb traybake

Make this one-tray roast with warming spices for an easy entertaining dish – the potatoes soak up all of the juices from the lamb as it cooks. Serve with a simple tomato and cucumber salad, naan, yogurt and chutneys for an effortless summer spread. If you can, marinate the lamb overnight so all of those flavours have time to absorb fully.

Giant rosti with baked eggs

This dish is perfect for feeding a crowd – pair it with a refreshing Bloody Mary for the ultimate Sunday brunch experience.

BBQ lamb platter with olive and almond pesto

Make the most of sunny days with barbecued lamb cutlets, served alfresco and topped with a homemade olive and almond pesto for a fresh, vibrant flavour.

Roast potato and brie tartiflette

Turn your leftover roast spuds into a decadent dish that’s perfect for entertaining over the festive season. The potatoes are cooked in a creamy sauce with bacon, garlic and thyme, then baked with a whole brie. This is full-on festive food, perfect with sliced ham and a salad.

Peanut butter and turmeric chicken rice bowl

This peanut butter and turmeric chicken rice bowl is perfect for entertaining, ready in under an hour. The rich peanut butter and creamy avocado make it both satisfying and filling, ensuring your guests stay happy.

Smashed meatball kebab platter with herby green yogurt

This smashed meatball kebab platter with herby green yogurt is a brilliant choice for anyone seeking a quick, flavour-packed meal that feels special yet is easy to prepare. Using ready-made meatballs saves time without sacrificing taste, while the shawarma spice blend adds warmth and depth. The vibrant couscous salad, full of fresh herbs, roasted red peppers and zesty lemon, pairs perfectly with the crispy, spiced meatballs.

Roasted cauliflower salad with pistachio pesto dressing

This roasted cauliflower salad with pistachio pesto dressing is a vibrant winter showstopper, perfect for entertaining. It strikes the ideal balance between comfort and elegance, with caramelised cauliflower bringing warmth and depth, while jewel-like pomegranate seeds add a pop of sweetness and a touch of luxury.

Crab and prawn cocktail rolls

These finger food rolls look really impressive but are simple to whip up, thanks to shop-bought prawn cocktail and brioche buns. Serve with thick-cut crisps and dressed lettuce leaves.

Pomegranate glazed lamb kebabs

This recipe sees shop-bought lamb kebabs served with a simple sweet, sour and sticky homemade chilli jam, making an impressive but easy BBQ main.

Easy dill butter prawn linguine with chilli crisp fried eggs

Recreate this dill butter prawn linguine for an elegant dinner for two – keep some potted shrimp in the freezer and you’ll always have an instant pasta sauce to hand.

Baked baby pumpkin with red curry prawns

Cut corners by using red curry paste in this gluten-free main. With only 20 minutes to prep time, it’s perfect for entertaining guests.

Smashed falafel platter with pink pickled onions

Using ready-made falafel, this recipe takes just 30 minutes from start to finish, perfect for effortless entertaining. The quick-pickled onions add colour.

Lamb casserole with hash brown top

Give the oven a break with this easy, rich lamb casserole recipe, topped with crispy hash browns. Serve with a salad or steamed greens.

Summer tolma with barberries

Summer tolma with barberries is a vibrant and satisfying dish that brings together fragrant herbs, warming spices and a delightful tang from dried barberries or cranberries. It is naturally gluten-free and vegetarian, making it suitable for a range of diets. The recipe is a little fiddly but becomes easier with practice, and the finished tolma are perfect for adding to a meze spread or serving alongside simple salads and grilled vegetables. With its fresh flavours and appealing textures, this dish is a wonderful way to make use of what you have in the fridge and enjoy a taste of summer.

Sticky date and sausage traybake

This simple, family-friendly sausage traybake, flavoured with warm spices and maple syrup, highlights the natural sweetness of dates.

Hot smoked salmon, gnocchi and spinach bake

This impressive main cuts corners with ready-made gnocchi and frozen spinach – simply prep the day before then slide into the oven when you're ready to eat.

Turkey au vin

Cook your turkey legs and breast in a heady red wine sauce for a Christmassy take on coq au vin. Once it's in the oven, this easy dish takes care of itself.

Leftover turkey ramen noodles

Transform left-over Christmas turkey into a cosy bowl of ramen, complete with ginger-spiked broth, thick noodles and fresh coriander.

Steamed sea bass with soy

Entertain the easy way by serving this steamed sea bass whole, meaning less prep yet offering impressive results. Cooking en papillote means the fish delicately steams to perfection and you don’t have to stand over it fussing.

Celeriac chimichurri salad

This herby salad cuts corners by using pre-cooked puy lentils and chucking a handful of ingredients into a processor to make a piquant chimichurri dressing.

Spatchcock chicken traybake

Harissa-coated roast chicken meets with crispy chorizo and caramelised orange to make a winning one-tin dinner. Stir the wholegrain basmati rice and spinach through the resting chicken juices and oil from the tray, and tuck in.

Spring chicken pie

Use a few cheat’s ingredients to make this comforting chicken and leek pie – perfect if you’re after a filling meal to make ahead of time.

Picnic platter

Turn a few picnic favourites like cheese, chutney, pâté and salami into a no-cook dinner party centrepiece, and finish it off with some quick and easy pickles.

Two-tray Christmas dinner

Christmas lunch doesn't have to be complicated: cook everything on oven trays – the turkey, golden roasties, pigs in blankets and all the trimmings – in just two hours.

Brunch sharing board

Be the host with the most with our epic brunch board, featuring overnight oats, sausage sarnies, pancake bites and enough bloody marys for you and five friends.

Desserts

Matchagato

This is easy matcha dessert comes together in just five minutes, perfect for a low-hassle dinner party. Serve with shortbreads for scooping.

Strawberry sumac pavlova with pistachios and basil

Pavlovas are a beautiful canvas for seasonal flavours, especially when using a blend of double cream and tart yogurt.

Dubai chocolate trifle

Layer a chocolate Swiss roll, pour over amaretto and top with custard and pistachio cream to make a trifle inspired by the viral Dubai chocolate bar – it takes just 35 minutes.

Brown sugar breakfast cake

Begin your day by enjoying a slice of yogurt sponge topped with a luscious swirl of brown sugar buttercream. The beauty of this cake is that it tastes even better the day after baking. It’s also a treat that extends beyond breakfast – serve as a dessert with a dollop of cream.

Peach melba sundae platter

This colourful summer platter is so impressive looking for what is essentially a last-minute assembly job and makes for an effortless dinner party dessert. Combine cooked peaches and fresh raspberries with crispy meringues, whipped cream and scoops of vanilla ice cream for an explosion of exciting textures and flavours.

Smashed honeycomb and Bailey's butterscotch sundae

Finish your dinner party on a high with this quick 20-minute dessert – homemade vanilla ice cream layered with rich butterscotch sauce and a scattering of golden honeycomb. Simple, elegant and completely irresistible.

Lemon cream cheese pie

Try our fuss-free cream cheese pies for a spot of weekend baking – simply cut into six squares or 12 fingers to serve.

Chocolate orange tart

Bring the nostalgic flavours of the humble chocolate orange and elevate them in this easy sharing tart that serves up to 12. Taking just 30 minutes, guests won't suspect that something this elegant could be so easy.

Dessert board

Sharing boards are perfect for easy entertaining. Make the choc pots and white russians ahead of time and buy a few extras to feed a crowd.

Date and ginger chocolate torte

Inspired by the Italian torta caprese, this flourless chocolate torte is as delicious as it is spectacular. To finish, the cake is topped with a spiced whipped custard, chocolate shavings and candied hazelnuts.

Swedish baked rice pudding

A Swedish Christmas Eve classic that’s easy to make ahead and tastes just as good the next day. Don’t forget the hidden almond – legend says whoever finds it will have good luck for the year.

White forest pandoro cake

This showstopper cake looks impressive but is really just an assembly job of beautiful ingredients, making it ideal for entertaining during the festive season. Pieces of classic star-shaped Italian sweet bread are brushed in kirsch liqueur and filled with a sweet white chocolate and vanilla cream and cherry jam.

Easy madeleine 'baba'

Check out our cheat’s version of rum baba. It’s winningly simple, and you can use your favourite rum to make it more special.

Christmas tart

Fill a shop-bought tart case with brandy-soaked dried fruit and two types of almond for a quick festive dessert, best eaten with brandy butter.

Espresso martini pancakes

These sweet pancakes cut corners with shop-bought ingredients, making entertaining completely fuss-free.

Fruit and cream layer cake

Panettone and pandoro have become popular Christmas gifts – if you’ve got one you haven’t used yet, give this easy dessert a try.

Double chocolate and passion fruit tart

A dessert with wow factor without any of the effort – this zingy tart is unbelievably quick to make thanks to a few ready-made ingredients. It's easy to prepare ahead of time, too.

Plum and pistachio frangipane tart

Use a shop-bought block of shortcrust pastry to make this impressive frangipane tart, featuring squidgy plums and crunchy pistachios.

Raspberry chocolate pots

Double cream, raspberries and dark chocolate are all you need to make this silky and decadent pud – a restaurant-level dessert with minimal prep required.

Blood orange curd crêpe cake

Use shop-bought crêpes and curd to make this speedy yet impressive blood orange layer cake.

Salted maple latte tart

Inspired by the flavours of a salted maple iced latte in NYC, this next-level custard tart features a coffee custard topped with a salted maple cream and finished with a light sprinkle of cinnamon.

Strawberry sgroppino

Dinner party guests will never guess this refreshing strawberry pud takes just five minutes to whip up.

Cardamom buns

Our cheat’s version of cardamom buns uses bread mix as a genius shortcut – just add butter and spices for the ultimate swirl bun.

Brioche ice cream sandwiches

Fill shop-bought brioche buns with velvety ice cream for an easy yet crowd-pleasing sweet treat.

Hot chocolate board

Swap dessert for this indulgent hot chocolate spread when you’re hosting an evening with friends. Choose from a range of toppings to garnish our classic milk and white chocolates. For grown-up gatherings, add a dash of rum, whisky, cognac or Baileys, or flavoured syrups.

Grapefruit and mint syllabub

This super-easy dessert is made with floral rosé wine and sharp, refreshing grapefruit – it may take just 10 minutes to make but will end your dinner on a high note.

Pomegranate ice cream

Pomegranate molasses adds a fruity, sweet-and-sour smack of flavour to this creamy no-churn ice cream.

Berry tiramisu

It might look impressive but you can whip up this berry tiramisu, made with tart raspberries, rosé wine and creamy mascarpone, in just 15 minutes.

10 minute berry dessert

This dessert was made for easy entertaining, whipped up in just 10 minutes. And it’s not just limited to frozen berries – try mango and passion fruit (fresh or frozen) or apple or pear purée.

Halva topped rice pudding

Cut corners on this warming dessert by using a ready-made rice pudding, which is topped with cinnamon, cardamom and a little orange zest, plus halva and extra cream.

Peach melba smashed pavlova

Ready-made meringue nests and custard make this an easy dessert that's brilliant for entertaining.

Grilled peaches, pancakes and ricotta

Ready in just 15 minutes, round off a BBQ feast with this simple dessert of grilled peaches, pancakes and ricotta.

Tinto de verano granita

Tinto de verano means ‘summer red wine’ – sangria-like but much easier to make. Here it’s frozen into a granita or slushie and doubles as a post-lunch drink

Red wine-braised short ribs

Ad

These ribs really are restaurant-quality food at home. Ask your butcher for bone-in short ribs and let them braise low and slow in the sauce until they are melt-in-the-mouth tender.

Authors

Helen Salter

Comments, questions and tips

Choose the type of message you'd like to post

Choose the type of message you'd like to post

CommentQuestionTip

Ad

Ad

Loading...

Ad

Loading...

Want to see this content?

This page contains olivemagazine content provided by Google reCAPTCHA. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Google reCAPTCHA may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Google reCAPTCHA and its required purposes.

Accept and continue