Dinner party starter recipes
Get your next gathering off to a delicious start with one of our dinner party starter recipes.
These impressive entrées include dinner party classics like elegant soups, salads, tartlets and terrines. There are plenty of make-ahead dishes and lots of plant-based ideas for vegetarians and vegans. Or why not opt for something a little fancy in the form of scallop recipes? Start planning your next dinner party with a browse through these test-kitchen approved starter ideas.
That’s the starter taken care of, now how about the main course? Choose from 100+ easy dinner party recipes.
Showing 1-16 of 71 recipes
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Dip recipes
Piedmontese bagna cauda
Bagna cauda is THE dip of Piedmontese cuisine. This simple dish contains heaps of garlic, anchovy and olive oil –...
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Easy
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Italian pasta recipes
Tortellini in brodo
A Piedmontese classic, this dish from chef Chris Leach at Italian restaurant Manteca in London might look simple but is...
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Medium
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Trout recipes
Lemon and pink peppercorn cured trout terrine
This trout terrine with fruity and floral pink peppercorns takes a bit of time, but is so worth it for...
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Easy
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Trout recipes
Brown sugar-cured trout with easy wheaten bread
This dish sings with aniseed flavours, from the spices in the trout cure to the glorious tarragon herb butter on...
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Easy
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Trout recipes
Cured trout tartare with apple and nori
Cured trout tartare is a simple, relatively effortless starter. Curing your own trout might sound daunting, but all it takes...
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Easy
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Halloween recipes
Mini pumpkin fondues
How do you make a pumpkin even tastier? Fill it with cheese, of course! Make the most of sweeter mini...
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Easy
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Squash recipes
Butternut squash velouté with green curry foam
There’s soup, and then there’s velouté – its silkier, richer counterpart. Chef Kerth Gumbs’ squash velouté shows how a handful...
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Easy
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'Nduja recipes
Charred purple sprouting broccoli with ‘nduja, kale pesto and crackling crumb
This dish from The Free Company restaurant near Edinburgh makes a cracking starter or side dish. Charred broccoli is elevated...
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Easy
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Cold soup recipes
Sweetcorn gazpacho
This bright yellow chilled soup is thrumming with sweetcorn’s delicious flavour, balanced out by yellow pepper and jalapeño for a...
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Easy
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Prawn recipes
Vietnamese prawn baked tomatoes (Chạo tôm)
Thuy Pham’s baked tomatoes are a twist on Vietnamese dish, Chạo tôm. In the traditional Vietnamese dish, prawn cakes are...
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Easy
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Burrata recipes
Burrata with croutons and nettle and basil pesto
Creamy burrata gets served up alongside croutons for crunch and a pepped up nettle pesto. A simple spring starter from...
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Easy
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Diwali recipes
Pakora
Super quick and endlessly versatile, you can put pretty much any vegetable into a pakora – just finely slice anything...
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Medium
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Air fryer recipes
Air fryer carrots and chickpeas with ricotta
Cooking chickpeas in the air fryer turns them deliciously crisp; carrots turn out tender with just a little bite. Scattered...
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Easy
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Rhubarb recipes
Savoury custard with mackerel and pickled rhubarb (chawanmushi)
Rhubarb and custard in a savoury setting? You bet – chawanmushi is a Japanese egg custard usually flavoured with dashi...
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Easy
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Christmas starter recipes
Parmesan and paprika custards with quince toast
With umami-rich parmesan, smoky paprika and fruity quince paste soldiers for dipping, these savoury set custards provide a simple make-ahead...
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Easy
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Burns Night recipes
Smoked duck and beetroot salad
“This smoked duck salad sings of winter thanks to the earthy flavours of beetroot and hazelnut. It’s a light yet...
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Easy
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