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; how about the main course? Choose from 100+ easy dinner party recipes.
Showing 1-16 of 99 recipes
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Chicken wings
Lollipop chicken
Lollipop chicken is a popular Indo-Chinese dish of spicy fried chicken wings. London restaurant Fatt Pundit shares its authentic recipe.
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Dinner party starters
Asparagus and egg mayo toasts
This asparagus and egg mayo toasts recipe by Rosie Mackean is the ideal get-ahead starter for a spring dinner party.
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Easy
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Tapas
Wild garlic prawns pil pil
Sizzling Spanish prawns are given a seasonal spring twist in this gambas pil pil recipe with wild garlic. Try it as a starter or tapas dish.
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Easy
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Dips
Three cheese and pickle dip
Somewhere between cheese dip and fondue, this gloriously gooey combo of cheddar,cream cheese and smoky scamorza isa delight.
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Easy
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Leeks
Leek and spring greens soup with soft eggs and crispy capers
This verdant leek and spring greens soup from Rosie Mackean can be made in advance, making it perfect for spring entertaining.
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Easy
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Scones
Wheaten scones with comté and pickled walnuts
These crumbly wheaten scones make the perfect starter for six people, served with nutty comté cheese and pickled walnuts.
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Easy
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Citrus
Adam Byatt’s citrus, fennel and burrata salad
Top chef Adam Byatt shares his cutting-edge knife advice. Hone your knife skills with his beautiful citrus, fennel and burrata salad.
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Easy
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Blood orange recipes
Brown shrimp, chicory and blood orange salad
Crisp chicory leaves are draped in creamy dressing, spiked with blood orange and the briny sweetness of brown shrimp in this starter recipe.
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Marmite
Jason Atherton’s Marmite tarts
Jason Atherton's Marmite tarts are a mind-bending combination of sweet pastry and a custard filling laced with Marmite and HP sauce,
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Recipes from restaurants
Prawn toast bao with burnt peach chilli sauce
Julie Lin shares her incredible prawn toast bao recipe. Crispy bao are stuffed with juicy prawns and served with peach hot sauce.
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Easy
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New Year's Eve recipes
Mini laab (larb) buns
Ravinder Bhogal's mini laab (or larb) buns are stuffed with pork and prawns, plus plenty of aromatics. Serve as a dinner party starter.
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Dinner party starters
Paul Ainsworth’s The Mariners taramasalata on toast
Taramasalata on toast makes a winning dinner party starter or snack. “There’s no comparison to the homemade stuff," says chef Paul Ainsworth.
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Medium
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Camembert
Baked camembert with harissa honey
Oozy, gooey cheese drizzled with a fiery, sweet topping; this easy baked camembert with honey recipe is perfect for entertaining.
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Easy
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Pâté
Mushroom and tarragon pâté with roasted grapes and chestnuts
This easy pâté makes a pretty vegetarian starter, Roasted grapes bring bursts of sweetness while earthy chestnuts add festiveness.
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Easy
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Crab
Crab crumpet rarebit with pickled walnut ketchup
Crab raises welsh rarebit to the height of luxury in this impressive Christmas starter recipe. Make the rarebit and crab mixes a day ahead.
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Easy
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Pears
Beef carpaccio with pickled pear and parmesan mayonnaise
This carpaccio is a masterpiece on the plate, with butter-soft beef, pear, umami-rich mayo and crunchy nuts, A perfect make-ahead starter.
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Medium
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