Easy Dinner Party Entrees That Will Seriously Impress Your Guests

Having friends over for dinner is such a fun way to entertain, spill the tea, and catch up with some of your favorite people. It involves a lot of work to put together and can be quite the expensive treat on your part, but it's a truly sweet and personal way to show the important people in your inner circle how much they mean to you.

Whether you're having a backyard soiree in the garden or a festive holiday gathering, the team at Mashed is here to help out with your party menu. There are lots of recipes that are meant for just these types of occasions. We've rounded up some dishes that are pretty simple to prepare, work great for serving a big group of guests, and will give everyone at your table the impression you worked way harder than you actually did when putting your dinner together. Sounds like a pretty amazing plan, are we right? If you're looking for recipe inspiration, check out the below dishes and get ready to host the best dinner party your guests are sure to rave about well after the evening wraps up.

Shrimp and grits is a really fun Southern recipe to consider making for your dinner party. It will only take 40 minutes from start to finish to prepare, and it's a tasty dish everyone at the table will enjoy. The ingredients you will need include shrimp, onion, ground cornmeal, olive oil, butter, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, parsley, minced onion, salt, pepper, and water.

You can start your menu with a crisp green salad, and keep true to your Southern dinner theme with a traditional dessert as well, such as our hummingbird cake. Set your table with large vintage glasses filled with our fresh lemonade — it will be a great conversation twist and add so much charm to your overall evening.

When cooking for a group of people, pasta is always a great choice to prepare. This Italian dish is so popular and will most certainly be enjoyed by all. The best part about pasta puttanesca is that it will only will take you 20 minutes to have it on the table.

To prepare this recipe that's jam-packed with flavor, You will need penne pasta, grape tomatoes, anchovies, kalamata olives, extra virgin olive oil, curly parsley, water, capers, red chili flakes, salt, and pepper. To keep with the Italian vibe, you can start your evening off with a yummy charcuterie board, complete with prosciutto, mozzarella, provolone, and bread slices. Don't forget to serve a bottle or two of your favorite red wine to complement this scrumptious meal.

If you're thinking about serving a meat dish, our pork chops are undeniably juicy and delicious. When paired with a side of cranberry walnut apple salad, this recipe would be a really awesome and totally refreshing choice for your dinner party (especially if it's taking place in the spring or summer). You can whip this dish up in just 20 minutes, and in addition to your chops, all you will need to prepare your pork chops will be garlic granules, salt, black pepper, and olive oil. That's it!

If your guests have never had cioppino, they are in for a real treat. This delicious soup is filled with a variety of flavorful seafood. Served with a big chunk of bread, (perhaps a baguette?)this recipe is undeniably divine.

You will need clams, mussels, shrimp, white fish, diced tomatoes, fennel, olive oil, garlic cloves, salt, an onion, garlic cloves, crushed chili flakes, fish or chicken stock, a bay leaf, dry white wine, and parsley. This recipe will take you an hour to prepare and it's worth every bit of it. Your guests will definitely be impressed with this tasty recipe and likely request for you to make it again and again.

Our sweet and sour chicken is such a flavorful dish, and it can be prepared in just 30 minutes. It's a colorful meal to serve, will look beautiful plated on your dinner table, and is sure to be raved about by all.

In order to whip up this recipe, you'll have to gather up chicken breasts or thighs, eggs, onion, a bell pepper, canned pineapple chunks, cornstarch, flour, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, ketchup, salt, pepper, garlic cloves, grated ginger, scallions, and rice. What awaits is a finished product that will rival any Chinese take-out, so be prepared to share this recipe with all of your guests. 

There's no doubt about it: Penne alla vodka is a classic pasta dish everyone will be so delighted to see on the evening's menu. It's incredibly simple to prepare, so you will have plenty of time to pour yourself a glass of red and fully relax with your company. In order to whip it up, you'll need penne pasta, a can of crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, heavy cream, vodka, garlic, minced sweet onion, kosher salt, black pepper, sugar, and olive oil. Get ready for the compliments to flow once everyone takes a bite of this delightfully creamy pasta dish.

Roast beef is always a solid choice to serve at a dinner party — and our recipe is dubbed "the best roast beef recipe you'll find anywhere" for good reason. The presentation is mouthwatering, and it's guaranteed that you will have happy guests at your gathering. The best part is, you can prepare this recipe in 15 minutes and let it cook for two hours in your Dutch oven. That gives you plenty of time to do everything else you need to do to get ready for your guests to arrive.

You will need the following ingredients for our savory roast beef recipe: chuck roast, celery, carrots, onions, garlic, rosemary, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, red wine vinegar, and beef stock. Be sure to get some really tasty dinner rolls and butter (or perhaps try making Texas Roadhouse copycat rolls) to serve alongside this beef. Display this beauty on a silver platter, and it is sure to be a winner. Get ready for your guests to request this dish again and again.