Entertaining has never been so easy. Check out these 25 Easy Dinner Party Main Course recipes for everything from elegant and sophisticated dinner parties to casual barbecues for a crowd.
Keep it fun, simple, and relaxed with these mostly make-ahead, impressive, yet foolproof, easy main course menu ideas and recipes for stress-free entertaining.
Take a breath and make sure to have fun. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in the process of preparing and cooking for a dinner party that sometimes we forget to have fun and take part in the party.
Check out my insider tips below on how to host the perfect dinner party. And, take my advice and enjoy the meal, sip a cool drink, and take the time to enjoy a relaxing evening with friends. That’s what it is all about!
1 Perfect Beef Tenderloin with Gorgonzola Sauce – Grits and Pinecones
Nothing says dinner party like a showstopping, melt-in-your-mouth, Perfect Beef Tenderloin with Gorgonzola Sauce. This elegant and impressive, oven-roasted dish is a classic entrée for special occasions or makes a great appetizer for a holiday party. Check out this easy recipe, it’s a must try!
2 Grilled London Broil with Marinade – Grits and Pinecones
Whether you’re hosting a backyard cookout or hosting a dinner party, this tender, juicy grilled London Broil is sure to impress and satisfy. So fire up the grill and enjoy a culinary experience that’s as quick and easy as it is unforgettable.
3 Beef Braciole – From a Chef’s Kitchen
Beef Braciole is a company-worthy, classic, hearty, homestyle southern Italian dish perfect for a dinner party! Thin slices of beef, a savory filling in a wine-infused sauce you’ll fall in love with!
4 Filet Mignon with Red Wine Mushroom Sauce – Grits and Pinecones
Filet Mignon with Red Wine Mushroom Sauce is perfect for a date night or dinner party. In this easy recipe, tender, juicy filet mignon is pan-seared in a cast-iron skillet and then finished in the oven until it is melt-in-your-mouth tender.
5 Creamy Chicken Scallopini with Mushrooms – Pudge Factor
Creamy Chicken Scallopini with Mushrooms is not only easy to make but also incredibly delicious! This Chicken Scallopini with Mushrooms is perfect for both weekday meals and casual dinner parties. The tender chicken smothered in creamy mushroom gravy is out of this world!
6 Red Wine Braised Beef Short Ribs – Grits and Pinecones
Easy Red Wine Braised Beef Short Ribs are the answer to your dinner party dreams. They are full of flavor, classic comfort food, and so tender the beef falls off the bone. Braised beef short ribs are also the perfect make-ahead main dish for a special holiday dinner or a fabulous dinner party.
7 Apricot Glazed Stuffed Cornish Game Hens – Linger a Little
These stuffed Cornish Hens will be a stunning display of beauty on any table where they find themselves. Shimmering with an apricot glaze and packed with wild rice stuffing that’s loaded with dried apricots and cranberries, this dish is sure to be a “show stopper” for any get-together or dinner party you throw.
8 Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Apricot Glaze
Delicious Pork Tenderloin with Apricot Glaze is the perfect answer to the question of what’s for dinner tonight and it makes a stunning and appetizing dinner party main dish.
9 One Pot Creamy Tuscan Chicken – Pudge Factor
One Pot Creamy Tuscan Chicken is the ultimate in simplicity and taste. Thinly sliced tender chicken breasts are pan-fried and finished in a creamy sauce bursting with goodness and flavor. This amazing one-dish wonder is perfect for an elegant dinner party but easy enough for week-night meals or an anytime meal.
10 Oven Roasted New York Strip Roast – Grits and Pinecones
Incredibly juicy and tender, simple yet refined, Oven Roasted New York Strip Roast cooked low and slow in a cast-iron skillet in the oven will add elegance to any gathering or holiday dinner. Bursting with a bold, beefy flavor, this boneless NY Strip Roast is easy to prepare and makes a dazzling presentation.
11 Pan Seared Scallops with Brown Butter Sauce – Jersey Girl Cooks
Pan Seared Scallops with Brown Butter Beer Sauce is easy to cook but also the perfect special occasion dinner. This special scallop recipe is sure to impress.
12 Easy Make-Ahead Baked Ziti – Grits and Pinecones
Looking for a crowd-pleaser you can prepare in advance? Try my Easy Make-Ahead Baked Ziti! Packed with ziti pasta, three kinds of cheese, savory sausage, and hamburger in a rich tomato sauce, it’s comfort food nirvana. This dish freezes beautifully and feeds 12, making it perfect for dinner parties. Enjoy!
13 Elegant Shrimp Newburg in Puff Pastry Shells – Pudge Factor
Shrimp Newburg in Puff Pastry Shells is an easy, but elegant entrée for your next dinner party. It is equally elegant for your Mardi Gras feast. Succulent shrimp in a spicy cream sauce spooned on crispy puff pastry says it all!
14 Lemon Roasted Chicken – Beyond the Chicken Coop
Lemon roasted chicken features a delicious combination of tender, roasted chicken with a subtle hint of lemon and fragrant herbs, creating a deliciously comforting dish. Serve it as a delicious main course for any special occasion or as a comforting family dinner.
15 Bacon and Mushroom Stuffed Pork Tenderloin – Grits and Pinecones
Bacon and Mushroom Stuffed Pork Tenderloin features pork tenderloin stuffed with a bacon and mushroom filling, which is so delicious you could serve it as a side dish. It makes a beautiful presentation and is perfect for holiday entertaining or a dinner party.
16 Pan Seared Salmon with Creamy Smashed Potatoes – Sprinkles and Sprouts
A juicy Pan Seared Salmon fillet sits atop soft fluffy smashed potatoes, spiked with scallions and drizzled with horseradish cream. This Pan Seared Salmon with Creamy Smashed Potatoes is an elegant yet simple dinner party main course.
17 Easy Chicken Mushroom Marsala Pasta – Grits and Pinecones
Easy Chicken Mushroom Marsala Pasta is a recipe that is not only delicious, but it’s also family-friendly and quick and easy enough for a weeknight dinner! It’s also a perfect make-ahead dinner party recipe, and this chicken casserole is the very definition of comfort food at it’s finest!
18 Pan Fried Veal Chops with White Wine Sauce – Souffle Bombay
Looking for an easy restaurant-quality recipe that you can make for a romantic night in or just because? Try this recipe for Pan Fried Veal Chops with White Wine Sauce.
19 Braciole Pork with a Twist – Grits and Pinecones
A traditional Italian recipe with a southern twist, this Pork Braciole is fork-tender medallions of pork tenderloin wrapped around cornbread and pecan stuffing and simmered in a flavorful homemade marinara sauce. Because it makes a beautiful presentation and can be made ahead, it’s also perfect for a dinner party.
20 Cornish Game Hen with Whiskey and Cream Sauce – Giangi’s Kitchen
Cornish game hen with whiskey and cream sauce is the perfect last-minute get-together dinner party dish. Delicious and easy to prepare, and half of a hen is the perfect balance between white and dark meat.
21 Roasted Rack of Lamb with Garlic and Herbs – Grits and Pinecones
Surprisingly easy to make, Roasted Rack of Lamb with Garlic and Herbs is an impressive, crowd-pleasing main dish full of herbaceous deliciousness. Perfect for a dinner party, this lamb recipe has the best of everything.
22 Baked Lamb Chops – Pinch and Swirl
The flavor of these Baked Lamb Chops is unmatched by any other recipe I’ve tried – each bite just melts in your mouth. Need more convincing? You can have them on the table in less than half an hour with just 5 minutes of prep, and the recipe can easily be scaled; they’re a perfect date night recipe for two or dinner party recipe for eight!
23 Chicken Divan – Grits and Pinecones
Chicken Divan with Curry is an iconic, much-loved, made-from-scratch southern chicken casserole that has been around for decades. This broccoli chicken casserole is simple to make and the epitome of comfort food. It can be made up to a day ahead and just popped in the oven right before you are ready to serve it.
24 Balsamic Fig Chicken – Sugar Dish Me
Feels Fancy Figgy Chicken is my new go-to dish when I need to make something on the quick but I want it to feel a little fancy. Sweet caramelized shallots, sticky dried figs, fresh thyme, and Madagascar Bourbon vanilla – it FEELS fancy! But it’s really just a simple chicken dish you can whip up anytime.
25 Creamy Shrimp Pasta with Blue Cheese – Grits and Pinecones
This easy Creamy Shrimp Pasta recipe features tender, juicy shrimp cooked in a delightfully rich pasta sauce with butter, cream cheese, and blue cheese. This elegant main dish is utterly delicious and is perfect for serving at a dinner party. Trust me, everyone will be asking for seconds!
Insider Tips: Host the Perfect Dinner Party with Ease
- My number one tip for hosting a successful dinner party is to minimize as much last-minute preparation as possible. Set the table and do as much meal prep as possible the day before your party.
- If you’re trying new recipes, do a test run a week or so before the party to ensure everything goes smoothly on the big day.
- Stick to simple dishes that don’t require extensive preparation. A mix of one-pot meals, salads, and easy desserts can be both delicious and easy to manage.
- There is also nothing wrong with lightening your load and asking each guest to bring a dish.
- By preparing in advance and keeping things simple, you can enjoy your dinner party just as much as your guests! No restaurant can compare to a night with friends, homemade food, and a relaxed and confident host (that’s you).
More dinner party menu ideas
If you need more dinner party menu ideas, check out my recipes for appetizers, side dishes, and desserts.
⭐ ⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ If you make any of these recipes, please leave a comment and give this recipe a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it!
Thank you so much for visiting Grits and Pinecones; I hope you come back soon.
Cynthia | What A Girl Eats
So many scrumptious ideas! Thank you for including me! Pinned/tweeted/yummed!
Blair
Thanks so much for including my Shrimp Alfredo! The list is mouthwatering! 🙂