Do you need some ideas for easy dinner recipes for guests? Yes, you could order out, but everyone loves something homemade. The best easy dinner recipes for guests do it all: they’re healthy-ish, make-ahead, and won’t break the bank. But of course, they will still steal the show!
More Than 20 Easy Dinner Recipes For Guests
From pasta to easy roasts, here are 21 delicious recipes that work well for breakfast or lunch, too. These are our best easy dinner recipes for guests, whether they’re impromptu visitors or close friends staying over for a while.
Baked Chicken Parmesan Recipe
gluten-free, nut-free
Breaded in Panko and topped with both pesto and marinara sauce, this healthy, baked version of classic chicken parm is still indulgent enough to be a satisfying weeknight dinner. Serve it with a big green salad, over pasta, or with quinoa as we did here.
Make Ahead: Use store-bought pesto and red sauce, or make them both ahead. The salad can be prepped but not dressed in advance, and you can even bread the chicken a few hours ahead (leave it on a cooling rack nested inside a rimmed baking sheet to keep it crispy).
Baked Butternut Squash Parmesan Recipe
gluten-free, nut-free, vegetarian
If you’re after vegetarian chicken parmesan, we’ve got you covered. Instead of having to fry up eggplant, this recipe uses butternut squash for a dish that’s almost like individual lasagna meets vegetarian chicken parm. Serve it with crusty bread and some roasted broccolini, and it’s a simple dinner.
PS – You can also make this in an 8-by-8-inch baking dish if you don’t have individual dishes.
Make Ahead: Completely assemble these ahead (without the fried herbs and cream sauce, if using), wrap them up, and store in the refrigerator for up to two days before baking (or even wrap them really well and freeze them for up to a week).
Butter Lettuce And Blue Green Cheese Salad With Shallot Vinaigrette Recipe
gluten-free, nut-free, vegetarian
This is the green salad that sets the bar for all other green salads. And it’s also one of our easy dinner recipes for guests that’s healthy-ish. The crunch of the breadcrumbs, paired with the tangy vinaigrette and salty cheese, is a winner. Top it with your favorite cooked chicken or salmon recipe (or use leftovers!) to make it more of a meal.
Make Ahead: Clean the greens, prep the veggies, make the dressing, crumble the cheese, and toast the breadcrumbs ahead of time. In other words, do everything except assemble the salad and dress it in advance.
Crunchy Romaine Salad
dairy-free, gluten-free
This Crunchy Romaine Salad is a go-to when we want a fresh, crisp, and healthy, crowd-pleasing main. It’s a salad that can double as a meal thanks to the addition of shredded chicken and Maple Walnuts. It’s layered with crunchy romaine, cabbage, cucumbers, avocado, citrus, and a Mustard Soy Ginger dressing that makes it taste like a sunshine-filled day. While simple, it brings enough punch to act as a complete meal.
Make Ahead: You can prepare the maple walnuts and the dressing a day in advance. Cut up all the vegetables and keep them, along with the lettuce, cold and crisp in the fridge. Assemble just before serving. It’s one of our favorite easy dinner recipes for guests who like a light, yet flavorful main course.
Gluten Free Easy Green Olive Pasta Salad Recipe
gluten-free, nut-free
This pasta salad is built for entertaining—bright, summery, and bursting with flavor thanks to olives, blue cheese, charred corn, tomatoes, and herbs. It’s a lighter take on the deli classic, and the Zesty Italian Dressing is so good, you’ll use it on all your favorite salads!
Make Ahead: The pasta salad can be prepared up to 2 days ahead; however, we suggest waiting to add the herbs and pancetta until just before serving. It ranks high among our easy dinner recipes for guests because it’s flexible, fast, and always a hit.
Classic Basil Pesto Pasta Dish
vegetarian
One of the most popular pasta recipes on our site is this classic basil pesto. It’s actually from our founder, Aida’s cookbook, Keys To The Kitchen. Though there, she makes it the way you’d have it in Genoa (where pesto is from) with green beans and marble-sized potatoes mixed into the pasta. Do it that way to make this dish more substantial.
Make Ahead: Blanch the green beans and potatoes until tender and then store them refrigerated for up to a few days. Make the basil pesto up to three days in advance if refrigerating or freezing it, so you always have some on hand. Just make sure you let it defrost on its own, as heating it up too aggressively will break the sauce and make it an oily mess.
Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
dairy-free, gluten-free, nut-free
The most popular soup recipe on our whole site is this tortilla soup recipe, and that’s because it’s one of our best easy dinner recipes for guests. Leave out the chicken and use vegetarian broth to make it plant-based. Or use it to make the most of leftover Thanksgiving turkey.
Make Ahead: Prepare this recipe up to three days in advance and store it refrigerated. Or freeze it for up to one month. Just don’t add the garnishes (ie, tortilla chips, cheese, limes, herbs, etc) until the last minute.
Healthy Black Bean and Sweet Potato Chili
vegan, nut-free, gluten-free
This hearty chili is a crowd-pleaser for meat lovers and vegans alike. The combination of sweet potatoes, black beans, and warm spices gives it a lovely, smoky richness that satisfies without feeling heavy. Add a toppings bar with avocado, cilantro, and lime for a customizable dish.
Make Ahead: Make this chili up to three days in advance—it tastes better as the flavors meld over time. It’s one of the best easy dinner recipes for guests, especially during colder months or when you want to batch cook and chill.
Creamy Polenta with Melted Peppers and Mushrooms Recipe
gluten-free, nut-free, vegetarian
We believe that there should always be a pot of polenta ready when the temperature drops. If you go easy on the dairy, it’s a pretty healthy option and makes a nice alternative to mashed potatoes, especially when paired with a roast. Keep it warm in your slow cooker, and then you can use it as a quick side dish to a holiday dinner or top it with eggs for a savory breakfast.
Make Ahead: Prepare the polenta, mushrooms, and melted peppers recipe up to three days ahead and store them refrigerated. Then reheat and wilt the greens, and fry the eggs just before eating.
Enfrijoladas | Black Bean-Smothered Enchiladas Recipe
gluten-free, nut-free, vegetarian
You may have had enchiladas or enmoladas, but have you had enfrijoladas? This recipe originates from Oaxaca and is even easier to prepare than the other recipes. Black beans get blended up to make a sauce that is full of flavor, relatively healthy, and a great contender for easy dinner recipes for guests.
Make-Ahead: If you’re in a hurry, use canned black beans and prepare the sauce ahead of time. You can then warm the sauce and coat the tortillas when you’re ready to eat.
Healthy Thai-Style Lettuce Wraps
dairy-free, gluten-free, nut-free
Instead of ordering takeout, make this easy version of Thai lettuce wraps. There are several ingredients, but they can all be prepared and cooked in just a few minutes. Use ground pork or ground turkey, whichever you prefer.
Make Ahead: Prepare any lettuce or greens and chop the ingredients a few hours ahead.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes Feta Grain Bowls Recipe
gluten-free, vegetarian
If you’re trying not to be naughty between all the holiday parties, this filling but healthy grain bowl is a must.
Make Ahead: Prepare all the individual components (cook the quinoa, roast the sweet potatoes, crumble the cheese, and chop the almonds) ahead of time, and then have guests assemble the bowls as they become hungry.
Grilled Cheese with Slow-Roasted Tomatoes, Bacon, and Chipotle Mayo Recipe
nut-free
Anyone who doesn’t love grilled cheese — especially one made like this with bacon, slow-roasted tomatoes, and gooey cheese — isn’t a friend of ours. Pair it with a green salad or tomato soup for a classic, comforting addition to your easy dinner recipes for guests.
Make Ahead: We make slow-roasted tomatoes and chipotle mayo on the regular and just keep them in our refrigerator (keep the tomatoes stored in olive oil in an airtight container) to use anytime we need a little extra flavor in a dish.
Ribollita | Tuscan Bread Stew
nut-free, vegetarian
Speaking of slow-cooked stews, this Ribollita is perfect if you have vegetarian guests coming over. And it’s a pretty perfect way to get a veggie-ified dish in to keep you from going agro with the cookies.
Make Ahead: This is better when made ahead! Just don’t try to freeze it!
Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga
gluten free, dairy optional
Chicken Tinga is smoky, spicy, and incredibly flavorful, and it’s totally a make-ahead dish. In other words, it’s just what you want for a dinner that impresses with minimal effort. We serve it on tostadas or over rice with black beans, avocado, and pickled onions for a full meal that feels festive yet laid-back.
Make Ahead: The shredded chicken can be made up to three days ahead and reheated gently before serving. The toppings can also be prepped in advance. These bowls are one of our go-to easy dinner recipes for guests who want a customizable, flavor-packed meal.
Rosemary And Lemon Cornflake-Crusted Oven-Fried Chicken Recipe
gluten-free, nut-free
In search of a classic chicken dinner? This oven-fried take on fried chicken is less messy and easier to make than the classic. Top it with hot honey and serve it with a salad, and dinner is served.
P.S. – Use gluten-free breadcrumbs to make it gluten-free!
Make Ahead: Bread the chicken a few hours ahead (leave it on a cooling rack nested inside a rimmed baking sheet to keep it crispy) and then pop it in the oven when you’re ready to cook.
dairy-free, gluten-free, nut-free
A little spicy and a little Latin, this is one of the most crowd-pleasing roast chicken dishes we know of. Not to mention that spatchcocking the bird before roasting means it’s done in a fraction of the time.
Oh, and if you’d like another option, try this Smoked Paprika and Oregano Spatchcock Chicken recipe. P.S. – Cook it in a cast-iron skillet for the most even cooking.
Make Ahead: The recipe requires that you prep the chicken a few hours ahead. Then pop it in the oven when it is go time.
Simmered Shoyu Chicken Recipe
dairy-free, gluten-free, nut-free
One of our all-time favorite ways to prepare chicken thighs is with this recipe, which hails from Hawai’i. The slow simmering makes for tender chicken that’s full of flavor.
Serve it with hapa rice (a mix of half white, half brown rice) and you’re good to go. P.S. – It’s traditionally made with soy sauce, but you can substitute it with tamari to make it gluten-free.
Make Ahead: This recipe tastes better when made ahead. Cook the chicken up to two days ahead, then cool and store in the cooking liquid. Then reheat and serve with hot rice.
Sweet Sausage and Three Cheese Lasagna Recipe
nut-free
From weekends at music festivals to watching bowl games, this lasagna is a serious crowd-pleaser, which is why it’s a top contender on our list of easy dinner recipes for guests. Feel free to use ground turkey or ground beef instead of Italian sausage if that’s what you have on hand!
Make-Ahead: Another recipe that tastes even better when made ahead! Cook the lasagna up to three days ahead (or store it uncooked and frozen and then cook when you need it — it will need an extra 20 minutes or so FYI) then reheat and serve.
Tequila Citrus Carne Asada Recipe
dairy-free, gluten-free, nut-free
When we don’t want to make a messy kitchen, we turn to the grill for the ultimate in easy, on our list of easy dinner recipes for guests. This twist on the classic carne asada recipe couldn’t be quicker to make. We like it best with skirt steak, but flank steak is also perfect.
Make-Ahead: Prepare all the ingredients and marinate the steak in advance. Then you’ll have to grill it up when you’re hungry.
Truffled Mushroom Prosciutto Pizza Recipe
nut-free
This more adult, sophisticated pizza is loaded with flavor and is as fitting with a glass of red wine as it is for family movie night.
Make Ahead: Feel free to roast the mushrooms and prepare the crisp prosciutto up to two days ahead, but to be honest, this is a quick recipe, so you can do it all at once.
Four Tips For Making Easy Dinner Recipes For Guests
If you have guests coming over, here are a few tips so you enjoy their company and aren’t busy in the kitchen the whole time:
- Make Your Ingredients Multitask: Plan a series of recipes that use similar ingredients, so, for example, you can use part of a can of tomatoes for the Tortilla Soup and then use the rest to make the Baked Chicken Parmesan.
- Do as Much as Possible Ahead: If you’re going to make these easy dinner recipes for guests, do as much as you can manage ahead, from making the sauces to even breading the chicken for the Oven-Fried Chicken.
- Don’t Have Every Meal Be Fully Homemade: If you have the time, go ahead and peel the shrimp or make the dough for from-scratch chicken pot pie. But don’t feel pressured to do so.
Sometimes we pick up a rotisserie chicken and make a salad to pair with it. Or we even grab a bunch of dips and spreads and make a grazing board for dinner with charcuterie, cheese, dips, and lots of fresh veggies. - Turn to Plant-Based Meals to Save Money: We’ve learned from our various pop-up dinners and group trip events that feeding a crowd can quickly become pricey. One way to help out is to prepare some plant-based meals — head here to explore our top vegetarian recipes.
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