Nothing says the holidays like extravagant meals. Americans bought $64.9 billion worth of poultry during 2019, most of it during the holiday season.
But turkey is just one of many cooking party dishes. When you’re preparing an event, you need to think of a variety of party dish ideas to appeal to all of your guests.
What are some good appetizers? Are there appetizers that can double as entrees? What should you make if you’re in a hurry or aren’t familiar with how to cook for a party?
Answer these questions and you can become a great party chef in no time. Here are ten great party dish ideas.
1. Bagel and Lox Board
A bagel and lox board is a good choice if you’re unfamiliar with cooking for a party. You can buy a few different kinds of bagels, cut them into slices, and lay them out on a platter.
You can place lox in the center along with other ingredients like tomato slices and cucumbers. Put a container of cream cheese next to the board so your guests can smear some cheese over their bagels.
2. Cheese Board
A cheese board is a traditional starter at parties. You can customize it however you want, as long as you leave plenty of choices for your guests. You can serve cheddar, feta, and gorgonzola cheese with crackers and cherry tomatoes.
A charcuterie board is a French version of a cheese board. You can lay out prepared meats like ham and sausage with French cheeses and crackers.
3. Breadsticks
You can eat breadsticks on their own, or you can serve them with soup or salad. If you’re rushing to serve your guests, you can buy some frozen breadsticks and cook them in your oven.
To add festive flavors to your breadsticks, you can top them with garlic butter or sauteed spinach. When you want dessert, put cinnamon sugar or creamy icing on them.
4. Crostini
Crostini are slices of toast with toppings. They work as appetizers, though a group of them can be an entree.
The most popular crostini is bruschetta, which uses tomato, garlic, and olive oil. If you want something more festive, you can make pomegranate brie crostini. Toast some baguette slices with a brushing of olive oil and then put slices of brie and pomegranate seeds over top.
5. Hummus
Hummus is a dip made with mashed chickpeas, garlic, and lemon juice. It is a classic dish in the Middle East, so it’s a good choice if you are serving guests from that region. But many people from other parts of the world like it, as it is nutritious and savory.
Some people like to eat it on their own, but you can serve it with vegetables and crackers. You can also mix hummus with tahini and olive oil to make a dressing for salads.
6. Pizza
Pizza is a versatile dish, as you can serve it as an appetizer, side dish, or main course. When in doubt, you can order some pizzas from a nearby pizzeria and serve them to your guests.
But making your own pizza is easy. You can buy quick-rising yeast from a grocery store and follow the ingredients on the package to make dough. You can then add tomato sauce, cheese, and your favorite toppings.
7. Salad
If you’re confused about what to cook for a party, you should make a salad. Salads are easy to prepare and nutritious. To make a basic salad, mix some greens together.
You can also follow one of many salad recipes. Caprese salad consists of mozzarella with tomatoes and basil, creating a savory but light salad. Pear pomegranate salad relies on seasonal ingredients like sliced pears, pistachios, and blue cheese.
8. Roasted Meat
Ask someone about party cooking, and they’ll talk to you about roasted meat. Roasted meat is the main course of many holiday meals, especially during the winter season. It is a hearty and filling dish, yet anyone can make it.
A beef tenderloin offers the flavors and textures of steak at a lower price. You can roast a tenderloin in the oven for three hours and serve slices of it with a horseradish sauce.
Make sure you learn about roasted meat before you prepare it. It is easy to overcook your meat, ruining the juices and flavors.
9. S’mores
S’mores are a great summer dessert, but you can serve them during any time of year. For an authentic experience, you can roast marshmallows over a campfire. If a campfire is not available, you can warm them up over a stove or brown them in an oven.
Traditional s’mores have graham crackers and pieces of chocolate in them. During Christmas, you can add peppermint candies and sweetened condensed milk as well.
10. Cookies
Cookies are a light dessert that your guests can dip in coffee or milk. You can find many different Christmas cookie recipes online, though chocolate chip cookies are crowd-pleasers. You can make cookie sandwiches by putting ice cream in between two freshly baked cookies.
The Ten Best Party Dish Ideas
Party dish ideas will let you experiment with all sorts of flavors. For appetizers, you can make finger foods like sliced cheese, breadsticks, and crostini. Feel free to experiment, adding different toppings to your breadsticks and crostini.
Pizza and salad are always popular, but roasted meat is the core of most holiday meals. Try out roasted tenderloins instead of steaks or prime ribs. S’mores and cookies are light desserts you can create in just a few minutes.
Preparing great food is just one crucial skill for holiday planning. Read more holiday party guides by following our coverage.
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