Confession: I typically lose sleep the night time earlier than internet hosting a cocktail party. I blame it on a mix of pleasure and nerves, however wow, entertaining may be tense. As a part of my mission to unravel my internet hosting anxiousness, I’ve compiled a listing of scrumptious, straightforward, and cheap meals for giant teams that I all the time return to—and that each visitor will love.
These recipes clear up the dilemma of deciding what to prepare dinner for giant teams however keep away from the hefty price ticket that may usually include group dinners. As we all know, cooking for greater than 4 folks can get actual dear, actual quick. The underside line? Spectacular doesn’t need to imply costly. These meals make the most of grocery retailer staples, store-bought elements, and inexpensive meats—with out sacrificing taste or high quality.
Learn on for my go-to cheap meals for giant teams, plus Camille’s suggestions for cooking for a crowd.
Camille’s High Suggestions for Cooking for a Crowd
Do all potential prep prematurely so to benefit from the night, too. Something that may be made beforehand is vital. It takes the stress out of your day-of prep and makes positive you get to benefit from the get together your self. Soups, sauces, and salad dressings may be made solely prematurely so when the clock strikes blissful hour, you’re forward of the sport. It’s additionally useful to do any knife work prematurely and retailer your chopped items within the fridge. That means, when it’s time to prepare dinner, you’ve already carried out a variety of the grunt work.
Select crowd-pleasing dishes that everybody can take pleasure in. If you’re cooking for a gaggle, it’s necessary to contemplate your company’ dietary wants. Dairy-free, gluten-free, vegetarian, and/or vegan recipes fare nicely for giant teams. That means, everybody can savor the second collectively. Comforting meals are additionally all the time successful at dinner events. If it’s one thing you like, the percentages are excessive that your company will adore it, too!
Leverage batch cooking and “build-your-own” parts. Sheet pan recipes, casual spreads, and topping bars are heroes in the case of meeting. Prep the primary parts and let your company construct their completed items. Not solely does this make your job simpler, but it surely’s an effective way to spark dialog and creativity!
Meat & Rooster Recipes for Giant Teams
Why We Love It: These simpler-than-they-seem Mexican-inspired tacos are considered one of Camille’s favourite summer season meals for weeknights and entertaining. Because of a zesty marinade and the proper mixture of garlic, herbs, and spices, they pack loads of daring and vibrant taste. Plus, they use flank steak—a scrumptious however comparatively low-cost minimize that makes for tasty tacos. Merely add toppings of your selection and luxuriate in!
Hero Ingredient: Tacos are nothing with out their toppings. I go for loads of cilantro and salsa verde. And don’t skimp on the guacamole.
Serve With: 4-Ingredient Watermelon Mint Margaritas, please.
Why We Love It: Camille took this basic methodology of getting ready hen and turned the amount up with a twist. Marinating hen in yogurt tenderizes the meat, lending tons of taste and making a scrumptious crust. It makes for the proper cheap meal for a big group as a result of you may merely scale up as wanted, marinate forward of time, and throw your hen on the grill. No stress!
Hero Ingredient: This recipe is about as straightforward and easy because it will get. With so few elements, what’s included all performs a key function. That being mentioned, the lemon infuses your marinade with recent, summery taste.
Serve With: The Finest Easy Inexperienced Salad and a crisp, chilly glass of rosé.
Why We Love It: There are such a lot of explanation why I really like this easy sheet pan dinner. It’s quicker than takeout, full of loads of entire and nutritious elements, and tastes merely divine. It additionally occurs to align with numerous diets resulting from its exclusion of grains, processed elements, and added sugars.
Hero Ingredient: Any recipe with goat cheese has my coronary heart.
Serve With: Rosemary and Olive Oil Focaccia
Why We Love It: This saucy hen and veggie meal will get higher the longer it marinates, and it’s the proper flavorful meal for greater than two. This recipe may be made with hen breasts or thighs and a wide range of cheap spices and pantry staples. Serve over a mattress of white rice for that cozy, home-cooked meal you crave all day.
Hero Ingredient: Coconut milk provides this slow-cooker meal an added creaminess.
Serve With: Baked Chili Miso Broccoli
Why We Love It: Soup is among the greatest issues to serve to massive teams as a result of it’s cheap and many of the cooking time is hands-off. Plus, so long as you could have a large enough pot, it’s straightforward to double. To this present day, this Rooster Tortilla Soup is considered one of Camille’s hottest Instagram recipes, so for those who haven’t made it but, that is your signal. It’s the proper serve-yourself recipe for giant gatherings as nicely.
Hero Ingredient: The selfmade tortilla strips are next-level.
Serve With: Skillet Vegetarian Cornbread Stuffing
Why We Love It: Bone-in, skin-on hen thighs get the low and gradual therapy on this easy sheet pan recipe. They’re roasted alongside artichokes, pink onions, cherry tomatoes, garlic, lemon slices, and inexperienced olives till golden brown and scrumptious. The most effective half? All it’s important to do is throw the whole lot on a sheet pan and roast for an hour. That is a type of recipes that’s a lot greater than the sum of its elements.
Hero Ingredient: In the event you assume slow-roasted hen is bland—assume once more! The secret’s to crank up the oven for these final ten-or-so minutes to crisp up the pores and skin.
Serve With: It is a full sheet pan dinner by itself, however for those who actually wish to spherical it out, these crispy potatoes are excellent.
Lime-y Rooster Tacos with Jicama, Avocado, & Mint
Why We Love It: These tacos are considered one of my favourite recipes for the straightforward prep and flavors which can be something however. You may make the hen beforehand and chop all the veggies prematurely. All it’s important to do is char the tortillas and serve. You don’t even need to construct the tacos your self—let the company assemble their very own.
Hero Ingredient: The lime-y hen is inexpensive and addictive.
Serve With: Mexican Chopped Salad with Honey-Shallot French dressing, Camille’s Traditional Margarita
Why We Love It: This roasted hen recipe yields the juiciest chook with the crispiest golden brown pores and skin. And all you want is olive oil, salt, pepper, and some supporting actors to make that dream a actuality. The cherry tomatoes, garlic, and lemon slices that roast alongside the hen create probably the most superb sauce that flavors the chook fantastically. Then, a salsa verde elevates the complete creation much more.
Hero Ingredient: The garlic caramelizes to pure perfection and is delightfully spreadable.
Serve With: Make-Forward Vegan Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Root Greens with Gremolata and Whipped Feta, or Apple Walnut Salad
Why We Love It: Speak about a showstopper! This roast hen recipe is simply as scrumptious as it’s visually interesting. It options Brussels sprouts, fingerling potatoes, inexperienced olives, carrots, and copious quantities of garlic and olive oil. The hen roasts to perfection whereas the veggies beneath create a decadent sauce all on their very own. It’s the hands-off masterpiece your subsequent gathering wants.
Hero Ingredient: Don’t you dare waste any of that liquid gold. Switch these pan juices into some type of vessel or pour straight over the hen earlier than serving—you’ll be glad you probably did.
Serve With: Kale Italian Chopped Salad, No-Knead Olive & Rosemary Focaccia
Pasta Recipes for Giant Teams
Why We Love It: This zucchini pasta recipe celebrates the season’s greatest flavors. Summer season squashes, nutty parmesan, zesty lemon, and fragrant herbs come collectively for a tasty and easy pasta recipe that each dinner visitor will love. It’s the Italian countryside meal you’ll begin to lengthy for when summer season rolls round.
Hero Ingredient: Grated Parmesan is a top-tier topping.
Serve With: Easy Inexperienced Salad, Summer season Cheese Board
Why We Love It: A whole serving of greens in pasta kind? Signal me up. This silky sauce that lovingly coats every noodle is my new favourite technique to eat greens. With solely 5 elements, this make-ahead sauce is the king of cheap meals for giant teams. Merely prep your sauce, select your favourite noodle and accompanying veg, and prime with a number of ending touches.
Hero Ingredient: Burrata, toasted breadcrumbs, recent herbs, lemon juice, and flaky salt make wonderful topping decisions.
Serve With: Grilled Peach and Asparagus Salad with Spicy Pepitas, Cashew Mozzarella, and Goji Chipotle Dressing
Why We Love It: I really like the thought of serving an enormous bowl of pasta salad for a laid-back gathering. This recipe couldn’t be tastier however isn’t fussy—each impressing your company whereas additionally making them really feel proper at house. The briny, fruity flavors of the olives and artichokes are pure Mediterranean vibes. And when mixed with slightly crispy bacon, lovely issues occur. (Be happy to depart the bacon out and hold a bowl on the aspect for additional sprinkling when you’ve got vegetarian company.)
Hero Ingredient: Cavatappi is vital on this recipe. Its quick, twisted form soaks up all the nice inexperienced dressing.
Serve With: That is the proper one-dish meal, however we love beginning with this Ricotta with Pears and Honeyed Pistachios and having fun with a candy and tart Salty Canine cocktail alongside.
Why We Love It: All of us love a superb pasta banquet, and this recipe is infinitely customizable and simply doubled. Actually, Camille lays out all the potential swaps and her greatest suggestions for cooking this for a crowd within the recipe publish. Apart from the simplicity of constructing this dish, it has all of my favourite issues: rigatoni, pesto, and crispy Brussels sprouts. In the event you’re searching for a no-fuss, show-stopping pasta for a big group, that is it.
Hero Ingredient: The caramelized, crispy, garlicky Brussels sprouts style much more indulgent than the noodles.
Serve With: As a result of it is a one-pot meal, any of these refreshing kombucha cocktails would deliver a pleasant, funky twist to the expertise.
Why We Love It: This eggplant lasagna is a comfortable one-pot dinner that company of all ages and palates will love. It’s vegetarian, which is a plus for dinner events the place company have dietary restrictions, and it’s comforting all the identical. The icing on the cake? Retailer-bought marinara makes prep a breeze.
Hero Ingredient: Because it’s in a skillet, you may place the complete creation instantly on the desk and serve it up household model.
Serve With: Roasted Heirloom Carrots With Wild Rice And Tahini
Vegetarian Recipes for Giant Teams
Why We Love It: In the event you’re not placing potatoes in your pizza, take this recipe as an indication. I’m obsessive about the crispy-creamy texture play created by the melt-in-your-mouth potatoes and burrata set in opposition to the skinny, crunchy crust. It’s an ideal choice for giant teams with a light-weight elements listing and shortcut tips to make all of it the better. Speak about hostess with the mostess.
Hero Ingredient: I’ll by no means, ever say no to burrata. It does creaminess to perfection.
Serve With: Heat Spinach-Artichoke Salad with Quinoa Crunchies
Why We Love It: Minimal effort meets most taste on this vegetarian tikka masala. It has all the flavour of your favourite take-out meal and might simply be scaled as much as accommodate any-sized group. Once more, it’s nice to set out in “serve your self” vogue and is straightforward to double as nicely.
Hero Ingredient: The Greek yogurt deserves a medal for making this so creamy.
Serve With: Heat naan is essential—and for those who actually wish to throw a celebration, this Vegan Flatbread with Roasted Carrot and Crimson Pepper Hummus is a crowd-pleaser.
Butternut Squash Pizza With Arugula & Almond Ricotta
Why We Love It: If I’m invited to a pizza banquet, 10/10 occasions I’ll settle for. Everybody loves a superb pizza, and this recipe can be prepared quicker than Domino’s can ship. In the event you’re trying to make this meal the primary occasion of a night, it’s also possible to let {couples} customise their very own pizzas.
Hero Ingredient: Home made almond ricotta, whereas delish, leans this pizza towards the dearer aspect. In the event you aren’t entertaining a plant-based crowd, be happy to swap out with store-bought entire milk ricotta.
Serve With: Just a few salads are key. Go all in with this Grapefruit, Avocado, and Golden Beet Salad with Crunchy Chickpeas and Feta or Carrot, Kumquat, and Golden Beet Salad.
Why We Love It: Spiced potatoes stuffed into delicate bell peppers make for a magical dinner. These are lighter than conventional samosa, however scrumptious all the identical. It’s such a simple make-ahead dinner as a result of the filling will hold in a single day. When the time comes, merely roast your bell peppers, stuff them with filling, and let company prime accordingly.
Hero Ingredient: Chutney, recent herbs, yogurt, and pink onions make scrumptious ending touches.
Serve With: Chaat Masala Citrus Salad
Why We Love It: Soups are an effective way to feed a crowd with out stretching your pockets. You get much more out of them than you place in, which is pure magic. This candy potato and black bean chili exudes all the autumn flavors with stick-to-your-ribs veggies that make it hearty and wholesome. It’s loaded with black beans, flavorful veggies, and plenty of spices that hold it heat and comforting. Only a fast sauté of these veggies and a gradual simmer takes this recipe from pot to bowl in beneath an hour.
Hero Ingredient: As with every comforting soup recipe, the secret is within the presentation. Lay out all your toppings and let company construct their masterpiece!
Serve With: Tacky Bitter Cream and Onion Biscuits
Seafood Recipes for Giant Teams
Why We Love It: These grilled shrimp tacos are a summer season obsession. With a brief and candy ingredient listing and a most important protein on the cheaper aspect, it’s an ideal batch of elements for decent days and grilling outdoors. Change up your toppings with something from slices of creamy avocado to bits of recent cilantro and some squeezes of recent lime.
Hero Ingredient: Pico de Gallo is all the time a winner with these tacos!
Serve With: Guacamole, Spicy Mezcal Paloma
Why We Love It: Camille picked up this recipe from Contramar in Mexico Metropolis and we’ve been modified ever since. It’s additional suitable for giant teams because the parts may be rapidly prepped prematurely. When everybody is able to dig in, simply set out the tostadas and toppings and let everybody construct their very own!
Hero Ingredient: Avocado mellows out this recipe’s spicy and savory taste mix.
Serve With: Mexican Chopped Salad, Margarita on the Rocks
Why We Love It: My household has a convention of indulging in salmon for not less than one night time of our summer season trip. This salmon recipe has solely 5 elements and comes collectively in a snap. The peach salsa brings all of the summer season fruit flavors, whereas chile lime seasoning provides a kick of zest to this grilled fish.
Hero Ingredient: Peach salsa, want I say extra?
Serve With: Salt & Vinegar Potatoes, Vegan Crimson Pepper Pasta
Why We Love It: What’s higher than a taco bar after an extended day of poolside or yard enjoyable? These chimichurri fish tacos are considered one of my go-to cheap meals for giant teams, and they are often topped with numerous flavorful additions that every one company can choose and select from.
Hero Ingredient: Cilantro is the hero of this chimichurri sauce.
Serve With: Mexican Road Corn Salad
This publish was final up to date on July 11, 2025 to incorporate new insights.
