Food & Cooking Recipes Holidays & Events Potluck Recipes & Ideas 32 Winning Appetizers, Sides, and Desserts for When You Need to Bring a Dish These crowd-pleasing favorites are the recipes to make for all kinds of buffets, dinners, and parties. By Anna Kovel Anna Kovel Instagram Website Anna is a freelance writer for MarthaStewart.com. Editorial Guidelines Published on February 23, 2023 Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Armando Rafael We've all been there: You're invited to a party and the host asks you to contribute something. Some of us have that foolproof dish that always wins big—but if you don't already have a party recipe repertoire, start planning right away to ensure that whatever you bring is a surefire success. But what makes a successful party dish? For us, it means you can count on it—it's so delicious that every party guest enjoys it. Finding a fail-safe dish for a crowd isn't always easy, but you can narrow your options down with a few key considerations. First, decide whether you're bringing an appetizer, side dish, or dessert (check in with your host before you make your selection, but we have incredible options for each!). Second, unless you're planning on assembling a grazing board on-site, choose a dish that travels well. On the hot appetizer front, an elevated dip that can be prepped ahead fits the bill. Choose one you can serve hot, providing you feel comfortable enough at someone's house to venture into the kitchen and use their oven. What you choose to bring should also suit the mood of the party. You want to be able to serve your dish without special equipment or fuss (preparing it shouldn't add stress to your day, which is why only reliable recipes should become part of your party repertoire). Read on for our list of must-make party recipes that will win over every crowd, from appetizers to sides to desserts. Easy Summer Recipes That Feed a Crowd Appetizers 01 of 32 Minty Margarita Guacamole Chelsea Cavanaugh When the party is fun and loose, bring this fresh take on everyone's favorite dip. View Recipe 02 of 32 Cheese Ball Have some retro fun! Guests of all ages will enjoy digging into a cheeseball. Provide an assortment of crackers and vegetables for serving. View Recipe 03 of 32 Hot Spinach Dip Minh + Wass Win the party game with this meatless, make-ahead crowd-pleaser. Bake it at home and bring it while it's still warm—or assemble the dip in advance and bake it when you get there. View Recipe 04 of 32 Classic Deviled Eggs Bryan Gardner Is there any occasion deviled eggs aren't suited to? Sometimes a party calls for a classic approach, but if you're feeling creative, try our delicious variations with avocado, olive and garlic, or smoked salmon. View Recipe 05 of 32 Baked Feta Marinara Dip Sidney Bensimon Assemble this on-site and present it warm from the oven, with bread for sopping up the sauce. Things could get messy—but this dip is so good, guests won't mind. View Recipe 06 of 32 Herb Cheese Palmiers When the party is sophisticated, you need to bring something that's more dressed up. The elegance of these savory puff pastry nibbles belies the ease of preparing them. View Recipe 07 of 32 Roasted Beets with Tarragon YASU+JUNKO Here's another classy and unexpected option: Beets with tarragon are fresh and flavorful, served in an elegant leaf. The seasoned beets are simple to make ahead. Arrange them in endive spears when you arrive at the party. View Recipe 08 of 32 Creamy Edamame Dip CHELSEA CAVANAUGH When the party is relaxed and familiar, bring this easy, healthy dip, which can be made ahead and calls for readily-available ingredients. View Recipe 09 of 32 Cheese Coins with Jalapeño Jelly Joseph De Leo These simple slice-and-bake crackers can be topped with hot pepper jelly or chutney. View Recipe 10 of 32 Romesco and Bucheron Dip Armando Rafael Bring the flavor with this Catalan-inspired roasted pepper and almond dip, served warm with plenty of bubbling cheese. View Recipe 11 of 32 Ham and Spinach Dip Armando Rafael We updated a classic: This hot spinach dip features ham and nutty Manchego cheese. View Recipe Side Dishes 12 of 32 Kale Slaw with Red Cabbage and Carrots Bryan Gardner A modern slaw, this bright and crunchy side goes with everything from grilled fish to brisket. View Recipe 13 of 32 Pasta Salad with Chickpeas, Green Beans, and Basil Ren Fuller Make this your go-to pasta salad. It's a hearty, mayo-based vegetarian dish that has it all: There's crunch from the green beans and protein from the chickpeas, while red onion adds a bite and fresh basil brings herbal freshness. View Recipe 14 of 32 Pimiento Mac and Cheese Con Poulos Sometimes, a perfectly gooey mac and cheese is all the party needs. Try our Southern-inflected version. View Recipe 15 of 32 Romaine, Radicchio, and Endive Salad Johnny Miller This side has a classy Caesar vibe. The greens are cut into thin wedges so they are easy to spear. View Recipe 16 of 32 Spinach-Feta Pizza Slab Pie Linda Pugliese Here's a satisfying side that's a definite crowd-pleaser. This slab pie is made with pizza dough; you can use store-bought or homemade. View Recipe 17 of 32 Farro Salad with Thinly Sliced Zucchini, Pine Nuts, and Lemon Zest This sturdy grain salad holds up well, has pine nuts and parmesan, and is sure to please pesto lovers. View Recipe 18 of 32 Grapefruit and Vinegar-Roasted Beets with Salsa Verde Armando Rafael Colorful and brightly flavored, this make-ahead salad has a sophisticated caper-mint dressing. View Recipe 19 of 32 Lentils with Ginger, Golden Beets, and Herbs This zesty room-temperature side dish can easily be doubled for a larger group. Another bonus is that you can prep it in stages a day or two ahead. View Recipe 20 of 32 Roasted Carrots with Oat Dukkah Sidney Bensimon A spiced, crunchy topping is the talking point of this dish. Choose carrots of varying colors when you can find them, but keep them about the same size so they roast evenly. View Recipe 21 of 32 Freekeh with Caramelized Shallots, Chickpeas, and Yogurt John von Pamer This side is chewy and flavorful thanks to toasted cumin and a lemon dressing. For a party, set the yogurt on the side in a small bowl. View Recipe Desserts 22 of 32 Double Chocolate Brownies Everyone needs the perfect brownie recipe in their repertoire—and this is it. View Recipe 23 of 32 Butter-Pecan Blondies Ren Fuller When you want the buttery, nutty flavor of a blondie, try these rum-spiked ones. View Recipe 24 of 32 No-Bake Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cup Bars CHELSEA CAVANAUGH These delectable bars are sure to melt on fingers; serve with plenty of napkins. View Recipe 25 of 32 Blueberry Slab Pie Be sure to bring vanilla ice cream for serving —and watch the crowd dig into this pie. View Recipe 26 of 32 Apple-Membrillo Tart Justin Walker When the party is a little bit dressy, this deceptively simple take on an apple tart is the dessert to bring. The Membrillo can be found at most well-stocked cheese counters. View Recipe 27 of 32 Pear and Apple Phyllo Crisp Want another apple dessert? We don't blame you—it's a universally beloved flavor. Try this recipe that uses store-bought phyllo dough. Once you've worked with it, you'll see how easy it is. View Recipe 28 of 32 Almond Macaroon Galette with Strawberries This festive spring galette showcases sweet strawberries and is naturally gluten-free. View Recipe 29 of 32 Coconut Pyramids Coconut macaroons are a lovely option for a bite-sized finishing touch. View Recipe 30 of 32 Crisp and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies Dana Gallagher They're sure to go fast. These chocolate chip cookies will be a hit with kids (and adults) of all ages. View Recipe 31 of 32 Snickerdoodle Crumb Bars Alpha Smoot Satisfying cinnamon crumb bars fit the bill for dessert, tea time, or a brunch party. View Recipe 32 of 32 Chocolate Tortoises Johnny Miller What could be cuter or more delicious than these crowd-pleasing handmade confections? View Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit