What Easy Dinners To Make When Friends Come Over

When friends come over for dinner, it’s often best to prepare something that’s not only delicious but also relatively easy and fuss-free, so you can spend more time socializing and less time in the kitchen. Here are some easy dinners to make when your friends come over:

Taco or Fajita Night: Set up a taco or fajita bar with various toppings like seasoned meat (beef, chicken, or vegetarian options), salsa, guacamole, sour cream, cheese, and tortillas. Guests can assemble their own, and it’s a fun and interactive meal.

Pasta Bar: Boil a few different types of pasta and offer a variety of sauces and toppings, such as marinara, Alfredo, pesto, and a selection of veggies, meats, and cheeses. It’s a customizable and crowd-pleasing option.

Grilled Cheese and Soup: Grilled cheese sandwiches and a homemade or store-bought soup are a comforting and straightforward option. You can make the sandwiches more gourmets by using different bread and cheese varieties.

Stir-Fry: Prepare a simple stir-fry with your choice of protein (chicken, tofu, shrimp, etc.) and a mix of colourful vegetables. Serve it over rice or noodles with a tasty stir-fry sauce.

Pizza Night: Make homemade pizzas by providing a variety of pizza crusts, sauces, cheeses, and toppings. Guests can create their own personalized pizzas, and you can bake them in the oven.

Baked Potato Bar: Bake a batch of potatoes and set up a toppings bar with options like sour cream, shredded cheese, chives, bacon bits, and chili. It’s a hearty and customizable meal.

Sheet Pan Dinner: Prepare a complete meal on a single sheet pan. For example, you can roast chicken or salmon with vegetables and seasonings. It’s minimal prep and clean-up.

One-Pot Pasta: Cook a flavourful pasta dish in one pot, like creamy Alfredo pasta or spicy Cajun shrimp pasta. It’s convenient and reduces the number of dishes to wash.

Taco Salad: Make a large taco salad with seasoned ground beef or turkey, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, beans, and tortilla chips. Serve with a choice of dressings or salsas.

BBQ or Potluck: Consider a BBQ cookout where everyone brings a dish to share, or host a potluck-style dinner where each guest brings a different course (appetizer, main, side, dessert) to make it even easier on the host.

Burgers and Sides: Fire up the grill and make burgers (beef, turkey, or veggie) and serve with classic sides like coleslaw, potato salad, or french fries.

Tofu or Chicken Skewers: Marinate cubes of tofu or chicken in your favourite sauce, skewer them with veggies and grill or bake. Serve with rice or a simple salad.

Remember to consider any dietary restrictions or preferences your friends may have and plan your menu accordingly. Additionally, you can enhance the dining experience by serving a simple appetizer or dessert, and don’t forget to have drinks on hand, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, to accompany the meal.