The Ultimate Simple Recipes for Dinner Party Success (Even During a Lockdown!)

At Sorted we’re all about making dinnertime simple. And that includes those dinners where you’re trying to impress! The key to dinner party success? Plan ahead, keep things simple - and consider checking out the Sorted Meal Packs. Though now might not be prime time for entertaining, it’s still nice to put in a bit of extra effort sometimes and switch up your lockdown routine! We’ve compiled our top dinner party dishes in this handy list. Take your evenings up a notch and get planning for dinner parties to come… Roasted Pear, Feta + Ham Salad StarterGet off on the right foot with this starter from our first ever 3-course Meal Pack. Combine a handful of ingredients for a show-stopping salad that looks fancy but is in fact super simple! The dream, right?From the ‘Course You Can’ PackParsnip Biryani + Yoghurt DressingLoad up on the spices and aromas with an Indian-inspired biryani, and go left-field with parsnips instead of the traditional chicken. We recommend pairing it with a cooling yoghurt dressing - it looks like you’ve made that little bit more effort and it tastes delicious!From the ‘Sharing is Caring’ PackBeef Stew + Butter Bean MashA warming stew always goes down a treat at a dinner party. We’ve pulled out all the stops with this beautifully tender beef number! Put a fresh spin on classic mashed potatoes and go for butter beans instead.From the ‘Course You Can’ PackLinguine with Crab, Chilli + ParsleyPasta is totally not a cop-out for a dinner party dish, at least not if you level it up with a few fresh ingredients. Crab, chilli and parsley are some of our go-tos. A top tip? Add plenty of your pasta water to your toppings while you cook - the salty, starchy water will give it heaps more flavour! Roasted Broccoli + Butternut GratinHere’s something for the veggies amongst your guests/ lockdown buddies! Whip up a crispy butternut gratin that’ll impress ‘em all. Ever tried roasting broccoli? It’s the perfect partner for your gratin. From the ‘Show It Off’ PackOne-Pot Lentil LasagneWe could all use an extra bit of help when it comes to cooking for several people, and a one-pot is a pretty failsafe choice! We love this lentil lasagne - prep it ahead of time and whack it all in one pan for a stress-free evening.From the ‘Head Start’ PackChicken Cacciatore + WedgesWith tomatoes, onions and loads of herbs, a hearty Italian cacciatore is guaranteed to get the flavours in. Serve it up with wedges for a crowd-pleasing dish. A fun fact? Cacciatore means ‘hunter’ in Italian, making this a classic hunter-style chicken!From the ‘Impress Yourself’ PackHoney + Mustard Salmon with Roast PotatoesSo simple but so effective… Dress your salmon with honey and Dijon or wholegrain mustard - both of ‘em work great. Serve it up with crisp roasties for a main dish that’s sure to impress.Like what you see? Check out the Meal Packs app for a load more delicious show-stopping recipes!