37 recipes for a crowd
Cooking for a crowd? Pleasing a crowd is easy with our delicious dishes that serve ten or can be doubled to serve a room full of people.
Looking for impressive mains and sharing platters that are best fit for a crowd? Whether it's a hot and smoky beef chilli, cheesy garlic dough balls or a mean mac ‘n’ cheese, these crowd-pleasing recipes are bound to be a hit.
If you're hosting a dinner party, finish off your menu with our best quick and easy party canapés, indulge in one of our easy dessert recipes and pair your dishes with one of our easy cocktails that you can mix up in a flash.
The recipes shared below are fit for feeding a hungry crowd: our cheesy garlic dough balls serve six as a snack, our party pakoras make up to 12 and our baked onion bhajis make up to 20. Perfect for cosy nights in, our warming beef chilli with jalapeño cheddar scones serves up to 10 guests, plus our indulgent cheese grazing board serves 12.
Best crowdpleaser recipes
Sharing platters
Buffalo cauliflower wings with blue cheese dip
A sharing plate of buffalo cauliflower wings with creamy blue cheese dip makes a brilliant veggie snack which meat-eaters and veggies alike can tuck into.
Baked feta board
A block of salty feta, baked with sweet, sticky honey, is the centrepiece of this fun sharing board. Slather the smooth cheese on crackers and top with fudgy-textured roast figs and crunchy almonds.
Cheesy garlic dough balls
Give our tear-and-share gooey cheese-filled dough balls a go at home with step-by-step help from the olive test kitchen. They'd make a great starter for the kids or something to kick off a laid back dinner party.
Mozzarella sticks with spicy dipping sauce
Who can say no to mozzarella sticks? Our gooey mozzarella sticks with a punchy dipping sauce make the perfect nibble to serve when you next have friends or family round.
Party pakoras
Pleasing a crowd is always easy with a plate of party pakoras – tangy jalapeños and a sweet tamarind dipping sauce cut through the mellow paneer.
Cheese grazing board
Three types of baked cheese, served with plenty of crackers, crudités and chutneys for the ultimate sharing starter.
Baked onion bhajis
Who doesn’t love an onion bhaji when they go out for a curry? Make up to 20 with this recipe from The Curry Guy, Dan Toombs.
Smoked aubergine and pepper salad with pomegranate molasses
Sabrina Ghayour's recipe for sweet and smokey aubergine salad would make the perfect addition to a generous sharing spread. Infused with the flavours of Persia, it's a little bit of middle-Eastern magic for you and your friends to enjoy.
Brunch sharing board
Be the host with the most with our epic brunch board, featuring overnight oats, sausage sarnies, pancake bites and enough bloody marys for you and five friends.
Crowd-pleasing mains
Chicken tacos
These easy sharing tacos, made using a whole rotisserie chicken, take just 20 minutes to prepare. Serve with all the fixings in the middle of the table and let your hungry guests dive in.
Baked sweet mustard gammon with deli potato salad
A baked gammon or ham is one of the easiest ways to feed a crowd and this maple-glazed one can be eaten cold for days after.
Beef chilli with jalapeño cheddar scones
This simple beef chilli recipe makes enough to serve 10 people, making it brilliant for easy entertaining. Serve with our fiery jalapeño cheddar scones for an extra kick!
Fish pie lasagne
Two family favourites join forces in this impressive hybrid dish, which sees layers of soft flaky salmon, creamy mozzarella and crunchy broccoli between fresh lasagne sheets and a smooth and creamy roux. A knockout family dish special enough to serve to guests too.
Vincisgrassi (pasta baked with parma ham)
Vincisgrassi, a type of baked pasta, comes from the region of Le Marche in Italy. Rich, creamy and full of meaty flavour, plate this up to a party of six and watch them dive in.
Beef shin rendang
A great excuse for some Saturday night feasting between friends, this aromatic, slow-cooked beef curry makes enough to serve 12. If you find yourself with some leftovers then waste not want not because it's freezable too.
Beef and Guinness stew
The classic beef stew is slow-cooked and enriched with earthy Guinness. Top with fluffy cheddar and thyme dumplings for a satisfying dish for up top six people.
Negroni salmon
Impress dinner guests with this decadent Negroni salmon. Top your salmon with wheels of blood orange for a splash of colour, and serve with blinis.
Mix and match mac 'n' cheese bar
Put the mac ‘n’ cheese out with a serving spoon then put the toppings in little bowls and let everyone add their own. You’ll need to use your biggest baking dish for this or split it between two smaller ones.
Barbacoa lamb carnitas
These gluten free, slow-cooked lamb tortillas are great for a feast between friends. It's easy to make and everyone can get stuck in and make their own.
Baked crab and pea giant shells
Spoon zesty crab meat into pasta shells and serve in a creamy pea sauce for an impressive pasta main which serves up to six.
Porchetta with lemongrass and lime leaf
Feed a crowd with this spicy twist on the classic Italian porchetta – serve with seasonal roast vegetables or crispy rice.
Classic cottage pie
This is our take on a classic cottage pie. With rich beef and creamy mash, it's a long-standing family favourite and a good one to have in the freezer for emergencies!
Melanzane parmigiana
Make a batch of this Italian veggie classic to feed a crowd, or make two smaller dishes and freeze one for later. Plus, it's gluten free
Fall-apart vindaloo with red onion mint chutney
If you love curry, you'll love this vindaloo. Originating from Goa, our version is easy, made with pork and full of authentic spices. Serve with rice and homemade mint chutney at a dinner party for friends.
Desserts for a crowd
Dessert board
Sharing boards are perfect for easy entertaining. Make the choc pots and white russians ahead of time and buy a few extras to feed a crowd.
Banoffee fridge cake
This fridge cake looks impressive but is deceptively simple, requiring just a handful of ingredients. Serving up to 12, this is the perfect sweet crowd-pleaser.
Lemon meringue pie
A classic, impressive lemon meringue pie with crisp pastry, tart curd and fluffy meringue that's easy to make. Plate this pie up and watch it disappear in a heartbeat.
Milk chocolate and malt mousse cake
Satisfyingly smooth and indulgent, this chocolatey malt mousse cake topped with crunchy salted pretzels is a perfect pudding to make for the holidays.
Carrot cake cheesecake
Cheesecake is always a crowd-pleaser, and in this recipe we take it up a notch by combining with another classic pud, carrot cake. Packed with plenty of spice, zest of an orange and crunchy pecans, this recipe is sure to impress your friends and family at your next dinner party.
Blackberry cake
If cake is what you're after, why not try this pretty sponge cake, with fresh blackberries baked into the sponge and a vibrant coulis drizzled over freshly whipped cream.
Chocolate and hazelnut millefeuille cake
If you really want to push the boat out with dessert, look no further than this chocolate and hazelnut millefeuille cake. Sandwich crisp puff pastry circles together with homemade hazelnut ganache, then top with sweetened Frangelico whipped cream, crushed hazelnuts and a drizzle of warm Nutella.
Salted caramel cheesecake
Our elegant, no-bake cheesecake can be made up to two days in advance, so it's ideal for stress-free entertaining.
New York crumb cake
Wow party guests with this New York-inspired crumb cake. This bake is all about the ratio, size and texture of the crumb – at least a third to three-quarters of the cake – and large, fall-apart-in-your-mouth rubbles.
Sour cherry trifle with almonds
Dazzle your guests with irresistible layers of vanilla-flecked custard cream, sour cherries, sherry-soaked sponge and toasted almonds – it's the perfect party dessert.
Tear and share churros
This spiced chocolate sauce has just the right amount of kick – it pairs perfectly with the baked churros to make for a decadent sharing dessert.
Dessert board
Sharing boards are perfect for easy entertaining. Make the chocolate pots and white russians ahead of time, and buy a few extras to feed a crowd.
Pear, ginger and almond tart
Impress at your next dinner party with this golden frangipane tart, studded with juicy pears and flavoured with warming stem ginger.
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