51 Spring Dinner Party Recipes That Will Impress Your Guests
Appetizers, main dishes, desserts and more: these lighter-and-brighter recipes make hosting a spring get-together a breeze.
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Our Best Ideas for Spring Entertaining
With warmer weather and longer days on the horizon, it's the perfect time to plan a get-together. Whether you opt to host a tea party or an all-out dinner party, you’re going to need a few recipes that speak to the change of season—and take advantage of spring's bounty. That’s where these easy-yet-impressive ideas come in. You’ll find simple appetizers featuring fresh asparagus and artichokes, lightened-up main dishes and plenty of cheerful, spring desserts. Ready to plan your party? Ina’s simple orzo salad is a must at any gathering. After roasting quick-cooking shrimp on a sheet pan, she adds orzo, cucumber, red onion and feta for a wow-worthy dish that will feed a crowd—but couldn’t be easier!
Get the Recipe: Roasted Shrimp and Orzo
Hasselback Beets with Dill Yogurt Sauce
Bright purple beets make a richly colored base for a drizzle of light herbed yogurt.
Get the Recipe: Hasselback Beets with Dill Yogurt Sauce
Sugar Snap Pea Salad with Prosciutto
A simple green salad is the perfect way to round out any spread. Simply add a few flavorful ingredients to your greens as Anne does here with sweet snap peas, salty prosciutto and savory pecorino cheese.
Get the Recipe: Sugar Snap Pea Salad with Prosciutto
Lemon Fusilli with Arugula
Get the Recipe: Lemon Fusilli with Arugula
Shrimp Pesto Spring Rolls with Quick Pesto Dipping Sauce
Whether you’re hosting a spring cocktail party or are looking for the perfect pre-dinner bite, Ree’s easy spring rolls are an excellent choice. For the best flavor, make them right before your guests arrive.
Get the Recipe: Shrimp Pesto Spring Rolls with Quick Pesto Dipping Sauce
The Ultimate Paella
Get the Recipe: The Ultimate Paella
Citrus Salad
An easy way to dress up crunchy spring radishes? Layer them with an array of sliced citrus rounds for a salad that’s as stunning as it is delicious.
Get the Recipe: Citrus Salad
Meyer Lemon Curd Tart with Candied Lemon Peels
A press-in crust is ideal for any level baker because no rolling is required. Using Meyer lemons adds sweetness to the tangy curd in this sunny dessert.
Get the Recipe: Meyer Lemon Curd Tart with Candied Lemon Peels
Lemon Buttered Seared Scallops
Scallops are always impressive, even though they’re incredibly easy to make. Valerie gives them an extra-special touch by searing them in a simple, homemade lemon butter.
Get the Recipe: Lemon Buttered Seared Scallops
Spring Pizzas
Get the Recipe: Spring Pizzas
Spring Pasta Salad
Get the Recipe: Spring Pasta Salad
Spring Asparagus Tart
Get the Recipe: Spring Asparagus Tart
Smoked Salmon Dip
Want to impress without too much fuss in the kitchen? This simple dip made with just a quarter-pound of silky smoked salmon is perfect for entertaining and goes with everything from cucumbers to crackers.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Salmon Dip
Linguine with Shrimp and Lemon Oil
Get the Recipe: Linguine with Shrimp and Lemon Oil
Cream Scones with Currants
Get the Recipe: Cream Scones with Currants
Spring Green Risotto
Get the Recipe: Spring Green Risotto
Parmesan Chicken
Get the Recipe: Parmesan Chicken
Sweet Pea Dip
Get the Recipe: Sweet Pea Dip
Ina's Blini with Smoked Salmon
Get the Recipe: Blini with Smoked Salmon
Lemon-Herb Roast Chicken
Get the Recipe: Lemon-Herb Roast Chicken
Frico Salad Bowl
These impressive cheese bowls are much easier than they look. All you need is parchment paper and a microwave!
Get the Recipe: Frico Salad Bowl
Square Deviled Eggs
Forget about peeling shells the next time you make deviled eggs! In this fun, square version, whites and yolks are separated, cooked individually and then brought back together to taste just like the original.
Get the Recipe: Square Deviled Eggs
Lamb Stew with Spring Vegetables
Leave it to Ina to embody the entire season of spring with one simple dish that's perfect for a crowd (especially on a chilly spring evening).
Get the Recipe: Lamb Stew with Spring Vegetables
Easy Rhubarb Crisp
Get the Recipe: Rhubarb Crisp
Radishes with Smoked Butter
Fresh spring radishes and butter are a classic combination – but Molly gives them a bold, new twist by smoking her butter on the stovetop in a Dutch oven first.
Get the Recipe: Radishes with Smoked Butter
Spaghetti With Snap Peas and Prosciutto
Get the Recipe: Spaghetti With Snap Peas and Prosciutto
Tuscan Kale Pesto Pizza with Shrimp Scampi
Valerie tops flatbread pesto pizza with lemony shrimp scampi for a delicious bite. Store any leftover kale pesto in the freezer and use it the next time you’re in a pinch for a quick dinner.
Get the Recipe: Tuscan Kale Pesto Pizza with Shrimp Scampi
Cheese-Potato Pie
Get the Recipe: Cheese-Potato Slab Pie
Perfect Spinach Salad
Get the Recipe: Perfect Spinach Salad
Herb-Roasted Chicken With Melted Tomatoes
Get the Recipe: Herb-Roasted Chicken with Melted Tomatoes
Crostini with Ricotta and Pink Peppercorns
Crushed pink peppercorns really pop on top of creamy ricotta spiked with lemon zest. "The colors of this are just stunning," says Giada.
Get the Recipe: Crostini with Ricotta and Pink Peppercorns
Roasted Asparagus
Get the Recipe: Roasted Asparagus
Pasta Primavera
Get the Recipe: Pasta Primavera
Crispy Pancetta Crostini with Arugula-Lemon Pesto
Snacks for a crowd are ready in just 35 minutes with pesto-topped crostini. You can substitute arugula in the pesto with any leafy greens – think baby spinach, kale or dandelion greens – you have on hand.
Get the Recipe: Crispy Pancetta Crostini with Arugula-Lemon Pesto
Almond Tuiles
Get the Recipe: Almond Tuiles
Beef Stroganoff over Buttered Noodles
Get the Recipe: Beef Stroganoff over Buttered Noodles
Marinated Artichokes
Get the Recipe: Marinated Artichokes
Herbed Snap Peas
Get the Recipe: Herbed Snap Peas
Avocado and White Bean Dip
This creamy dip is ready to serve in just about 10 minutes -- perfect for an impromptu gettogether.
Get the Recipe: Avocado and White Bean Dip
Hasselback Radishes with Miso Dressing
Go an unexpected route with radishes by preparing them Hasselback style. Roast them for a more mellow flavor before drizzling them with miso dressing.
Get the Recipe: Hasselback Radishes with Miso Dressing
Lemony Pea Salad
Alex makes this salad with fresh peas from the farmers' market. "The idea of fresh peas in the spring never gets old to me," she says.
Get the Recipe: Lemony Pea Salad
Deviled Potatoes
At first glance, these apps look just like the real deal, but one bite reveals they're potatoes in disguise.
Get the Recipe: Deviled Potatoes
Chile-Rubbed Beef Tenderloin with Garlic-Herb Oil
Dinner for a crowd is easy and elegant with Valerie’s beef tenderloin. Drizzle garlic-herb oil over the top for a bright and fresh finish.
Get the Recipe: Chile-Rubbed Beef Tenderloin with Garlic-Herb Oil
Chilled Pea Soup with Spicy Crab
Get the Recipe: Chilled Pea Soup with Spicy Crab
Ina's White Pizza With Arugula
Get the Recipe: White Pizzas with Arugula
Spring Salad in Parmesan Cups
Individual salad cups are a fresh idea for cocktail party finger food. To make the parmesan cups, you'll bake shredded parmesan cheese and flour until golden, then drape the rounds over small ramekins to form crispy cups for salad.
Get the Recipe: Spring Salad in Parmesan Cups
Swiss Chard and Herb Tart
Get the Recipe: Swiss Chard and Herb Tart
Beet and Goat Cheese Arugula Salad
Get the Recipe: Beet and Goat Cheese Arugula Salad
Fresh Fruit and Mint Salad
Get the Recipe: Fresh Fruit and Mint Salad
Spicy Turkey Lettuce Cups with Red Pepper Jelly
No utensils needed for serving these spicy lettuce cups. Trisha uses apricot preserves for quick red pepper jelly, which is added straight into the turkey mixture and can also be served alongside as a condiment.
Get the Recipe: Spicy Turkey Lettuce Cups with Red Pepper Jelly
Pan-Roasted Chicken with Morel Mushroom Sauce
Morel mushrooms are one of the most delicious—and fleeting—signs of spring, and this one-pan dish is a decadent way to usher in the new season. In it, tender whole chicken legs are finished in a creamy sauce that's layered with the flavors of morels, herbs and white wine. Round out the meal with a salad of mixed greens, oven-roasted potatoes or rice pilaf for an impressive dinner-party menu.
Get the Recipe: Pan-Roasted Chicken with Morel Mushroom Sauce
