three perfect summer dinner party menus

calm host vibes only

taco party at our house last night! please ignore the pink kid plate.

My favorite restaurant is home, so pretty much any time we decide to get together with other couples or families, I invite them over to our place. I have become somewhat of a master at the simple and relaxed dinner party — mostly out of necessity, thanks to the two tiny monsters who live in my house and demand all of my time and attention.

I’ve put together three rather fantastic summer soiree menus, plus tips for how to ensure that your house is the hottest reservation in town, and no one writes a bad Yelp review about the stressed out host who barely had time to talk to their guests!

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carnitas taco party //

I hosted this exact party last night!

1. 10-Minute Jalapeño Corn Dip along with store-bought salsas for your appetizer. Make it ahead, leave it in the skillet (wrapped up in the fridge for up to two days!) then reheat over medium heat when it’s party time. Serve with tortilla chips or Fritos (yep, Fritos).

2. Slow-Roasted Pork Butt is the star of this meal. Be sure to start it in time to give yourself an hour of grace in case it isn’t shredding easily by the time your guests arrive. You can keep shred it, then keep it warm in the oven, wrapped in foil, at 200°F until party time.

3. Cilantro Slaw is bright and acidic and the perfect accompaniment to the pork butt. Make it the night before.

4. One-Pot Cheesy Rice and Beans for what it’s worth, when I host taco parties, I never make sides. My thought is that everyone should gorge themselves on the main event — tacos! But some people really stress about having sides, and if you are one of those people, this would be an absolutely excellent, EASY side dish. Cook it ahead of time without the cheese, then add the cheese and reheat at 300°F for 20 minutes when it’s party time. Or if your oven is occupied with pork butt, just throw it in at whatever temp the pork is cooking.

5. ALL THE BEST TOPPINGS: If this is the kind of party where your guests are volunteering to bring things, these are GREAT things to assign.

   1. Pickled red onions

   2. Chipotle crema (or plain ole sour cream)

   3. Cotija

   4. Shredded cheddar cheese

   5. Chop up the extra cilantro from making the slaw

   6. Pico de gallo (buy it!)

   7. A fun fruity salsa (buy it or use this recipe!)

   8. Guacamole

6. Chaco Tacos for dessert. Trust me on this one. Your guests will lose their marbles. They can be kinda hard to find, so go with ice cream sandwiches if you can’t find ‘em.

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lowcountry boil party //

I know I’m obsessed with lowcountry boils right now, but this is truly *the best* most fun, interactive dinner party!

1. Pretzel and Everything Bagel Deviled Eggs will set the tone for this Southern soiree.

2. Lowcountry Boils are a simple and efficient way to feed a crowd. You can double, triple or quadruple this recipe, you’re just gonna need a really big pot (or use two!).

3. Cheddar Bay Biscuits are the perfect accompaniment for a boil.

4. Bourbon Punch to make things extra festive.

5. Banana Pudding I always make my banana pudding from scratch, and was shocked when I recently learned that the famous Magnolia Bakery banana pudding is made using pudding mix and sweetened condensed milk! I’m gonna give it a try soon.

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build-your-own bowl party //

Everything but grilling the meat can be done entirely in advance. Set out a huge buffet so everyone can build their own perfect bowl. The flavors here are so unique and not seen at your average dinner party!

1. Strawberry-Lemon Margaritas are SO easy to make and store in a pitcher in the fridge until party time.

2. 10-Minute Jalapeño Corn Dip can be made entirely in advance, cooled right in the skillet, then baked at party time! Here’s the recipe (scroll down to find the tip about making it ahead!)

3. Beef Bulgogi Bowls this recipe is easily doubled or tripled, and dang will it impress your guests! Make the rice right before guests arrive, it can hang out and stay warm in the pot for an hour or so. Instead of slicing the beef and cooking it in a skillet, cook whole pieces of beef, and thinly slice it afterwards. That will make it easier to cook for a crowd. Make it with chicken thighs (notes on how to cook it in the notes section!) and beef so that there’s something for everyone. Put all of the toppings into pretty little bowls and make it a DIY buffet situation!

4. Sesame-Scallion Slaw adds the perfect crunch to every bowl.

5. DIY ice cream sandwiches, because you’ve cooked enough already. Buy several pints of ice cream, several types of store-bought (try to go to a really good bakery!) cookies, and throw a bowl of rainbow sprinkles out there to let people roll their sandwiches in. Ideally, you need an ice cream scooper to make this party a success. Don’t forget to set the ice cream out for 10 minutes before bringing everything out on a tray. Adults go wild for this dessert — it’s so fun!

What’s the best summer dinner party menu you’ve cooked (or had the pleasure of having cooked for you) this summer!? Let’s discuss!