32 Party Food Ideas for Every Kind of Celebration

You’ll be the host with the most when you serve these sweet and savory recipes at your next celebration.

grilled buttermilk chicken tenders — Credit: David Malosh

Food makes the party—and our party food ideas will help you plan the menu for your gathering in delicious style. We have big-batch recipes to feed a crowd, as well as dishes for more intimate gatherings. Some are bite-sized; others require a knife and fork. Many are no-bake or make-ahead dishes that will save you time on the day of the event. Whether you're organizing a dinner party and need an unforgettable main course, some different dips for a game day party, or a decadent dessert to end a special celebration, you'll find ideas and recipes here that are the perfect mix of sophisticated, fun, and simple.

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Paella for a Crowd

Paella For a Crowd

Paella will feed a lot of hungry party-goers, and they’ll have a lot to choose from. Tender paprika-seasoned chicken and pork tenderloin mingle with rice, vegetables, and several kinds of seafood, including clams, mussels, shrimp, and calamari. This dish feeds 12, but you can double it if needed.

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Kettle-Chip Nachos

CHELSEA CAVANAUGH

Nachos are always one of the first things to go at parties. This recipe can be passed around with drinks or served as something more hearty—there’s plenty of cheesy goodness to go around. Crisp potato chips stand in for the usual tortilla chips and are just as substantial.

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Popcorn Shrimp

Cajun Popcorn Shrimp — Chris Simpson

You’ll find your guests eating these popcorn shrimp almost as fast as you’d devour movie theater popcorn. The bite-size crustaceans are battered in a Cajun-spiced cornmeal mixture and served with tartar sauce and cocktail sauce for dipping.

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Instant Pot Shrimp Boil

Instant Pot Shrimp Boil — Julia Gartland

Nothing encourages guests to gather like a steaming pot of fresh seafood. Creamy red potatoes, sweet corn, briny shellfish, and smoky andouille sausage steam together in a broth seasoned with Old Bay. Have some crusty bread handy so people can sop up all of the flavorful liquid.

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Lumpia

Martyna Szczesna

The filling for these Filipino snacks can be made sweet or savory, but they’re always rolled in spring roll wrappers and fried. For an appetizer, they're filled with shrimp, tofu, and plenty of aromatic vegetables. Serve them on a platter with a tangy, garlicky dipping sauce.

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Classic Latkes

classic latkes — Julia Gartland

These crisp, golden potato pancakes are great for all kinds of special occasions, not only for Hanukkah. You can serve latkes as appetizers or top them with filling ingredients, like smoked salmon, trout roe, sour cream, fruity jams, and fresh herbs to make them more substantial.

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Baked Chicken Wings With Mustard-Marmalade Glaze

caramelized mustard marmalade chicken — Marcus Nilsson

Though they are baked, not fried, you’ll still need to put out plenty of napkins when you serve these irresistible wings. The sweet-and-tangy glaze that coats each is sticky and saucy (the two most important qualities when it comes to chicken wings, if you ask us).

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Smoked Salmon Flatbread

Smoked-Salmon Flatbread with Pickled Beet — Jenny Huang

This easy, savory tart is inspired by the flavors of an everything bagel loaded with cream cheese and lox. There's no need to make pastry; the base is a store-bought pizza dough. And it's much easier to slice and serve—and eat—than bagels.

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Spicy Shrimp Dip

Armando Rafael

This creamy dip packs some serious heat—unseeded serrano chiles are mixed with cream cheese, mayonnaise, and fresh lime juice. Serve the dip with buttery crackers and cooling crudités to tame the spiciness. Pro tip: Save yourself some time ahead of the party and use pre-cooked shrimp for this dish.

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Heirloom Tomato Tartines With Garlic-Parsley Aioli

Heirloom Tomato Tartines with Garlic-Parsley Aioli — David Malosh

These open-faced sandwiches are bright and refreshing for any occasion, and they couldn’t be easier to prepare. Give the bread a hearty toast before topping it with herby aioli and thick, juicy slices of tomato. (When it's well-toasted, the bread won’t get soggy as fast.)

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Cheesy Soppressata Pull-Apart Bread

Lennart Weibull

If pizza parties are your thing, this pull-apart bread should be on your menu. It's the perfect combination of pepperoni pizza and cheesy bread. Keep things simple by using store-bought pizza dough, then finish the bread with a drizzle of sweet and spicy hot honey.

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Easy Lobster Rolls

lobster rolls

Nothing says summer or celebration like lobster rolls. These mini versions couldn't be cuter or more delicious. We use pull-apart dinner rolls as the base for this party food and fill them with a buttery lobster mixture. Swap in your favorite chicken or egg salad if that suits your gathering better. These petite sandwiches are too good to skip.

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Italian Seafood Salad

Emily Kate Roemer

This salad is hearty and filling, yet bright and refreshing, taking cues from Southern Italy’s seafood-centric cuisine. A lemony herbed dressing coats perfectly steamed seafood (shrimp, mussels, crab, and squid) and a medley of crisp vegetables (fennel, celery, and bell peppers).

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Baked Brie With Boozy Fruit

baked Brie with boozy fruit — Aya Brackett

To those who think cheese boards and gooey baked brie should be reserved for the holidays, we say—you're wrong. They're perfect party food for any occasion. Use store-bought puff pastry as the wrapper around a wheel of creamy brie. It bakes up crusty and delicious with melting cheese within. Port wine-poached fruit adds a touch of sweetness.

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Rich Deviled Eggs

Assorted deviled eggs — Kate Sears

Deviled eggs always disappear fast at parties. This recipe makes a paprika-dusted classic and three variations—smoked trout, spiced hummus, or basil pesto. Choose one or make all four.

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Chicken-Liver Mousse With Raspberry Jelly

Courtesy of Christopher Testani

This luxurious chicken liver spread will be the hottest topic amongst party-goers. Put out a tray with crostini for spreading, assorted pickles (think cucumbers, red onions, and cauliflower), and sweet raspberry jelly to cut the fattiness.

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French Onion Mac-and-Cheese

French Onion Mac and Cheese — Nico Schinco

Baked pasta is a crowd-pleaser, and it feels extra special when you serve it in individual ramekins. Caramelized onions and nutty Gruyère cheese both make their way into the pasta sauce for this unique recipe that falls somewhere between traditional macaroni and cheese and French onion soup. The dish can be assembled ahead and baked for serving.