Jamie’s new book 5 Ingredients Mediterranean is packed with quick and easy dinner ideas that are perfect for fuss-free entertaining. We’re talking dinner party recipes that don’t require loads of time, long shopping lists or piles of washing up.
Each course can be on the table in less than 30 minutes, and we’ve highlighted where you can get ahead of the game on the prep front. If you’re feeding a mixed crowd (or lots of lovely vegetarians), we’ve got you covered on the meat-free front, too. So gather your nearest and dearest, grab yourself a glass of something cold, and let’s get cooking!
STARTER
Greet your guests with these next-level nibbles. Hot, crunchy, sweet and salty, these delicious little morsels pair brilliantly with a refreshing cocktail or mocktail. Plus, they’re dead easy to cook to order – serve on a cute platter or board that you can replenish as you go. What a first impression!
OR
Knock out a beautiful starter with ease – these rustic meatballs, served on top of the easiest tzatziki and mint sauce, are an absolute game-changer. Get ahead by whizzing up the sauce and shaping the meatballs the morning of your get-together, then simply cover and pop in the fridge until needed.
MAIN
Serve up a main course in just 22 minutes with this flavour-packed five-ingredient pasta. Feel free to scale this up depending on how many you’re feeding. Get the prawn prep out of the way before your guests arrive, leaving the prawns to marinate in the fridge until you’re ready to cook. That way, you can focus on having a good time!
OR
As dinner party recipes go, this is a corker. Jamie uses jarred chickpeas in two clever ways, so your guests would never guess that this is only five ingredients! It’s super-easy to scale up, too. If you want to get ahead, make the houmous in advance and pop it in the fridge until needed. You could even blacken the aubergines before your guests arrive, just make sure they’re piping hot when you caramelise them in the frying pan come dinnertime.
DESSERT
Finish off in style with this fail-safe, citrussy pud. With embellished pastry and a vibrant lemon curd filling, it looks so impressive, but is actually very simple. Make this on the morning of your dinner party, as it’s best served at room temperature. The perfect get-ahead dessert. Enjoy!
After more easy dinner ideas? Sign up to Jamie’s 5 Ingredients Mediterranean Quick & Easy collection today.