35 Summer Dinner Party Ideas for People Who Don't Cook

Guilty of using your oven for storage and aren't even sure you own a spatula? No sweat! We’ve got you covered on everything from appetizers and cocktails to main dishes and desserts.

June 29, 2022

By: Lauren Oster and Erica Reitman

Related To:

Limited Kitchen Experience? No Problem!

With our newbie-friendly, party-tested slew of menu ideas, there’s nothing standing between you and an utterly epic summer dinner party. Ready to dive in? We’ve rounded up mix-and-match offerings that you can whip up in no time at all.

See More Photos: 50 Tips for Planning the Ultimate Backyard Get-Together

Seasonal Cheese Board

The simplest way to serve spectacular food is to start at farmers markets, where the ripest and most gorgeous as-is offerings are presented party-ready (after a bit of chopping and creative arrangement). For even more inspiration, ask vendors for their favorite ways to present their cheeses and produce.

GET THE HOW-TO: The Ultimate Vegetarian Cheese Board

From: Heather Baird

Prosciutto-Wrapped Breadsticks

This one couldn't be any easier — simply wrap thinly sliced prosciutto around crispy bread sticks for an appetizer option. Pair it with a cheese plate, crackers and olives.

Mocktail- and Cocktail-Ready Shrub

If berries you bought with the best of intentions earlier in the week are tipping into overripeness, don’t banish them just yet: You can mash them with sugar and vinegar to whip up a tangy, fruity shrub that’ll yield unforgettable craft cocktails. Better yet, it comes together overnight, so you can throw this old-fashioned beauty together and go to bed knowing you’ve already nailed part of party prep.

GET THE RECIPE: Cocktail or Mocktail: Preserve Fresh Fruit as a Sippable Shrub

From: H. Camille Smith

Goat Cheese Guacamole

Elevate a summer-party favorite with a game-changing gourmet addition. This recipe sends guacamole’s natural creaminess through the roof by pairing fresh avocado with tangy chevre. Fair warning: You may have to use goat cheese in your guac from here on out.

GET THE RECIPE: Gameday Goat Cheese Guacamole Recipe

Kettle Chips and DIY Toppings

Sure, you could just buy a few bags of “gourmet” potato chips pre-dusted with flavoring and dump them into side-by-side bowls , but guests won’t soon forget realizing their long-held dream of creating bespoke maple-dill-feta snacks at your place.

See More Photos: How to Set Up a Self-Serve Potato Chip Bar

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Loaded Crostini

Slice and toast up a loaf of day-old white bread, then top with anything from vegan-friendly peas and basil to hazelnut chocolate spread, bananas and coconut flakes (for an out-of-the-ordinary dessert). You can build crostini with just about anything in your local market’s deli case — and we’ve got 11 mouthwatering suggestions to get you started, below.

See More Photos: 11 Ways to Top Crostini, No Cooking Required

Mango-Cilantro Salsa

Delicious as both a dip for baked plantain chips (which you can bake up in no time or buy in a bag at the grocery store) and a seasonal sauce for chicken, this healthy, summery recipe starts mild and can be fired up (with the addition of more red pepper flakes) for adventurous eaters.

GET THE RECIPE: Mango Cilantro Salsa

Frozen Mango Coladas

Blend this decadent tropical drink’s ingredients ahead of time, then freeze them in ice cube trays the day before guests arrive and re-blend on a drink-by-drink basis when cocktail hour arrives. This sip starts out alcohol-free — but you can spike with light rum to create a higher-proof variation.

GET THE RECIPE: Mango Mock-o-lada

Caprese Bites

This perennially-popular Mediterranean dish works great as a side for your meal or as an appetizer for your group. Look for fresh mozzarella or burrata at a local Italian market to make it extra special.

GET THE RECIPE: Caprese Bites Recipe

Eggplant Chips With Cilantro Pesto

Here's a gourmet variation on standard chips and salsa: bake up some easy eggplant chips in the oven and pair with a simple, zesty cilantro pesto dip.

GET THE RECIPE: Eggplant Chips With Cilantro Pesto Recipe

Vegetarian Stuffed Mushrooms

These five-ingredient hors d’oeuvres come together in no time, assembly-line style. Just give the cremini (aka baby portobello) mushroom caps a quick sauté in melted butter, then bake with a dollop of cheese and top each with a sun-dried tomato and a tiny sprig of thyme. Elegant, no?

GET THE RECIPE: Brie and Sun-Dried Tomato-Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Tomato Goat Cheese Dip

This hearty, savory appetizer is just as satisfying as spinach-artichoke dip — and can be pulled together in a fraction of the time. Just stir seasonings into the tomato sauce, top with dollops of chevre, pop under the broiler in a pretty oven-safe dish, and voila! A near-instant crowd-pleaser.

GET THE RECIPE: Tomato Goat Cheese Dip

No-Bake Gorgonzola Cheese Balls

This tangy app packs a punch and requires no cooking at all. These cheese balls would be delicious paired with butter crackers, toasted bread or even a set of toothpicks (they're tasty enough to stand alone!).

GET THE RECIPE: No-Bake Gorgonzola Cheese Balls Recipe

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Blackberry + Honeysuckle Spritz

For an easy cocktail that you can make ahead of time, pair juicy, garden-fresh blackberries with sweet honeysuckle vodka for a colorful cocktail that tastes like summer in a glass.

get the recipe: Blackberry + Honeysuckle Spritz Recipe

From: H. Camille Smith

Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps

Pick up your favorite pre-made chicken salad and a package of romaine hearts, dole out heaping scoops in a fan formation, then congratulate yourself for putting together a tasty, picture-perfect finger food that doesn’t create trash or dishes.

See More Photos: 40 Handheld Party Foods for Your Next Shindig

Classic Tomato Sandwiches

If you’re lucky enough to be entertaining guests at that magical point in the summer when heirloom tomatoes are at their peak, you owe it to everyone to whip up the season’s ideal sandwich (white bread + mayonnaise with seasoned salt + a single slice of tomato + a sprig of cress — and that’s it). The tomato does all the work for you here; all you have to do is stand back and let it shine.

GET THE RECIPE: Tomato Sandwich Recipe

From: Camille Styles

Savory Taco Dip

With apologies to prepackaged ranch and onion dip mixes, it’s high time to challenge the classics with a new contender. This concoction marries pantry staples in a satisfying and less-expected combination that pairs beautifully with any and all crudités.

GET THE RECIPE: Taco Dip Recipe

Chilled Avocado Soup

Fresh tarragon and ripe cucumber impart herbaceous freshness to this refreshing summer dish; it’s a spectacular starter as-is and an ideal main dish topped with grilled shrimp.

GET THE RECIPE: Serve the Season: Chilled Avocado Soup Recipe

Tipsy Strawberry Slush

Invite your guests to kick back, relax and beat the scorching summer heat with a grown-up slushie that combines two of the season's most iconic flavors: strawberry and honeysuckle (vodka, that is).

get the recipe: Tipsy Strawberry + Honeysuckle Slush

From: Chelsea Faulkner

Mango Gazpacho

Swap ripe mango for tomato to put a tropical twist on this quintessential summer soup, then double down on variations with twists like jalapeños for heat, yogurt for protein, chopped ginger and curry for an Indian accent — the possibilities are endless.

GET THE RECIPE: What the Heck Is Mangospacho (And How to Make it)

Arugula Salad With Poppy Seed Dressing

Balance peppery watercress and young arugula leaves with bursting-with-flavor summer berries and citrus to wow guests with this bistro-worthy salad. The key to elevating this and all greens: Homemade dressing, which blends together in seconds and tastes worlds better than anything you could buy in a bottle.

GET THE RECIPE: Arugula Salad With Homemade Orange Poppy Seed Dressing

From: Heather Baird

Asian Chicken Pasta Salad

This flexible recipe can be adapted for vegetarians (just swap store-bought grilled tofu for the shredded chicken) and expanded to accommodate good-looking greenmarket finds (don’t be shy about throwing in sliced sugar snap peas or baby spinach). Want to kick it up with red chili flakes? Even better.

GET THE RECIPE: Amazing Asian Chicken Pasta Salad Recipe

Succotash Salad

Unlike many fresh salads, this beauty actually tastes better if you make it ahead of time; don’t be shy about prepping everything but the avocado (which will turn brown if you let it sit for too long) the morning of your get-together. Filling legumes, bright flavors and a variety of crunches make this side extra-satisfying.

GET THE RECIPE: Succotash Salad Recipe

Orange Creamsicle Float

This smooth, creamy drink tastes like you've just chased down the ice cream truck — without ever leaving your lawn chair. Best of all, it comes together easily by just pouring orange soda and booze over your favorite vanilla ice cream.

get the recipe: This Boozy Float Is the Best Creamsicle You've Ever Had

Fresh Cucumber Salad

Julienned to crunchy perfection, paired with ripe tomatoes and flat-leaf parsley, then dressed with a tart-sweet vinaigrette, cucumber like this is summer on a fork. Feel free to throw in additional fresh herbs or give your salad a bit of added tang with crumbled feta or shredded ricotta salata.

See More Photos: Summer Cucumber Salad Recipe

The Very Best Potato Salad

Bright notes of whole-grain mustard and apple cider vinegar (plus an infusion of minced pickles) elevate this picnic classic. Could a humble side dish become the sleeper hit of your menu? Report back, please.

GET THE RECIPE: Best Potato Salad

Figgy Maple Bourbon Fizzes

Fresh late-summer figs are a fantastic addition to bourbon. Paired with maple syrup, Angostura bitters, spicy ginger beer and a bit of lemon, they’re the backbone of what could be your new signature cocktail.

GET THE RECIPE: Fig Fest: A Party Spotlighting This Elegant, Delicious Fruit

Nacho Bar

When in doubt, create a choose-your-own-adventure option. Presented with a nacho bar, your guests can add everything they love, from meats and veggies to salsa and guacamole. (Psst: You can riff on this idea and lay out a taco or burrito bar at your next bash.)

GET THE RECIPE: Set Up the Perfect Nacho Bar

Sandwiches on Sticks

Deli meats and cheese, PB&J, veggies and pesto — there’s no end to the sando combos that become social-media-worthy with the help of a handy cookie cutter and bamboo skewers. Let your imagination run wild with this one.

See More Photos: 36 Party Foods You Can Serve on a Stick

No-Bake Coconut Almond Truffles

These lighter-than-air dessert bites have a grand total of four ingredients and are kid- and adult-friendly, gluten-free and the perfect finger food to wind up an outdoor meal. (Rolling them together is also an excellent kitchen-helper task if kids in the house are eager to pitch in with prep.)

GET THE RECIPE: Coconut Almond Bunny Tails Recipe

Elevated Ice Cream Sandwiches

If you’re not content to buy a box of ice cream sandwiches and serve them to your guests as-is — which, we should note, is also a hit at summer dinner parties — might we suggest buying fancy cookies and pints, then combining them at home ahead of time? Our step-by-step instructions and combo suggestions include easy-and-ingenious adds like chocolate dips, candy garnishes and crumb layers.

GET THE HOW-TO: Turn Store-Bought Cookies into Gourmet Ice Cream Sandwiches

Apple Pie Bites

If you’ve stocked up on graham crackers for fire pit s’mores at the end of the night, set a few aside to create apple-pie-inspired dessert bites. With Greek yogurt, chopped Granny Smiths, a drizzle of honey and a dusting of cinnamon, this light dessert is a clever riff on heavier pastries.

See More Photos: 11 Kid-Friendly Snack Hacks That Make Healthy Eating Fun

Blueberry Mint Julep Ice Pops

Studded with whole fresh berries that impart a seasonal note, these grown-up frozen treats are even more refreshing than drinkable juleps served frosty with condensation. (To get the same rich flavor without the bourbon, try adding a splash of non-alcoholic vanilla or almond extract before freezing.)

GET THE RECIPE: Blueberry Mint Julep Ice Pops Recipe

Pooch-Friendly "Ice Cream" Bars

While we’re on the subject of chilly treats, we would note that creating a healthy dessert for canine guests is a surefire way to have attendees begging for more. This frozen blend of fresh fruit and lactose-free yogurt is vet- and doggo-approved.

GET THE RECIPE: DIY Doggie Ice Cream

Trompe L’Oeil Watermelon “Cake”

Take an after-dinner fruit course to the next level and offer the ultimate rejoinder to the “Is it cake?” meme by dressing a slab of perfectly ripe watermelon with whipped cream, slivered almonds and fresh berries. Sure, tricking someone into thinking this is actually cake could lead to a dinner-party guest mutiny, but you can always offer it beside the aforementioned almond truffles for die-hard dessert aficionados.

GET THE HOW-TO: Watermelon Cake Recipe

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35 Summer Dinner Party Ideas for People Who Don't Cook

Related To:

Limited Kitchen Experience? No Problem!

Seasonal Cheese Board

Prosciutto-Wrapped Breadsticks

Mocktail- and Cocktail-Ready Shrub

Goat Cheese Guacamole

Kettle Chips and DIY Toppings

Loaded Crostini

Mango-Cilantro Salsa

Frozen Mango Coladas

Caprese Bites

Eggplant Chips With Cilantro Pesto

Vegetarian Stuffed Mushrooms

Tomato Goat Cheese Dip

No-Bake Gorgonzola Cheese Balls

Blackberry + Honeysuckle Spritz

Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps

Classic Tomato Sandwiches

Savory Taco Dip

Chilled Avocado Soup

Tipsy Strawberry Slush

Mango Gazpacho

Arugula Salad With Poppy Seed Dressing

Asian Chicken Pasta Salad

Succotash Salad

Orange Creamsicle Float

Fresh Cucumber Salad

The Very Best Potato Salad

Figgy Maple Bourbon Fizzes

Nacho Bar

Sandwiches on Sticks

No-Bake Coconut Almond Truffles

Elevated Ice Cream Sandwiches

Apple Pie Bites

Blueberry Mint Julep Ice Pops

Pooch-Friendly "Ice Cream" Bars

Trompe L’Oeil Watermelon “Cake”

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