Planning a dinner party can be stressful, especially when it comes to choosing what type of starter course you would like to serve. Luckily, there are many great options that are easy to make and will leave your guests impressed.
Here are three great starters that are sure to take your dinner party up a notch!
Breadsticks
Breadsticks may seem like an obvious choice, but they never fail to please the crowd. Making homemade breadsticks is surprisingly easy; all you need is some all-purpose flour, salt, sugar, butter or margarine, water, and active dry yeast.
Mix these ingredients, knead the dough into shape on a lightly floured surface and bake in the oven for 20 minutes until golden brown. Serve with olive oil and herbs for dipping—delicious! Breadsticks are lovely for dinner parties since they are handheld and everyone loves them. So consider whipping up some breadsticks for your next dinner party.
Soups
Soups make for great starters because they’re generally light yet filling. Whether you opt for a classic vegetable soup or something more adventurous like roasted red pepper soup with feta cheese, your guests are sure to love it.
Soups are often high in fiber which is essential for digestion. This means your soup course can help your guests feel better and enjoy the meal better. Not to mention that soups are usually pretty easy to make and don’t require too much attention – you could even make your soup ahead and heat it up to save some time.
Bread and Cheese
This classic combination is easy to make and always hits the spot! Choose quality ingredients such as freshly baked bread (ideally from an artisan bakery) along with a variety of cheeses like cheddar, brie, or even blue cheese if your guests don’t mind it too strong. There are hundreds of different kinds of cheese available so there is a neverending supply of options. Cut up some vegetables such as carrots and celery sticks into bite-sized pieces alongside some olives or pickles too – delicious!
There you have it—three great starters that will impress your dinner party guests without taking up too much of your time during preparation. Don’t forget to include plenty of napkins in case things get messy! With these starters in place, you can now move on to planning the main course – bon appetit!
Did you enjoy reading this article? Here’s more to read. What to Serve Before Bringing Out the Main Course at Dinner
Get your copy of my latest book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking Diaries:Seasons- with more great recipes and stories from The Basic Art of Italian Cooking book series
Listen to The Maria Liberati Show Podcast anywhere podcasts are heard and The Maria Liberati Show on YouTube
