21 Ina Garten Dinner Recipes That Will Impress Everyone at Your Table (2024)

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Kristine Cannon, Justina Huddleston

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There’s nothing we love more than entertaining, and when we’re in need of a mouthwatering and showstopping dinner menu, we almost always find ourselves turning to chef Ina Garten for main course recipes. Why? They’re not only delicious and impressive to guests, but they also don’t require the culinary chops of a James Beard Award-winning chef to make.

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“What I’m always looking for is a remembered flavor,” Garten told The Kitchn in 2015 when asked for her best dinner party advice. And as it turns out, many if not all of Garten’s recipes have just that: familiar yet phenomenal flavor. For instance, Garten’s English rib roast may look complicated, but it’s actually an incredibly simple two-step process that leaves you with a juicy, perfectly seasoned piece of meat you can pair with a virtually endless list of side dishes.

So, let us save you all that time flipping through the Barefoot Contessa host’s many, many cookbooks or endlessly scrolling through her website for the perfect main course for your next dinner party. We did the work for you. Ahead, take a look at our favorite Garten recipes that are sure to impress your dinner guests.

  • Saffron Risotto with Butternut Squash

    21 Ina Garten Dinner Recipes That Will Impress Everyone at Your Table (3)

    What are two things that will never fail to impress a dinner guest? Saffron and risotto. Pair them in this savory-sweet dish that’s made with butternut squash and plenty of Parm.

    Get the recipe at Barefoot Contessa.

  • Heirloom Tomato and Blue Cheese Salad

    21 Ina Garten Dinner Recipes That Will Impress Everyone at Your Table (4)

    Sometimes the perfect accompaniment to a rich dinner party meal is a striking salad. Garten’s relies on ripe heirloom tomatoes, so it’s best to keep this recipe on rotation in the summer months.

    Get the recipe at Barefoot Contessa.

  • Baked Cod with Garlic & Herb Ritz Crumbs

    21 Ina Garten Dinner Recipes That Will Impress Everyone at Your Table (5)

    You never know what your guests do and don’t like, so if you want to serve seafood, opting for a mild, flaky white fish like cod is the move. Pair with Garten’s buttery Ritz and panko crumb topping, and dinner is likely to get devoured.

    Get the recipe at Barefoot Contessa.

  • Lobster Pot Pie

    21 Ina Garten Dinner Recipes That Will Impress Everyone at Your Table (7)

    Summer comfort food, anyone? That’s the name of the game in Ina Garten’s rich lobster pot pie recipe.

    Get the recipe at Barefoot Contessa.

  • Truffled Mac & Cheese

    21 Ina Garten Dinner Recipes That Will Impress Everyone at Your Table (8)

    Mac & Cheese for dinner, for company, might sound crazy. But when Garten adds luxe ingredients like white truffle butter, cremini mushrooms, sherry, and more, it all starts to make sense.

    Get the recipe at Barefoot Contessa.

  • English rib roast

    21 Ina Garten Dinner Recipes That Will Impress Everyone at Your Table (9)

    For a meal that looks impressive but takes virtually zero work, Garten’s standing rib roast requires just a thick layer of salt and pepper and a couple of hours in the oven.

    Get the recipe at Taste and See.

  • Moroccan lamb tagine

    21 Ina Garten Dinner Recipes That Will Impress Everyone at Your Table (10)

    Don’t own a tagine? This Moroccan lamb tagine recipe alone is worth the purchase.

    Get the recipe at Barefoot Contessa.

  • Filet mignon with mustard & mushrooms

    21 Ina Garten Dinner Recipes That Will Impress Everyone at Your Table (11)

    Advanced home chefs, this flavorful, decadent filet mignon with mustard and mushroom recipe will test your culinary skills.

    Get the recipe at Barefoot Contessa.

  • Coq au vin

    21 Ina Garten Dinner Recipes That Will Impress Everyone at Your Table (12)

    Coq au vin — chicken braised with wine, lardons, and mushrooms — may be one of the most famous French dishes, but it’s surprisingly not the most difficult dishes to tackle, especially if you carefully follow Garten’s instructions.

    Get the recipe at Feed Feed.

  • Lemon chicken

    21 Ina Garten Dinner Recipes That Will Impress Everyone at Your Table (13)

    Garten’s juicy, lemon-infused chicken dish may be a beginner recipe, but it looks and tastes so great, your dinner party guests wouldn’t dare leave you with leftovers.

    Get the recipe from The PKP Way.

  • Chicken thighs with creamy mustard sauce

    21 Ina Garten Dinner Recipes That Will Impress Everyone at Your Table (14)

    Picture it: juicy chicken thighs with crispy skin, swimming in a creamy, wine-and-Dijon mustard sauce. Now, make it.

    Get the recipe at Barefoot Contessa.

  • Pastit*io

    21 Ina Garten Dinner Recipes That Will Impress Everyone at Your Table (15)

    Pastit*io is a basically Greek lasagna with layers of meat, tomato sauce, pasta, and a creamy bechamel.

    Get the recipe from Vodka & Biscuits.

  • Beef bourguignon

    21 Ina Garten Dinner Recipes That Will Impress Everyone at Your Table (16)

    This beef stew is not only easy to make, but it’s also a great comfort food dish to make on chilly nights.

    Get the recipe at The View From Great Island.

  • Brisket with onions & leeks

    21 Ina Garten Dinner Recipes That Will Impress Everyone at Your Table (17)

    Purchase six pounds of brisket, sprinkle with salt, wrap it up, refrigerate it overnight; then, roast it for about three-and-a-half hours atop a mixture of onions and leeks.

    Get the recipe at Barefoot Contessa.

  • Cioppino

    21 Ina Garten Dinner Recipes That Will Impress Everyone at Your Table (18)

    Cioppino is an Italian-American fish stew dish that originated in San Francisco with of cod, shrimp, mussels, and scallops.

    Get the recipe at Food Network.

  • Skillet roasted lemon chicken

    21 Ina Garten Dinner Recipes That Will Impress Everyone at Your Table (19)

    Garten sure as hell knows how to make a roast chicken, and this roasted lemon chicken recipe proves it.

    Get the recipe from The Hungry Hutch.

  • Herbed pork tenderloins with apple chutney

    21 Ina Garten Dinner Recipes That Will Impress Everyone at Your Table (21)

    You can’t go wrong with pork, more pork, and homemade apple chutney.

    Get the recipe at Barefoot Contessa.

  • Slow roasted spiced pork

    21 Ina Garten Dinner Recipes That Will Impress Everyone at Your Table (22)

    Onions, jalapeños, cumin, chipotle Chile powder, and more make this tender, slow-roasted pork downright irresistible.

    Get the recipe at Barefoot Contessa.

  • Seared scallops & potato celery root purée

    21 Ina Garten Dinner Recipes That Will Impress Everyone at Your Table (23)

    Carefully follow Garten’s steps to chef’s-kiss worthy scallops, and you’ll leave your guests truly impressed.

    Get the recipe at Barefoot Contessa.

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21 Ina Garten Dinner Recipes That Will Impress Everyone at Your Table (2024)

FAQs

Are Ina Garten's recipes good? ›

Whenever I grow tired of the same three or four dishes I make every week, I turn to Ina Garten. The Barefoot Contessa's simple, meticulously tested recipes have helped drag me out of every cooking rut I've ever found myself in.

How do you make a fancy dinner at home? ›

Start with a co*cktail to set the tone; we rarely say no to a new take on a French 75. For appetizers, try making your own tartare or searing scallops and pairing them with a spicy pomegranate reduction. As for main courses, steak is a reliable classic while lobster risotto and homemade pasta are great options, too.

How do you cook for a lot of people? ›

Buffet style is more efficient, and everyone gets to eat exactly what they want. . Seek scalable recipes: You will most likely be doubling or tripling recipes. Make sure to pick items that can scale up. Avoid anything that needs to be individually made, like dumplings, samosas or biscuits.

What meals should everyone know how do you cook? ›

17 Dishes Every Home Cook Should Know How to Make, According to Chefs
  1. 01 of 17. Eggs. Victor Protasio. ...
  2. 02 of 17. Rice. Diana Chistruga. ...
  3. 03 of 17. Roast Chicken. Julia Hartbeck. ...
  4. 04 of 17. Bolognese. Photo and Styling by Julia Gartland. ...
  5. 05 of 17. Baked Fish. Maxwell Cozzi. ...
  6. 06 of 17. Fresh Pasta. ...
  7. 07 of 17. Steak. ...
  8. 08 of 17. French Fries.
Mar 11, 2024

What is the simplest dish in the world to cook according to Ina Garten? ›

The Simplest Dish In The World To Make, According To Ina Garten. After testing recipes for various projects all day, Ina Garten prefers to make something simple, quick, and ready straight out of the oven. Her favored dish is roast chicken. To make a roast chicken, preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

What does Ina Garten eat every day? ›

Her eating, she says, is “pretty orderly, actually”: “I pretty much have toast and coffee for breakfast;” tea every day at 10:30 a.m. — not a minute earlier or later; soup for lunch (Italian wedding soup, on the day of the recording); and for dinner, she and her husband, Jeffrey, go out with friends or order in.

What should I make for dinner if I have no idea for dinner? ›

30 Easy Dinner Ideas For When You're Not Sure What To Make
  • Fajita Parchment-Baked Chicken. tasty.co. ...
  • The Best Ever Slow Cooker Pot Roast. tasty.co. ...
  • Veggie Garlic Noodles. tasty.co. ...
  • Chicken & Biscuit Bake. tasty.co. ...
  • Taco Soup. tasty.co. ...
  • One-Pot Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta. ...
  • Chicken & Veggie Stir-Fry. ...
  • Oven-Baked French Bread Pizzas.
Apr 19, 2023

What is a good meal to serve 20 people? ›

19 Ideas For Easy Meals For Large Groups
  • Taco Bar.
  • Meatballs.
  • Butter Chicken.
  • Lasagna.
  • Chili.
  • Homemade Pizza.
  • Baked Pasta.
  • Skewers.
Apr 4, 2023

How can I feed 50 guests cheap? ›

Feed the masses without breaking the bank with these budget-friendly dishes.
  1. Mexican Lasagne. A spicy lasagne for those of us who love Mexican and Italian food. ...
  2. Cheese Cob Dip. ...
  3. The Best Burger in Oz. ...
  4. Kangaroo Casserole. ...
  5. Sausage Casserole. ...
  6. Nanna's golden sausage casserole. ...
  7. Quiche Lorraine. ...
  8. Turkey and Pumpkin Lasagne.

What is the number one rule when cooking? ›

1. Wash your hands well and often. Washing your hands well and often is the golden rule of food safety. Your hands are full of bacteria, and you pick up new bacteria every time you touch something.

What's the easiest thing to learn to cook? ›

"Any dough, whether bread or pasta or gnocchi or dumplings — that's probably the best way to start.

Why is Ina Garten so popular? ›

For over 20 years, Ina Garten has shared her comforting and foolproof recipes with the world through her beloved cookbooks and "Barefoot Contessa" show. But before becoming a Food Network star, Garten wrote budgets at the White House and ran a Hamptons grocery store.

Why is Ina Garten popular? ›

Garten established herself with her cookbooks and appearances on Martha Stewart's show, and then moved into the forefront in 2002 with the debut of her Food Network program.

What is Ina Garten best known for? ›

In 1999, Ina wrote her first book, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, which was one of the best-selling cookbooks of the year. The book invites readers into her specialty food store and shares the recipes that made it such a success. In 2001, Ina followed with best-selling Barefoot Contessa Parties!

What brand of dishes does Ina Garten use? ›

If you're looking for a Barefoot Contessa-approved set, check out the Maison pattern from Crate and Barrel, a mainstay Ina has said she owns over the years. Another, pricier option is the White Dinnerware set from Pillivuyt, a French brand Ina recommends for serving ware as well.

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