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

optional screen reader

by

Kristine Cannon, Justina Huddleston

Plus IconWWD/Penske Media. Design: SheKnows.WWD/Penske Media. Design: SheKnows.

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, SheKnows may receive an affiliate commission.

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.

Related story14 Martha Stewart Recipes That Are Perfect for Spring

“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.

  • Baked Rigatoni With Lamb Ragù

    21 Ina Garten Dinner Recipes That Will Impress Everyone at Your Table (6)

    If you have guests who are on the pickier side, try this riff on baked ziti. It’s made with a rich lamb ragout (if they’re super picky, swap that for pork or beef), and has all of the classic Italian-America flavors so many of us crave.

    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.

optional screen reader

Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply

More Stories from Food & Recipes

Recipes

by Delilah Gray

Recipes

by Justina Huddleston

Food News

Costco’s New Internationally-Inspired Meal Is Perfect for BusyWeeknights

by Justina Huddleston

Recipes

by Justina Huddleston

Food News

Trader Joe’s Shoppers Can’t Stop Raving About the Store’s New $4 SweetTreat

by Stephanie Andrade

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

FAQs

What to cook when having friends for dinner? ›

Dinner party mains
  • One-pot chicken chasseur. A star rating of 4.8 out of 5. ...
  • Lamb biryani. A star rating of 4.6 out of 5. ...
  • Beef bourguignon with celeriac mash. ...
  • Mustard-stuffed chicken. ...
  • Goat's cheese & thyme stuffed chicken. ...
  • One-pan salmon with roast asparagus. ...
  • Butternut chilli. ...
  • Smoked salmon & lemon risotto.

What meal to make for a lot of people? ›

8 Delicious Dinners That Feed A Crowd
  • Classic Lasagna. ...
  • Pulled Pork. ...
  • White Chicken Chili. ...
  • Sloppy Joes. ...
  • Beef Stew with Carrots & Potatoes. ...
  • Gail Simmons' Epic Spaghetti Pie. ...
  • Moroccan-Style Brisket with Dried Fruit & Capers. ...
  • The Ultimate Chili Recipe.

What to cook for special guest? ›

  • 18 / 48. Curry Shrimp Linguine. Curry, cilantro and coconut milk make this dish an exciting change of pace. ...
  • 19 / 48. Creamy Herb Grilled Salmon. I have a huge herb garden and love using herbs in almost everything I cook. ...
  • 20 / 48. Thai Red Chicken Curry.
Feb 15, 2024

What is Ina Garten most famous for? ›

The recipes that made Ina Garten Famous!
  • the ultimate chocolate cake. If you haven't tried this classic Ina Garten recipe yet, prepare to shove aside every other chocolate cake you've ever tried. ...
  • cauliflower gratin. ...
  • brownie pudding. ...
  • buttermilk bran muffins. ...
  • 1770 House meatloaf.
Mar 12, 2022

What recipe did Gordon Ramsay make? ›

Gordon Ramsay recipes
  • Rack of lamb with warm salad of mixed beans & slow-roast tomatoes. ...
  • Pan-fried sea trout, peas & chorizo fricassée. ...
  • Frozen banana & praline parfait. ...
  • Spaghetti with seafood velouté ...
  • Beef bourguignon with celeriac mash. ...
  • Chocolate marquise. ...
  • Beef wellington. ...
  • Lemon tart with summer berries.

What to cook for 20 guests? ›

19 Ideas For Easy Meals For Large Groups
  • Taco Bar. A taco bar is one of the best inexpensive meals for large groups. ...
  • Meatballs. ...
  • Butter Chicken. ...
  • Lasagna. ...
  • Chili. ...
  • Homemade Pizza. ...
  • Baked Pasta. ...
  • Skewers.
Apr 4, 2023

What is a friendship dinner? ›

The intention of Friendship Dinners is to bring people together, break bread, get to know one another, and build relationships. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

What is the most loved meal in the world? ›

Here is the top 10:
  • Pizza.
  • Burger.
  • Ramen.
  • Paella.
  • Pierogi.
  • Moussaka.
  • Boeuf Bourgignon.
  • Eisbein.
May 24, 2023

What is the cheapest food to feed a crowd? ›

Feed the masses without breaking the bank with these budget-friendly dishes.
  • Turkey and Pumpkin Lasagne. ...
  • Slow Cooker Savoury Mince. ...
  • Slow cooker barbecue chicken. ...
  • Slow cooker chicken and olives. ...
  • Slow cooker beef stew. ...
  • Creamy Chicken Pie. ...
  • Chicken, Avocado and Bacon Salad. ...
  • Potato Salad.

What is the most fulfilling meal? ›

Some foods can maintain the feeling of fullness for longer than others. The satiety index helps to measure this. Some of the most filling foods include baked potatoes, eggs, and high fiber foods. People sometimes refer to the feeling of fullness as satiety.

How can I impress my guests with food? ›

  1. Plan a delicious menu that suits your guests' preferences.
  2. Focus on presentation and use garnishes to enhance visual appeal.
  3. Set the right ambiance with lighting and decorations.
  4. Be a welcoming host, offering drinks and engaging conversation.
  5. Ensure well-timed, paced courses.
Nov 6, 2023

Is Ina Garten leaving Food Network? ›

Barefoot Contessa hasn't produced new episodes since 2021, and anyone who still has cable knows that Food Network doesn't show Garten's TV shows as often as we'd like. However, Garten recently announced that she's working on new episodes for the cooking network.

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.

What is Ina Garten's newest cookbook? ›

Go-To Dinners

Cooking night after night during the pandemic inspired her to re-think the way she approached dinner, and the result is this collection of comforting and delicious recipes that you'll love preparing and serving.

What white dishes does Ina Garten use? ›

She writes, "They both have a huge range of white china. For example, my large serving bowls are Crate and Barrel brand, and my Pillivuyt and Apilco dishes are from Williams-Sonoma."

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Catherine Tremblay

Last Updated:

Views: 6490

Rating: 4.7 / 5 (47 voted)

Reviews: 94% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Catherine Tremblay

Birthday: 1999-09-23

Address: Suite 461 73643 Sherril Loaf, Dickinsonland, AZ 47941-2379

Phone: +2678139151039

Job: International Administration Supervisor

Hobby: Dowsing, Snowboarding, Rowing, Beekeeping, Calligraphy, Shooting, Air sports

Introduction: My name is Catherine Tremblay, I am a precious, perfect, tasty, enthusiastic, inexpensive, vast, kind person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.