Looking for meat-free meals to add to your repertoire? See our top vegetarian student recipes and vegan student recipes.
For tips on how to stay heathy at university, check out our healthy student budget meal plan.
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Student starters
Soups are a surefire dinner party winner. They can be made using reasonably priced root, canned or frozen vegetables, prepared in advance and vamped up with clever toppings and garnishes. Our creamy leek, butter bean & chorizo soup is irresistible. Serve with a hunk of warm, crusty bread and watch it disappear. For a vegetarian option, try our roasted sweet potato & carrot soup, top with a swirl of crème fraîche for an eye-catching final flourish.
Roast aubergines with yogurt & harissa make a great stress-free starter. Roasting brings out deep, earthy flavours and a tender texture that melts in the mouth. Alternatively, our baked feta with sesame & honey is perfect for cheese aficionados. The combination of salty cheese and sweet honey makes this dish so much more than the sum of its parts, best served with warm pitta. Or assemble a plate of padron peppers as part of a Spanish-inspired feast. You need just two ingredients, it requires little prep and take five minutes to cook.
Jazz up a humble shop-bought hummus with our clever additions, like pistachio lamb meatballs, chorizo & red pepper or spiced cauliflower. Put together an easy meze platter for a help-yourself Middle Eastern-inspired starter, with minimal effort.
More easy starters…
Peppered potato soup
Slow cooker broccoli & cheese soup
Easy green gazpacho
Stuffed mushrooms
Tomato bruschetta
Dinner party starter recipes
Student main courses
Everyone loves enchiladas, so why not serve them as part of a Mexican-inspired feast? Stuffed with beef mince and black beans and topped with melted cheese, they’re a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Plus, they put storecupboard basics to brilliant use, such as chopped tomatoes, tomato purée and tinned beans.
Go for something full of comforting flavours, like our chicken & leek pie with a flaky puff pastry crust. Bursting with creamy flavours, this easy pie recipe is perfect for entertaining housemates. Or make this easy smoked salmon & spinach gratin with just four ingredients.
Opt for next-level indulgence with our gnocchi with mushrooms & blue cheese. Both soft, creamy goat’s cheese and strong blue cheese work well in this simple dish, and it takes just 20 minutes to make.
You probably already have the bulk of the ingredients for a classic spaghetti carbonara in your kitchen cupboards. Invest in a block of parmesan and a pack of pancetta or streaky bacon and you can make this deliciously creamy, cheesy pasta treat. Everyone should have a rich risotto in their recipe arsenal. Our chorizo & pea risotto uses storecupboard and freezer ingredients to make a satisfying bowlful of comfort.
More easy mains…
Baked pork, apple & cheddar meatballs
Chicken paprikash
Puttanesca baked gnocchi
Smoked salmon spaghetti with chilli & lemon
Slow cooker chickpea stew
Soy & sesame-glazed celeriac
Dinner party mains recipes
For when you’re not entertaining and want to enjoy a simple and comforting midweek meal, check out our top 10 basic student recipes, and quick and easy student recipes.
Plant-based mains
Everyone at the table can enjoy these plant-based mains, satisfying even the staunchest of meat-eaters. Make the most of budget-friendly carrots with this colourful veggie tart, topped with lemon rind curls and homemade carrot-top pesto for extra flair. Serving up to eight, it’s a brilliant way of impressing guests on a budget. It also uses ready-made puff pastry to cut corners. For a veg-focused centrepiece, see our Italian-style cabbage wedges with tomato lentils, starring crisp, caramelised leaves on the outside and a soft, sweet centre. Serve with our Italian-inspired lentils and golden roast new potatoes.
For a main which is as comforting as it is impressive, make our butternut squash & cherry tomato crumble, omitting the sugar and replacing the fruit with a savoury squash filling. It’s a warming dish that’s ideal for autumnal suppers. Or opt for this vegan version of beef bourguignon, using beetroot as the magic ingredient. The veg is roasted for a charred flavour and the beetroot adds sweetness.
For a summery dinner party main, combine courgettes, peppers, passata and cheese to make this creamy vegetarian risotto.
More easy plant-based mains…
Sweet potato & peanut curry
Beetroot & red onion tarte tatin
Bang bang cauliflower tacos
Vegan cauliflower cheese
Vegan lentil & sweet potato cottage pie
Sweet potato parcel
Vegan dinner party recipes
Student sides
Side dishes are a great way to round out your dinner party menu and ensure your guests are well-fed. Salads are a light, refreshing option that won’t overshadow your main course. Our spicy tuna, courgette & chickpea salad is a great make-ahead option that can be whipped up in just 20 minutes. It’s also budget-friendly, using storecupboard ingredients like capers and tuna. For a flavourful and visually appealing plate, try our wedge salad with soy seeds & quick-pickled dill cucumbers.
Warm side dishes are also a welcome addition to any meal. Courgette fries are a great way to satisfy your guests’ cravings for something crispy and savoury. Or try our green beans with lemon & parmesan for a more elegant side dish.
For super-simple sides which will still satisfy guests, see our easy recipes for sweet potato fries and roasted courgette. If you have access to an air-fryer, take your pick from this simple selection of sides: air-fryer garlic bread, air-fryer potato wedges and air-fryer corn on the cob.
No matter your taste, there’s sure to be a side dish on this list that your guests will love next time you’re hosting a dinner party.
More enticing sides…
Smoky chickpea salad
Charred corn & feta salad
Mackerel & new potato salad
Microwave honey & fennel carrots
Greek loaded fries
Indian flatbread
Student desserts
Turn a handful of ingredients into something special with these clever recipe hacks. We love a make-ahead pudding we can prep in advance. Take five minutes to whip up our individual banoffee trifles with ready-made cake and sauces.
Want something dark, sweet and sophisticated? Try our easy dark chocolate & cherry bars; they need just four ingredients and no one will guess they were made in under half an hour. For more deliciously chocolate desserts, see our self-saucing Jaffa pudding with a thick sauce – it’s about as indulgent as a good pudding gets. Or try this hot, gooey chocolate pear pudding, with dark chocolate and canned pears. It can be made ahead and frozen – a perfect no-fuss dinner party dessert.
Make something fabulously fruity in the form of our apple crumble sundae. Transform some vanilla ice cream, ginger nut biscuits and Granny Smith apples into a dish everyone will want seconds of. Fancy a taste of nostalgia? Indulge in a slice of our coffee ice cream terrine, our grown-up twist on a childhood classic. Five everyday ingredients and 25 minutes is all it takes to create this dreamy cocoa-rich dish.
For a comforting pud, try our irresistible yet easy blueberry & lemon croissant bake, combining croissants, custard, lemon curd and blueberries. Being short of time needn’t stop you making your own pudding – our microwave-friendly fastest ever lemon pudding is ready in just 10 minutes.
If you want to try your hand at baking, check out our budget-friendly baking recipes and top 10 student baking recipes.
More easy desserts…
Butterscotch banana pie
Easy caramel cake
Raspberry & ginger fridge cake
No-churn brown bread ice cream
Strawberry mousse
Dinner party dessert recipes
Don’t forget the drinks! Get everyone in the spirit with our student cocktail collection and refreshing non-alcoholic cocktails, from mocktail punches to cordials, coolers and spritzers.
More student-friendly recipes
7 healthy student suppers
Top 10 student baking recipes
13 best student kitchen essentials
Essential recipes for university
What’s your favourite cheap but impressive recipe? Leave a comment below…