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Summer is great, but I just love those first few chilly mornings after the weather finally turns. The crisp air immediately inspires me to do all of the fall activities! And while I can't wait to rush to the apple orchard with my pumpkin coffee, the thing I get the most excited about is the fall foods I can make and what I can serve to my family. Which made me thing – hey, I bet I could host a great fall dinner party! When thinking about my dinner party, I wanted to create a few guidelines to my menu.
- Must be autumnal or fall-inspired. This was a no-brainer, and the reason for such a dinner altogether. I'm thinking apples, pumpkin, cinnamon, and warm spices. These are the things I get so excited about when the weather turns. At the same time, I don't want to overload my guests on fall mania (even if I want to). So for some of the recipes below, we'll be inspired by fall without being overbearing.
- Must have at least one make-ahead option. Maybe the worst thing you can do at your party is ignore your guests because you are too busy in the kitchen. Each of the categories below has at least one make-ahead recipe, so you can mix and match.
- Must be easy and budget-friendly to cook. I love seasonal decor and a beautiful tablescape, but I am not interested in spending a lot of time or money setting up a glamorous tablescape. You will not find any recipes here that call for matching table linens or a beef tenderloin costing $50+!
With all the above in mind, here's 15 ideas for hosting a fall dinner party!
Appetizers
Appetizers are a great make-ahead option! You can make a charcuterie board and cover it in the fridge before hand or you can make something and have it in the oven by the time your guests are arriving. That way, there's one less dish to make while they arrive, and the room will probably smell great!
- Fall Charcuterie Board. I love this idea because of how easy it is to make ahead. Simply arrange the board earlier in the day and cover with damp paper towels to prevent from drying out. Then you can store in your fridge and take it out about 30 minutes before your guests arrive to bring it up to room temperature. No need to remove the paper towels until it's time to serve. Check out a great fall-themed one here. Below is a photo of one of my charcuterie boards. It isn't fall themed, but it would be so easy to throw some rosemary sprigs or apples on this board and voila – perfectly themed.
- Prosciutto Wrapped Apple Bites. We always love a 3-ingredient or less recipe, and any recipe containing prosciutto is always a winner at my events. Get this easy recipe here.
- Onion Tart. This could be an onion tart or tomato tart, or other type of tart. Make it even easier on yourself and use pre-made pie crust, like this Tik Tok viral French Onion Tart!
- Sweet Potato Crostini. These are a great way to use extra sweet potatoes. Any type of crostini is a perfect appetizer, and I love that the “bread” is a sweet potato round – it's thinner and won't fill up your guests as quickly. Plus, how cute are these from Recipe Runner!
- Spinach Artichoke Dip (link coming soon). This is my personal recipe and it is oh-so-good, if I do say so myself. It's everything you love about a traditional spinach artichoke dip but brightened up by lemon zest. The lemon zest isn't exactly autumnal, but the warm creamy goodness of the rest of the dip certainly is! Make this ahead and throw it in the oven just before your guests arrive.
Mains & Entrees
Try one of these delicious main dishes. Several of these have make-ahead options as well to make your life easier!
- Anne Burrell's Pork Chops with Apples and Onions. This dish is absolutely delicious, and the apple-y, onion-y jam is an absolute delight! I never would have thought to combine apples and onions but IT WORKS. My husband regularly asks me to make this in the fall, and I would definitely use this at a dinner party.
- Fall Harvest Salad. I love warm, stick-to-your-ribs food as much as the next person, but sometimes I just need a salad. This salad still has all the warm flavors and toppings, but delivers the seasonal veggies and greens, plus yummy pomegranate seeds.
- White Chicken Chili. I absolutely love this warm, buffalo, white chicken chili. Half Baked Harvest really hit it out of the park with this one! Even though I only got second place at my family's chili cook-off with this recipe, we keep this recipe in the regular rotation. It keeps great in a crock pot too!
- Mediterranean Carrot Soup. This recipe from the Mediterranean Dish has like 5 ingredients and the spices are so warming! This would also be easy to throw in a crock pot after making it. My only tip would be to process the carrots for longer than you think you need to, so the soup is extra smooth!
- One Pan Roasted Chicken. You love a one pan meal on a regular weeknight, why not make it work for you when hosting as well? Check out this recipe for all the fall spices and flavors. Ina Garten's is called “Perfect Roast Chicken” for a reason!!
Desserts
Can't forget about dessert! Pro tip – buy a few cute containers to send extra dessert (or mains) home with your guests.
- Apple Pie. You really can't go wrong with apples in the fall. For that matter, you really can't go wrong with an apple pie any time! Bonus points if you picked the apples that day!
- Mini Pumpkin Pies. These are so cute and would make a great thanksgiving or bake sale dessert. Make it even easier by using all pre-made ingredients, like pie crust and pie filing. You could also do this with apple!
- Pumpkin Spice Cookies. Pumpkin spice is always a crowd-pleaser. And this recipe includes white chocolate chips – YUM!! I would make these anytime, not just for dessert at a dinner party. But why not both??
- Affogato with Pumpkin or Hazelnut Coffee. Affogato is such a show-stopping dessert. Hot espresso over vanilla ice cream is so surprisingly creamy and bright. Adapt it to the fall by using pumpkin coffee or ice cream!
- Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake. I love the look of an upside down cake. And I love the taste of caramel apple. This recipe is a perfect way to end a dinner party! Because this is a larger cake, this is the perfect item to send home with guests after the party!
For me, I think I'll make a fall charcuterie board ahead, have the white chicken chili simmering on the stove, and throw the pumpkin spice cookies in the oven just as we are wrapping up dinner. And I'll serve it up with a cider in a fancy glass like they do in Europe! I'll have another, bartender (it's just me, I'm the bartender – lol)! Enjoy!
