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

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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 and cookbook author 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.

  • Skillet-Roasted Chicken and Potatoes

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

    Buttermilk-brined chicken is the star of this recipe. It remains juicy and tender even after cooking up in a skillet alongside some potatoes. This is a one-pan meal you can happily serve to company.

    Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.

  • Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

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

    Vegetarian entrees don’t have to be boring, as Garten’s roasted veggie lasagna proves. It’s made with eggplant and zucchini, and gets extra flavor thanks to the inclusion of garlic and herb goat cheese.

    Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.

  • Panko-Crusted Salmon

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

    These salmon filets are first crisped up in a skillet, skin-side down. Then the pan gets transfered directly to the oven, where the parsley-lemon panko topping toasts to a delicious golden-brown as the salmon cooks to tenderness.

    Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.

  • Mustard-Roasted Fish

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

    How do you liven up your weekly white fish meal? Serve it with a creamy sauce of mustard, crème fraîche, and briny capers.

    Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.

  • French Apple Tart

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

    The layered slices of this French apple tart make it perfect for serving company, but the truth is, it’s not that much harder to make than an apple pie.

    Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.

  • Emily’s English Roasted Potatoes

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

    Would you belive that this recipe comes from Ina Garten’s friend Emily Blunt? Her English roasted potatoes are perfectly crispy-crunchy outside, and tender within.

    Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.

  • Seared scallops & potato celery root purée

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

    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.

  • Slow roasted spiced pork

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

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

    Get the recipe at Barefoot Contessa.

  • Herbed pork tenderloins with apple chutney

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

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

    Get the recipe at Barefoot Contessa.

  • 1770 house meatloaf

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

    Food blogger The Food Charlatan described this Garten dish best: “It’s tender, moist, and flavorful. The delectable garlic meatloaf sauce makes it extra fancy and tasty. Pure comfort food.”

    We second that.

    Get the recipe at Barefoot Contessa and The Food Charlatan.

  • Skillet roasted lemon chicken

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

    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.

  • Cioppino

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

    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.

  • Brisket with onions & leeks

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

    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.

  • Beef bourguignon

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

    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.

  • Pastit*io

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

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

    Get the recipe from Vodka & Biscuits.

  • Chicken thighs with creamy mustard sauce

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

    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.

  • Lemon chicken

    21 Ina Garten Dinner Recipes That Will Impress Everyone at Your Table (20)

    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.

  • Coq au vin

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

    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.

  • Filet mignon with mustard & mushrooms

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

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

    Get the recipe at Barefoot Contessa.

  • Moroccan lamb tagine

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

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

    Get the recipe at Barefoot Contessa.

  • English rib roast

    21 Ina Garten Dinner Recipes That Will Impress Everyone at Your Table (24)

    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.

  • Truffled Mac & Cheese

    21 Ina Garten Dinner Recipes That Will Impress Everyone at Your Table (25)

    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.

  • Lobster Pot Pie

    21 Ina Garten Dinner Recipes That Will Impress Everyone at Your Table (26)

    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.

  • Baked Rigatoni With Lamb Ragù

    21 Ina Garten Dinner Recipes That Will Impress Everyone at Your Table (27)

    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.

  • Baked Cod with Garlic & Herb Ritz Crumbs

    21 Ina Garten Dinner Recipes That Will Impress Everyone at Your Table (28)

    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.

  • Heirloom Tomato and Blue Cheese Salad

    21 Ina Garten Dinner Recipes That Will Impress Everyone at Your Table (29)

    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.

  • Saffron Risotto with Butternut Squash

    21 Ina Garten Dinner Recipes That Will Impress Everyone at Your Table (30)

    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.

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

FAQs

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 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.

Are Ina Garten's recipes good? ›

The Barefoot Contessa's simple, meticulously tested recipes have helped drag me out of every cooking rut I've ever found myself in. Happily for all of us, Garten has shared a number of her recipes (and cooking tips) with Food & Wine.

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.

What is one of the hardest dishes to cook? ›

1. Consommé Devilish dish: A clear soup made from meat, tomato, egg whites and stock, slowly simmered to bring impurities to the surface for skimming. Techn-eeek: Even some of the most experienced chefs cannot master the complex clarification process required to make consommé.

Why did Ina Garten not have kids? ›

In a new interview for Julia Louis-Dreyfus' podcast, Wiser Than Me, Garten admitted that it "wasn't a struggle at all" to decide against having children. "I had no interest in having children," she told Louis-Dreyfus. "I had a terrible childhood, and it was nothing I wanted to recreate.

What oatmeal does Ina Garten eat? ›

Not just any old oatmeal will do when it comes to the Barefoot Contessa. "I've had the same thing for breakfast every single day for ten years: coffee and McCann's quick-cooking Irish oatmeal," Garten told Bon Appétit in a 2017 article. And her love of the stuff is well-documented.

What fast food restaurant does Ina Garten like? ›

However, that doesn't mean Garten won't eat out from time to time. While it may seem like you're likely to find her in a fancy restaurant eating a meal that's comparable to what Garten can whip up in her kitchen, you might actually catch her in a fast food restaurant, namely Shake Shack.

Is oatmeal good for you in the morning? ›

Whether it's steel-cut or rolled, quick-cooking or instant, oatmeal is good for you, experts say—with a few caveats. Oatmeal is rich in fiber, which promotes fullness, eases the insulin response, and benefits gut health. It's also a source of vitamins B and E, and minerals such as magnesium.

What is Ina Garten most famous for? ›

She is host of the Food Network program Barefoot Contessa, and was a former staff member of the Office of Management and Budget. Among her dishes are Perfect Roast Chicken, Weeknight Bolognese, French Apple Tart, and a simplified version of beef bourguignon.

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 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

Is it cheaper to make dinner at home? ›

For those who want a quick and easy answer: It's generally cheaper to cook food at home than eat out. The reason so many people can get stuck on the question is the human psychology variable. People don't always spend wisely, and it isn't as if prices are always the same at a supermarket or a fast food restaurant.

How do I make dinner less awkward? ›

Let's explore some of the best ideas.
  1. Keep it casual. Lacheev/Getty Images. ...
  2. Choose a quiet place. Thomas Northcut/Getty Images. ...
  3. Address the awkward silence. SynthEx/Shutterstock. ...
  4. Order the same food. Olexandr Chornyi/Shutterstock. ...
  5. Sit next to each other. ...
  6. Know your wines. ...
  7. Get tactile. ...
  8. Eat date-friendly foods.
Nov 25, 2022

What is the easiest food to cook in the world? ›

17 Of The Easiest Recipes Of All Time (Seriously)
  1. 15-Minute Lo Mein. Pinch of Yum / Via pinchofyum.com. ...
  2. Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas. ...
  3. Honey Balsamic Chicken. ...
  4. Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps. ...
  5. White Bean Soup With Vegetables. ...
  6. Smoked Gouda and Mushroom Quesadillas. ...
  7. Mexican Beef and Rice Skillet. ...
  8. One-Pot Pasta With Spinach and Peas.
Jan 2, 2019

Which is the easiest dish to cook? ›

32 Quick and Easy Indian Recipes
  • 25 of 32. Tandoori Paneer Tikka Kebabs. ...
  • 26 of 32. Chole (Chickpea Curry) ...
  • 27 of 32. Chicken Pulao (Pilaf) ...
  • 28 of 32. Kadhi (Yogurt Curry) ...
  • 29 of 32. Shengdana Chikki (Peanut Brittle) ...
  • 30 of 32. Rabdi Rasgulla. ...
  • 31 of 32. Gulab Jamun. ...
  • 32 of 32. Kheer. Faraz Hyder / Getty Images.
Mar 14, 2024

What is the simplest form of cooking? ›

Boiling is perhaps the simplest of all cooking methods, cooking food in hot liquid like water or stock. Baking involves dry heat applied uniformly to food in an oven, while roasting uses direct heat from either an oven or an open flame.

What is the easiest cuisine to cook? ›

Italian cuisine is famous for its simplicity and emphasis on fresh, high-quality ingredients. From pasta to pizza, Italian dishes are universally loved. Emphasis on Simple Ingredients and Cooking Methods: Italian recipes often call for just a few ingredients, allowing the flavors to shine through.

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