We've been throwing and attending a lot of cookouts and dinners this summer. It's so fun to gather with friends around a big meal — but sometimes feeding a lot of people can get expensive. There are a few meals we return to over and over that are easy, delicious, and easy on the wallet.
Here are our ten favorite ways to feed a crowd of ten or more — for less than $20.
The ground rules for this list: It will include a main dish and a side dish — no drinks. We listed desserts separately; many fruit-based and baked desserts are inexpensive and will also keep your budget under $20.
We expect that you already have some basics around like salt, pepper, and oil. (If you're picking up those staples just to make a dish on this list, then you will probably go over-budget.) But with those givens, you can make these meals for $20ish and feed a crowd in the process.
This list admittedly does not allow for the most high-quality meats. If you are going to buy fresh, grass-fed ground beef, for instance, you will probably go over-budget. But consider this list a starting point, and buy the best-quality ingredients you can afford.
- The Potluck — Let's just get this one out of the way. When it comes to just your own pocketbook, a potluck is the best way to go. Make a batch of cupcakes and a pot of coffee, and invite your friends to bring the rest of the meal. Spread the cost of a party out among a group of friends and everyone gets to feed everyone else. Having said that, the rest of this list focuses on meals that will cost less than $20 total — no matter who's paying.
- Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce + Grilled Vegetable Mix — Great summer eating, vegetarian-friendly, and the most classic dinner party dish of all. Just toss spaghetti with lightly simmered crushed canned tomatoes, along with garlic and some herbs. Grill zucchini and yellow squash (so inexpensive this time of year!) and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. You'll have plenty of cash left over to buy good cream for homemade vanilla ice cream!
Recipes: Basic Tomato Sauce, Grilled Zucchini Salad
- Pulled Pork Wraps + Cabbage Salad — You can buy a big pork shoulder roast (pork butt) for very little money. Slow cook it with a little garlic and ginger, and then shred it and serve it with tortillas and simple shredded cabbage salad.
Recipes: Slow-Cooked Hoisin and Ginger Pork Wraps with Peanut Slaw
- Homemade Pizza + Green Salad — The key with keeping homemade pizza inexpensive is to keep the toppings simple. Don't splurge on four kinds of cheese and imported salami; make toppings of crushed tomatoes, Parmesan, and perhaps one vegetable. Pizza shouldn't have too many toppings anyway!
Recipes: Homemade Thin Crust Pizza, Basic Vinaigrette
- Bean and Rice Burritos + Fried Plantains — Here's another vegetarian option: hearty rice and bean burritos with a smattering of herbs and perhaps some cheese, as well as a side of fried plantains. Bring out a pint of ice cream to serve with the rest of the plantains, and you have dessert.
Recipes: How to cook dried beans, Sweet Fried Plantains
- Cheese and Spinach Frittatas + Biscuits — Good eggs aren't expensive; you can buy a couple dozen and make enough frittata to feed an army, as long as you have enough skillets! Fill them with inexpensive ingredients like cheese and fresh spinach, and serve them with fluffy, light homemade biscuits.
Recipes: Frittata, Touch-of-Grace Biscuits
- Pancake Bar + Fruit Slices — Like the frittata, this is breakfast for supper. We love fluffy pancakes; what about a big batch of pancakes with a side of seasonal fruit? Ask guests to bring their favorite pancake toppings.
Recipes: Golden Oat Pancakes, Fluffy Ricotta Pancakes, Chunky Peach Pancake Topping
- Chicken Thighs in Balsamic Vinegar + Roasted Carrots — Here's a cold-weather meal that's great for fall. Chicken thighs are full of flavor, easy to cook without making them dry, and inexpensive. Our favorite recipe for chicken thighs involves just a little balsamic and Parmesan. Roast a big bag of carrots, tossed with olive oil and thyme.
Recipes: Chicken Thighs with Balsamic Vinegar, Roasted Carrots (from Ina Garten)
- Grain Salad with Roasted Vegetables + Miso Soup — Another favorite dish for a big crowd is a grain salad. You can toss it with simple, inexpensive seasonal roasted vegetables like squash or carrots — or baked tofu cubes — and then serve it with a side of basic miso soup for a very filling meal.
Recipes: Warm Farro Salad with Roasted Vegetables, Miso Soup, Baked Tofu
- Stew + Fresh Bread — One more classic way to feed a lot of mouths: soup or stew and bread. It's filling and so delicious too.
Recipes: Classic Beef Stew, No-Knead Bread In a Hurry
10 Desserts for a Crowd
All of these desserts will be easy, fast, and relatively cheap.
• Easiest Cake Ever
• 1-Ingredient Banana Ice Cream
• Lemon Rice Pudding
• Poached Plums
• Shortbread Jam Tart
• Biscuit Crostata
• Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
• Brownie Bites
• Just Fruit!
• Easy, Foolproof Cobbler (Use any overripe, on-sale stone fruit)
That's just the beginning of a list; I bet you have lots more good ideas for feeding a lot of people on a budget. What's your favorite way to feed 10 (or more!) people for under $20?
More Dinner Party Cooking:
• Maria's $79 Dining for Women Dinner Party
• Good Question: Casual Dinner Party for Twenty?
(Image sources, clockwise from top left: Basic Tomato Sauce, Hoisin Pork Wraps, Thin Crust Pizza, Touch-of-Grace Biscuits and Lemon Rice Pudding)
(Thanks for the inspiration, Adam!)
This article (and the entire blog) is such a great resource!
My housemates and I always want to throw more parties, but our friends are notorious for showing up with nothing but a bag of chips...
We find great success with parties where we provide the food and give BYOB instructions, but even that can get expensive.
Many of these recipes can easily be scaled back and served as appetizers if you are not having an actual dinner party -- spaghetti shooters, mini fritatas (in muffin pans) and pizza all make great casual cocktail party food!
Thanks for all the great cheap ideas!
view ScottyT's profile
@ScottyT, try sending out invites (e-mail or otherwise) that have "Please bring a salad" or "Please bring a vegetarian side dish" in them. It worked for some friends of mine. Of course, that crowd kinda liked cooking.
We had a lot of luck with BBQs where we provided hot dogs and burgers (thank you, Costco!) and asked people specifically to bring either veggies, fruit, or drinks. Hold 'em in a local park and you don't even need to own a BBQ.
view Tiamat_the_Red's profile
One of my other favorites for a crowd is Risotto with salad on the side. The cheese is the pricey part, and you can amp up the luxurious texture with butter or strong flavors (plus, most of my friends are slightly lactose intolerant anyway...). Wild mushroom risotto (white buttons and then stock/flavor added with Trader Joe's awesome $1-2 dried wild mushrooms) and herbs from the patio; risotto with the celery and carrots and frozen peas hiding in your fridge/freezer; Deborah Madison's beet risotto (you can make enough for 12 people with one bunch of beets); or whatever other veggies and or meat/shrimp you have around.
It always seems luxe, but in my experience is cheaper to make risotto than go-to "budget" meals like tacos, which in my opinion, demand a greater quantity and more expensive fresh ingredients like lots of different veggies for the slaw topping, fresh tomatoes and cilantro. I think the key (as you demonstrate above), is often eliminating those (otherwise delish) meals that have a ton of ingredients which = extra money.
view lotusmoss's profile
That's a great one, lotusmoss! And you're right - a couple other options that I considered and left off were tacos and baked potatoes. They need a lot of dressing up, which can get pricey. But I suppose they could be sort of like pancakes; say you're having a potato party and ask everyone to bring one topping.
view faith's profile
Don't forget curry! Rice for 10 people is about $3. Use a lot of potatoes, carrots and onions in your curry. I'd say 3 parts veggies to 1 part meat ratio. If you worry about the heat, try the mild sweet Japanese curry blocks.
And the best part of making curry is that you can make it few hours ahead. I just hate going to parties where the hosts slave themselves in the kitchen.
view adorita's profile
I like to make my pizza with whatever I have left hanging in the fridge. It's the bread's answer to a casserole.
view graciela's profile
Curry is a great idea. I like to do baked lentils - it's also nice because it's do-ahead.
I recently made soft pretzels for the first time, and they came out great! A cheap way to entertain during, say, Project Runway.
view Britomart's profile
Great post! Glad the recipes were included.
I second taco night...
http://tearinguphouses.blogspot.com
view k51279's profile
Sort of like pancake bar, but if you have a waffle iron (I got mine from Craigslist, $5!) waffles can be made ahead and frozen, then just toasted. I actually like them better this way than fresh...makes 'em crispier. They can be savory (cornmeal waffles with seitan-mole topping, recipe in Vegan Brunch) or sweet (duh) or...totally creative (chocolate beer waffles, anyone?) I really like yeasted waffles, too.
Pizzas are great and I wanted to grill them recently for a party, but then it rained. Whatever I'm serving, I usually like to pull out a wheat baguette and some hummus or spread to go with it. Then you really don't need to make too much of the main course or worry about leftovers (baguette can always be frozen). Another successful thing I've made for company was dhal with pita, and Ethiopian-spiced lentils with injera (from the corner store).
view buffy415's profile
Soups and stews (while obviously more appropriate for the cooler seasons) are also a great way to feed a group on a budget. Try this easy Italian Stew with Parmesan Pepper Crostini:
http://accordingtolia.blogspot.com/2009/04/dinner.html
I love the idea of grain salads. Spicy Southwest salad with brown rice, corn, black beans, and roasted poblanos is a nice option for summer:
http://accordingtolia.blogspot.com/2009/06/southwest-salad.html
view AccordingToLia's profile
If you're doing more of a casual thing than a dinner party, try a big salad, several baguettes or loaves of fresh bread, sliced, and some plates with oil and vinegar for dipping.
Samosas are easy to make and inexpensive - just some spices, potatoes, peas, and flour and water for the dough. You could make a couple plates of these ahead of time.
I agree with the person who suggested soups and stews - so easy and inexpensive. For ten people, just double a good recipe and serve with a salad or bread. Just because it's summer doesn't mean we can't eat soup - especially a summer vegetable medley or a Middle Eastern or Indian one with some spice to it. Or make a double batch of some lentil or split pea dahl and serve with basmati rice and hummus and pita.
Though burritos were suggested above, I think it would be more group friendly and tastier to do make your own tacos/tostadas - put out a big bowl of beans and another of Spanish rice, and then smaller dishes with salsa, guacamole, chopped tomatoes, grilled veggies, lettuce, and tortillas or taco shells. That's a fun, easy, and casual way to do it. Then have fruit for dessert.
view livc's profile