The Dish That Makes Parties Fun, Easy and Affordable

"If you find cooking for a crowd intimidating, you are not alone. A dinner party can test the nerves of even the most confident cooks and hosts. Relieve the tension by changing how you think about party food. Do away with fussy hors d'oeuvres and abandon serving multiple courses. The ultimate spread, prepared with ease and without stress, is not only the simplest to throw together, but it's also the most visually compelling and affordable a table full of salads."

"While most salads should not be dressed until they're ready to eat, some benefit from being composed ahead, allowing the flavors to harmonize. This cauliflower salad, a vegetarian take on the British chicken dish, has a spiced yogurt base and loves a bit of time to hang out. While it can be eaten immediately, a day in the fridge makes the flavors bolder, more complex and exciting and it greatly simplifies party prep."

Salad-focused spreads simplify entertaining by prioritizing hearty, room-temperature salads that can be prepped ahead and served family-style. Hearty salads include smoky roasted vegetables, pantry-friendly legumes, comforting noodles, chunky dips and bold dressings, expanding beyond raw leaves and simple vinaigrettes. Composed-ahead salads with creamy or spiced bases, such as a yogurt-spiced cauliflower with chickpeas, benefit from resting time to deepen flavor and streamline party prep. Serving salads at room temperature frees the host to join guests at the table for the entire meal while keeping preparation affordable and visually compelling.

Read at cooking.nytimes.com