These 21 Recipes Look Impressive, But Are Really Easy
It's dinner party time and you want to impress your friends...but you also want to be lazy. Thankfully there are some recipes that satisfy both the devil and angel on your shoulders—they're easy but look like you slaved away for hours in the kitchen. Check out 21 recipes that Bon Appétit staffers fool guests with every time. Don't worry, your secret's safe with us.
Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott1/21Salted-Butter Apple Galette with Maple Whipped Cream
"This galette looks so fancy—and also tastes fancy—but is super quick and easy. It has that rustic look to it so you don’t have to be extremely precise about how you slice the apples or fold the pastry, which saves a ton of time." —Kate Fenoglio, design production associate
- Alex Lau2/21
Marinate Your Feta and Never Look Back
"People always think I got marinated feta from a fancy cheese shop. (Friends have no faith in me.) Marinade is almost the wrong word too, because it only takes like five minutes to take on the flavor of red pepper flakes, rosemary, lemon. etc." —Alex Beggs, senior web editor
- Alex Lau3/21
Red Sauce for Pizza
"Joe Beddia's red sauce only has four ingredients, and it doesn’t have to simmer for three hours—it doesn’t even cook for five minutes! You just throw everything into a bowl and let it chill. If it’s not the best method to make marinara, I don’t deserve to eat pizza again." —Tommy Werner, assistant video producer
- Marcus Nilsson4/21
Duck Confit With Spicy Pickled Raisins
"This recipe literally couldn't be easier, or tastier. Perfect for your next dinner party." —Adam Rapoport, editor-in-chief
- Bobbi Lin5/21
Persian Herb and Leek Frittata
"If you feel like giving your arms a bit of a workout chopping herbs, the rest of making kuku sabzi could not be simpler. And such a fast oven bake time!" —Carey Polis, editor, bonappetit.com
- JONATHAN LOVEKIN 20116/21
Quinoa, Fennel, and Pomegranate Salad
"Even if I have five other dishes on the table, this infinitely-riffable quinoa salad always steals the show. Sometimes I’ll leave out the fennel and mix in roasted butternut squash, sautéed celery, or roughly chopped pecans. I often make it the day before so the flavors have time to meld, and it makes those 'last-minute' dinner parties that much more effortless." —Ashley Mason, editorial assistant
- Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott7/21
Sausage, Greens, and Beans Pasta
"Sausage, greens, and beans pasta has that glossy sauce that's a true mark of restaurant-level noodles, plus the browned, crumbly pork and wilty, silky kale look great in a bowl. It's the kind of ~effortlessly impressive~ dish that people pay like $18 to eat at restaurants around my Brooklyn apartment, but why bother when I can throw it together easily at home?" —Kurt Soller, features editor
- Christopher Testani8/21
Daniel Boulud’s Madeleines
"Five minutes to stir, wait an hour to chill, seven minutes in the oven. Boom. Fancy little mermaid cakes!" —Alex Beggs, senior web editor
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Tim Ferro9/21
Slow-Roasted Salmon With Fennel, Citrus, and Chiles
"This one-dish salmon doesn't even need to be mixed in a bowl before it slow-roasts in the oven—just layer everything together in a baking dish and let it do its thing. Break pieces of tender fish apart with a spoon—no knife necessary—and artfully arrange on a platter with fennel, citrus, and dill." —Alyse Whitney, associate web editor
- Alex Lau10/21
No-Nut Granola
"Why don’t I make granola all the time? It’s not exactly for impressing guests, but it’ll impress me every morning when I remember that I have delicious homemade granola waiting. EVERYONE CAN MAKE THEIR OWN GRANOLA; IT IS SO DAMN EASY. It’s called “no-nut” granola but… you can definitely put nuts in there, and I like it with vanilla hemp milk." —Amanda Shapiro, editor, Healthyish
- 11/21
Fallen Chocolate Cake
"Frosting a cake has never been my strength—how does everyone else make theirs look so good?!—but the Fallen Chocolate Cake skips this step by just loading up the center with whipped cream. And it ends up looking fabulous, not like it's a cheat for those of us who haven't mastered the crumb coat. Also, it's seriously delicious." —Meryl Rothstein, senior editor
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser12/21
No-Fail Roast Chicken With Lemon and Garlic
Not only is the prep quick—hello, five ingredients—but another highlight for me is the cleanup. You can do this all with one knife, one cutting board and a skillet. That’s only three dirty dishes, which is a huge plus if you live dishwasher-free like me. Make this for an impressive dinner for friends, or roast on Sunday and have leftovers for lunch all week." —Emily Eisen, associate photo editor
- 13/21
Cherry Tomato Vinaigrette
"It might not look like much, but this little number is a real sleeper hit. It's mind-blowing with perfect farmstand cherry tomatoes, but still deeply satisfying with hothouse ones from the grocery store when summer is still a distant fantasy. Très yum." —Amiel Stanek, associate editor
- Laura Murray14/21
Peanut Meringue Cookies
"The peanut meringues take no time but taste as if you must have done a lot of fancy things to them. Those peanuts—such tricksters." —Carey Polis, editor, bonappetit.com
- Ted Cavanaugh15/21
Arctic Char With Greens and Gribiche Dressing
"The word 'gribiche' makes it sound fancy, but if you can boil an egg, you can make this for dinner!" —Julia Kramer, senior projects editor
- Peden & Munk16/21
Whole Corn on the Grill
"There is quite literally no other recipe that gives so much for so little. Grilled corn looks incredible, and tastes even better with just some butter and salt. When boiled-corn-eaters offer endless iterations of, 'What? Is? This?' You just say, 'corn.' It looks like you're being humble, but really, you're just telling the truth." —Alex Delany, assistant web editor
- Alex Lau17/21
One-Skillet Chicken With Buttery Orzo
"When I have friends over, I am usually running around sprucing up my apartment while cooking. I've been hooked on this one-skillet chicken, because it's easy and quick while looking super gourmet. And who doesn't love buttery orzo?" —Sam Siegfried, editorial business assistant
- Alex Lau18/21
Buckwheat Banana Cake With Yogurt-Espresso Frosting
"I often make Chris Morocco’s buckwheat banana cake for houseguests. I almost always have everything I need on hand and it comes together quickly. Guests feel special and I’m not stressed." —Liesel Davis, recipe editor
- Gentl & Hyers19/21
Red Wine–Braised Short Ribs with Carrots
"My favorite magic trick is the red-wine braised short ribs. It sounds like you spent all day tending to a pot, when in reality you poured in a bottle of wine, let it simmer, put it in the oven, opened up ANOTHER bottle of wine (this one’s for you), and watched a Real Housewives marathon. It’s a keeper." —Rachel Karten, social media manager
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Mieko Takahashi20/21
Parker House Rolls
"Two friends who are afraid of baking made these rolls by themselves at a recent party. Sure, the rolls never come out exactly the same size, but the sprinkle of Maldon sea salt at the end distracts people. Fancy salt is a cure-all for most mistakes." —Alyse Whitney, associate web editor
- Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Mariana Velasquez21/21
White Beans With Broccoli Rabe and Lemon
"This calls for some simple cans of beans (so no simmering all day) and anchovies (for deep flavor fast) and with broccoli rabe, it’s got the bitterness of a Taylor Swift break-up song." —Tommy Werner, assistant video producer
