Dont forget to serve it with little flags or mini bunting sticking out. Make these desserts the night before the party so they have plenty of time to set and chill in the fridge. Try serving with flaked hot smoked salmon or trout for a more substantial meal. You won't believe how easy it is to make your own hummus. And OK, at a street party it tends in fact to be a paper cup rather than a clinking glass, but that means its even more important to get the recipe perfect. A great addition to the buffet food spread. Get the recipe: Vegetarian Scotch eggs (opens in new tab), Makes: 16 | Skill level: Medium | Time to make: 35 mins. Get the recipe: Bakewell tarts (opens in new tab), Makes: 12-14 | Skill level: Easy | Time to make: 35 mins. Get the recipe: Pissaladire (opens in new tab), Serves: 6-8 | Skill level: Easy | Total time: 1 hr 20 mins. This olive bread uses gluten-free flour. You can make this well in advance and multiply the amounts as needed. This is ready in just 15 minutes, and you can multiply the ingredients as needed depending on how many you are serving. Try using smaller pasta shapes as they are easy for people to eat when using just a fork or spoon. This recipe makes 25 straws each about 20cm long. This quiche is a full from-scratch recipe, but if you want to make it speedier use a pack of ready-rolled shortcrust pastry. The only issue is they tend to be too large to hold, so everyone will need a plate and fork. Scones are an absolute must on a buffet table, and these arent the only ones youll find on this list. "If you want to bake one bread that's good for everyone, this is a great choice," says Jessica. They're the perfect buffet food option as you can make over two dozen in just half an hour. Get the recipe: Berry swirl cheesecake bites (opens in new tab), Makes: 750ml if served over ice, or 1.5l diluted | Skill level: Easy | Time to make: 10 mins, plus cooling time. Not forgetting a kick of spice too, thanks to the mustard. Serve in large jugs or from a Kilner drinks dispenser if you have one. They can be served with cream or soft butter and blueberry jam. You can serve it neat, over ice. Originally called Poulet Reine Elizabeth, its been a hot favourite at royal celebrations ever since. You can buy cheese straws in the shops, but these cheese and pickle straws take things up a notch. To make them even speedier, buy readymade vol-au-vont cases. You can buy coleslaw in large supermarket packs but they don't compare to the homemade versions, which have much better crunch and freshness. "We recommend making a vegetarian and meat option to give guests more choice. It uses a shop-bought bread mix - the art is in the toppings you add. Get the recipe: Mini quiches (opens in new tab), Makes: 12-15 | Skill level: Easy | Time to make: 1 hr. Princess Charlotte is the sibling 'in charge' according to Kate, Child development stages: Ages 0-16 years, See all weight loss and exercise features. Then add the berries on top yourself. You can leave some un-iced if you prefer, for more choice. If youre on a budget this is a brilliant option. This recipe makes three little pizzas, and you can cut each one into six slices - making 18 small portions. They're ideal buffet food because guests can pick them up without getting greasy hands. Get the recipe: Mini Victoria sponges (opens in new tab), Makes: 10 | Skill level: Easy | Time to make: 35-40 mins. You won't believe how easy it is to make your own hummus. ", Get the recipe: Pasta Nioise (opens in new tab), Serves: 4 | Skill level: Easy | Total time: 15 mins. This recipe includes two different kinds of filling for the vol-au-vents - a classic coronation chicken and melted cheesy bacon. However, you can swap these for a vegetarian hard cheese, to make the recipe veggie-friendly. Get the recipe: Cheese and pickle straws (opens in new tab), Makes: 16-20 | Skill level: Easy | Time to make: 35 mins. Make them the day before so the flavours have time to mature. This basic recipe uses bacon in the filling, but if you want a veggie option you can leave it out, or add in chunks of beetroot or chopped spinach. In Portugal, these are absolute institutions. This recipe makes six ramekins in 125ml pots, but you can get 60ml pots if you want, to make twice as many. Drumsticks are one of the cheapest cuts of chicken to buy, so you can feed a whole crowd for not too much cash. For a canap version, use a mini tart tray and cut the ham into smaller pieces. Making your own bread might sound like a challenge, but this recipe is pretty simple. It makes great buffet food because once it's cold you can slice it into portions ready for people to help themselves. These party food ideas include both sweet and savoury recipes. To make them even speedier, buy readymade vol-au-vont cases. Traditionally these custard tarts are often dusted with cinnamon but icing sugar would work well here," says Jessica. Get the recipe: Mediterranean-style barbecue chicken (opens in new tab), Serves: 18 | Skill level: Medium | Total time: 45 mins. A collection of easy buffet food ideas and recipes for a street party. As with all the best buffet foods, you can make these more patriotic by sticking little flags on the top. These pork pies are much heavier in meat than the classics with a combination of both sausage and bacon. Its great buffet food for vegetarians as its so filling - more like the main event than a side dish. Add some fresh green salad leaves with a light dressing over the top in a big bowl, and its a whole mini-meal. You can prepare ahead then gently warm in the oven before serving, however it's also delicious cold.". Theyre easy to serve up - just stick them in beakers so they stand upright and people can help themselves. These marvelous mini versions take the hassle of cutting away - the perfect buffet food. Serve these with extra chutney and a slice of cheese on the platter, and people can make up their own. Homemade pork pies are absolutely delicious, and the hot water crust pastry is a fun challenge to make. It contains yogurt, so its not dairy-free, but you can easily swap this for a dairy-free version if required. Each one is served inside its own mini vol-au-vent case, which you make yourself with ready-rolled puff pastry - cheat and use ready-made ones if you prefer. If you don't have chickpeas you can also make a dip using cannellini beans. Making party food from scratch is doable with our selection of delicious, easy buffet food ideas. Sometimes its better to have a big quiche people can take their own slice of, but other parties work better with canaps. Get the recipe: Halloumi wrapped in parma ham (opens in new tab), Makes: 8-16 | Skill level: Easy | Time to make: 25 mins. These make a great miniature option and you get a dozen in a batch. GoodTo is supported by its audience. Each recipe is easy to multiply up or reduce down to make as many servings as you need for your guests. "These dainty little tarts are an elegant sweet option that kids and adults will like. A little more skilled than some of the recipes on this list, but these are so impressive to serve up. All rights reserved. If youre going cold, you can make them up to 2 days in advance and store them in a sealed container in the fridge. Get the recipe: Homemade cloudy lemon and limeade (opens in new tab). This is ready in just 15 minutes, and you can multiply the ingredients as needed depending on how many you are serving. If youre on a budget this is a brilliant option. Add some fresh green salad leaves with a light dressing over the top in a big bowl, and its a whole mini-meal. Have fun and experiment with whatever plain beans you have in your cupboard and you might just find a new favourite. We like to think so, Pork pies with added punch - serve with a pot of English mustard or a tangy tomato pickle, Scotch eggs are such a summer party staple, but now vegetarians can enjoy them too, These little cheesy puffs are like clouds of light choux pastry with a creamy cheese center - and they're easy than you'd think to master, Bite-size quiches always go down well with party guests. Thank you for signing up to GoodTo. Your guests may find it daunting to take a whole Scotch egg so cut into wedges and serve with cocktail sticks for easy snacking," says Jessica. It takes an hour, but you get 75 little bundles of cheesy olives. Throw the best party yet with these easy buffet food ideas and inspirational party foods Sign up to the GoodTo Newsletter. Studded with mixed berries and infused with lemon zest. 750ml if served over ice, or 1.5l diluted. Plus its another good veggie offering - though make plenty because your meat-eating guests will want some too. This French-style picnic staple is called a pissaladire and its a cross between an onion tart and a pizza. Get the recipe: Perfect summer Pimms (opens in new tab), Makes: 1.75l (approx) | Skill level: Easy | Time to make: 15 mins, plus cooling and chilling time. GoodTo is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Octavia Lillywhite is an award-winning food and lifestyle journalist with over 15 years of experience. Serve with a bowl of Branston pickle or piccalilli, which guests can spoon onto their pies. Its quick and cheap to put together, and always popular in summer. Get the recipe: Stilton, apple, and walnut salad (opens in new tab), Serves: 8-12 | Skill level: Easy | Total time: 1hr 45. Get the recipe: Bloody Mary sausage rolls (opens in new tab), Makes: 25 | Skill level: Easy | Time to make: 35 mins. It's probably the easiest cake to make and turning the recipe from 1 large to a dozen small ones doesnt make it any trickier. It can be a nice way to get kids to eat an extra portion or two of fruit as well. If youre not keen on blue cheeses, swap it for a crumbly goats cheese instead. Each one is served inside its own mini vol-au-vent case, which you make yourself with ready-rolled puff pastry - cheat and use ready-made ones if you prefer. Serve them alongside other mini versions of English classics like scones and mini Victoria sandwich cakes, see below. It's a fantastic option that even those who are not gluten-intolerant will enjoy. A clinking glass of Pimms is the ultimate accompaniment to buffet food. ", Get the recipe: Tear and share bread (opens in new tab), Serves: 8-10 | Skill level: Medium | Time to make: 1 hr 10. Scones are an absolute must on a buffet table, and these arent the only ones youll find on this list. This basic recipe uses bacon in the filling, but if you want a veggie option you can leave it out, or add in chunks of beetroot or chopped spinach. Get the recipe: Cheese and chive puffs (opens in new tab), Makes: 12 | Skill level: Easy | Time to make: 1 hr 10 plus chilling time. Eccles cakes are like a drier version of a mince pie. The great thing about taking homemade bread to a buffet is that it goes with so many other dishes, so make plenty. The only issue is they tend to be too large to hold, so everyone will need a plate and fork. "The combination is delicious but might become a little salty if you eat too many - try serving alongside some slices of melon which will act as a good palate cleanser.". The traditional recipe includes cream and jam filling, but you can switch things up and create different flavours, using marshmallows fluff, peanut butter, or chocolate spread. It's best not to serve this dish fridge cold so bring it to room temp approx 30 mins before you want to eat it. These work well all year round, from summer street parties to Christmas drinks soires. Get the recipe: Vegetable tortilla (opens in new tab), Serves: 4-6 | Skill level: Easy | Total time: 25 mins, Its quick and cheap to put together, and always popular in summer. If you don't have chickpeas you can also make a dip using cannellini beans. These are great on their own but you can also serve them with a cheese and chive dip, or spicy tomato salsa. Unlike most pastry recipes, this one actually contains no milk or butter, so its suitable even for people with a dairy intolerance. Get the recipe: Sausage pie with bacon and mustard (opens in new tab), Makes: 6 | Skill level: Medium | Time to make: 50 mins. This recipe makes six ramekins in 125ml pots, but you can get 60ml pots if you want, to make twice as many. Make sure to have plenty of napkins for guests as the ham can be a little oily when its cooked. You can make it a day or two in advance and keep it in the fridge until needed. A salad that should tempt even guests who arent usually lettuce nibblers. Not forgetting a kick of spice too, thanks to the mustard. This recipe makes eight scones using a 6cm cutter, but if youre serving more people, get it to go further using a 4-4.5cm cutter. Serve with some mayo for people to dip in, topped with a pinch of paprika. These are simple to make and look so tempting on a serving platter. Halve the recipe if youre only entertaining a small number, or double it for more people. Then theres the salty hit of the anchovies and the sour olives. Get the recipe: Eccles cakes (opens in new tab), Makes: 8-14 | Skill level: Easy | Time to make: 25 mins. "This will look very impressive on your buffet food table and is easy to customise depending on your preferences," says Senior Food Writer, Jessica Ransom. You can buy coleslaw in large supermarket packs but they don't compare to the homemade versions, which have much better crunch and freshness. Get the recipe:Ham and Tewkesbury butter sandwiches (opens in new tab), Makes: 6 | Skill level: Medium | Time to make: 1 hr 10. Get the recipe: Beef wellington canap (opens in new tab), Makes: 75 | Skill level: Easy | Time to make: 1 hr. This is perfect to make when British strawberries are in season and at their cheapest. Queen Victoria herself used to enjoy these at teatime. This method has the advantage that you will end up with a rectangular cake that can be easily cut into small squares, to feed even more people. Have fun and experiment with whatever plain beans you have in your cupboard and you might just find a new favourite. Potato cakes with sweet chilli Philadelphia dip, Cheese, bacon and coronation chicken vol-au-vents. Its great buffet food for vegetarians as its so filling - more like the main event than a side dish. It's a great alcohol-free option. If you want to make the recipe dairy and egg-free, try swapping the mayo for coconut yogurt. Get the recipe: Brie quiche with cranberries (opens in new tab), Serves: 12 | Skill level: Medium | Total time: 1 hr. These make a great miniature option and you get a dozen in a batch. Get the recipe: Cheese, bacon and coronation chicken vol-au-vents (opens in new tab), Makes: 6 | Skill level: Medium | Time to make: 1hr 25. Our berry swirl cheesecake bites have a warming ginger biscuit base, topped with cream cheese and crme frache cheesecake topping. Eccles cakes are not of protected origin - so you can bake them anywhere from Aberdeen to Truro and still officially call them Eccles cakes, wherever your party is. Alternatively, lemon curd is a fantastic option with this flavour combination. This olive bread uses gluten-free flour. You could also do a version without cheese and fill them with chocolate cream as a pudding. Use apple or apple and strawberry squash, and add all the fruit and mint. If you want a classic version, check out all the tips you could possibly want in our ultimate guide on how to make sausage rolls (opens in new tab). They can be served with cream or soft butter and blueberry jam. For mini versions, you could use quails eggs instead. Jessica Ransom, says: "This is one of my top buffet dishes as it can be served a number of ways. Carefully remove it from the tray and arrange it on a rectangular serving board. Just enough chocolate to keep everyone happy, these little chocolate honeycomb mousse pots are the perfect indulgent end to a feast. Get the recipe: Coleslaw recipe (opens in new tab), Serves: 8 | Skill level: Easy | Total time: 25 mins. There are also easy canaps (opens in new tab) like vol-au-vents and cheese puffs, with quick cheats so you can knock them up in no time. Get the recipe: Passionfruit Portuguese tarts, Makes: 6-18, depending on the pots you use | Skill level: Easy | Time to make: 20 mins. These chicken satay kebabs are given a wonderful flavour from the coriander, cumin, and tarragon rub. Get the recipe: Parma ham and vegetable tartlets (opens in new tab), Makes: 16 | Skill level: Easy | Time to make: 1 hr. Or, if you really want to raise your game, why not make your own pots out of chocolate. Although it takes 1 hour 45 to make this recipe, an hour of that is simply baking time. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Then just take them along to be added to the flames. This is a great recipe if youre catering to a small number of guests, and you need to offer a pastry-free option. Theyre quick and easy to make, but bursting with flavour. Of course, you can make a selection of whatever filling you fancy - for most options, you won't need a recipe. Because its basically a traybake, its really simple to portion up into bite-size pieces for your buffet food table. Its a marmite dish - anchovies are always divisive - but you will find that guests who like this definitely want more than one piece. The Parma ham is the actual tartlet case, with a quiche-like filling. You can make it a day or two in advance and keep it in the fridge until needed. Heres why you can trust us. Make them the day before so the flavours have time to mature. The salty bacon and the creamy cheese pair perfectly together. "The combination is delicious but might become a little salty if you eat too many - try serving alongside some slices of melon which will act as a good palate cleanser.". If youre not keen on blue cheeses, swap it for a crumbly goats cheese instead. If youve got lots of kids around you might find theyre disappointed that the grownups get such a fun-looking drink thats not for them. It's nice to include dishes that cater to all dietary requirements as it makes it less stressful and more inclusive. For more information about how to do this, and how we hold your data, please see our privacy policy. You can prepare ahead then gently warm in the oven before serving, however it's also delicious cold. This was invented for Queen Elizabeths coronation lunch in 1953. They are called Pastis de Nata and bakers across the country vie for the title of best custard tart, a bit like scones in Britain, but without the Devon/Cornwall skirmishes. It has so much flavour from the herbs, olives, and Parmesan cheese, its bound to be a hit.