Easy Hot Party Foods for Feeding a Crowd
When I’m feeding a crowd, I always look for recipes that are easy to prepare, budget-friendly, and guaranteed to be enjoyed by guests. These three hot party foods have become favourites at our family celebrations because they can be prepared ahead of time, are simple to serve, and disappear quickly whenever they’re on the menu. Whether you’re hosting a birthday, baby shower, casual gathering, or holiday celebration, these recipes are reliable crowd-pleasers that help take the stress out of entertaining. Best of all, they pair beautifully with cold finger foods, and sweet treats to create a menu that feels generous without requiring hours in the kitchen.
Ham and Cheese Sliders
The first recipe, and probably the easiest of the three, is Ham and Cheese Sliders. They’re quick to assemble, easy to serve, and always a hit with guests. In fact, they’re so simple that they hardly need a recipe.
All you need are mini brioche slider buns, butter, Dijon mustard, sliced ham, and Jarlsberg cheese. Slice the buns in half, butter both sides, and spread a thin layer of Dijon mustard on one half. Layer with ham and cheese, replace the tops, and place on a baking tray. Bake at 160°C for approximately 10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the buns are lightly toasted.
If you’d like to make them extra special, try using homemade baked ham rather than deli ham. That’s what I did for Em’s baby shower, and it took these simple sliders to the next level. You can find my baked ham recipe and instructions here.
Mini Meatball Subs
If you’re looking for a hot party food that feels a little more substantial, these Mini Meatball Subs are always a winner. They were one of the first platters to disappear at Em’s baby shower and are perfect for feeding a crowd. The homemade meatballs can be prepared ahead of time and gently reheated in the sauce when needed, making them a great option for stress-free entertaining.
Served in soft bread rolls with rich tomato sauce and melted cheese, they’re hearty, satisfying, and easy for guests to eat while mingling. I like to finish them with a little fresh basil for extra flavour and colour. Don’t be put off by the number of steps—the recipe is straightforward, and the end result is well worth the effort. If you’d like to see exactly how I prepare the rolls for filling, I’ve included a video tutorial in the blog post.
Mini Meatball Subs
Ingredients
- 500 g ground beef
- 500 g ground pork
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 lge eggs
- 100 g parmesan cheese (finely grated)
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¾ cup water
- 400 ml passata
- 1 can tinned chopped tomatoes
- 1.5 tsps italian seasoning
- 16 mini bake at home rolls
- 1 cup grated cheese (tasty or your favourite cheese)
- fresh basil leaves for serving
Instructions
Meatballs
- Line a large baking tray with baking paper.
- Preheat oven to 170℃.
- Combine beef, pork, onion powder, salt, eggs, cheese, breadcrumbs and water into a large bowl.
- Use your hands to mix everything together really well.
- With a small cookie/meatball scoop, scoop mixture onto the baking tray until all mixture is used. This recipe will make a lot of meatballs so depending on the size of your baking tray you may require two.
- Bake in the oven for 15 minutes until lightly browned.
Tomato Sauce
- Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan on a low heat and bring to a simmer.
- Simmer for 10 minutes – then drop the cooked meatballs (and all juices) into the sauce and cook simmering for a further 10-15 minutes until reduced and thicker.
To Serve
- Slice rolls through the top and remove bread in a triangle to allow room for the meatballs. (I have done a video for this recipe if you need to see how this is done and you will find the link in the blog post)
- Butter each roll. Add 2-3 meatballs into each and top with a little of the sauce and some grated cheese. Please rolls into a baking pan and pack tightly so they don't roll over.
- Bake for 10 minutes until lightly browned on top. Serve with fresh basil.
Mini Bacon and Onion Quiche
The final hot food on the menu for Em’s baby shower was these Mini Bacon and Onion Quiches. They are one of my favourite party foods because they’re easy to prepare, can be made well ahead of time, and are just as delicious served warm or at room temperature. Better yet, they freeze beautifully, making them perfect for busy hosts who like to get organised before the big day.
To make them, simply cut pastry rounds and press them into patty pans (you’ll find a link to the pans I use in my Shop My Favourites section). Cook the bacon and onion until soft and golden, then divide the mixture between the pastry cases and top with a little grated cheese. Whisk together the eggs and cream and carefully pour the mixture over the filling, taking care not to overfill the cases. Bake for 10 minutes if you plan to freeze them for later, or 15 minutes if serving straight away.
Simple, delicious, and easy to prepare ahead of time, these mini quiches are always one of the first platters to disappear at any celebration.
Mini Bacon and Onion Quiche
Ingredients
- 4 sheets Shortcrust pastry
- 3 Full Bacon Rashers (if using Shortcut add an extra rasher) chopped
- 1 onion (finely chopped)
- 4 eggs
- ½ cup cream
- ½ cup grated cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 160℃/320℉
- Grease a 12 hole patty pan (I spray with olive oil or coconut oil sprays).
- Add bacon to small non stick frying pan and cook on medium heat to allow the fat to render, you shouldn't need oil but feel free to add some if needed.
- Once bacon starts to cook add in the onion and cook until the onion has softened. Remove from heat and allow to cool while you prepare your patty pans.
- Use a pastry circle cutter the size of your patty pan hole and cut out 6 circles from each sheet of pastry.
- Place each pastry circle into a patty pan hole.
- Add some of the bacon and onion mixure into each pastry cup.
- Top with some grated cheese.
- Whisk together the eggs, cream and a dash of pepper until combined.
- Top each quiche with the egg mixture, being careful not to overfill.
- Bake quiche for 10mins in you're going to freeze for later use or 15 minutes to serve straight away. Cooking times may vary depending on your oven so check after ten minutes. To freeze you want the egg mixture just set, to serve straight away you want them to be slight browned on top.
When I’m feeding a crowd, I always look for recipes that are easy to prepare, budget-friendly, and guaranteed to be enjoyed by guests. These three hot party foods have become favourites at our family celebrations because they can be prepared ahead of time, are simple to serve, and disappear quickly whenever they’re on the menu. Whether you’re hosting a birthday, baby shower, casual gathering, or holiday celebration, these recipes are reliable crowd-pleasers that help take the stress out of entertaining. Best of all, they pair beautifully with salads, finger foods, and sweet treats to create a menu that feels generous without requiring hours in the kitchen.
We served all of these recipes at Emily and Mitch’s Woodland Baby Shower. For even more food ideas—including cold dishes, desserts, and entertaining inspiration—you can visit the full Woodland Baby Shower post
