Food & Cooking Recipes Dinner Recipes Summer Dinner Ideas 9 Family-Style Sharing Platters That Make Summer Dinners Easy The secret to hosting a fun gathering is putting out one of these irresistible self-serve spreads. By Anna Kovel Anna Kovel Anna is a freelance writer for MarthaStewart.com. Editorial Guidelines Updated on May 22, 2024 Close Photo: Christopher Testani If you're looking for a relaxed yet elevated way to entertain, family-style dining puts everybody at ease. The casualness of self-serve platters creates the perfect vibe: fun, warm, and with people at its heart. With a meal like this you can focus on flavors and colors without having to plate different courses—and fewer dishes to wash is always a bonus. Follow our recipes for inspiration, or find your own way to spin it. Just keep in mind that there should be a unifying theme, something familiar, so everyone can take what they want and choose their own adventure. In summer, when we want to keep the heat out of the kitchen, one main course dish can be the solution to creating a memorable gathering—and keeping your cool. 25 Pitcher Drinks Just Right for a Party 01 of 09 Grilled Vegetable Agrodolce Ryan Liebe A sophisticated antipasto platter can be so good that it becomes the main attraction, or you can follow it with a simple pasta or a large salad. Here, a flavorful marinade allows you to prepare seasonal vegetables ahead of time and focus on making a lovely array of sliced meats and cheeses just before guests arrive. View Recipe 02 of 09 Saffron Chicken Kebabs Golden, grilled pieces of chicken with sweet onions and tomatoes complete the best backyard atmosphere. Guests gather around a large serving tray, tear off a piece of flatbread, and assemble their own plate with fresh herbs and a spicy sauce. Feel free to serve with another sauce, like tahini or tzatziki, and substitute more vegetables for the chicken if your party leans vegetarian. View Recipe 03 of 09 Honey-Glazed Pork Tenderloin With Grilled Apricots Elizabeth Cecil Delicate tenderloin of pork cooks quickly on the grill. Then, it's dressed in a make-ahead glaze with coriander and ginger. While it's resting, the remaining ingredients can be grilled. This is a satisfying platter; all it needs is some crusty bread and a green salad. View Recipe 04 of 09 Sea Scallops Over Shallot-Herb Pasta Elizabeth Cecil A lovely tangle of herbed spaghetti makes a bed for scallops and fennel just off the grill. Shallots, feathery fennel fronds, and other herbs can be chopped in advance, waiting just until the pasta is cooked before finishing this dressing. Note the use of a grill basket, which helps prevent small pieces of fennel from falling through the grill grates—but it's not essential. View Recipe 05 of 09 Shrimp and Crudite Platter with Two Sauces Justin Walker A riff on the French tradition of le grand aioli, this generous platter could be dinner. It's packed with baby potatoes, hard-cooked eggs, a rainbow of seasonal crudite, and the star of the show, tender, sweet shrimp. Everything goes with the two sauces: a tonatto mayonnaise and a vegan green goddess dip. View Recipe 06 of 09 Stovetop Clambake Raymond Hom Perhaps the ultimate sharing platter, that's the clambake when you set out all the elements on rimmed baking sheets or platters so everyone can help themselves. View Recipe 07 of 09 Grilled Halibut Steak With Potatoes, Olives, and Onions Christopher Testani Summer style, defined. It's all here on a platter: Beautiful grilled fish, vegetables, bread, olives, and salad. This meal would be perfectly good using chicken breast instead of the halibut. View Recipe 08 of 09 Pull-Apart Vanilla-Wafer Cupcake Cake with Berries When it comes to dessert, this simple yet elegant cake makes a lovely centerpiece. Though it looks like a sheet cake, it's actually individual cupcakes, so guests can help themselves—no utensils or cutting required. View Recipe 09 of 09 Fruit Platter With Whipped Ricotta Ryan Liebe Fruit for brunch or dessert can be enticing when served family-style. Elevate the usual fruit salad by poaching one of your most beautiful fruits—we used peaches here, or try figs or pears. Reach for an assortment of bright colors and serve with our homemade English cookies—alternatively buy your favorite digestives or shortbread cookies. View Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit