Fancy Dinner Recipes

Lobster is the epitome of elegance. Brush garlic, chili powder, and orange peel onto fresh butterflied lobster tails for a simple yet sophisticated dinner solution for your special occasion.

Serve With: Easy Parmesan-Fennel Rolls and Classic Tiramisu.

Every element of this roasted duck recipe exudes sophistication, including its caviar-like black beluga lentils, toasted-walnut pesto, and sauteed shiitake mushrooms. Sherry keeps the meat tender enough to cut with a fork.

Serve With: Multigrain Rolls and Raspberry Creme Brulee.

Topped with pate, wrapped in flaky pastry, and drizzled with a rich mushroom sauce, this beef wellington recipe will transport you to a table at the faniest restaurant in town.

Serve With: Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Cinnamon and Brown Sugar Custards.

Take your mac and cheese to the next level with lump crabmeat and a pound of gooey Brie. A golden bread crumb topping and mini wedge of cheese finish the fancy pasta recipe.

Serve With: Easy Herbed Salad and Salted Caramel Flan.

This salmon's so nice we smoked it twice. Not only did we stuff fresh fillets with packaged smoked salmon and horseradish cream, but we popped them on the grill with hickory wood chips for a second layer of smoky flavor.

Serve With: Lentil Pilaf and Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes.

Wonderful things happen when you combine tiny new potatoes and flat iron steak -- a well-marbled, highly tender cut of meat -- with rich Scandinavian spices. Give lemon halves a kiss of heat before squeezing them over the oven-roasted masterpiece.

Serve With: Slow-Cooked Sourdough Bread and Pomegranate Pavlova.

A citrus and white wine sauce braises the mussels, tenderizes the leeks, and soaks up every last bit of pancetta's savory goodness. Serve with a chunk of crusty bread so no drop gets left behind.

Serve With: Semolina and Rosemary Boule and Boozy Orange Creme Brulee.

Treat your taste buds to an Italian delicacy with our buttery mushroom risotto. This rice dish features ingredients like dry white wine, Asiago cheese, and a sprinkle of fresh parsley -- your guests will never guess it came from your slow cooker.

Serve With: Bruschetta and Chocolate Cannoli.

Scallops turn any meal into a reason to celebrate, especially when stuffed with an orange, fennel, and pistachio gremolata. Perfect the juicy grilled seafood with a bed of arugula and drizzle of honey-sweetened balsamic vinaigrette.

Serve With: Easy Focaccia Bread and Strawberry-Rhubarb Cheesecake Parfaits.

Chicken breasts don't have to be boring. Elevate the white meat by rolling it with garlic-herb goat cheese, baby arugula, and roasted red peppers. Dried-tomato pesto gives the fancy dinner recipe an added layer of Mediterranean flavor.

Serve With: Acorn Squash and Beet Salad and Salted Caramel Pots de Creme.

Serve up juicy flank steak in a colorful new format by pairing it with sweet baby beets on toasty Parmesan-crusted French bread. A homemade honey-mustard vinaigrette makes the meat taste deliciously gourmet.

Serve With: Roasted Red Pepper Soup and Mocha-Chocolate Chip Cheesecake.

Once a delicacy reserved for specialty stores and high-end restaurants, ultracreamy polenta can now be prepared at home thanks to a number of quick-cooking varieties. Swirl the corn-based porridge with Swiss cheese and crisp-cooked bacon, then top with roasted Brussels sprouts, pearl onions, and toasty walnuts.

Serve With: Blistered Green Beans and Cherry Cassata Torte.

A warm berry chutney flavored with green onions and cloves provides this recipe's pretty facade. The sweet-and-savory sauce means you only need a dash of allspice to flavor the tender lamb chops.

Serve With: Balsamic-Glazed Tri-Color Carrots and Almond-Lemon Gelato.

Butternut squash replaces the potato in this rich and pillowy gnocchi recipe, which makes for an impressive first course. Browned herb butter and a balsamic vinegar reduction add layers of luxury.

Serve With: Broccolini with Peas and Seared Lemons and Raspberry Semifreddo with Pistachios.

Classic roast chicken gets an international spin thanks to a zesty Japanese seven-spice rub. Complete the adventurous meal with baby carrots and bok choy simmered in sesame oil.

Serve With: Brown Rice Pilaf and Lemon Olive Oil Cake.

Make eggplant the feature of your fancy meal with this lightened-up Italian classic. Whole wheat bread crumbs give the vegetable its crispy coating that pairs perfectly with a glass of your favorite wine.

Serve With: Marinated Mozzarella with Basil and Classic Zabaglione. 

Make any meal feel more special by taking the time to prepare a homemade sauce, dressing, or glaze. The tomato pesto that flavors these fresh salmon fillets is made with both dried and fresh tomatoes, green olives, and fresh basil.

Serve With: Spaghetti Aglio e Olio and Rustic Blood Orange Tart.

Complement the rich flavor of roasted duck with a bright blackberry-citrus sauce. After roasting, use leftover duck fat to flavor your choice of roasted root vegetables.

Serve With: Roasted Root Vegetables and Chocolate Puffs with Mascarpone Cream.

Dried porcini mushrooms impart a complex, woodsy flavor to this authentic ragu recipe. Made with San Marzano tomatoes, a plum version from Italy, the classic red sauce features two types of hearty meat.

Serve With: Garlic-Roasted Asparagus and Boccone Dolce Meringue.

Few dishes are as easy to make and impress guests as skillet-seared scallops. Dress them up with a warm pomegranate sauce and bed of wilted spinach.

Serve With: Buttermilk-Sage Dinner Rolls and Ginger-Pear Galette.

Homemade red wine vinaigrette flavored with marjoram and thyme keeps these lamb chops brimming with flavor and moisture. Balance the meat's acidity with fresh greens, grape tomatoes, and radishes.

Serve With: Duchess Potatoes and Cast-Iron Mixed-Berry Crisp.