Easy, hands-off mains perfect for hosting. Prep ahead, bake in the oven, and serve straight from the tray — stress-free crowd-pleasers everyone loves.
One of my 2025 goals was to host more, and I’m super happy to say I’ve achieved this goal — and then some! And you know what I’ve learned about hosting? Stovetop recipes are a trap.. even those that claim to be ‘hands-off’. Even those that claim to be ‘hands-off’. I always end up stuck in the kitchen, in the never-ending look of reheating, stirring, ladling… instead of actually catching up with my guests!
And sometimes my guests would pop in and offer a helping hand… which I appreciate but also feel bad about! I want you to relax and not need to help at all!
The. SCAM.
My ideal hosting situation looks like this: everything is prepped before the doorbell rings, the kitchen is clean, I can welcome guests with both hands free, when it’s time to eat, I simply open the oven, pull out a bubbling baking dish, and place it straight on the table. No stirring, no last-minute panic, no plating… everyone just helps themselves. Bliss.
If that sounds like your kind of hosting too, here’s a full list of my favorite truly hands-off mains that feed a crowd beautifully. And the best part? They’re all already on my blog, so you can click through and cook any of them today.
10 Easy Mains That Cook Themselves
1. Lasagna
The undisputed queen of hosting. You can assemble everything earlier in the day (or even the night before!) and just bake when guests arrive. Layers of sauce, pasta, and cheese always feel a bit luxurious, and it feeds a big group with zero effort at the table.
2. Shepherd’s Pie / Cottage Pie
Warm, cozy, and a complete meal in one dish, perfect for when you want something homier. Prep your meat filling, top with mashed potatoes, stash it in the fridge, then bake till the top gets golden and crisp. Bonus: it tastes even better made ahead.
3. Chicken Pot Pie
This always feels a little fancy even though it’s so easy to pull off. Make the creamy chicken filling ahead of time, keep the puff pastry chilled, and when guests are on the way, top the dish with pastry and bake. It comes out bubbling and gorgeous every time. My version has a twist to make it less boring and leave your guests wanting more!
4. Mac and Cheese (oven bake)
The ultimate comfort food! One of those dishes no one can resist.
Assemble your casserole earlier — mac (prep ahead tips on the recipe for non-stodgy pasta!), cheese sauce, more cheese on top — and bake until you get that beautiful golden crust.
Comfort food that never fails a crowd.
5. Sushi Bake
Such a fun interactive dish for hosting!
Build the entire tray ahead: rice layer, mayo mixture, toppings, everything. Keep it chilled and bake just before serving.
Guests can scoop it out themselves, add nori, and make mini hand rolls at the table.
Best of all though, Sushi Bake is great whether warm, at room temperature, OR chilled!
6. Tteokbokki Traybake
My traybake version is perfect for hands-off cooking.
Toss everything into a baking dish at one go, and let the oven do the heavy lifting. No stirring. No checking. And definitely no panic about tteok sticking to the pan. Everything comes out bubbly and soft. For some showmanship, melt on some mozzarella.
7. Butter Chicken Baked Rice
A full meal and a showstopper. Rice + butter chicken sauce + chicken + potatoes baked together until everything is fluffy, saucy, and bursting with flavour.
This one makes the house smell absolutely incredible, and it’s fantastic for feeding a bigger group.
8. Curry Chicken and Rice Traybake
Want to have even lesser dishes than the above baked rice? Make this one instead!
Everything can be done in just one tray… including marinating! Creamy, cheesy, and baked all in one tray. Prep it ahead, bake when guests arrive, and serve straight from the oven.
It’s a total crowd-pleaser with minimal effort and maximum payoff.
BONUS
If you’ve got the time, make a simple curry chicken to serve alongside this. And if you’re thinking, “Wait… curry with curry?” — yes.
This traybake is on the drier side, so a ladle of saucy curry keeps everything extra “hydrated” and extra comforting. Plus, curry is one of those easy crowd-pleasers that can be made ahead!
9. Kofta Bi Bandora
This dish is a personal favourite and a comforting one-dish meal: juicy meatballs baked in a rich tomato sauce.
I made this recently as an ode to our friends in Palestine, where this recipe originates, and to honour their culture.
Prep ahead, bake, and serve family-style — hands-off, delicious, and with a little reflection baked in.
10. (Bonus!) Air Fryer Roast Chicken
If you want a centerpiece without using the oven, this is your girl.
Season the chicken, pop it into the air fryer, and walk away. It comes out juicy ALWAYS, with crispy skin — perfect alongside any of the casseroles above!
And sure, you can also bake this in the oven too. This is the only way I cook my roast chicken, for guaranteed juiciness every single time.
Pairings & Menu Ideas
When it comes to pairings, I like to keep things simple with:
- Sides: roasted vegetables (roast alongside the baking!), Easy Acar | Pickled Vegetables (especially for the curry dishes), salad, or steamed greens.
Why These Dishes Work for Hosting
Prep & Make-Ahead Tips
- To avoid any stress on day-of, I prefer assembling casseroles the night before! Some are not suitable to be assembled ahead of time; prepare the separate components. All that’s left to do is to assemble and bake.
- Another option is to cook everything to completion the day before – and all that’s left is to heat it up in the oven.
- Cover baking dishes with foil until baking to lock in moisture and prevent drying.
- Food’s ready but guests aren’t? No stress. Turn the oven off and leave the dishes inside to keep them warm. If the oven has cooled down, set it to about 75°C/170°F) (or lowest ‘warm’ setting) to gently keep everything warm until you’re ready to serve.
Timing & Oven Strategy
- Cooking multiple baked dishes? Plan your oven schedule! Start with longer-baking recipes first.
- Let casseroles rest 5–10 minutes after baking for easier serving and settled flavours. Be careful if serving straight from the baking dish – it will be super hot!
- For buffet-style serving, use oven-safe dishes so you can go straight from oven to table.
Final Thoughts
Hosting shouldn’t feel like you’re running a restaurant service. With dishes like these, you get to actually enjoy having people over!
Chat, snack, actually have the mental capacity to care about the people you love… while your oven does all the work. When everyone’s ready, you simply bring out a hot, bubbling dish and let the table eat family-style.
Easy, delicious, and stress-free… just the way it should be.
Happy Holidays!
