If you’re trying to fill a catering order in 12 hours, it can feel overwhelming. But when those last-minute orders come in, they’re also great opportunities to wow your customers and gain new fans. Experienced caterers know there are a few tricks that can help a team plan quality menus while still providing excellent customer service.
The most important thing you can do is communicate with your customer and find the middle ground between what they’re looking for and what you can make with a short turnaround time. “The biggest challenge with last-minute catering orders is that you have to fill the order very quickly and make sure it’s correct,” says Craig Reese, founder and CEO of the Atlanta-based Caterrific.
So if you’re looking for a place to start, here are eight catering menu ideas that are on trend, quick to make, and taste great.
Prosciutto-wrapped Melon
A nice fruit salad is an easy addition to any meal. All you have to do is cut up some fruit and toss it with a simple dressing. But, why not change up an old favorite? Serious Eats suggests a few ways to deconstruct the classic fruit salad, including one that adds the perfect salty complement to the sweet. Cut up some melon, toss it with thyme, honey, and apple cider vinegar, and then serve wrapped into prosciutto for a bite-sized snack. The bites won’t take long to assemble, and they look much fancier than the old fruit salad.
Kale Caesar Salads
Turn your basic caesar salad into something special by replacing the romaine with kale. As Reese notes that “kale can be served raw or blanched depending on how tough it is and guests love to see it.” To complete the salad all you need is parmesan, dressing, and croutons, which makes for easy prep. If you’ve thought ahead, these are all items that can be stocked in advance in case a last-minute order appears.
Cubano Sandwiches
To call a Cubano sandwich a glorified ham and cheese is to take away everything great about it. But when you’re short on time, remember that it’s just as simple. Your sandwich will have some combination of mustard, Swiss cheese, pork, ham, salami, and pickles. It’s your choice to dress them up however you’d like. The best part is that they showcase different flavors with so little prep. Just assemble, press, and you’re ready to serve.
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Whole Roasted Chickens
A whole roasted chicken is easy to prepare (as the New York Times points out, you only need four basic ingredients), and while it’s cooking it allows you the free time to prep other dishes. Once it’s cooked, you can carve it ahead of time, or you can create an action station at the event.
Buddha Bowls
A Buddha bowl is made of a protein, vegetables, and a grain, and there’s no limit to the various combinations. And to make things even easier, why not just provide the ingredients and let everyone create their own? Offer some quinoa, roasted chicken, and grilled vegetables, with a lemon sauce or maybe some avocado on the side, and everyone can mix and match to their liking. The prep time will vary depending on how many ingredients you offer. Use your imagination (or what you have stocked at the moment) to create new combinations.
Shrimp Stir-Fry with Ramen Noodles
Shrimp cook quickly, so they are a great addition to salad or pasta in a pinch. But if you’re looking for a catering menu idea to make quickly, with the ingredients you have in the kitchen, try a stir-fry. You can throw in the veggies you have on hand and easily add some ramen noodles to give the dish some body. Whip up a quick garlic or sesame sauce, and you have a winner in no time.
Puff Pastry Pizza
Puff pastry is perfect to keep in the freezer for a last-minute appetizer or dessert. It doesn’t take long to defrost, and only about 20 minutes to cook. “You can make puff pastry sweet or savory and it looks great,” Reese says. For a puff pastry pizza, you can make as many as you need for the event, and each just needs a cheese and a veggie or meat. They cook quickly, and you can cut them into slices, so people can try different varieties and mix and match.
Pound Cake
Desserts can be tricky to include in a last minute catering menu since they often need a lot of lead time. But, a pound cake is easy to make with ingredients you probably already have on hand and you can dress it up with minimal extras. Create a station with the pound cake slices along with strawberries, blueberries, and sliced bananas. Throw in some sliced almonds or toasted coconut. If you have time, whip up a lemon curd, or just provide whipped cream and honey. The pound cake becomes a deliciously sweet treat with any of these add-ons.
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