Tropical Party

Whip up this tropical party menu, slide on your sunglasses, and pretend like you’re on vacation. Starting with Pineapple Salsa, spiked with a Blue Hawaiian cocktail, and ending with Pineapple Upside-Down Cake, this easy party menu is almost too cool.

Cue up a beachy music playlist, slip on a floppy hat and flip-flops, and say “ahh…” This tropical party menu will practically make you feel like your toes are in the sand!

Featuring fresh fruit salsa, crunchy shrimp, a blended rum cocktail, a creative pasta salad, and my favorite retro dessert, this island-inspired party plan oh-so maika’i loa (Hawaiian for “good”). Any time your next vacation feels a bit too far away, invite your pals over or assign out dishes potluck-style for a sunny soiree featuring these tropical recipes.

Coconut Shrimp

Love the fried shrimp appetizer or entrée from your local seafood restaurant? This deep-fried treat is a copycat recipe of that exact creation. No need to fear if you don’t have access to a fancy fish counter near you; this easy shrimp recipe is designed to be made with thawed frozen shrimp.

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Coconut Shrimp

This restaurant-style Coconut Shrimp recipe is a cinch to make at home with freezer and pantry staples. My shatteringly crispy Coconut Shrimp appetizer is good on its own, and even better once dunked into the zippy Sriracha-chile sauce.

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More island-inspired seafood recipes

Fish and Seafood Recipes

Ahi Tuna with Ponzu Sauce

Fish and Seafood Recipes

Grilled Shrimp Skewers

Fish and Seafood Recipes

Grilled Fish Tacos with Spicy Slaw

Fish and Seafood Recipes

How to Make Ceviche

Pineapple Salsa

Few of the classic fruit salsa recipes you’ll find online or by the jar at the supermarket include the most common fruit for salsa-ing: tomatoes. (Yes, it’s technically a fruit, not a vegetable!) My easy Pineapple Salsa features the tropical fruit, tomatoes, onions, peppers, and so much more. The zesty blend works beautifully as a snack or a condiment.

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Pineapple Salsa

This easy Pineapple Salsa recipe is loaded with fresh pineapple, tomatoes, red onion, jalapeños, and cilantro. This is fruit salsa is dreamy scooped up with chips as a snack idea or pile it atop your favorite protein for dinner.

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Serve this fruit snack alongside…

Appetizer Recipes

Homemade Tortilla Chips

Appetizer Recipes

Black Bean Salsa

Chipotle Copycat Recipes

Chipotle Guacamole (Copycat)

Hawaiian Macaroni Salad

Hawaiian Plate Lunch is a concept that gives a nod to the Japanese bento box; a mix of crowd-pleasing, affordable food offered in separate compartments. Plate lunches were first sold in the late 1800s, feeding immigrant workers in sugar cane and pineapple fields. Along with a meat entrée and white rice, you’ll often find creamy, vegetable-loaded Hawaiian Macaroni Salad as an option. I can’t resist ordering it any time I see it, which is why I knew I had to recreate the unique pasta salad recipe at home.

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Hawaiian Macaroni Salad

This beloved recipe for Hawaiian Macaroni Salad, aka "mac salad," has soft noodles, creamy dressing, and lots of shredded carrots. It's perfect for a plate lunch, a luau, or a barbecue. 

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More sides with a hint of tropical flair

Side Dish Recipes

Citrus Salad

30 Minute Meals

Hawaiian Fried Rice

Salad Recipes

Fruit Salad

Salad Recipes

Rainbow Thai Salad with Mango

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Admittedly more of a retro dessert idea of the mainland than a tropical dessert recipe, this pineapple dessert is a hit at every gathering I’ve ever served it. In 1925, Dole held a pineapple recipe contest, and “Mrs. Robert Davis” from Norfolk, Virginia won with this showy yet simple cake recipe. What I love almost as much as the caramelized pineapple topping? The hands-on time: a mere 10 minutes.

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Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

My classic Pineapple Upside-Down Cake recipe is a retro dessert idea that's a sweet option any time of year. Using fresh or canned fruit, the easy cake recipe calls for just 10 minutes of prep time.

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Bonus tropical fruit dessert ideas

Cake Recipes

Hawaiian Wedding Cake

Pie and Tart Recipes

Fresh Fruit Tart

Cake Recipes

Pig Pickin Cake

Cake Recipes

Hummingbird Cake

Blue Hawaiian

Fruity, tropical, and no-sweat to make, this Blue Hawaiian cocktail is my go-to drink recipe for any adult summer party (or any party I want to feel a bit more sunny). This frozen drink recipe comes together in your blender for easy party prep. And the gorgeous blue hue, courtesy of Blue Curaçao, offers dreamy “ocean views.”

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Blue Hawaiian

This tropical Blue Hawaiian cocktail is made with pineapple, coconut, rum, vodka, and Blue Curaçao (for that lovely blue color). It's the perfect signature cocktail for your next summer soiree!

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More cocktails to try

Cocktail Recipes

Mai Tai

Cocktail Recipes

Sea Breeze Cocktail

Cocktail Recipes

Piña Colada

Cocktail Recipes

Pirate Punch

Spirit-free tropical drinks

Drink Recipes

Fruit Punch

Breakfast Recipes

Mango Smoothie

Breakfast Recipes

Caribbean Passion Smoothie (Jamba Juice Copycat)

Breakfast Recipes

Spinach Smoothie

Meggan Hill

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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.

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