Recipe Roundup

56 Tiki Party Cocktail, Dinner, and Dessert Recipes

From classic drinks and dishes like the mai tai and crab rangoon, to modern variations (such as a mango-riff on the piña colada) these Polynesian-, Caribbean-, Hawaiian-, and Asian-inspired bites and sips will put the tropical vibe into your next backyard party.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks
  • Two glasses of frozen pina colada of a counter with pineapple garnish.
    Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne
    1/56

    Piña Colada

    With its winning combination of coconut, pineapple, and rum, this piña colada recipe is creamy, just sweet enough, and utterly refreshing.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone
    2/56

    Pan-Fried Sweet and Sour Chicken

    Legend has it that Donn Beach, the originator of the tiki craze, served food from the Chinese restaurant next door when he opened his first bar in Hollywood. That means dishes like sweet and sour chicken are perfect next to tropical cocktails.

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  • Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food styling by Micah Marie Morton
    3/56

    Malasadas

    These pillowy Hawaiian doughnuts get a coating of sugar that turns into a crust as the fried dough cools.

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  • Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
    4/56

    Blue Hawaiian

    Adjacent to a piña colada, this tropical cocktail gets a splash of citrusy blue liqueur.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
    5/56

    Crab Rangoon (Cream Cheese Crab Wonton)

    Shatteringly crisp wontons filled with cream cheese and crab are a must at any tiki party.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne
    6/56

    Extra-Juicy Mai Tai

    Orgeat (a syrup made from almonds and orange flower water) is the cocktail addition that gives many classic tiki cocktails, such as the rum-soaked mai tai, their essence.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton
    7/56

    Fresh Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

    Canned pineapple can be great, but when the fresh fruit is at its ripest this classic cake is absolutely sublime.

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  • Photo by Dylan + Jeni
    8/56

    Three Dots and a Dash

    Created during World War II by Donn Beach, the name for this drink is Morse code for “Victory.”

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  • Photo by Paul H. Christian, Food Styling by Michele Figliuolo
    11/56

    Mango Castaway

    Frozen mango takes the place of pineapple in this delightfully indulgent twist on a piña colada.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks
    12/56

    Frozen Pineapple Mojito

    Pineapple cups make a fun presentation for this frosty summer cocktail, but if you're short on time, just use regular cocktail glasses instead.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks
    15/56

    Mini Frozen Key Lime Pies

    These creamy, tangy, frozen tarts can be made up to two weeks ahead. Fair warning: they won’t last that long.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
    16/56

    Classic Daiquiri

    Nothing like the ubiquitous frozen drinks that bear the same name, this classic cocktail is light, refreshing, and the perfect easy cocktail to while away the summer hours.

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  • Photo by Peden + Munk
    17/56

    Baby Back Ribs with Tamarind Glaze

    A tamarind glaze gives these grilled ribs an intoxicatingly sweet, spicy, and sour flavor.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Tommy Werner
    18/56

    Grenadine Syrup

    Known as "SC Grenadine" at Smuggler's Cove in San Francisco, this fresh, two-ingredient grenadine syrup is perfect for tiki drinks or mocktails like a Shirley Temple.

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  • Photo by Ted Cavanaugh
    23/56

    Soy-Basted Chicken Kebabs with Sesame-Citrus Sprinkle

    These sweet and sour chicken kebabs get topped with a sesame-citrus sprinkle for extra flavor and crunch.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Molly Baz
    24/56

    Chicken Teriyaki

    Served with a bright, refreshing radish salad, these salty, sweet, and shatteringly crisp glazed thighs will satisfy all your classic chicken teriyaki cravings.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova
    25/56

    Homemade "Dole Whip"

    This may be a classic Disney park treat, but the banana, pineapple, and coconut milk smoothie is a great choice for a non-alcoholic frozen drink at your tiki party.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Ali Nardi
    26/56

    Stir-Fried Green Beans With Coconut

    This Indian dish may not be classic tiki, but it's a great side dish option if you're looking to round out a sit-down dinner.

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  • Aran Goyoaga
    27/56

    Coconut Doughnuts

    A frequent tiki dessert, these doughnuts up the ante with an addition of coconut milk, coconut flour, and a finishing sweet coconut glaze.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone
    28/56

    Easy Fried Rice With Chicken and Broccolini

    This one-pot meal is fresher, tastier, and healthier than takeout—and clocking in at just 22 minutes from start to finish, it's faster, too.

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  • Lara Hata
    35/56

    Pork Pot Stickers

    Cabbage and ground pork are the base filling for these easy dumplings.

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  • 36/56

    Limonada de Coco

    Limonada is most often translated as “lemonade,” but limes are the best approximation of the Colombian citrus that stars alongside coconut in this barely sweet smoothie.

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  • Lara Ferroni
    39/56

    Puerto Rican Pineapple Rum Cake

    Pack in the rum three ways with this boozy upside down cake: in the sauce at the bottom of the pan, in the cake batter, and in the glaze that gilds the lily.

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  • Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott
    40/56

    Evening in Kingston

    Sparkling wine and Jamaican rum make for a compelling riff on the Negroni. Plus, it's a quick finish once it's batched.

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  • Teri Lyn Fisher
    41/56

    Eureka Tiki Punch

    What's the trick to a delicious punch? Balance. And lots of booze doesn't hurt, either. (This punch has three—three!—types of rum.)

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
    42/56

    Instant Pot Sticky Hoisin Baby Back Ribs

    Cooking ribs under pressure means they get incredibly tender without falling apart or shredding—in a fraction of the time as braising and with no attention needed.

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  • Anita Calero
    43/56

    Baked Hawaiian Islands

    Take Baked Alaska tiki with this Hawaiian twist: Coconut, pineapple, passion fruit, and a rum-soaked sorbet make this hot and cold combination addictive.

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  • Photo by Ted Cavanaugh.
    44/56

    Rum Swizzle

    This is the official drink of Trinidad, and it's just as refreshing as a day spent in the waters of that vibrant island.

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  • Peden + Munk
    45/56

    Coconut Rice

    It's not a tiki party until you bring out the coconut jasmine rice.

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  • Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Amy Wilson, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
    46/56

    Grilled Pork Ribs with Gochujang Barbecue Sauce

    Gochujang, a Korean sweet-hot fermented pepper paste, may not be a traditional tiki addition, but pork ribs are and the flavors here will really fit in with your spread.

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  • Photo by Romulo Yanes
    47/56

    Chicken and Celery Pot Stickers

    A flavorful filling of ground chicken and celery is seasoned with sesame oil and soy sauce and enclosed within the simply folded wonton. Cooked in the traditional way, these pot stickers are pan-fried and then steamed until the water evaporates and the bottoms are crisp and golden.

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  • Photo by Alice Gao
    48/56

    Coconut-Chocolate Icebox Cake with Toasted Almonds

    Chocolate wafer cookies and coconut whipped cream layer up into this impeccable no-bake dessert. Frost the outside of the cake with more whipped cream if you like, or leave it “naked” with the layers visible for all to see.

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  • Photo by Alex Lau
    53/56

    Coconut-Vegetable Slaw

    An addictive slaw with sweetness from the fresh coconut and sneaky, creeping heat from the chiles.

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  • Photo by Matt Duckor
    54/56

    Shrimp in Achiote Oil

    In this Filipino dish, achiote oil bathes the shrimp in an amber hue, and citrus lends a bright, tart note.

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  • Photo by Shutterstock
    55/56

    Crispy Spring Rolls (Cha Gio)

    These crispy Vietnamese spring rolls have a mixture of ground chicken and pork, plus mushrooms, bean sprouts, and a host of aromatic elements.

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  • Photo by Romulo Yanes
    56/56

    Singapore Sling

    Another tiki classic, this one starts with gin and cherry brandy.

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