Dinner Party Diaries – Volume 2 Issue 8 – Kentucky Derby Dinner Party Menu Ideas
Do you watch the Kentucky Derby? At one point in my life, the Triple Crown was the only sporting event that I watched for the year. I’m personally a huge fan of the athletes (a.k.a. the horses). Now, when I hear the words “Kentucky Derby” food is what comes most immediately to mind. There are many tasty traditions and recipes out there for a Kentucky Derby Dinner Party Menu. Of course, my challenge is the need to adapt them for special dietary restrictions. Fortunately, that’s half the fun! (The other half of the fun is the actual eating of the food.)
If you’ve looked into this situation at all, you’ve probably come across some staples such as Pimento Cheese, Kentucky Hot Browns (open-faced sandwiches), Mint Juleps, Bourbon Balls, and Kentucky Derby Pie.
If you’re interested in the “normal” versions of any of those, here are some the the my most interesting finds:
- Pimento Cheese
- Herbed Benedictine
- The Hot Brown
- Bacon-Bourbon Brownies with Pecans
- Kentucky Derby Chocolate Walnut Pie and this already keto-fied version of it–Keto Kentucky Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie
- Kentucky Butter Cake
- Bourbon Balls
- Bourbon Old Fashioned Glazed Pecans
- Mint Juleps or these ones
Of course from there, I need to make a combination of low-carb versions of the classics as well as riffs on the flavor profiles.
I had fun coming up with some inspired variations on the theme, so I hope you enjoy!
Because there was a lot to do for everything else, appetizers are simple assorted olives and cheeses. To keep things more in theme, I would suggest some of the Pimento Cheese and Herbed Benedictine listed above with some pork rinds and veggie dippers respectively.
For the entrée, I’d say to go one of two ways–an offering of casseroles OR a composed dish containing several components. As you’ll see below, the Deconstructed Kentucky Hot Brown is my composed dish version. It’s really a lot of fun and I do hope you give it a try. The casserole offerings are a Keto Kentucky Hot Brown Casserole and a Creamy Keto Turkey, Bacon, and Tomato Casserole–both quite delicious. I would, however, not suggest making both the composed dish and the other casseroles unless you have a lot of people to eat all of that food and enough time for both.
To keep the side dishes in the theme with everything else, I’ve got a Creamy Turkey, Bacon, and Tomato Casserole
The Details
Number of People: 10
Serving Style: Appetizers on the Table, Mains, Sides, and Desserts Buffet Style
Guest Arrival Time: 7:00 pm-ish
Menu Ideas for a Kentucky Derby Dinner Party
Appetizers
Assorted Olives and Cheeses
Entrées
Deconstructed Kentucky Hot Brown (Keto)
Side Dish
Pimento Cheese Polenta Style Chia
Dessert
Keto Bourbon Bread Pudding with Bourbon Caramel Sauce
Wine and Cocktail Pairings
- Keto Mint Julep
- Peju Province Winery Carnivale (French Columbard)
- Mumm Napa Rosé
The Recipes for a Kentucky Derby Dinner Party
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