If you are looking for a traditional Christmas dinner, vegetarian Christmas recipes, delicious holiday recipes for kids, or recipe ideas to spend a cozy Christmas eve with quick and easy dishes that are total crowd-pleasers, you are at the right place, I have covered you all. This is my collection of the very best Christmas food ideas and dinner menus. I have included appetizers, side dishes, starters, holiday bread, dinner casseroles, main dishes, and festive desserts.
You can also browse my bigger list of Christmas food ideas from around the world on my blog.
Easy Christmas Appetizers, Sides, and Starters
Appetizers, starters, and side dishes play a very important role at your holiday dinner table. We always start the dinner party with appetizers. If you are deciding on your Christmas menu and are looking for recipes to kick off your dinner party and set the mood up, you are at the perfect place.
I have a Christmas-themed platter, creamy salad, interesting potato recipes, salads, bite-sized treats, and more. Most of my recipes are vegetarian here, but I also have simple appetizer recipes for meat eaters too.
Let us know your favorite from our list.
- Christmas tree vegetable platter with homemade vegan mayonnaise
- Creamed peas in a bread bowl
- Crispy garlic roasted potatoes
- Simple apple salad
- Holiday Hasselback potatoes
- Lemon garlic-butter green beans
- Nashville hot chicken
- Butter garlic shrimp
- Holiday potato salad
- Cajun potatoes
- Veg puff bites
- Onion rings
- Roasted sweet potatoes
- Chicken tikka (kebab)
- Cranberry chicken
- Puff samosa
- Mushroom potato pie
- Mushroom in garlic cream sauce
This is not the end. I have more recipes that you can make for your Christmas dinner, and you can check that out here.
Christmas Tree Vegetable Platter with Vegan Mayonnaise
Christmas Tree Vegetable Platter with Vegan Mayonnaise will be a star recipe at your dinner table this Christmas Holiday season.Making a Christmas tree vegetable platter is easy and fun. My kids love broccoli, carrots, and tomatoes with mayonnaise, and thus I decided to make a healthy edible tree for them.
Creamed Peas in Bread Bowl
Creamed Peas in Bread Bowl is a rich and creamy, easy and delicious recipe for any meal. Green peas are simmered in the buttery cream sauce using simple ingredients. And for classic presentation and for making it a hearty meal, it's served in a homemade bread bowl.
Crispy Roasted Potatoes
Garlic roasted potatoes are crisp on the outside, fluffy and creamy on the inside, super easy to prepare, making it a perfect side dish for any meal.I had some fresh dill leaves. Feel free to add any fresh herbs (cilantro, parsley, oregano, rosemary or thyme) or dried herbs and seasoning of your choice.You will find instructions to make the crispiest roasted potatoes in 4 ways – oven, air fryer, pan roast, instant pot. Choose any way you like. I personally love oven-roasted potatoes and I feel the best crispy roasted potatoes are obtained when cooked in an oven.
Simple Apple Salad
The Apple Salad recipe shared below is simple yet so delicious and a total crowd pleaser where apples and cheese are cut into the shape of fries or matchsticks and then tossed in oil. My kids love this salad! The apple salad has a unique sweet and savory combination with crunchiness from apples that make people go for second and third servings.
Best Hasselback Potatoes
Hasselback Potatoes are one of the easiest potato side dishes you can prepare for your loved ones during Thanksgiving or Christmas. The end result is garlicky baby potatoes or new potatoes with crispy edges like french fries and a creamy mashed potato-like texture in the middle. I bet anyone can't stop after eating one. Hasselback potatoes are by far one of the best side dishes to serve with your Thanksgiving turkey, Easter ham or pork, barbeques, casseroles, salads, etc. I can go on.
Butter Garlic Green Beans
Easy butter garlic sautéed green beans recipe is so simple to make yet tastes amazingly delicious that you can make it frequently as your dinner side.What is Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner without atleast one recipe with green beans?
Hot Chicken - Nashville Style
Chicken Hot Wings or Nashville Hot Chicken is irresistibly delicious and super addictive, crispy fried chicken where the chicken is marinated in buttermilk along with spicy mix, fried, and then the crunchy chicken wings are tossed in hot sauce. Are you a fan of spicy food? Then save this recipe and add it to your new favorite list. Serve it along with a creamy dip and a pitcher of beer for upcoming Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner or during SuperBowl or game nights.
Butter Garlic Shrimp Recipe
Garlic Butter Shrimp or Prawns Butter Garlic is a super easy to make dish for any meal with amazing flavor combination of garlic, butter and hint of lime (lemon). This recipe is ready in less than 30 minutes. Shrimp with garlic butter can be served as an appetizer, side dish, or even use it as a sauce to toss it with pasta. In short, this can be served over anything and everything. A crowd-pleaser lunch or dinner recipe.
Best Potato Salad for Holidays
This is one of the creamy & best potato salad recipes that is addictive and delicious and will be a super hit side dish at your Christmas holiday dinner table.
Cajun Potatoes
Cajun potatoes are one of the best recipes you will add as a side dish or appetizer for your Diwali Party, Thanksgiving, or Christmas dinner menu.Cajun Potatoes are crispy on the outside, creamy, and melt in the mouth on the inside. These are finger licking and lip smacking good, and I bet you can’t stop by just eating one.
Veg Puff Bites
Mini Veg Puff or Veg Puff Bites are crispy and flaky on the outside with flavorful vegetarian filling on the inside. A perfect snack or finger food for upcoming parties or game night!
Onion Rings
This recipe will give you the best homemade crispy onion rings ever!! The recipe below ensures that your onion rings are perfectly crispy every single time and never turns soggy.
Holiday Sweet Potatoes
Roasted Sweet Potatoes are super simple to make yet such a delicious and addictive side dish that is crispy on the outside, soft and delicate on the inside.
Grilled Chicken Tikka
Chicken Tikka is a delicious and flavorful, easy to make Indian dish, where the chicken is first marinated in aromatic spice mixture and then grilled on skewers to perfection. I bet this will be one of the best chicken recipes you will try. This tikka can be prepared on oven, grill or on stovetop.
Holiday Cranberry Chicken
Cranberry Chicken is a super delicious and easy to make side dish or appetizer recipe with perfect combination of sourness and spiciness that will be a showstopper at your dinner table this Thanksgiving or Christmas. I just love how simple it is to put everything together.
Easy Puff Pastry Samosa
Puff Pastry Samosa is easy to make a delicious appetizer with a crispy and golden flaky texture on the outside and a savory filling on the inside.These puff samosas are the perfect finger food for your holiday gatherings (Christmas or thanksgiving), your next weekend party, picnics, potlucks, or any game night (Superbowl, football).
Flaky Mushroom Potato Pie
Flaky potato mushroom pie or crispy samosa pastries are delicious, melt-in-mouth, easy-to-make pastry recipes prepared using few basic ingredients from your kitchen. These can be served as an evening snack or appetizer for your lunch or dinner.
Mushroom in Garlic Cream Sauce
Mushroom In Garlic Cream Sauce is a easy to make, creamy, flavorful and extra delicious recipe ready in less than 25 minutes. This dish can be served as appetizer or side dish for lunch or dinner with toasted bread, seafood, chicken or steak, or toss it with your favorite pasta.
Christmas Casseroles
This section is about some of the best casserole recipes you can make for your Christmas lunch or dinner. Also, these casseroles are savory and make the best side with your main dish or roasted meat.
Some of my favorite holiday dinner casseroles include:
- Green bean casserole from scratch
- Cheesy eggplant casserole
- Savory sweet potato casserole
- Cheesy loaded cauliflower casserole
- Corn cheese casserole
- Hashbrown potato casserole
- Potato au gratin with goat cheese
Best Green Bean Casserole From Scratch
Green Bean Casserole is mandatory at Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner tables in many homes and is always a crowd favorite. This is one of the best and easy side dishes you will ever make. The tender green beans tossed in creamy and cheesy sauce, topped with crispy fried onions, making every bite irresistibly delicious, and you cannot stop but go for a second serving.
Vegetarian Eggplant Casseroles
This cheesy and low-carb easy eggplant casserole recipe is one of the best flavorful dishes you can serve as a main or a side.If you are looking for a meatless vegetarian entree to make this Thanksgiving, Christmas, Super Bowl, or football party, or for your meatless Monday, then you are at the right place. Add this easy, no-fail recipe to your menu. Even meat lovers are going to enjoy this one.
Savory Sweet Potato Casserole
Sweet Potato Casserole is a savory, creamy, garlicky side dish topped with crunchy toasted honey-glazed walnut & almonds topping.
Cheesy Loaded Cauliflower casserole Bake
Cheesy Loaded Cauliflower Casserole Bake is a classic and rich side dish where tender cauliflower is tossed in a cheesy and creamy sauce loaded with mushrooms. People are going to come for second servings and maybe even more. A total rockstar at your dinner table.Yes, this is a vegetarian casserole that I am baking this year for Thanksgiving and Friendsgiving. This side dish works great for Christmas too 🙂 But feel free to add crispy bacon bits if desired.
Corn Cheese casserole (creamed corn)
Baked corn cheese casserole or cheesy creamed corn is one of the best, easy, and most delicious side dishes you will make this holiday season.Are you looking for a side dish to serve with chicken, turkey, or pork this Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas eve? Then, I would highly recommend you try this recipe.
Cheesy Hashbrown Potato Casserole
Cheesy Potato Casserole is a crowd-pleaser, super simple potato recipe that you can prepare this Thanksgiving or Christmas. It is creamy and cheesy with a crispy topping. In short, this recipe is comfort food at its best. The best and classic casserole recipe you will prepare for lunch or dinner.
Cauliflower Potato Gratin with Goat Cheese
Cauliflower Potato Gratin With Goat Cheese is perfectly cheesy and creamy, unbelievably easy side dish or appetizer that is baked until bubbly and golden brown. You can serve this to your guests this Thanksgiving or Christmas holiday dinner and I can assure you that it will be a total crowd pleaser!!
Christmas Bread
Holidays are all about baking bread with your dear ones. Bake one of our delicious bread this festive season. I have shared only savory bread recipes here that go well with your Christmas dinner platter. If you are looking for cake, cinnamon rolls, and sticky buns, etc., then check out the list here.
- Christmas Tree pull-apart bread
- Holiday cranberry pull-apart bread
- Dinner rolls or yeast rolls
- Buttermilk biscuits
- Vienna bread
- Parker house rolls
- Brioche bread and buns
- Zopf
- Rosemary garlic focaccia
- Panettone.
Christmas Tree Pull Apart Bread
Christmas Tree Pull-Apart Bread is easy to make, beautiful, and a delicious recipe that will be a total crowd-pleaser at your holiday dinner table.
Holiday Cranberry Pull Apart Bread
Savory Cranberry Pull Apart Bread is a delectable side dish or appetizer filled with cranberries and cheese that you can prepare any time of the week. There is no way one bite would be enough. This can be served as a side with your favorite lunch or dinner entree.In short, a perfect addition to football, Thanksgiving, Christmas parties, gathering or meal. This pull aprt bread is going to be a smashing success.
Homemade Dinner Rolls
These dinner rolls are soft and light, fluffy and buttery, hard to resist. The classic and best rolls you will try this holiday season. These are not only easy to make, you will just need 6 basic ingredients to prepare this rolls.
Buttermilk Biscuits
Make the best and easy homemade buttermilk biscuits from scratch this Thanksgiving and Christmas to suck up all those gravy and drippings left on your plate from turkey or any meat.
Vienna Bread
Vienna Bread or Pain Viennois is an absolutely delicious Austrian bread that one must definitely not miss to try.
Traditional Christmas Bread
Parker House Rolls, Boston Based rolls are soft, irresistable and delicious, buttery and classic dinner rolls that are slighlty sweet and have a crispy exterior.These rolls are super easy to make and gets over in no time. One of the best rolls or buns recipe that can be served as a side dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas or any get together, parties
Holiday Brioche Bread and Buns
Brioche Bread is a rich and classic, soft and buttery bread with a light crumb of the French origin that is delicious to eat and easy to make.This bread tastes good on its own but can also be used to make sandwiches, burgers, French toast, pudding, etc.
Zopf Bread
Zopf (Züpfe) is super easy to make, delicious and beautiful braided Swiss, Austrian or Bavarian bread made using 7 basic ingredients from your kitchen. Zopf in German means braid or plait. One of the best attractive bread recipes to try and impress if you are a beginner.Zopf, also known as Butterzopf, Tresse, or Treccia, is popular in Switzerland and is served traditionally for breakfast Sunday mornings.
Rosemary Garlic Focaccia
Rosemary Garlic Focaccia is a vegan, easy-to-make, flavorful, soft and fluffy flat oven-baked Italian bread recipe topped with fresh rosemary, garlic, and olive oil.Focaccia bread can be served with a bowl of soup, salad, pasta, or can also be used as sandwich bread, side for any meal, or base for your pizza. It also tastes great with pesto and mashed potatoes.
Traditional Italian Holiday Bread
Panettone Cake is an Italian sweet bread dessert that is light and fluffy, packed with candied fruits, and full of festive flavors. One of the best and unique, fun dessert recipe to try for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Christmas Main Dishes
Christmas main dish or entree should be the star showstopper at your dinner table. My main dishes are not only simple but so delicious that it will be a super hit.
- Whole roasted cauliflower with garlic cream sauce
- Crispy roasted spatchcock chicken with vegetables
- Shrimp scampi pasta
- Black bean burgers
- Orange chicken with rice
- Butternut squash pasta (vegan)
- Fettuccine alfredo pasta
- Mac and cheese for kids
Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic Cream Sauce
With cheese topping, this easy and simple whole roasted cauliflower head served with garlic cream sauce is a showstopper at any dinner table.Roasted Cauliflower is one of the best meat substitutes for Thanksgiving turkey and Christmas or Holiday roast, or even as a finger food at a Super Bowl football party to serve your vegetarian and vegan family or friends.
Crispy Roasted Spatchcock Chicken
Make the best roasted chicken this Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. Roasting a spatchcock chicken will give you juicy, moist, and tender chicken meat with super crispy skin.If you are looking for a turkey alternative this Thanksgiving, then you are at the right place. Even if you are a beginner cook or a bachelor, you can easily make this recipe, and you will not fail to impress your guests at the Holiday dinner.
Classic Shrimp Scampi Pasta
This garlicky, creamy and buttery, rich and classic shrimp scampi pasta will be a super hit at your dinner table this holiday season. This is a perfect dish for all seafood and pasta lovers.
Best Black Bean Burger
This Black Bean Burger is thick, healthy and hearty, quick and easy to make fool proof vegetarian recipe. Try this simple burger recipe at home and I bet you will never go back to the frozen section to buy those burger patties again. You will also be so proud of yourself for creating the best meatless burger ever.
Orange Chicken and Rice
Orange Chicken is the best and easy chicken side dish or appetizer for any dinner party. Crispy fried chicken thighs are tossed in flavorful and finger-licking homemade orange sauce.
Creamy Vegan Butternut Squash Pasta
Vegan Butternut Squash Pasta is a creamy, healthy, delicious and flavorful pasta recipe where the pasta is tossed in freshly made roasted butternut squash sauce. One of my favorite fall and winter pasta recipe! I have also added mushrooms and spinach for additional flavor.
Homemade Fettuccine Alfredo
Fettuccine Alfredo or Fettuccine Al Burro is one of the classic & rich Italian pasta recipes that is creamy, buttery, and cheesy where fettuccine pasta is tossed in the best and easy homemade Alfredo sauce. You can also toss other pasta such as spaghetti, linguine, fusilli, tagliatelle, Bucatini (perciatelli), Trennette, etc., in Alfredo sauce.
Best Mac and Cheese recipe
Mac and Cheese (Macaroni and Cheese) is a classic, rich and creamy cheesy deliciousness topped with crunchy topping that will satisfy all your taste buds and cheese cravings. The best Mac and Cheese you will ever make.
Christmas Desserts
No matter how good your dinner was and how full you are, there is always room for desserts. I have already shared 50+ easy Christmas desserts, but if you are looking for traditional classic holiday desserts, then pick one from below.
- Eggless Christmas fruit and nut cake
- Classic holiday rum cake
- No-bake holiday fudge with peanut butter
- White chocolate fudge - festive themed
- Pavlova cake dessert
- Persimmon apple pudding or American Christmas pudding
- Festive-themed strawberries and cream
- Cashew meringue cookies
- Raspberry white chocolate chip cookies
- Galette with berries and ice cream
Eggless Christmas Fruit and Nut Cake
Eggless Christmas Fruit Cake is a special treat for all those who asked me for a no-egg no-alcohol version of traditional Christmas cake.
Traditional Christmas Rum Cake
This easy Christmas cake is the best traditional fruit cake that is moist and highly flavorful. You can’t stop eating after you have tried one slice.
Easy No Bake Holiday Peanut Butter Fudge
Best, quick and easy, creamy and smooth peanut butter fudge recipe using just 3 or 4 ingredients from your kitchen. One of the best desserts to make this holiday season for a small family or large gathering of guests.
Best White Chocolate Fudge | Easy Holiday White Chocolate Cranberry Fudge
White chocolate fudge is one of the best no-bake fudge recipes; easy and simple to make with just three ingredients from your kitchen. To make it a festive holiday-themed fudge, I have added dried mixed berries (cranberries, strawberries, blueberries). You can use any combination of berries you like or even replace them with your favorite roasted nuts.
Traditional Pavlova Cake Dessert
Pavlova is a meringue-based 5 ingredient cake dessert which is soft and light on the inside like a marshmallow, crunchy crisp around the edges, and chewy on the top. This is then topped with fresh whipped cream and fresh fruits in season making it a total gluten free dessert.
Apple Persimmon Pudding or Christmas Pudding
Persimmon Apple Pudding is a rich cake-like, dense, and slightly gooey traditional American dessert served with saffron flavored butter sauce.
White and red Strawberries and Cream
Holiday themed red and white dessert made with strawberries and cream. You can also serve it in shot glasses.
Cashew Macaroons or Meringue Cookies
Cashew Macaron Cookies, popularly known as Mangalorean cashew macaroons are rich, classic, irresistibly delicious treats that are light and crispy on the outside, airy on the inside, and loaded with cashew nuts.
Raspberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies
Raspberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies are one of the best, chewy and decadent cookies you will ever try. Do surprise your loved ones with these cookies this holiday season.
Galette with Ice Cream
Blueberry Galette or Blueberry Crostata is a simple and easy to make, yet so impressive fancy dessert where the sweet and fresh blueberries are encased in perfectly crispy, flaky, and buttery homemade pie crust. The best summer dessert recipe!
I am not ending this list here. Stay tuned if you are interested to know what my next holiday recipe is. Until the end of December, I am going to post some of the best and easy to make holiday recipes on my blog.
My Christmas dinner tips
Plan your menu: plan your menu in advance. Ask for help. But if you are making everything alone, then keep your menu simple. In this way, you can make your grocery list and pick everything at once. Organize your fridge.
Make ahead as much as possible: Preparing some dishes in advance will avoid the stress on the day you are going to entertain your guests. Appetizers, salads, and main dishes taste best when served fresh, but you can prep all the ingredients needed to make it. Dinner casseroles and holiday desserts can be made in advance. I have given make-ahead instructions in each recipe.
Set the table: If you have purchased any fancy holiday-themed plates, dinnerware, wine glasses, or anything special to use on the big day, set the table the night before. This way at least you have one less task to worry about.
I want to take this chance to thank you all for your continuous support. I wish you all Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy new year.
Recipe card
Easy Christmas Recipes | Holiday Dinner Menu Ideas
If you are looking for a traditional Christmas dinner, vegetarian Christmas recipes, delicious holiday recipes for kids, or recipes ideas to spend a cozy Christmas eve with quick and easy dishes that are total crowd-pleasers, you are at the right place, I have covered you all. This is my my collection of the very best Christmas food ideas and dinner menus. I have included appetizers, side dishes, starters, holiday breads, dinner casseroles, main dishes, and festive desserts.You can also browse my bigger list of Christmas food ideas from around the world on my blog
Equipment
- 1 Bowl
Ingredients
Sharing one special holiday potato sald recipe for dinner.
- 3 Potatoes, medium sized, boiled and diced
- 1 Onion, chopped
- 1 Cucumber, chopped
- 2 tablespoon Fresh herb of your choice
- 2 teaspoon Lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon Sour cream
- ½ cup Mayonnaise
- Salt and pepper powder to taste
Instructions
- Boil the potatoes with skin, peel, and then dice them. Boil any way you prefer. Just make sure they are cooked just until tender and not mushy.3 Potatoes, medium sized, boiled and diced
- In a bowl, add diced potatoes, cucumber, onion, cilantro, lemon juice, sour cream, mayonnaise (I have used homemade vegan mayo), pepper powder, salt to taste. Mix well.1 Onion, chopped, 1 Cucumber, chopped, 2 tablespoon Fresh herb of your choice, 2 teaspoon Lemon juice, 2 tablespoon Sour cream, ½ cup Mayonnaise, Salt and pepper powder to taste
- Cover and keep it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving so that the flavors are well combined. check the video on the making of potato salad here.
Notes
Make it ahead of time and keep it for at least 4 to 6 hours in the refrigerator for a flavorful salad. This salad stays good for 2-3 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 173kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 2gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 96mgPotassium: 421mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 141IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 24mgIron: 1mg
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Andrea
Oh my goodness, what a list! There are so many great recipes in this list. Will have to make some of these throughout the year.
Sage Scott
I'm reading this article at JUST the right time. This weekend I have to finalize a week's worth of meals for 12 guests for the holidays. The orange chicken and rice definitely caught my eye and will be served one night between Christmas and New Year's!
Shelby
Love all the ideas here and that cranberry pull apart bread looks so yummy!