byBrenda Scoreon
December 12, 2022 (updated March 21, 2023)
Planning your Christmas dinner menu? Find delicious inspiration with these 24 Christmas Dinner Ideas, including appetizers, main courses, sides, desserts, and fun Christmas cocktails!
The Best Christmas Dinner Recipes
If you’re like me, you are always looking for something new, yet tried-and-true, to serve for the holidays. Here are 24 Christmas Dinner Ideas to get your menu off on the right track!
So we’re hosting Christmas this year, which is a first for us. We usually travel to family, but this year they’re coming to us…we’ll have 16 people in the house for nearly a week!
I’m sure by now you know that I like to mix things up when it comes to food. While I’m a huge fan of tradition, I also believe in adding fresh twists (like my green bean casserole, made completely from scratch!).
Another example, this year Blake is grilling steaks for Christmas dinner (we’re praying for no extreme winter weather here in MN, ha!)…no ham, turkey, roast beef, or lamb. He’s been working on this (super delicious!!) recipe for a couple months, and tested it out at our Friendsgiving dinner. We plan to share this recipe with you in 2023!
When you find yourself with a fridge full of leftovers on the 26th, know that you’re not alone!
While every dish will have slightly different storage and reheating instructions, in general, you want to make sure all leftovers are enjoyed within 4 days.
Planning your Christmas dinner menu? Find delicious inspiration with these 24 Christmas Dinner Ideas, including appetizers, main courses, sides, desserts, and fun Christmas cocktails!
These Candied Pecans are ridiculously crunchy, a sweet and salty treat with just a hint of heat. Eat them as a snack or appetizer, or toss them with salads. They also make a great edible gift! (If you like nuts, also check out my Rosemary & Thyme Spiced Nuts!)
Oyster Stew is a Christmas Eve tradition from my mom's side of the family, and I'm grateful that this recipe is so easy. I can't wait to enjoy a bowl soon, along with her famous shrimp dip!
A tender loin roast coated in a mustard sauce with sweet curry, honey, and fresh herbs, this Mustard Pork Loin Roast is incredibly flavorful. It's easy to make and so beautiful it definitely deserves a spot on the holiday table!
I love how cooking the main entree on the grill opens up more oven space for side dishes! And you'll love this easy Grilled Turkey Tenderloin! It's moist and perfectly flavored with sweet honey and tangy mustard.
My mom often makes meatballs & gravy for Christmas Eve. Here's my easy Swedish Meatballs recipe, with perfectly tender meatballs in a rich and creamy gravy. It's a homemade version of IKEA Swedish meatballs that's perfect with potatoes or noodles. And don't forget the traditional lingonberry preserves on the side – or a fresh cranberry sauce would also be delicious!
These aren't your average pork chops! Filled with a delicious pecan and andouille stuffing, these Stuffed Pork Chops will definitely impress your guests!
If Christmas is about comfort and relaxing with the family, then you can't go wrong serving up a Classic Lasagna! It may not be your typical Christmas entree but it's cozy, comforting, and loved by all. And if not for Christmas, why not the day after?! Serve it with a fresh Italian Chopped Salad and Cheesy Garlic Bread, SO GOOD! (People also adore my Lasagna Soup recipe – check that out, too!)
If you're looking for a fresh, light side salad, you can't go wrong with this crunchy Cranberry Coleslaw! It features cranberries and sunflower kernels, plus a lightly creamy dressing that has just the right amount of tang. Super easy to prepare too! (Also check out my classic Creamy Coleslaw and Sweet Onion & Vinegar Coleslaw.)
Featuring ingredients like wild rice, pomegranate seeds, bacon, apples, grapes, and blue cheese, this Holiday Wild Rice Salad will absolutely POP on your holiday table. With a tangy maple Dijon dressing, this salad will steal the show!
This Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole is always a hit, no matter the occasion – Christmas included! It's easy, it's cheesy, and is 100% kid AND adult approved!
Forget your basic scalloped corn side this. This Skillet Scalloped Corn is made with a Swiss cheese sauce and buttery crumb topping. Plus, it requires just 10 minutes of prep. (Also check out this Easy Corn Bake!)
Quick and easy, these Honey Garlic Carrots are richly flavored with honey, butter, and garlic. It's a veggie side dish that no one can refuse. My family LOVES these carrots, plus this Cinnamon Honey Carrots recipe!
It's hardly a holiday dinner without mashed potatoes…right?! Quick and easy, these Creamy Mashed Potatoes are everything mashed potatoes should be. Buttery & creamy-fluffy, they're perfection! (Also check out my easy Baked Potato recipe, with salty, crispy skin and tender, fluffy insides.)
My aunt has made this Cranberry Christmas Cake a tradition in our family – and I'm not mad about it! The combination of tart cranberries and sweet butter cream is absolutely irresistible!
This Homemade Peanut Butter Fudge is the perfect bite-sized dessert. Sweet and creamy, it's easy to make with just 7 ingredients. If you like fudge, also check this Buckeye Fudge with chocolate and peanut butter, plus this Rocky Road Fudge!
Send your dinner guests home with a few pieces of this Peppermint Bark and you'll forever be the favorite hostess. It's made with just 3 ingredients and offers the perfect combination of peppermint and white chocolate flavors.
The holidays were made for Homemade Eggnog. Serve without alcohol, for everyone to enjoy, or add your favorite rum and/or brandy for an easy adults-only version!
A classic cocktail with a holiday twist, this Cranberry Gin & Tonic is made with seasonal citrus, cranberry, and fresh thyme. It's light and tart – the perfect drink to start off the holiday festivities! (Also check out this gorgeous Pomegranate Gin & Tonic!)
More than just spiked eggnog, this Eggnog Cocktail is made with Amaretto, brandy, and vanilla ice cream. It's rich, creamy, and ultra cold and refreshing, the perfect way to finish a holiday meal!
Take your hot buttered rum to the next level with this Hot Buttered Rum Coffee. Warm and smooth, it's the perfect drink for relaxing after a holiday meal or enjoying with brunch! (Other lovely warm holiday drinks are this Vanilla Almond Steamer and a Hot Toddy – both can be enjoyed with or without alcohol.)
Oh my! Everything looks so good. So excited to be with all the family at your home this Christmas.
And to savor all the delicious food that we will be sharing .
Oh my! Everything looks so good. So excited to be with all the family at your home this Christmas.
And to savor all the delicious food that we will be sharing .