For many, gathering loved ones for Christmas dinner is one of life’s purest pleasures and most cherished traditions — a magical event you might very well spend the other 364 days of the year dreaming about.
Of course, when you’re gathering your Christmas dinner ideas, you won’t likely be thinking about restraint. Rather, it’s about celebrating the most wonderful time of the year amid abundance and indulgence. Think copious appetizers, savory main courses, varied and exciting side dishes, and desserts they’ll enthusiastically devour… even if they didn’t save room for it.
If you’re the host, planning the meal can be a lot of work as well as a lot of fun. But you can make the process easier, more joyful, and less stressful with a few strategic moves: Select at least some dishes among those on your menu that are simple and easy to make, can be prepared partially ahead of time, and require accessible and affordable ingredients.
The Christmas dinner ideas on our list include a range of recipes that will satisfy everyone at the table, from the pickiest eater to the most sophisticated palate. Many of these Christmas dinner recipe ideas are easy and fast — and all are utterly crowd-pleasing — so you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time indulging in your dishes with the people you love most.
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1
Tangy Cranberry Meatballs
You can serve these as an appetizer or as part of your meal — either way, they're sure to be a hit.
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2
Tortilla Wreath with Brie
As beautiful as it is tasty, this tortilla wreath doubles as a centerpiece and an appetizer.
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3
Deviled Eggs
These easy-to-make apps burst with flavor from smoked paprika, bacon, and fresh green herbs.
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4
Roast Pork Loin with Herb Stuffing
An aromatic brine of juniper, cardamom, and bay imbues this lean cut with juicy flavor. The breadcrumb filling adds heartiness and texture to every bite.
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5
Feta and Spinach Tartlets
These savory tartlets are inspired by flavors of the Mediterranean. Reminiscent of Greek spanakopita, they combine spinach, feta cheese, and fresh dill in a crunchy phyllo dough shell.
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6
Roasted Tomato and Garlic Tart
Made from layers of rolled and folded dough, these puff pastries are buttery and flaky. Try cutting this tasty tarte into smaller bites to create a party-ready appetizer.
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7
Apricot-Glazed Smoked Ham
Move over, turkey: This smoky ham recipe glazed in sweet, fruity apricot will have even the kids craving seconds.
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8
Lemon-Maple Roasted Carrots
Even the pickiest of eaters won't be able to resist these lemon-maple roasted carrots — they're simply too delicious to pass up.
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9
Dry-Brined Lemon-Rosemary Roasted Turkey
Turkey is a great alternative to the traditional Christmas ham. This dry-brined version is packed with flavor and has that satisfyingly crispy skin.
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10
Mini Hasselback Potatoes with Chive Butter
Chive butter is the perfect topping for these tasty little potatoes. They're so good you'll want to recreate this recipe all year long.
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11
Parmesan Pastry Pipes
Here’s a quick and easy appetizer guests will love. Whip up these next-level breadsticks, stuffed with a yummy sour cream and cheese filling.
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12
Horseradish-Crusted Beef with Roasted Potatoes and Shallots
Roast beef gets a tasty upgrade with this recipe. The trick to a perfect dish is making sure the jarred horseradish is squeezed as much as possible — it has more liquid than you think.
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13
Garlic and Herb Roasted Turkey
Who says you can only have turkey at Thanksgiving? Wow your guests with this exquisite turkey recipe with garlic, olive oil, and fresh thyme.
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14
Green Beans with Orange and Almond Gremolata
Green beans add a fresh, crisp element to any holiday dinner. Flavored with rosemary, garlic, and orange zest, these beans pack a serious flavor punch.
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15
Pork Loin With Cherry-Orange Compote
Spend less time in the kitchen and more time with your guests on the holiday: For this recipe, cut and wrap onion for the compote and prepare orange sections up to two days ahead. Refrigerate completely covered.
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16
Glazed Sweet Potatoes
Up your sweet potato game this year by making them with this drool-worthy spiced syrup.
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17
Orange-Rosemary Roast Goose
This roast goose makes a wow-worthy, tastes-as-good-as-it-looks Christmas dinner centerpiece.
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18
Sausage Rolls with Worcestershire Sauce
Start you dinner off right with some tasty sausage roll appetizers. These savory bites will be gobbled up in a flash.
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19
Fennel and Garlic Roast Pork Loin
There's nothing typical about this roast: Pears, fennel, and a touch of coriander combine for a taste that's succulent and earthy, with just a hint of citrus.
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20
Roasted Maple Pears with Cranberries and Thyme
The sweetness from the pears and the herby flavor from the thyme come together for a extremely tasty side dish.
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