Planning a special Christmas get-together and don’t know where to start? We’ve gathered 40 of our favorite Christmas recipes to help you dazzle your guests with a festive menu of holiday dishes suitable for any table. Whether you’re planning a classic feast or something a little more low-key and make-ahead friendly, we’ve got you covered. Plus, delightful vegetarian and vegan dinner ideas, and cocktails to brighten any gathering.*
Classic Christmas Dinner Recipes
Sometimes going all out means going all in on the classics. Build your menu around these decadent favorites, from flavorful beef tenderloin to cheesy scalloped potatoes, and let the rave reviews roll in.
Appetizer: Mini Crab Cakes with Spicy Red Pepper Sauce
These succulent two-bite crab cakes are excellent as an appetizer with the pepper sauce served on the side. For smaller groups, we recommend frying only the amount you’ll need and freezing any remaining uncooked cakes.
The Main Event: Standing Rib Roast with Caramelized Onions
This moist and flavorful roast is perfect for any holiday meal. For the best rib roast, start with high quality — all the fresh beef in our Meat department is from cattle raised without antibiotics. From there, it’s easy to present a fantastic centerpiece for your Christmas table.
Classic Sides
The supporting cast features rich scalloped potatoes, snappy green beans with almonds, light-as-air cheddar popovers and more.
Cocktail: Cranberry Eggnog*
This sweet eggnog drink is tamed with fresh, tart cranberries. Thick and rich, add a generous splash of brandy, bourbon or rum, if you like.
Dessert: Pear and Almond Tart
Close the meal with a stunning pear and almond tart. It can be baked early and served at room temperature for oohs and aahs as you finish your feast.
Dessert: Gingerbread Bundt Cake
This rich, tender cake is decked out with festive sugared cranberries and a simple glaze. It makes an excellent centerpiece dessert paired with coffee, eggnog or mulled wine. Superfine sugar is perfect for finishing the sugared cranberries.
Easy Christmas Dinner Recipes
Looking for an easy Christmas dinner menu that’s low on effort but big on flavor? We’ve gathered up our most festive, fuss-free recipes that are sure to dazzle your holiday table.
Appetizer: Beet Hummus
This delicious hummus gets gorgeous color and earthy flavor from cooked beets. Look for precooked beets in the Produce department, or roast your own fresh beets.
Appetizer: Brie en Croûte with Cherries and Pistachios
Thanks to frozen puff pastry, this flavorful baked brie comes together in a breeze. Serve with sliced apples and crusty bread.
Main: Seared Scallops with Lemon-Butter Sauce
Scallops don’t have to be just a restaurant treat. With a few tricks (perfectly dry scallops, simple seasoning, hot oil), you can easily prepare them at home.
Simple Sides
Creamy risotto paired with festively dressed green beans, a radicchio salad and a simple but decadent butternut squash gratin.
Cocktail: Apple-Pomegranate Fizz*
This festive drink is easy to prepare for a crowd. Consider making one batch with nonalcoholic sparkling cider and the other with hard cider to satisfy everyone.
Dessert: Simple Yogurt Cake
Versatile and flavorful, yogurt cakes are an easy go-to dessert for any occasion. Serve with a scoop of vanilla or caramel ice cream.
Vegetarian Christmas Dinner Recipes
Rich, elegant and festive are just a few ways to describe this vegetarian Christmas dinner that will not disappoint. Explore these recipes that are sure to make your feast memorable.
Appetizer: Spinach-Stuffed Mushrooms
This simple and savory appetizer is a snap to assemble and will quickly become an essential vegan recipe for any gathering.
Appetizer: Creamy Sweet Potato Soup
Fragrant herbs like sage and rosemary warm up this simple yet elegant sweet potato soup. Use home-cooked or canned white beans, which lend a creamy, satisfying texture.
Main: Celebration Lentil Loaf
This festive main course is rich and tasty on its own, but you can also pair it with our Vegan Mushroom Gravy.
Vegetarian Sides
Festive vegetarian sides so good, make sure to prepare enough for seconds.
Cocktail: Cider 75*
In this clever take on a French 75 (a classic cocktail made with gin and sparkling wine), hard cider lends a kiss of apple to a fizzy mix of honey, lemon juice and dry sparkling wine.
Dessert: Cranberry Molasses Cake
Present this dessert at your holiday gathering and watch family and friends delight in its rich flavors. A deep molasses cake studded with tart fresh cranberries and topped with sweet and tangy Greek yogurt icing — it’s guaranteed to please. Make sure to ice the cake just before serving.
Vegan Christmas Dinner Recipes
Featuring vegan Christmas recipes such as a rich mushroom soup and chocolate mousse with flavors to impress everyone. Start with a pretty, easy appetizer of creamy roasted red pepper dip, then serve up the perfect vegan entrée, Swedish Milletballs, with earthy mushroom soup and a creamy mash.
Appetizer: Muhammara Spiced Red Pepper Dip
Enjoy this fiery roasted red pepper dip with colorful slices of raw radishes, carrots, cucumbers and Romanesco cauliflower.
Appetizer: Mixed Mushroom Soup
This easy soup gets wonderful flavor and texture from a mix of cooked and raw mushrooms. If you would like to use portobello mushrooms, first scrape out the dark gills under their caps as they can give the soup a muddy color.
Main: Swedish Milletballs
Create a meatless alternative to traditional Swedish meatballs with millet and vegetables for your next holiday gathering. Puréed walnuts create a rich and creamy sauce for serving.
Vegan Sides
Plant-powered sides to keep your holiday deliciously vegan.
Cocktail: Cardamom-Carrot Sparkling Cocktails*
Give your cocktail routine a wake up! Sweet carrot juice and floral cardamom pods create a refreshing spin on the mimosa. Perfect for brunch, mix a big batch of the juice and syrup ahead of time in a pitcher, then top off with sparkling wine before serving.
Dessert: Chocolate Mousse
Your guests will never suspect the secret ingredients in this delicious nondairy chocolate mousse. Easy to prepare the day before, just chill the mousse in individual ramekins, then top with toasted coconut flakes and fresh fruit before serving.
*Must be 21+. Please drink responsibly.
