40+ best Christmas dinner ideas and Christmas recipes! Ranging from appetizers, main courses, vegetables, sides, desserts, and more! These Christmas dinner menu ideas will impress your guests and are perfect for any holiday get-together for the perfect feast! Now, let’s get into the best Christmas dinner ideas! The below recipes range from crostini, dips, roast, beef, dessert, and MORE that you must have on your Christmas dinner table.

Crostini

Cranberry Brie Bites: This cranberry brie bites recipe is one of the most amazing and perfect holiday appetizers! Not to mention, it looks extremely festive, but it comes together SO easily. You can serve it on a cracker, or a baguette crostini. You can also go ahead and prep the compote ahead of time, so you’re worrying less about your appetizers.

Roasted Olives with Feta, Garlic & Citrus: I’m seriously loving these roasted olives with feta cheese, garlic & citrus peels. This is a dreamy and delicious easy appetizer served with crusty bread, crostini or crackers,

Burrata and Steak Crostini with Balsamic Vinegar: This burrata and steak crostini recipe is the ultimate appetizer. (I would have a whole platter for dinner as well, though). 

Mushrooms and Sage Toasts with Whipped Goat Cheese: These mushroom & sage toasts with whipped goat cheese are life-changing and giving me all the holiday vibes right now. Get IN on this.

Appetizers

Spinach Artichoke Dip: This spinach artichoke dip is the best appetizer made with cream cheese. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips.

Caviar and Potato Chips: Caviar and potato chips is hands down one of the easiest, quickest and most impressive appetizers out there.

Shrimp Cocktail with Old Bay Mayo: We turn to this shrimp cocktail with old bay mayo anytime we want to make a delicious appetizer. 

Rosemary White Bean Dip with Crispy Garlic: Welcome to this rosemary white bean dip with crispy garlic! The only white bean dip recipe you NEED! 

Muhammara Dip: It’s blended with homemade roasted red bell peppers, walnuts, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses glaze like paprika, cumin and garlic that makes this dip SO delicious.

Tuna Tartare: This recipe is a spicy tuna tartare using ahi (or toro!) topped in layers with sliced cucumbers and jalapeño.

Whipped Ricotta with Citrus Marinated Olives: This special whipped ricotta with citrus marinated olives recipe is absolutely out of bounds!

Our Favorite Dip

Roasted Garlic & Herb Yogurt Dip: You can serve this dip with crudite, or what I did is serve it with spears of endive, or you can already load them in the endive, for little “hand salad” cups. When I hosted with this recipe last, I added some goat cheese in the mix, too!

Spiced Lamb Pita Chips with Whipped Feta: These spiced lamb pita chips with whipped feta are set to be in your holiday menu! They are easy, quick to assemble and pack so much flavor. It starts out with a quick whipped feta filled with lemon + honey, homemade pita chips and a spiced lamb blend with onions and all my favorite spices.

Baked Camembert with Honey and Chili Flakes: Baked camembert with honey and chili flakes! This baked camembert recipe is so easy, and so epic! We’re taking it up a notch with honey & chili flakes.

Crispy Potatoes Topped with Salmon Roe: I am truly in love with these crispy potatoes topped with salmon roe! The easiest salmon roe recipe. It comes together with a really quick creme fraiche, piped onto crispy potatoes and topped with roe.

Toasted Ravioli with Vodka Sauce: Toasted ravioli is a cheesy, crunchy fried appetizer served with a rich, creamy vodka dipping sauce.

Salads

Sweet Potato and Kale Couscous with Spicy Basil Tahini: Now, this combo is everything! Sweet potato and kale couscous with a spicy basil tahini sauce, is just beautiful! It is nourishing, it is filled with flavor, and it comes together in no time.

Horseradish Kale Caesar Salad: Say hello to this beautiful kale caesar salad, with a homemade horseradish caesar dressing. It is crispy, creamy and made fully homemade straight down to the croutons, and dressing with yolks.

Persimmon Caprese Salad: The holidays mean this persimmon caprese salad recipe! It’s crispy, creamy and so easy to make. It looks impressive, yet it’s SO simple!

Little Gem Salad with Yogurt Ranch: All about this little gem salad with yogurt ranch! This little gem salad recipe is absolutely everything and more. 

Brussel Sprouts Caesar Salad: Change things up a bit with this Brussels sprouts caesar salad! 

Radicchio Salad with Chives and Hazelnuts: A delicious and satisfying radicchio salad with chives and hazelnuts! The crunchy radicchio paired with the nuttiness of the hazelnuts, tossed together with a beautiful and tangy Dijon vinaigrette is just magical. 

Soups

French Onion Soup: The most EPIC classic french onion soup recipe with a super deep homemade beef stock! Mixed with tons of caramelized onions, aromatics, wine and broiled with gruyere, swiss and sourdough baguette! One of my favorite soups. The homemade broth really takes it up a notch too. You NEED to make this!

Broccoli Soup with Crème Fraîche: Cozy, creamy, dreamy broccoli soup with Crème Fraîche is on my mind. This recipe is less than 10 ingredients and is SO easy to make, you will be absolutely obsessed.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup: The most decadent, sheet pan roasted butternut squash soup recipe! It starts off with one pan of veg (like onions, garlic and butternut squash) blended with broth and coconut milk, making this a completely plant-based/vegan recipe (oh and gluten-free!) and filled with flavor!

Cream of Mushroom Soup (Cream-Free!): I am absolutely obsessed with this cream of mushroom soup – that is completely cream-free, and dairy-free.

Main Dishes

Red Wine Braised Short Ribs: I have fully entered cozy mode with this red wine braised short ribs recipe! Charred to perfection short ribs topped with green onion, parsley and lemon zest. One of my favorite stews.

Garlic Herb Roasted Chicken: I am living for this simple; yet packed with juiciness and flavor, garlic herb roasted chicken. The spice blend is simple: a mix of parsley, thyme, rosemary, garlic & lemon and of course butter, all tossed and roasted to perfection.

Rosemary Peppercorn Steak with Béarnaise Sauce: This rosemary peppercorn New York strip steak with béarnaise sauce is absolutely epic! 

Stuffed Honeynut Squash with Couscous and Feta: Stuffed honeynut squash with couscous and feta! This stuffed honeynut squash recipe is truly everything. This is a wonderful side dish for the holidays, or even just a night at home for dinner as a main meal to serve with a salad.

Moroccan Inspired Rack of Lamb with Turmeric Couscous: This beautiful, and delicious Moroccan inspired rack of lamb is just so perfect, I am obsessed. It’s a marinade made with herbs + spices, tossed over the lamb, seared and finished in the oven – it is filled with so much flavor.

Date Night Lamb Ragu Rigatoni: What I love about this recipe is it’s easy to prep ahead and then comes together quickly when it’s time to eat. It begins with a prep of a braised lamb shoulder with tons of aromatics, tomatoes and cooked to perfection.

Brown Sugar and Butter Roasted Turkey Breast: This brown sugar and butter roasted turkey breast is a game-changer.

Paprika & Mustard Spatchcock Chicken: A really standout main dish is this paprika and mustard chicken, it cooks beautifully and has a nice tang from the mustard.

Side Dishes

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus: Five ingredient bacon wrapped asparagus. All you have to do is bundle your asparagus with bacon.

Lemon Haricots Verts With Crispy Shallots: These lemon haricot vert with crispy shallots are everything! French green beans tossed with shallots two ways. 

Creamy Mac and Cheese with Sage Breadcrumbs: Creamy mac and cheese with sage breadcrumbs! This easy creamy mac and cheese recipe is sure to be a hit at any gathering (or just for dinner!) Now, this is a recipe for the books!

Caramelized Onion Rolls: This caramelized onion rolls recipe is absolutely delicious, and SO easy! It comes together in no time, is cheesy and SO dreamy! This recipe is majorly inspired by french onion soup with gruyere cheese and dreamy caramelized onions cooked in wine.

Garlic Rosemary Turkey Gravy: If you’re looking for a way to mix up your gravy this season, you need to try out this recipe both available with turkey drippings and turkey gravy from stock. Make sure you pair it with our Brown Sugar and Butter Roasted Turkey Breast!

Crispy smashed potatoes, anyone?

Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Gochujang Spicy Mayo: Crispy smashed potatoes with this gochujang spicy mayo is, by far, my new favorite app, ever! A big reason why I’m obsessed with this recipe is because it uses mostly pantry staples, so I can always whip this up as a quick snack. This potato recipe is super crisp on the outside, and nice and flakey/tender on the inside.

Cheesy Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus: This cheesy prosciutto ham wrapped asparagus recipe with parmesan. It’s easy and looks impressive. Seriously all you have to do is take a bundle of asparagus, wrap with prosciutto and drizzle with oil, salt and pepper. Place in the oven at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes, adding shredded cheese to melt halfway for another 15 minutes.

Herb Parmesan Fries with Lemon Garlic Aioli: These simple herb and parmesan fries are epic! They are paired with a homemade (yes, homemade!) lemon garlic aioli that is foolproof, creamy and delicious.

Honey and Sumac Roasted Carrots with Ricotta: These sweet and savory honey sumac roasted carrots are a beautiful side dish for any occasion! Paired on top of homemade ricotta.

The best Cranberry Sauce

Homemade Orange Cranberry Sauce: Perfect for the holidays, this homemade orange cranberry sauce recipe is going to be the talk of the holiday dinner.

Serve with Paprika Roasted Baby Potatoes: These crispy paprika oven-roasted baby potatoes are the perfect side dish for dinner. Smoky, hot, and roasted to perfection, you’ll keep coming back to this classic.

The perfect mashed potatoes

Creme Fraiche Mashed Potatoes: This creme fraiche mashed potatoes recipe is absolutely the BEST mashed potatoes ever! You can substitute with any other root vegetables such as parsnips or even mashed carrots with this formula.

Dessert

Dutch Baby with Cranberry Compote: So… this dutch baby with cranberry compote is everything! This dutch baby recipe is the perfect fo a Christmas Day recipe (Also great for Thanksgiving!)! Use any leftover cranberry sauce/compote to finish a wonderful breakfast (or late after dinner dessert!) Topping with whipped cream and finished with a sprinkle of powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar) as well.

Chocolate Coffee Mousse: THIS decadent chocolate coffee mousse recipe is truly next level and the most perf treat. Semi-sweet chocolate and brewed coffee tossed w/vanilla and folded in with whipped cream. It doesn’t get ANY better than this.

Mixed Berry Cobbler: Dreamy and delicious mixed berry cobbler recipe: a la mode of course! The cobbler is made with strawberries, raspberries and blackberries all tossed with a lil’ lemon juice and zest. Then baked to perfection with a crumble streusel topping.

Cheesecake Marble Brownies: This cheesecake marble brownie recipe is just a DREAM! Homemade brownie batter topped with cheesecake, is so epic. In this recipe, there is a marble swirl; but if you wanted to do a double layer with brownie and do a full cheesecake layer, that would absolutely be delicious as well.

Want more Christmas dinner ideas and Christmas recipes?

Find all our holiday recipes in our index! Thanks for reading along to these Best Christmas Dinner Menu Ideas!

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