41 Christmas Eve Dinner Ideas, From Cozy Comfort to Elegant Extravagance
Our Christmas Eve dinner ideas don’t veer too much from the kinds of things we’d serve on Christmas Day or New Year’s Eve: We want decadent appetizers, meaty main courses, and side dishes (often buttery and potato-y) that the whole family will love. Examples: crispy potatoes with sour cream and caviar, a juicy côte de bœuf, and cheddar cheese-y corn pudding. So if you’re looking for restraint, you’re in the wrong place.
Now gather your loved ones and assign them tasks from the prep list—you’re going to need the extra muscle—because here are our best Christmas Eve dinner recipes.
PHOTO BY ALEX LAU, FOOD STYLING BY REBECCA JURKEVICH, PROP STYLING BY KALEN KAMINSKI1/41Slow Roast Beef
What could possibly be a more iconic Christmas Eve dinner idea than juicy roast beef with a mouthwatering crust? (Also, no shade to Christmas cookies, but we bet Santa would prefer a couple slices of this tucked into Parker House rolls.)
- Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Kate Buckens2/41
Savory Cheese-Filled Croquembouche
One look at this appetizer and you know: The holiday season has arrived. Typically made with cream puffs dipped in caramel, this is a savory version of croquembouche made up of gougères filled with herbed cheese.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Tim Ferro3/41
Boquerones With Green Olives and Orange
It’s no secret that we’re fans of tinned fish. Pop the lid, reach for some other pantry staples, and you’ve got a stunner of a starter.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Spencer Richards, Prop Styling by Marina Bevilacqua4/41
Spicy Maple-Glazed Ham
If you’ve only ever had cloyingly sweet baked ham, this great make-ahead version with sriracha and balsamic vinegar will be a welcome surprise. Finish the leftovers at brunch the next day.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Judy Kim, Prop Styling by Nicole Louie5/41
Furikake-Ranch Snack Mix
Like all good snack mixes, this one is a reliable crowd-pleaser, hitting all of the sweet and salty notes. Serve it with Cosmopolitan cocktails for a early aughts throwback vibes.
- Photograph by Paola + Murray, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Sophia Pappas6/41
Napa Cabbage Wedge With Sesame Ranch
As everything old is new again, the steakhouse classic iceberg wedge salad has been trending in recent years—but we decided to innovate with a wedge of Napa cabbage instead.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Spencer Richards, Prop Styling by Marina Bevilacqua7/41
Salt Cod Brandade
Called brandade de morue in Provence, the cheesy, garlicky French mashed potato dip uses inexpensive dried salt cod. Save your money for the Champagne you serve with it.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Sean Dooley, Prop Styling by Tim Ferro8/41
Stuffed Poblanos With Beans and Greens
For the vegetarians, these poblano chiles come fully loaded with cumin- and coriander-spiced black beans, sautéed kale, red onion, and lots of pepper Jack cheese.
- Alex Lau9/41
Seared Radicchio and Roasted Beets
This veggie side is a study in magenta: beets, radicchio, pomegranate, and red wine vinegar all bring sightly different shades of it to the table.
- Photo by Ted + Chelsea Cavanaugh, Food Styling by Simon Andrews10/41
BA’s Best Risotto
With four ways to dress it up, this simple risotto recipe is worthy of a Christmas Eve dinner party—but it’s also delicious topped with nothing at all.
- Photograph by Jenny Huang, Food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Martha Bernabe11/41
Char Siu Wellington
Look up “Christmas Eve dinner centerpiece” in the dictionary, and this little-bit-British, little-bit-Cantonese pork Wellington will be pictured on the page.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Thu Buser, prop styling by JoJo Li12/41
Greens With Magical Sesame Salt
You need something green on the table. This Vietnamese-inspired side dish, made with just six ingredients, including whichever leafy greens are your favorite, is a strong contender.
- Photo by Yudi Ela, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Sophie Strangio13/41
Hallacas
Atlanta pastry chef Claudia Martinez’s family has been making what she describes as meaty Venezuelan tamales around the holidays for generations. Now you can make them, too.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Taneka Morris, prop styling by Suzie Myers14/41
Crispy Smashed Potatoes With Salmon Caviar
We said something about decadent appetizers in the intro, remember? Well, this is what we meant. If you’re a fan of caviar and store-bought potato chips for fancy dinner parties, then you’ve got to level up when it comes to Christmas Ever dinner. Enter the crispy smashed potato.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Spencer Richards, Prop Styling by Marina Bevilacqua15/41
Roast Chicken With Cognac Sauce
Roast chicken can be considered fancy when it’s Jaques Pépin’s recipe and you serve it with a creamy cognac sauce. If roast turkey is what you’re after, though, we swear by this method.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Judy Kim, Prop Styling by Beth Pakradooni16/41
The Easiest Glazed Carrots
The glaze for this veggie side dish combines fresh orange juice, honey, butter, and grated ginger, which you’ll cook with the carrots until the sauce is reduced and caramelized. TL;DR it’s exquisite.
- Photo by Chelsie Craig, styling by Judy Mancini17/41
Swordfish Steaks with Olive-Pistachio Sauce and Potatoes
If your family is Italian—or you want to pretend it is—then make a Feast of the Seven Fishes for Christmas Eve dinner and let these swordfish steaks be course number four.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Mieko Takahashi18/41
Parker House Rolls
Dinner is not a holiday dinner without an extra carb or two on the table, and these golden brown Parker House rolls are nothing short of trophy-worthy.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Dayna Seman19/41
Crystal’s Peppery Chicken and Dumplings
This version of chicken and dumplings, an Appalachian staple, is a good idea for a Christmas Eve dinner enjoyed by a crackling fire in your comfiest sweater.
- Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Kate Buckens20/41
White Pesto Pasta
Something about the mostly monochromatic white pesto—ricotta, Parmesan, walnuts, garlic, and spaghetti are a study in beige and white—make this dish feel like the quiet luxury of pasta.
- Laura Murray21/41
Homemade Caesar Dressing
If a steakhouse-style Christmas Eve dinner is your thing, then you must have a Caesar salad on the table. This classic dressing invites all of the usual suspects to the party: anchovies, garlic, egg yolk, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, vegetable oil (or swap in some olive oil, if you wish), and Parmesan.
- Photographs by Elizabeth Cecil, food styling by Danielle Pattavina22/41
Seafood Chowder
Some prefer cozy stews for their holiday meals, and this one is flexible. Don’t have half-and-half? Swap in a combination of whole milk and heavy cream. Out of sherry? Use a dry white wine or a squeeze of lemon juice.
- Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime23/41
Red Wine Spaghetti
Two bottles of red wine get cooked down to a glossy mahogany butter sauce for this pasta dish, so choose wisely: You want to use a very dry one that you enjoy drinking, such as a Chianti or Merlot, otherwise the dish will be too sweet.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Judy Kim, Prop Styling by Beth Pakradooni24/41
Almost-Classic Sweet Potato Casserole
With toasted marshmallows and crispy cornflakes on top, this vintage side dish has never looked so good. Roast the sweet potatoes first to concentrate their flavor.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Stying by Judy Kim, Prop Styling by Marina Bevilacqua25/41
Pomegranate-and-Honey-Glazed Duck With Rice
A whole roast duck is a glorious sight—and as easy as roasting a chicken. This one has a tangy-sweet lacquered skin and rice made from its drippings to serve alongside.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Nicole Louie26/41
Masala Rice
The winter holidays are not a time for simple steamed rice. Warm spices, a spritz of lime juice, and ten minutes are all you need to serve a brighter, more complex side dish.
- Alex Lau27/41
Seared Scallops With Brown Butter and Lemon Pan Sauce
One of the easiest, most impressive weeknight-friendly dinners we know: Juice lemons. Drain capers. Heat your pan. Cook the scallops. Make sauce in the same pan. Serve.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca28/41
Roasted Carrot Soup With Crispy Shallots
Break out your sheet pan, because the depth of flavor for this dinner party starter comes from roasting carrots with red bell peppers, ginger, and shallots before blending it all together.
- Photograph by Eva Kolenko. Food styling by Susie Theodorou. Set design by Kira Corbin. On set producer: Jennifer Thomas.29/41
Prime Rib Roast With Habanero Crema
This prime rib roast would be enough for Christmas Eve dinner on its own, but then we had to go and add a sour cream sauce infused with habanero chiles, horseradish, and cilantro? It’s almost too much. Almost.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Judy Kim, Prop Styling by Beth Pakradooni30/41
Cheesy Corn Pudding
Boxed cornbread mix becomes its very best self thanks to cheddar cheese, sour cream, and chives. Don’t be tempted to swap in plain cornmeal—classic Jiffy mix is the only one that can do this job.
- Photograph by Laura Murray, food styling by Sue Li31/41
Marranitos Enfiestados
You can have your cookies shaped like Christmas trees; we’ll take these Mexican pig-shaped cookies known as marranitos (or puerquitos, or chochitos, or cochis depending on what part of the country you’re in).
- Photograph by Gerard + Belevender32/41
Roasted Sweet Potatoes With Triple-Cream Cheese
We wrote a little poem for you and yours: Soft and sticky spuds for you and the buds make for a textural delight in every bite.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Catherine Campbell Pearson33/41
Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork
If low-key comfort food is more your style for Christmas Eve dinner, lean on this barbecue essential (which, in turn, leans on a slow cooker).
- Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Cyd McDowell, Prop Styling by Paige Hicks34/41
Air Fryer Crispy Brussels Sprouts With Honey Butter
These brussels sprouts are a textural masterpiece: crispy on the outside, tender inside, and drizzled with a warm and buttery turmeric-honey glaze with lemon and ginger.
- Photograph by Emma Fishman, Prop styling by Emma Ringness, Food Styling by Mieko Takahashi35/41
Spaghetti and Verrry Tender Meatballs
Fork-tender is great, but these beef and pork meatballs are spoon-tender—plus they contain grated onion and a touch of soy sauce borrowed from the Korean playbook for added umami.
- Alex Lau36/41
BA’s Best Green Bean Casserole
Those bottled crispy fried onions from French’s? They’re famous for good reason, and there’s no need to top these green beans with any other garnish.
- Photograph by Guang Xu37/41
Baked Brie Bites With Jezebel Sauce
You’ll want to bookmark this orange and mustard sauce and return to it next November. It makes for a great cranberry sauce alternative on the Thanksgiving table.
- Photograph by Jessica Pettway, Food Styling by Judy Kim, Prop Styling by Stephanie Yeh38/41
Pork Tenderloin With Agrodolce Cherries
Pork tenderloin is quick-cooking, but it needs help in the flavor department. This version gets its sweetness and sourness from cherries, but you can also use whole red grapes, which are more accessible this time of year.
- Photo by Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski39/41
Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
These creamy, glossy mashed potatoes can be made up to two days before the big night without losing their velvety texture. Just reheat them gently and add a little more dairy to bring them back to life.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Emilie Fosnocht40/41
Cottage Cheese Lasagna
Love cottage cheese? You’ll love this lasagna. Hate cottage cheese? You’ll still love this lasagna, which comes with a dose each of Fontina and Parmesan.
- Photograph by Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott, Food Styling by Alison Roman, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski41/41
Low-and-Slow Rib Roast
We begin with a meaty main dish and we end with a meaty main dish. When it comes to Christmas Eve dinner ideas, a rib roast simply cannot fail.
