46 New Year’s Eve Dinner Ideas for Ringing in 2024
The hunt for New Year’s Eve dinner ideas feels weighty: It is, after all, your last meal of the year. But the final gathering of 2023 should be fun, and the best NYE dinner recipes manage to be both cozy and glitzy, soul-warming and low-stress to pull off. Below you’ll find our recommendations for the main course of your New Year’s Eve feast, including juicy roasts, luxurious pastas, and fancy-feeling soups that will dazzle your crowd. Pour some bubbles or Champagne cocktails, turn on your year-end playlist, and invite everyone over to stuff themselves silly. Scroll down to start planning your New Year’s Eve dinner now.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Drew Aichele1/46Roast Bone-In Pork Loin With Potatoes
One thing we always think about when considering New Year’s Eve dinner ideas is how well a meal scales. A big pork roast is just as easy to cook as a small one, and this recipe is an excellent way to feed a big group with minimal effort. Use the prep time you saved to whip up a few NYE appetizers.
- Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Tiffany Schleigh3/46
Duck à l’Orange
Feeling retro vibes this New Year’s? You can’t do better than this duck recipe, a 2006 adaptation of a recipe from a 1943 issue of Gourmet.
- Photo by Isa Zapata, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boystova4/46
Cheese Fondue
While we’re talking midcentury nostalgia, why not invite your guests to dip everything in a velvety mix of wine and cheese?
- Photo by Andrew Purcell, Prop Styling by Paige Hicks, Food Styling by Carrie Purcell5/46
Leg of Lamb With Garlic and Rosemary
You’ll roast this leg of lamb until rosy inside, then let it rest for a bit while you prep a winter salad and warm up your twice-baked potatoes.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton6/46
Brioche-Crusted Salmon
Hosting a small dinner this year? That’s the perfect opportunity to show off this trick for restaurant-worthy crispy-crusted salmon.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich7/46
Shrimp Cocktail
Many folks we know opt for a finger foods dinner for New Year’s Eve. With this classic shrimp cocktail—and a trio of dipping sauces—a walk-around meal will be plenty hearty. (Not that we’d discourage you from also making baked Brie.) These shrimp are cooked in well-seasoned poaching liquid and quickly cooked, so they’re much more flavorful and never rubbery like store-bought shrimp cocktail can be.
- Photo by Christopher Testani8/46
Crown Roast of Pork With Lady Apples and Shallots
If a showstopping crown roast is your holiday tradition, this is the recipe to start with.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton9/46
Spiced Yogurt-Marinated Cornish Hens With Sweet Onion-Roasted Potatoes
You could absolutely roast a turkey or another big bird for NYE, but perhaps a smaller feast is in order this year. It’s fun to give everyone their own tender Cornish game hen. Looking for more festive small-group dinner recipes? We have a whole collection here.
- Johnny Miller10/46
Fried Chicken
There is simply no dish that’s better with Champagne than fried chicken. Which just might mean that there is no New Year’s Eve food that’s better than fried chicken. Grab it while it’s hot and crispy, and eat while you watch the ball drop.
- Photo by Isa Zapata, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boystova11/46
Bouillabaisse
This classic but flexible French seafood stew will keep everyone warm on a chilly evening. Serve with hunks of baguette for dunking in the broth.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton12/46
Chicken and Potato Gratin With Brown Butter Cream
Cook chicken pieces, potatoes, and shallots in a luxurious sauce of brown butter and heavy cream, then top with toasted breadcrumbs for extra crunch.
- Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich13/46
Easy, Cheesy Sausage Lasagna
A large-scale pasta bake feels celebratory but doesn’t require much last-minute fussing. Serve the mozzarella-topped comfort food with warm garlic bread and offer frozen amaro after dinner.
- Charles Masters, food styling by Sue Li14/46
Cioppino Seafood Stew With Gremolata Toasts
You can use any firm fish and fresh shellfish you like for this brothy stew. (A little crabmeat is a luxurious addition.) Make the base a day in advance for a low-stress NYE celebration, then serve with your favorite red wine and some good crusty bread.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton15/46
Braised Chile-Marmalade Duck Legs With Brussels Sprouts
A festive winter dinner is the perfect time to cook duck—and we promise that this recipe is as easy as it is impressive. You’ll simmer the duck legs in a chile-infused, maramalade-based braise until tender, then reduce the sauce to a sticky-rich lacquer to glaze over the crisp skin.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich16/46
Wild Mushroom Risotto
Sometimes the best NYE parties wind up with everyone hanging out in the kitchen. So let your friends join you while you stir together this dish.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Anna Billingskog17/46
Roast Goose with Oranges and Madeira
Really want your New Year’s dinner to be memorable? Go with this goose, which is blanched briefly, then chilled for two days before roasting to ensure a crackling-crisp golden brown skin.
- Photo by Andrew Purcell, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Carrie Purcell18/46
Cider-Brined, Mustard-Glazed Pork Loin
With an apple cider brine and maple-mustard glaze, this mouthwatering pork loin has all the flavors of a classic ham, wrapped in a more tender and juicy package. It’s definitely a step up from your average weeknight pork tenderloin.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Anne Eastman, Food Styling by John Bjostad19/46
Chicken Tagine With Apricots and Almonds
When we photographed this chicken recipe recently, the whole crew couldn’t stop talking about how great it tasted.
- Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich20/46
Hoppin’ John
It’s traditional to eat black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day, but why wait to get the good luck flowing?
- Photo by David Loftus21/46
Mast Biryani
This vegetable biryani from Meera Sodha is a true showstopper, packed with a rainbow of flavors and textures. The puff-pastry-topped rice is layered with spiced sweet potatoes, beets, chickpeas, paneer, and tomatoes.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne22/46
Porchetta-Style Roast Pork
Instead of doing the tricky rolling involved in making a true Italian porchetta, use all the traditional seasonings—like fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, and garlic—on a simple pork shoulder roast for New Year’s dinner.
- Photo by Quentin Bacon23/46
Roasted Salmon With Green Herbs
You can pull off this Ina Garten classic without a lot of advance planning. Just rub the salmon with olive oil and lemon, top with whatever herbs you can find in your fridge or kitchen garden, and roast. Total cook time: just 10–12 minutes. For veggies on the side, you can keep things easy—go with blanched green beans topped with buttery toasted pecans.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Sue Li24/46
Oven Polenta With Roasted Mushrooms and Thyme
This no-stir recipe is the least fussy way to serve an elegant polenta dinner for New Year’s. The mushrooms get nicely caramelized in the oven; drizzle with vinegar and top with grated Parmesan just before serving.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell25/46
Roasted Cabbage Steaks With Crispy Chickpeas and Herby Croutons
If you need vegetarian NYE dinner ideas for a not-completely-vegetarian group, know this: Everyone at the table, whether they eat meat or not, will adore this recipe.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Toni Brogan26/46
Crab Linguine With Arugula
If crab season is in swing where you live, this pasta is a wonderful way to partake. It’s a favorite of cookbook author Giuliano Hazan—and a favorite of ours.
- Photo and Food Styling by Joseph De Leo27/46
Braised Chicken Legs With Grapes and Fennel
Calabrian chile paste makes everything better, including this sweet and tangy chicken dish.
- Photo by Alex Lau28/46
Seared Scallops With Brown Butter and Lemon Pan Sauce
Scallops are another one of those deceptively easy New Year’s dinner ideas, especially if you’re only cooking for a few people. For the best New Year’s Eve spread, add a crusty loaf of bread or two, and a fresh green salad—or a citrus salad, if you’re feeling seasonal.
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Prawn Moilee
The warming flavors of ginger and turmeric are wonderful with prawns—but Epicurious readers say they love to make this dish with scallops as well.
- Photography by Eden Grinshpan30/46
Sumac-Roasted Snapper With Lime Yogurt
While a roasted whole fish looks impressive, it’s truly as easy as seasoning it well and popping it in the oven for about 20 minutes.
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Chard-Wrapped Fish With Lemon and Olive
For this special occasion recipe, you’ll smother white fish in a garlicky olive paste, then wrap the fillets in Swiss chard leaves before simmering them in a lemony cilantro-laced sauce. The wrapping process is meditative (and it feels like you’re making a present for each person at the table).
- Photo by Alex Lau32/46
Classic Cassoulet
Looking for New Year’s Eve recipes that’ll give you something to do on a blustery winter day? This traditional combo of creamy beans, duck confit, pork sausage, and shoulder is a worthwhile project.
- Photo by Andrew Purcell, Food Styling by Carrie Purcell33/46
Pozole Verde Con Hongos
Pozole always feels festive, and it’s fun for everyone to top their own bowls as desired. This vegetarian version relies on meaty mushrooms and hearty hominy to become a filling, soul-nourishing meal-in-a-bowl.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Lillian Chou34/46
Pork and Chive Dumplings
This year turn your New Year’s dinner into a dumpling-making party. Everyone can get in on the action, and the results are always delicious. Fill up a slow cooker with mulled wine or hot cider to keep everyone’s cups full throughout the gathering.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell35/46
Creamy Butternut Squash Risotto With Toasted Pepitas
This creamy risotto is dairy-free, and the butternut squash purée can be prepped and stashed in your fridge four days before your New Year’s Eve dinner.
- Photo by Quentin Bacon36/46
Tachin Ba Morgh
Maybe the best part of this dish is the crunchy baked saffron and yogurt rice that forms on the bottom of the baking pan. But the chunks of cinnamon-scented chicken breasts and tart barberries aren’t to be missed.
- Photo by Colin Price37/46
Apple Cider Pork Pot Roast
Chunky apples, onion, thyme, and cider make this comforting dish especially appropriate for dinner for New Year’s. Serve with crispy potatoes and a simple kale salad.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton38/46
Vegetable Tempura
The ultimate move for a New Year’s Eve dinner party? Tempura fried and served right out of the pot, before it has a chance to cool too much. And sparkling wine, of course.
- Photo by Chris Court, Benjamin Dearnley, William Meppem, Con Poulos, Anson Smart39/46
Spiced Pomegranate and Orange Glazed Ham
If you didn’t cook a holiday ham this year, New Year’s is a great time to make it happen. Serve with biscuits or rolls for making sandwiches, and consider getting a big one, since ham leftovers are the best part. Follow the feast with a festive New Year’s Eve dessert.
- Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food styling by Kate Buckens40/46
Spaghetti al Limone
A combination of lemon zest and juice gives this pasta dish tons of citrus flavor. The strips of thinly sliced zest add a welcome bright contrast to the rich sauce.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone41/46
Milk-Braised Pork With Lemon and Sage
Braising pork shoulder produces a fall-apart tender roast. And when milk is the braising liquid, what results is a sauce reminiscent of an extra-flavorful ricotta. Serve with polenta or Instant Pot mashed potatoes for sopping up the sauce.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich42/46
Citrus-and-Dill Gravlax
Here’s New Year’s Eve party food that feels really elegant—serve homemade gravlax with blini or slices of dark bread. Scallion crème fraîche adds a nice richness. Then offer any leftovers with bagels, cream cheese, sliced onion, and capers as part of your New Year’s day brunch.
- Photo by Alex Lau43/46
Spaghetti With Lobster Pomodoro
If your once-a-year lobster moment is here, start with this delightfully spicy pasta. You can cook the lobster a day ahead for easy hosting.
- Photo by Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott44/46
Creamy Shrimp Risotto With Mascarpone
Risotto feels like restaurant food, but you can absolutely make a great version at home—and it’s the perfect dinner for New Year’s. This risotto gets its deep flavor from freshly made shrimp stock, tomato paste, herbs, and lots of garlic.
- Photo by Rick Poon45/46
Ozoni
Sip this first soup of the new year for good luck—and to keep you warm on a cold night.
- Photo by Shutterstock46/46
Fettuccine Alfredo
We love New Year’s dinner ideas that keep things simple, and you only need four ingredients to make this recipe that readers have been praising for years. We recommend kicking things off with hearty New Year’s Eve appetizers like these oversized prosciutto-stuffed mushrooms—and sipping a French 75 as you celebrate.
