12 Christmas Dinner Recipes to Make Your Holiday Table Special

Turkey Pot Roast is a phenomenal one-pot Christmas meal idea. If you are hosting a small Christmas dinner, you will love it because you roast a turkey breast together with the vegetables. The vegetables add flavor to the turkey breast, and they also double as a side dish. Instead of turkey breast, you can roast chicken breast, it will be delicious! I love this recipe because it requires very little prep time, and while everything is baking in the oven, I can hang around with my family.

Turkey Gravy is one of the world’s favorite sides for roasted poultry. If you decide to make my Turkey Pot Roast recipe above, you will want to make my gravy as well. After the Turkey Pot Roast is done, you will be left with flavorful drippings and liquid that you can quickly turn into a silky, delicious gravy. Whenever I’m making a Turkey Pot Roast, my husband always asks me to make this gravy too.

Baked Ziti is one of the hidden gems of Christmas dinner menu ideas when you do not have time to cook, or if you would rather spend Christmas Day hanging around with your family than cooking. Baked pasta is a perfect low-prep meal, and your family will love the combination of pasta and ground meat in a velvety tomato sauce, ricotta, and cheese. If you want to make it more festive, instead of ziti, choose snowflake-shaped, reindeer-shaped, Christmas tree-shaped, or even Santa Claus-shaped pasta. Last Christmas, I made Baked Ziti with Christmas tree-shaped pasta instead of ziti, and it looked festive and tasted wonderful.

Pork Tenderloin in Mushroom Sauce is one of my quick, yet very festive and impressive meals that I often serve on special occasions. Since Christmas dinner is a special occasion, I sometimes prepare Pork Tenderloin in Mushroom Sauce and serve it with gnocchi. It is always a hit, and my guests ask for seconds. I think the secret is in the flavorful and silky sauce that pairs perfectly with cooked pork tenderloin medallions. Instead of pork tenderloin, you can make it with pork chops or chicken cutlets.

When I was growing up, Christmas dinner always started with a plate of soup. I remember helping my grandma peel carrots and other root vegetables that went into the soup. Vegetable soup is the perfect warm starter for Christmas dinner, it will warm you up and whet your appetite for more. My vegetable soup is easy to make, and while the soup is simmering, you can prepare the rest. You can also cook the soup a day or two in advance and warm it up on the stove when it’s time for dinner.

Cauliflower Risotto is a creamy and easy Christmas dinner idea that you can serve as a side dish or a main vegetarian meal. It is quick to make, creamy, and full of flavor. The gentle flavor of cauliflower makes this dish light and smooth, and it adds a beautiful creamy texture. This cauliflower risotto brings a creamy and rich taste to your Christmas dinner table and pairs beautifully with a slice of roasted meat.

Sometimes appetizers are a lifesaver when Christmas dinner is unexpectedly running late and your family members are hungry. Hummus without Tahini is a creamy and flavorful dip that you can serve with pita bread, veggie sticks, pretzels, or crackers. There are many delicious options that pair beautifully with hummus, so it is no wonder that it is one of my favorite Christmas appetizers. One more reason you will love hummus is that it is ready in less than 5 minutes and you can make it up to 2 days in advance.

Cabbage with Noodles is one of the underdogs when it comes to Christmas dinner recipes. It is a very simple meal made from just two ingredients, but the result is delicious. You will love it because it is very budget-friendly, flavorful, and you can make it a day in advance too. Cabbage with Noodles pairs deliciously with a slice of roasted meat.

Smothered Potatoes and Savoy Cabbage is an easy Christmas dinner side dish that will charm you with its creamy texture and rich flavor. You will love it because it is made in one pot, and most of the time it cooks on its own, leaving you with extra time to prepare another part of your Christmas dinner. It pairs wonderfully with any roasted meat.

Extra Creamy Cauliflower Soup is an amazing warm starter to include when you start your Christmas dinner menu. It is easy to make, and it will charm you with how creamy it is even without any cream. It is easy to digest and a lovely way to begin your Christmas dinner.

Broccoli Risotto is a creamy and easy Christmas dinner idea that you can serve as a side dish or a main vegetarian meal. You will love it because it is a green risotto that looks festive and seems straight out of a Christmas storybook. Besides that, this risotto is quick to make, creamy, and full of flavor. It pairs beautifully with a slice of roasted meat.

Tomato Soup is an amazing warm starter for your Christmas dinner. You will love how creamy, tomato-infused, and quick it is to make. Its bright color adds a cheerful touch to the table, and the aroma of simmering tomatoes always reminds me of cozy winter evenings. When it is done, serve it with croutons for a little crunch on top.