Christmas Dinner Recipes

Staff Picks

Slow-Cooker Bacon Jam

Spread this savory bacon jam on bread for a holiday appetizer and send your guests home with a jar.

Baked Potato Slices

Serve these elegant, thyme-seasoned potato slices with our Striped Sea Bass with Blood Oranges and Olives.

Coconut Custard Pie

We skipped the cream on top to let the tropical custard filling be the star.

Keep a bag of frozen dumplings on hand and mix our tasty dipping sauce while you heat them -- they make fine hors d'oeuvres for last-minute holiday visitors, or a light, easy dinner with steamed vegetables or rice.

Carrot Puree

All it takes is a sprinkling of salt and pepper to enhance the earthy flavors of the carrots in this simple side dish.

Broiled Oysters

Oysters take very little time to cook. Our pan-broiled hors d'oeuvre, which consists of oysters tossed with herbs and showered with olive oil and Parmesan, spends just minutes in the oven; serve with crusty bread for soaking up the sauce.

Buttermilk Biscuits

This mouthwatering buttermilk biscuit recipe comes from "Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook."

Sausage-Cheddar Balls

This reinterpretation of meatballs combines breakfast sausage, cheddar cheese, and onion for a very flavorful holiday appetizer, enough for a crowd of hungry folks.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

This classic potato dish is always on everyone's favorites list for a Thanksgiving side.

Roasted Leg of Lamb

Roasting is a popular cooking method for a reason. See our step-by-step guides to Preparing a Leg of Lamb and Carving a Leg of Lamb at the Table.

Potatoes Anna

This classic French dish can be baked up to eight hours ahead. Let it cool completely, then cover loosely with foil, and refrigerate. To serve, reheat in a 350-degree oven.

Seafood Linguine

Shellfish is the star in the traditional Italian pasta dish linguine ai frutti di mare. Our recipe calls for five varieties: clams, mussels, scallops, shrimp, and squid.

Inspiration and Ideas

Crown Roast of Pork 101

39 Make-Ahead Holiday Dishes That Are Perfect for Festive Family Gatherings

This holiday season, spend time around the dining table, not standing at the stove! Making a range of dishes ahead of time will lessen your stress. These classic recipes are perfect for getting a head start on the festivities.

Our Step-by-Step Guide to Cooking Turkey for Thanksgiving

14 Vegetable Sides for the Holiday Table

12 Festive Family Menus to Get You Through This Holiday Season

How to Carve a Turkey

Italian Seafood Salad

Seafood is a must for the Feast of the Seven Fishes, an Italian Christmas Eve tradition. This salad with squid, shrimp, mussels, and crab is a delicious way to kick off the meal.

All Christmas Dinner Recipes

Shrimp Scampi

Colossal shrimp are stuffed with breadcrumbs, garlic, paprika, and parsley in this elegant appetizer or entrée. This shrimp scampi is fashion designer Dennis Basso's traditional Christmas Eve dish. Try serving it with his River Salad.

Hot Spinach Dip

This rich, creamy dish makes the perfect party dip. Otherwise, you might devour it all yourself.

Fennel and Orange Salad

The classic flavor combination of fennel and orange makes a wonderful winter salad.

Perfect Mashed Potatoes

Instant potatoes from the box can't compare to this homemade version.

Sauteed Pork Cutlets

Pan-fried pork cutlets are lightly flavored with citrus and Parmesan.

Leek Gratin

This cheesy leek side dish goes well with our Brandied Ham.

Roast Beef with Shallots

Beef bottom round is a wallet-friendly and flavorful alternative to traditional beef tenderloin—and this preparation ensures it's also very tender.

Glazed Pecan-Raisin Cake

This recipe from reader Carol J. Rhodes of Houston, Texas, is lighter in texture and more delicate than traditional fruitcake, yet keeps all its appeal with nutmeg, pecans, raisins, and a touch of brandy.

Frisee Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette

Frisee has a slightly bitter taste and crisp, curly leaves. Pair it with a tangy vinaigrette for an easy side dish.

Roast Turkey with Herb Butter

Getting a great-tasting turkey on the Thanksgiving table is easier than you might think. Here, the bird is rubbed with a flavorful mixture of butter and fresh rosemary, sage, and thyme before going into the oven. Use the roasted vegetables and turkey neck to make Rich Gravy.

Prime Rib Roast

This prime rib roast is a perfect Sunday dinner, with leftovers for sandwiches.

Whole-Grain Skillet Cornbread

Pull out your cast iron for this Thanksgiving stalwart: It's the key to a perfect crust.

Crispy Potato Roast

The thinner the potatoes are cut, the crispier they'll become in the oven.

Standing Rib Roast with Roasted Potatoes

Serve roast beef with all the trimmings for an easy meal rich in flavor. The centerpiece standing rib roast is presented with roasted potatoes that are ridged with a fork so they can soak up ample pan juices. The potatoes can be boiled, tossed with oil, and refrigerated until needed.

Tortellini en Brodo

Tortellini en brodo ("in broth") is a traditional first course for Christmas feasts in northern Italy. Because it calls for only a few ingredients, make sure they are of the highest quality, especially the chicken stock (now is a good time to use any you might have in your freezer).

Roast Goose

Serve Brussels Sprouts with Vinegar-Glazed Onions with this holiday bird.

Layered Cornbread Casserole

This easy hearty cornbread dish is great during the holidays when you need to feed a crowd quickly and easily. It's a little like a Tex-Mex riff on lasagna with a filling of shredded chicken (leftover turkey is tasty, too), cheddar cheese, and pickled jalapeños.

No-Knead Dinner Rolls

Even beginner-level bakers will have no trouble making these fluffy rolls; the dough can be prepped, put in the pan, and chilled up to a day ahead.

Turnip and Potato Mash

Serve this peppery replacement for mashed potatoes alongside seared steak.

Rolled Rib-Eye Roast

Slicing the rib-eye into a spiral is easier than it sounds (and a great way to flavor the entire roast, not just the outside). For the butterflying technique, see our step-by-step photos. You can also ask your butcher to butterfly it. Serve with Duck Fat-Roasted Potatoes.

Apple Crumble Pie

Tart apples, sweet raisins, and a crumb topping make for a blue-ribbon dessert. Pack the apples in tightly to minimize gaps between filling and crust once the pie is baked.

Spinach Cream Soup

Maple Cheesecake with Roasted Pears

Maple syrup not only flavors this luscious cheesecake, but it also is brushed on thinly sliced pears that are broiled to create a very unique decoration atop this festive dessert.

Beef Wellington

Beef Wellington is a beef tenderloin coated with mushrooms, onions, and liver. Puff pastry encases the beef Wellington, making the outside buttery and crispy. When shopping for this beef Wellington recipe, look for duck liver, chicken liver, or peppercorn mousse in specialty-food shops.

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