The Best Christmas Dinner Recipes

Before dinner begins, satisfy your guests with Christmas appetizers!

Main Dishes for Christmas Dinner

Prime Rib Roast With Potatoes

On Christmas, we try to have a special meal that we wouldn’t have every day of the year. The standing prime rib roast is a beautiful, striking centerpiece on the holiday table. 

Christmas Glazed Ham

Our Honey-Mustard Glazed Ham makes a striking main dish with its shiny, caramelized coating. A tangy, crunchy crust yields a mouthwateringly delicious interior.

Roast Goose 

The most traditional holiday dish is the roast goose. Most grocers can supply a frozen goose at any time; fresh birds are usually available during the holidays. Even better is a free-range goose, which will be more tender and taste better. 

Dry-Brined Roast Turkey

As opposed to a traditionally brined turkey, a dry-brined turkey is said to have a crispier skin and better texture overall.

It’s not difficult, but you do need to put the brined turkey in the fridge three days in advance and remove the night before roasting.

Roasted Pork Tenderloin With Garlic and Rosemary

This simple, elegant dish that impresses with little effort. With just a few ingredients—fresh rosemary, thyme, and roasted garlic—you impart a wonderful flavor that melds deliciously with the tender juiciness of the tenderloin. 

Tourtière (French-Canadian Christmas Meat Pie)

Tourtière is a famous meat-filled pie enjoyed at Christmas. A French-Canadian staple, this double-crusted savory pie is made with ground pork, warm spices, and mashed potatoes, plus a rich pastry crust that melts in your mouth.

Lasagna With Two Sauces 

Sporting a meat sauce and a white sauce, this classic crowd-pleaser just got twice as nice!

Easy Cranberry Chicken Recipes

Need a quick dinner for two or three? This Easy Cranberry Chicken recipe is a wonderfully festive and flavorful dish with minimal effort. Enjoy over rice or with roasted veggies.

Christmas Side Dishes

Yorkshire Pudding

This Yorkshire Pudding is delicious served alongside any meal, but it goes exceptionally well with a roast beef. Try making individual puddings with a muffin tin!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

Inevitably, some of the leaves come off the sprouts as they roast, and they become delectably charred in the heat of the oven. Don’t discard them; they taste sublime.

Cornbread Dressing With Sausage

This classic cornbread dressing (or stuffing) is a favorite during the holidays. Buttery with a nice blend of sausage and herbs, this hearty dressing’s surprise flavor is the apples, which add a crisp, fresh taste.

Honey-Glazed Carrots and Parsnips

Honey-glazed carrots and parsnips make for a simple but excellent combination. For a special meal, lay fresh rosemary and thyme sprigs over the vegetables before roasting.

Carrot Casserole Bake

Or, try something different (and delicious!) with carrots. With only five ingredients, our Carrot Casserole is simple and inexpensive to make, yet looks lovely.
We’ve served this carrot bake to folks who weren’t particularly fond of carrots, and it was a big hit. 

Pecan-Crusted Sweet Potato Casserole

For another casserole option, try this holiday favorite. The pecans add a crunchy texture to this sweet potato dish.

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

If you’re a fan of mashed potatoes, roasted garlic takes these creamy mashed potatoes over the top!

Scalloped Potatoes

If you’re not a mashed potatoes fan, try these delicious scalloped potatoes. There’s something different about these cheesy, crispy potatoes when it comes to a special holiday meal.

We’re a big fan of winter squash this year (and every year)! We used a mix of delicata and butternut squash for this slightly sweet and nutty side dish.

More Christmas Recipe Collections

“As many mince pies as you taste at Christmas, so many happy months will you have.”

Ho-ho-hold on there! We’ve got even more holiday recipes for you:

• Christmas Appetizer Recipes
• Christmas Dessert Recipes 
• Christmas Breakfast and Brunch Recipes
• Our Favorite Soups, Stews, and Chowders
• Wassail and More Holiday Drink Recipes 
• Holiday Party Recipes
• Christmas Cookie Recipes for Kids 

Happy feasting and merrymaking to all our readers from the Editors at The Old Farmer’s Almanac!