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This post is about holiday dinner ideas.
As the holidays approach, now is the perfect time to explore new holiday dinner ideas that will make your festive gatherings delicious and unforgettable. The holiday season is a time for gathering with loved ones, sharing laughter, and creating memories that last a lifetime. Hosting a holiday dinner party is more than just setting a table—it’s an opportunity to bring people together in celebration and warmth. The joy of seeing friends and family enjoy a meal you prepared adds a special kind of magic to the occasion.
An impressive menu is the heart of any successful dinner party. It sets the tone for the evening, reflecting the host’s care and attention to detail. However, narrowing down what to have on your holiday dinner party menu can be difficult. These easy holiday dinner ideas will inspire you to create a memorable event for all your friends and family.
This post is all about holiday dinner ideas.
HOLIDAY DINNER IDEAS: CHARCUTERIE
When hosting large gatherings, you can not go wrong with a classic charcuterie board. Charcuterie boards can be arranged in a beautiful display and include a variety of snacks that will please all of your guests. Aged cheeses and cured meats are always popular choices for charcuterie boards. Include a selection of soft, hard, and semi-hard cheese along with one bleu cheese on your charcuterie board. In addition, the variety will give your guests plenty of options to pair with crackers, toast points, or bread. Cured meats, such as prosciutto or serrano ham, salamis, sopressata, capicola, ham, and sausage should accompany the cheese on the board.
Sweet accouterments for a charcuterie board typically include jams, jellies, honeycomb, berries, figs, and stone fruit, such as peaches, plums or apricots. These holiday dinner ideas would work for any size charcuterie board. If you prefer to include dried fruits, cranberries, raisins, persimmons, or apples are all good choices. Balance sweet with salty and include olives, Marcona almonds, cashews, walnuts, mustards, popcorn, pretzels, or corn nuts. When creating your holiday charcuterie board, be sure to give your guests a large variety of foods to choose from. Arrange items next to each other that make sense for pairing, such as bleu cheese and walnuts, or sausage and mustard.
HOLIDAY DINNER IDEAS: APPETIZERS
If you plan to start your holiday dinner with a soup course, lobster bisque is the perfect appetizer. A bisque is a French soup, usually seafood-based, and smooth, rich and creamy. It can be a very indulgent first course and will impress your guests. Besides large knuckles or lumps of lobster meat to garnish the soup, a simple swirl of creme fraiche creates a traditional presentation.
Additional holiday dinner ideas: consider a passed hors d’oeuvres of truffled mushroom crostini. Crostinis can be served warm or at room temperature and are an easy holiday appetizer that can be made ahead. Choose a selection of mushrooms that provide contrasting textures. Sauté the mushrooms with garlic, shallot, and herbs, and finish with a drizzle of truffle oil to finish. Serve the mushrooms with baked crostinis and a whipped goat cheese spread.
HOLIDAY DINNER IDEAS: MAIN DISHES
The bold presentation of a juicy, herb-crusted rack of lamb provides a show-stopping centerpiece to your holiday dinner table. Tender, flavorful lamb provides a luxurious alternative to the traditional Christmas turkey or ham. The roast lamb seasoning pairs well with other holiday sides, as lamb is typically prepared with rosemary, thyme, and garlic. Lamb can take a long time to prepare, so be sure to plan accordingly.
Beef Wellington makes a statement on any holiday dinner table. This dish is typically prepared for celebrations, due to its complex preparation. At the very center of the wellington, is a filet of beef that has been seasoned and seared. A duxelle, or a saute of finely chopped mushrooms, coats the outside of the filet. CHEF TIP: use the remaining truffled mushrooms from the crostini hors d’oeuvres! The beef is then wrapped in thinly sliced prosciutto or a delicately prepared crepe before finally being encased in flakey puff pastry. It is important to realize that Beef Wellington can be a finicky dish to prepare and therefore requires the expertise and skill to execute properly.
Traditional holiday dinner ideas typically include turkey or ham at the center of the table. If you choose to keep your holiday dinner traditional, then elevate the presentation with a stuffed turkey roulade. The roulade is created by butterflying the turkey breast and pounding it thin. If you are using a whole turkey, use the thigh and leg meat as a second layer on top of the breast meat. Sprinkle a blend of seasonings and breadcrumbs across the top and roll the turkey into a log. Secure the turkey with butcher’s twine before roasting in the oven. When you slice into the turkey, your guests will be impressed with a beautiful spiral of flavors from the stuffing.
HOLIDAY DINNER IDEAS: SIDE DISHES
Mashed Potatoes are a must at every holiday dinner. However, they can be bland and predictable. Instead, elevate your mashed potatoes by adding different flavors. Fold in shaved parmesan and truffle cream for a decadent side dish. Another gourmet mashed potato flavor combination is chives and Bourisn cheese. Both these options are simple in preparation, but add flare to your usual holiday side dish.
Roasted vegetables are a versatile addition to your holiday dinner ideas. Popular holiday dinner vegetables are broccolini, carrots, and brussel sprouts. Overall, adding rich flavors to these simple roasted vegetables will take your holiday side dishes to the next level. For instance, create a rich cheese sauce to be poured tableside over the top of your roasted broccolini. Finish your roasted carrots with some brown butter and flakey salt. You can even roast your brussel sprouts with diced pancetta to create chewy salty bites of texture. When roasting vegetables, be sure to toss them liberally in oil and season well with salt and pepper. Roast on a high heat in your oven (about 400°F) to develop the deep caramelization of flavor.
Risotto is generally well-received by guests because it is both flavorful and familiar. It’s an approachable dish that can be enjoyed by a wide range of palates, making it a safe yet sophisticated choice for holiday gatherings. Garnish your risotto with wilted winter greens and shaved parmesan for a beautiful presentation. Sauteed mushroom risotto flavored with truffle oil creates a hearty steakhouse side dish. However, the most popular variation is roasted butternut squash risotto garnished with pumpkin seeds. Nonetheless, get creative in incorporating seasonal flavors into this comforting side dish.
HOLIDAY DINNER IDEAS: DESSERTS
Soufflés can be made in a variety of flavors, from classic chocolate to seasonal options like spiced pumpkin, orange, or chestnut. This versatility allows you to tailor the dessert to complement the other dishes in your Christmas menu or to highlight festive flavors.Chocolate soufflé is the perfect choice to end a holiday meal because of its light and airy texture with the perfect amount of sweetness to satisfy the sweet tooth. Chocolate soufflé offers the perfect contrast to a heavy and comforting Christmas dinner. For the same reason Beef Wellington is on the list of best gourmet holiday dinner ideas, chocolate soufflé is a symbol of celebration, and requires delicate skill to make it successfully.
While soufflé can be challenging to make properly, tiramisu is a simple dessert to whip together. Light ladyfingers dipped in rich coffee, sandwiched between light layers of mascarpone cream make for a delicious end to any meal. A classic tiramisu is just that—coffee, lady fingers, and cream—however, you can add some holiday flair by getting creative with your flavors. Pumpkin, Meyer Lemon, Strawberry, Caramel, Pistachio, Amaretto, and Baileys would all be fun holiday flavors to incorporate.
If you want to end your holiday dinner party on a high note, serve a spiced pear tart for dessert. Without a doubt, the warm spices of clove, cinnamon, allspice, star anise and cardamom all work well with pears. Cook the pears down in their own juices, allowing the natural pectin to thicken and concentrate the flavors. Create a light and buttery tart shell that contrasts the sweetness from the pear. You could create a gold-leaf guilded pear to sit on the top of the tart as a show-stopping garnish.
HOLIDAY DINNER IDEAS: DRINKS AND COCKTAILS
With any great meal, there must be great drinks. Offer your guests a champagne cocktail to start their evening. Garnish with a few fresh cranberries or a splash of cranberry juice. Serving a classic combination of champagne, bitters and a twist of lemon would be a great dinner party idea. To play into the Christmas flavors, add a dash of peppermint schnapps and coat the rim of each glass with crushed candy canes.
If champagne is too high bar for you, offer guests a mug of warm mulled wine. Use a variety of citrus, fruits, and spices to create your special blend of flavors. Simmer the mulled wine away in a pot on the stove to fill your home up with a wonderful, welcoming aroma. Garnish your mugs of mulled wine with cinnamon sticks or slices of orange. Mulled wine can be served warm or cool, but the flavors are much more robust when served warm.
If you and your guests are looking for something stronger so you can stay up for Santa, try a holiday espresso martini. The rich, coffee flavor will give your guests a necessary pick-me-up after the end of a long meal. Garnish with a simple chocolate-covered coffee bean, a mini peppermint candy cane, or whipped cream and chocolate shavings.
TIPS FOR HOSTING A HOLIDAY DINNER
The menu you select for your holiday dinner party is undoubtedly important. However, a festive table set with the best Christmas dinnerware can add charm and elegance that you may be missing. Select a dinnerware set that matches your style aesthetic, and matches the grandness of your gourmet menu.
Creating a playlist of holiday songs will set your party apart from the rest. Instrumental versions of all the Christmas classics are a good choice for an elegant meal. If you would like a cozy and festive atmosphere, consider the lighting. Other hosting holiday dinner ideas: set out red and green candles, string lights, and turn on lamps to bring warmth to the room.
If you opt for a plated, coursed-out meal— be sure to create a design for the presentation of your dishes. It helps to sketch out the plate with all the components of the dish and its garnishes. Include sauce pitchers and plate the sauce table side, or invest in some small squeeze bottles to create designs with purees on the plate. Some suggestions for festive garnishes are gold leaf, cranberries, sprigs of rosemary, cinnamon sticks, slices of citrus, or edible flowers.
TIPS TO WRITE A MENU FOR A HOLIDAY PARTY
When writing your menu for a holiday party, it is important to consider how many courses you plan to have. Will this be a holiday dinner buffet, or do you want to go more formal with a three-course meal? When deciding which direction to go in, think about how much time you have to dedicate to prepping, and if you have the holiday dinnerware to course out your festive foods for all your guests.
If your hosting style is in between casual and formal, opt for a family-style meal. In this serving style, you would present your holiday dinner party dishes on festive serving platters in the middle of the table for everyone to serve themselves from. For a holiday dinner party menu for 8 to 12 guests, I recommend 6 to 7 dishes, including a dessert option.
HOLIDAY DINNER Q&A
What is a good Christmas Day menu?
A good Christmas Day menu consists of a selection of traditional sides, such as gratin or mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, and cranberry sauce. Every Christmas Day menu should include at least one showstopping entree, such as a roast, a rack of lamb, or even prime rib. Fruitcake, bread pudding and pie are all fantastic options for dessert.
What are the top 10 Christmas dinner foods?
The top 10 Christmas dinner foods that are enjoyed the most on this special day are the following: prime rib, roast turkey or glazed ham, stuffing or dressing, cranberry sauce, scalloped or mashed potatoes, glazed carrots, cornbread or rolls with butter, sweet potatoes or yams, macaroni and cheese, and surprisingly, lasagna!
What food to serve at a holiday party?
The best food to serve at a holiday party is the food that will please all of your guests. When planning your Christmas Day menu, take into account dietary restrictions and allergies. You can always add a festive flair to year-round party foods, like pinwheels, skewers or charcuterie boards. Even more, swap ingredients for seasonal fruits and vegetables, or include more of a red and green color scheme in your dishes.
What foods would be appropriate for a Christmas dinner party?
Above all, the best foods that are appropriate for a Christmas dinner party are festive hors d’oeuvres. Examples of Christmas dinner party foods are stuffed mushroom caps, butternut squash bruschetta, rosemary roast beef skewers, mini cheese and herb quiches, peppermint and chocolate cream puffs, baked brie with fig jam, pigs in a blanket, spiced nuts, shrimp cocktail, and festive sugar cookies.
What do you serve a crowd for Christmas dinner?
If you plan to serve a crowd for Christmas dinner, then consider creating a buffet for your guests to graze on throughout the night. Include charcuterie and cheese boards, a vegetable board, and a fruit board as the appetizers. Cooking a large prime rib and carving it to order provides enjoyable entertainment for your guests. Other dishes that will satisfy a large crowd would be lasagna or stuffed shells, shrimp scampi, or the classic glazed ham. Finally, don’t forget festive desserts and merry beverages!
How do you host a perfect Christmas dinner party?
You can host a perfect Christmas dinner party by planning and preparing weeks in advance. Create a menu that all your guests will enjoy. Manage the music and the lighting to be warm and inviting. Design and arrange decor items on your dinner table and around your home to create a cozy and charming Christmas dinner party. Mix up festive batch cocktails ahead of time for your guests if you plan to host a large group. Have a fun party game (Christmas charades, white elephant gift exchange, etc) for your guests after dinner for an entertaining evening. The most important detail for a perfect Christmas dinner party is to welcome and say farewell to each of your guests.
