These Holiday Dinner Recipes have everything you need for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and all the good meals in between. From special-occasion mains and cozy sides to appetizers, breads, and desserts, you’ll find plenty of easy recipes for building a holiday meal everyone will love.
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Holiday Appetizers & Snacks
Give everyone something good to snack on while the main event finishes cooking, from easy make-ahead nibbles to warm, cheesy appetizers made for sharing.
- Crab and Artichoke Dip – A warm, creamy dip loaded with tender crab, artichokes, and plenty of melty cheese for an easy holiday appetizer.
- Savory Snack Mix – A buttery, savory mix loaded with crunchy cereal, crackers, pretzels, and plenty of bold seasoning.
- Easy Roasted Mixed Nuts – Warm, perfectly seasoned roasted nuts that are easy to make ahead for holiday grazing.
- Olive Cheese Bread – Buttery, cheesy, crispy bread loaded with briny olives and baked until golden and bubbly.
- Marinated Feta and Olives – Salty feta and olives tossed with herbs and seasonings for an easy appetizer that gets better as it sits.
- Whipped Ricotta Dip with Lemon & Fresh Herbs – Creamy whipped ricotta with fresh lemon and herbs for a lighter addition to the appetizer spread.
- Southern Pimento Cheese – Creamy, cheesy pimento cheese with plenty of savory flavor for spreading, dipping, and snacking.
- Puff Pastry Pigs in a Blanket – Flaky puff pastry wrapped around little sausages for a simple warm appetizer everyone grabs.
- Spinach Artichoke Dip – A warm, creamy, cheesy classic loaded with spinach and artichokes and made for plenty of dipping.
- Bacon Jalapeño Popper Dip – Creamy, cheesy dip loaded with smoky bacon and jalapeños for a little heat before the main event.
- Deviled Eggs – Classic, creamy deviled eggs made with simple ingredients and always one of the first things to disappear from the holiday table.
Holiday Main Dishes
Whether you’re serving traditional turkey or changing things up with beef, pork, or Cornish hens, these holiday dinner recipes are worthy of the center of the table.
- Slow Cooker Turkey Breast – Juicy, buttery turkey breast that cooks right in the slow cooker and saves valuable oven space.
- Deep Fried Turkey – Crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, this deep-fried turkey makes an impressive holiday centerpiece.
- Savory Turkey Brine – A simple savory brine that seasons the turkey throughout and helps keep every bite tender and juicy.
- Roasted Prime Rib – A special-occasion roast with a beautifully browned crust and tender, juicy center.
- Roasted Cornish Hens – Crispy, juicy Cornish hens that look impressive on the table without requiring a ton of work.
- Braised Pork Shoulder – Tender, slow-braised pork with apples, cider, sage, and thyme for a cozy alternative to turkey.
Classic Holiday Side Dishes
Bring on the buttery potatoes, cheesy casseroles, dressing, and all the cozy sides that make a holiday dinner feel like a holiday dinner.
- Southern Cornbread Dressing – A classic Southern dressing made with homemade cornbread, savory herbs, and plenty of butter.
- Green Bean Casserole – Tender green beans in a homemade mushroom sauce topped with plenty of crispy fried onions.
- Boursin Mashed Potatoes – Creamy mashed potatoes made extra rich and flavorful with garlic and herb Boursin cheese.
- Baked Three Cheese Mac and Cheese – Creamy, cheesy, and baked until golden and bubbly for a side everyone goes back for.
- Loaded Baked Potato Casserole – Creamy potatoes loaded with cheese, bacon, and all the good stuff from a classic loaded baked potato.
- Broccoli Rice Casserole – A cozy, cheesy broccoli and rice casserole that fits right in alongside any holiday main.
- Cafeteria Noodles – Buttery, savory noodles made with simple ingredients for an easy old-school side everyone loves.
- Duck Fat Roasted Potatoes – Crispy, golden roasted potatoes with fluffy centers and rich, savory flavor.
- Buttered Noodles – Simple, buttery noodles that come together quickly and are always a hit with kids and adults alike.
Holiday Vegetable Sides & Salads
A few fresh vegetables and seasonal salads balance out all those rich holiday dinner recipes and bring plenty of color to the table.
- Oven-Roasted Green Beans – Fresh green beans roasted until tender with lightly crisp edges and simple seasonings.
- Crispy Parmesan Roasted Brussels Sprouts – Crispy roasted Brussels sprouts with plenty of savory Parmesan and golden edges.
- Lemon Parmesan Roasted Asparagus – Tender roasted asparagus finished with Parmesan and fresh lemon for a bright, easy side.
- Whole Roasted Cauliflower – A whole head of cauliflower roasted until golden with a tender center for an impressive vegetable side.
- Sautéed Cabbage – Tender, buttery cabbage cooked until lightly caramelized for a simple, savory addition to holiday dinner recipes already on the table.
- Shaved Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad – Crisp shaved Brussels sprouts tossed with creamy Caesar dressing, Parmesan, and plenty of crunch.
- Roasted Sweet Potato Salad – Roasted sweet potatoes paired with fresh greens and plenty of seasonal flavor for a colorful holiday salad.
- Roasted Beet Salad – Sweet roasted beets and fresh greens come together for a beautiful salad that works especially well with rich holiday dinner recipes.
- Blue Cheese Wedge Salad – Crisp iceberg lettuce topped with creamy blue cheese dressing and classic steakhouse toppings—a particularly good match for that prime rib.
Breads for the Holiday Table
Because every holiday dinner needs something warm and buttery for soaking up gravy, catching the last bit of sauce, or eating straight from the bread basket.
- Savory Monkey Bread – Pull-apart bread loaded with bacon, cheddar, and garlic for a fun, savory addition to the holiday dinner recipes table.
- Dutch Oven No-Knead Bread – A crusty, bakery-style loaf with a soft, chewy center that requires almost no hands-on work.
- Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread – Classic cornbread with golden, crisp edges and a tender center that belongs beside dressing, turkey, and gravy.
- Honey Beer Bread – A simple, slightly sweet homemade bread with a tender crumb and no yeast or rising time required.
- Gluten-Free No-Knead Bread – An easy gluten-free loaf with a crisp crust and tender center that requires no kneading.
- Roasted Garlic Compound Butter – Creamy butter loaded with roasted garlic and fresh herbs for slathering on bread—or melting over just about anything else on the plate.
Holiday Desserts
Save room for something sweet with cozy holiday desserts full of pumpkin, apple, pecans, chocolate, and all the flavors we wait all year for.
- Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust – Creamy pumpkin cheesecake with warm spices and a crunchy gingersnap crust for a dessert made for the holiday table.
- Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies – Chewy chocolate chip cookies with nutty brown butter and toasted pecans for a little extra holiday goodness.
- Oreo Crust Chocolate Tart – A rich, silky chocolate tart with a crisp Oreo crust that looks impressive without being complicated.
- Butter Cake – Rich, buttery cake with a tender crumb and simple ingredients for a classic dessert everyone loves.
- Espresso Brownies – Rich, fudgy chocolate brownies with espresso to deepen the chocolate flavor and balance the sweetness.
- Hot Chocolate Cookies with Marshmallows – Soft chocolate cookies topped with gooey marshmallows for all the best parts of hot chocolate in cookie form.
- Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies – Rich chocolate cookies with cool peppermint flavor for an easy dessert that feels especially right at Christmas.
Holiday Breakfast & Brunch
Holiday mornings deserve something special too, especially when you’ve got a house full of hungry people waiting for dinner.
- Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting – Soft, fluffy cinnamon rolls swirled with cinnamon sugar and finished with plenty of creamy frosting.
- Snickerdoodle Pumpkin Bread – Moist pumpkin bread with warm spices and a sweet cinnamon-sugar topping for an easy make-ahead breakfast.
- Baked Apple Cider Donuts – Soft baked donuts packed with apple cider and warm spices, then finished with a maple cinnamon glaze.
- Sausage Pancakes – Fluffy pancakes with savory sausage built right in for an easy sweet-and-savory breakfast everyone can grab.
- Baked Egg Bites – Creamy, protein-packed egg bites that can be made ahead and reheated for an easy holiday morning breakfast.
Holiday Dinner Recipes Leftover Ideas
Turn the extras into another really good meal with easy soups and cozy recipes that give leftover turkey, prime rib, and other holiday favorites a second life.
- Prime Rib Soup – Turn leftover prime rib into a hearty, cozy soup packed with tender beef, vegetables, and plenty of savory flavor.
- Chicken Pot Pie Soup – Swap in leftover turkey for an easy, creamy soup with all the cozy flavors of classic pot pie.
- Skillet Chicken Pot Pie – Use leftover turkey in place of chicken for a warm, comforting dinner tucked under a golden, flaky crust.
- Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup – Leftover turkey works perfectly in this simple, classic noodle soup for an easy post-holiday dinner.
- Chicken & Gnocchi Soup – Swap the chicken for turkey in this creamy soup loaded with tender gnocchi and vegetables.
Who’s Stirring the Pot?
Hi, I’m Ruth—the recipe developer and comfort-food enthusiast behind Rufus For Real. I believe dinner should be the best part of your day, not the most stressful one. That’s why I focus on meals that are simple, satisfying, and impossible to mess up in a real-life kitchen.
I want to hear from you! Which one of these Holiday Dinner Recipes are you making first? Whether it’s the Roasted Prime Rib or that Three Cheese Mac and Cheese, let me know in the comments below—I read every single one!
You’ll find me sharing even more comfort-food goodness, kitchen tips, and behind-the-scenes chaos over on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube (@rufusforreal everywhere).
If you love approachable recipes with a whole lot of personality, pull up a chair—there’s always room at this table.
Happy Cooking!
-Ruth aka Rufus
