If you forgot to plan the perfect menu for your Christmas dinner, you’re not alone. Your guests will never know that you procrastinated your holiday hosting duties with these quick and easy recipes that take just a few simple ingredients.
These deliciously low-effort holiday recipes are perfect in a pinch:
Glazed Carrots
Freshen up your feast with these glazed carrots. They require only four ingredients and are ready to eat in minutes. Glazed carrots will make your meal feel complete, even if you’re short on time.
Chocolate Peppermint Toffee
Don’t panic if you forget to plan dessert. This chocolate peppermint toffee is deceptively simple and full of holiday cheer. The best part is you can make a big batch at once and freeze it for up to two months, letting you indulge all season.
Chocolate Peppermint Toffee Recipe
Christmas Punch
Quench your thirst with a mouthwatering Christmas punch. It’s fruity and fizzy, with a refreshing combination of juice and soda. Leave it as is for a family-friendly beverage, or spike it with alcohol for the adults.
Cheese Balls
This cheese ball recipe satisfies every holiday craving. It features goat cheese and sage balls rolled in pomegranate seeds and pistachios. They’re irresistibly creamy, crunchy, savory, and sweet.
Chicken Piccata
Put an Italian spin on this year’s Christmas gathering by making chicken piccata. It’s a comforting dish of chicken cooked in a lemony sauce with capers. Serve it alongside pasta for a cozy, crowd-pleasing dinner.
Holiday Honeycrisp Salad
A holiday honeycrisp salad is an excellent way to get your greens in. Start with a crisp salad base and top it with apples, pecans, cranberries, and blue cheese. Toss everything in a light vinaigrette, and you have a beautiful side dish to enhance any table.
Holiday Honeycrisp Salad Recipe
Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus
Are you searching for a delicious, low-effort vegetable for Christmas dinner? Bacon-wrapped asparagus is just the thing. Everyone will want seconds of this simple yet flavorful side.
Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus Recipe
Cranberry Brie Bites
These cranberry brie bites are so tasty that no one will know you whipped them up in less than 30 minutes. You only need five ingredients to create the festive handheld snacks. The tart cranberry beautifully complements the rich brie cheese, combining salty yet sweet elements.
Fettuccine Alfredo
Get in the festive spirit with a hearty plate of fettuccine alfredo. This Italian classic features pasta enrobed in a silky, decadent cheese sauce. You’ll still crave the savory favorite long after the holidays have passed.
To Die For Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe
Balsamic Roast Pork Tenderloins
Impress all your loved ones by serving them balsamic roast pork tenderloins on Christmas. While this dish sounds and tastes fancy, it’s deceptively simple to prepare. The pork is juicy and flavorful, with a satisfying hint of tang from the balsamic vinegar.
Balsamic Roast Pork Tenderloins Recipe
Cheesecake Cupcakes
Take the stress out of holiday hosting with these mini cheesecake desserts. Instead of making an entire cheesecake, the recipe uses a muffin tin to create bite-sized delights. The cheesecake cupcakes are delicious plain, but you can also incorporate add-ins like strawberries or chocolate.
Easy Cheesecake Cupcakes Recipe
Christmas Meatballs
These Christmas meatballs combine the best festive flavors into one tempting appetizer. The recipe uses everyday staples you likely already have, like dried cranberries and onion soup mix. It yields a hearty batch of saucy meatballs to keep guests full and happy.
Brussels Sprouts
You’ve never had Brussels sprouts this delicious before. You roast the sprouts with garlic and Parmesan for tons of savory goodness. No one will be able to resist these salty, cheesy vegetable morsels.
The Best Brussels Sprouts of Your Life Recipe
These sides steal the show
Prepare to pile your plate high with mouthwatering, seasonally inspired side dishes. These Christmas recipes are the perfect complement to any feast.
15 Christmas Side Dish Recipes That Outshine the Ham
Lighten things up this holiday season
You don’t need to overindulge to satisfy your Christmas cravings. Enjoy the festivities while staying on track with these healthy recipe ideas.
13 Healthy Holiday Recipes That Won’t Ruin Your Diet
Elise Armitage is an entrepreneur and founder of What The Fab, a travel + lifestyle blog based in California. At the beginning of 2019, Elise left her corporate job at Google to chase her dreams: being an entrepreneur and helping women find fabulous in the everyday. Since then, she’s launched her SEO course Six-Figure SEO, where she teaches bloggers how to create a passive revenue stream from their website using SEO. Featured in publications like Forbes, Elle, HerMoney, and Real Simple, Elise is a firm believer that you can be of both substance and style.
