Skip to content

Top Navigation

Southern Living Southern Living
  • Food
  • Holidays & Entertaining
  • Home & Garden
  • Style & Culture
  • News
  • Video

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living Books this link opens in a new tab
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Southern Living

Southern Living Southern Living
  • Explore

    Explore

    • The Most Popular Hairstyles of 2021

      The Most Popular Hairstyles of 2021

      The trendy haircuts you’ll be seeing everywhere this year. Read More Next
    • How To Season A Cast-Iron Skillet

      How To Season A Cast-Iron Skillet

      Learn how to season this Southern kitchen staple in five easy steps. Read More Next
    • The Right Way to Heat a Pre-Cooked Ham

      The Right Way to Heat a Pre-Cooked Ham

      It's so easy, trust us. Read More Next
  • Food

    Food

    See All Food
    How Long Do Deviled Eggs Last in the Fridge?

    How Long Do Deviled Eggs Last in the Fridge?

    Best practices for dealing with deviled eggs
    • All Food
    • All Recipes
    • Holidays & Occasions
    • Quick Fix Suppers
    • Slow Cooker Recipes
    • Desserts
    • Casseroles
    • Healthy Recipes
  • Holidays & Entertaining

    Holidays & Entertaining

    See All Holidays & Entertaining
    70 Wedding Vow Examples That Will Melt Your Heart

    70 Wedding Vow Examples That Will Melt Your Heart

    Fight writer's block and find ways to express your love with these romantic, funny, and short wedding vow examples.
    • Christmas
    • Entertaining
    • Thanksgiving
    • Southern Weddings
    • Easter
    • Kentucky Derby
    • Valentine's Day
    • 4th of July
    • Mother's Day
  • Home & Garden

    Home & Garden

    See All Home & Garden
    30 Containers for Covered Porches That Will Thrive in the Shade

    30 Containers for Covered Porches That Will Thrive in the Shade

    Some containers have all the sun. These shady planters, though, are having plenty of fun sans sun. We’ve gathered all of our favorite shade-loving containers to inspire your planting this season. If you have a shady yard or want to perk up a shaded spot in your home, at your front door, on your porch, or around your patio, put together a pretty shade-loving container that’s also easy to care for. Plants like caladiums and creeping Jenny will thrive in the shade, and they’ll also add great color and movement to your planters. If you’re looking for the best plants for the shade and great flowers that thrive in shade, also reach for impatiens, coleus, sweet potato vines, mazus, vincas, torenias, violas, petunias, pansies, hellebores (Lenten roses), hostas, astilbes, and trilliums. They look great and will thrive in full to partial shade. Shade-loving flowers aren’t too hard to find. Ask around at your local garden store, and you’ll be able to locate the ingredients and put together any one of these shade-tolerant container ideas. Also, in regards to your container, don’t forget to think vertical. We love pots and planters, but a hanging basket is another great option, as is an elevated planter, which will make a statement and take advantage of any vertical space.
    • Home Decor Ideas
    • Idea Houses
    • Before & After
    • Inspired Communities
    • Curb Appeal
    • House Plans & Builders
    • The Grumpy Gardener
    • Plant Names A-Z
  • Style & Culture

    Style & Culture

    See All Style & Culture
    70 Cute and Funny Nicknames For Your Best Friends

    70 Cute and Funny Nicknames For Your Best Friends

    Let your besties know how much they mean to you with these unique nicknames.
    • Southern Culture
    • Hair
    • Travel
    • Beauty
    • Pets
    • Southern Fashion
    • Healthy Living
  • News
  • Video

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living Books this link opens in a new tab
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Southern Living
  2. Holidays & Occasions
  3. Christmas
  4. Christmas Recipes
  5. 65 Christmas Dinner Recipes You Need to Try This Holiday Season

65 Christmas Dinner Recipes You Need to Try This Holiday Season

By Kaitlyn Yarborough
September 24, 2018
Skip gallery slides
Save FB Tweet
Cranberry-Pecan Stuffing Recipe
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez
Christmas is about spending time with those you love, and that’s often best done with a full plate and happy heart. After 25 hectic days of festivities and feasting, there’s always one last meal on our minds: Christmas dinner. In the South, that means casseroles, crown roasts, gratins, and biscuits aplenty. We rounded up over 60 of our all-time best Christmas dinner recipes, from Southern sideboard staples to show-stopping main dishes. With a Southern spread like this, you’ll find that the only hard part is having to pick. Pair Cider-Glazed Pork Shoulder with our ham-hocked collards and rustic buttermilk mashed potatoes, or maybe Orange-Glazed Ham with our best-ever macaroni and cheese recipe and a green bean casserole. With classics and fresh takes alike, these delicious dishes will get you through Christmas supper and beyond. Take a look through these easy Christmas dinner recipes to find the holiday menu that’s made for your celebration style.
Start Slideshow

1 of 65

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Oyster Casserole

Crumbled crackers often top this casserole, but we prefer homemade breadcrumbs because they soak up more butter.

1 of 65

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 65

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Spice-Rubbed Tenderloin with Mustard-Cream Sauce

Spice-Rubbed Tenderloin with Mustard-Cream Sauce
Credit: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Spice-Rubbed Tenderloin with Mustard-Cream Sauce

When it comes to the tenderest of tenderloins, your spice cabinet has you covered for Christmas. The tangy mustard-cream sauce is just the kick of flavor on top.

2 of 65

3 of 65

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Grits Dressing

Grits Dressing Recipe
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn

Recipe: Grits Dressing

Though cornbread dressing might reign supreme at Thanksgiving, we're letting this grits-based version head the holiday table this December.

3 of 65

Advertisement

4 of 65

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Old-School Green Bean Casserole

Old-School Green Bean Casserole
Credit: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Old-School Green Bean Casserole

This old-school recipe is the definition of "don't mess with a good thing." From the frozen French-cut green beans to the crispy fried onion topping, it's a familiar staple on every Southern table, no matter the occasion.

4 of 65

5 of 65

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Honey-Glazed Spiced Carrots

Honey-Glazed Spiced Carrots
Credit: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Honey-Glazed Spiced Carrots

During Christmastime, Southerners will cover just about any vegetable with butter, sugar, and a bevy of festive spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. These carrots really hammer the holiday spirit home with their bright and colorful demeanor.

5 of 65

6 of 65

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Baked Brie Bites

Baked Brie Bites
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn

Recipe: Baked Brie Bites

There's no better way to kick off Christmas celebrations than with these melty baked Brie bites. Only five ingredients and 18 minutes of prep, these little stars are topped with a dollop of pepper jelly, flaky sea salt, and a few crunchy toasted pecans for a Southern touch.

6 of 65

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 65

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Cider-Braised Pork Shoulder

Cider-Braised Pork Shoulder
Credit: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Cider-Braised Pork Shoulder

Even a humble pork shoulder roast likes to dress up for the occasion. Between the apple cider, Dijon mustard, and brown sugar, this main dish hits the trifecta of flavor.

7 of 65

8 of 65

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Brussels Sprouts with Cornbread Croutons

Brussels Sprouts with Cornbread Croutons
Credit: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Brussels Sprouts with Cornbread Croutons

There are few things that make us drool more than the smell of roasted Brussels sprouts. Topped with homemade cornbread croutons and thyme-shallot butter sauce? Well, now they're just showing off.

8 of 65

9 of 65

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Rustic Mashed Red Potatoes with Parmesan

Rustic Mashed Red Potatoes with Parmesan
Credit: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Rustic Mashed Red Potatoes with Parmesan

Mashed potatoes belong with our homemade gravy like Johnny belongs with June. This rustic recipe uses herbed cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, and chives to make sure the gravy isn't the only star of the show.

9 of 65

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 65

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Make-Ahead Yeast Rolls

Make-Ahead Yeast Rolls
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn

Recipe: Make-Ahead Yeast Rolls

If it isn't broken, don't fix it. If you can also make it ahead before the in-laws come into town, don't dare forget it. These yeast rolls made their mark in our November 1995 issue, and are still one of our favorite holiday staples.

10 of 65

11 of 65

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Beet, Fennel, and Apple Salad

Beet, Fennel, and Apple Salad
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller; Food Styling: William Smith

Recipe: Beet, Fennel, and Apple Salad

There's an occasional need for greens on the holiday spread, and not of the stewed, buttery, ham-hocked variety. Beets add welcome pops of color in this delicate side salad.

11 of 65

12 of 65

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Blue Cheese-and-Pecan Stuffed Cherry Peppers

Blue Cheese-and-Pecan Stuffed Cherry Peppers
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Karin Olsen; Food Styling: William Smith

Recipe: Blue Cheese-and-Pecan Stuffed Cherry Peppers

Not too filling, yet totally packed with flavor, these tiny peppers are basically a perfect hot-and-sweet, crunchy-and-creamy appetizer wrapped up into a single bite.

12 of 65

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 65

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Orange-Glazed Ham

Orange-Glazed Ham
Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Orange-Glazed Ham

With a glistening glazed ham residing at the head of the holiday table, you're already off to a good start. A citrus glaze spiced with ginger, cloves, and dry mustard—and sweetened with brown sugar—hits all the right notes.

13 of 65

14 of 65

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Fennel-and-Potato Gratin

Fennel-and-Potato Gratin
Credit: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Fennel-and-Potato Gratin

A casserole dish of cheesy potato gratin pleases every palette, in our experience. This recipe gets a festive touch from fennel and nutmeg.

14 of 65

15 of 65

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Balsamic Green Beans with Pearl Onions

Balsamic Green Beans with Pearl Onions Recipe
Credit: Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller; Food Styling: William Smith

Recipe: Balsamic Green Beans with Pearl Onions

Enter: your most versatile Christmas side. It goes with any main meat dish you're cooking, but that doesn't mean it has to be plain, thanks to a tangy glaze of balsamic vinegar, garlic, and butter.

15 of 65

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

16 of 65

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Roasted Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese

Roasted Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese
Credit: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Roasted Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese

Warm roasted broccoli makes macaroni and cheese feel a little more wintery. Plus, it elevates the classic pasta bake from ho-hum to standout status on the holiday spread.

16 of 65

17 of 65

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Our Favorite Buttermilk Biscuits

Plenty of Biscuits and Cornbread
Credit: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Our Favorite Buttermilk Biscuit

Trust us, we've tried hundreds of biscuit recipes. This is the hands-down favorite we keep coming back to. Look at them—they're practically begging to be perched on the edge of your dinner plate.

17 of 65

18 of 65

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Savory Corn Pudding

Savory Corn Pudding
Credit: Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Savory Corn Pudding

Naturally one of our sweeter side dishes, corn pudding is a Southern favorite during the holiday season. In this recipe, fresh thyme adds a savory twist that makes it taste fresh and new.

18 of 65

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

19 of 65

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Roasted Pumpkin-and-Baby Kale Salad

Roasted Pumpkin-and-Baby Kale Salad
Credit: Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling; Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Roasted Pumpkin-and-Baby Kale Salad

Genius additions like herb-roasted pumpkin, toasted pecans, and goat cheese make this salad feel much less like an after-thought on the holiday dinner spread. (Which is often the fate of side salads amongst all of those casseroles.)

19 of 65

20 of 65

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Italian Casserole

Italian Casserole Recipe
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Italian Casserole

This vintage recipe makes an appearance every year, whether made ahead to be served on busy gift-wrapping nights or added to the Christmas dinner menu when feeding a huge crowd (and kids!).

20 of 65

21 of 65

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Sweet Potato and Chorizo Sausage Bites

Sweet Potato and Chorizo Sausage Bites
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Sweet Potato and Chorizo Sausage Bites

Is it Christmas in the South without sausage balls? No. No, it's not. Switch things up with this seasonal twist that incorporates spicy, peppery Mexican-style chorizo sausage and mashed sweet potatoes.

21 of 65

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

22 of 65

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Grilled Pork Loin Steaks with Cherry-Plum Sauce

Grilled Pork Loin Steaks with Cherry-Plum Sauce
Credit: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Grilled Pork Loin Steaks with Cherry-Plum Sauce

It's the heavenly cherry-plum sauce that really makes these pork loin steaks sing for the Christmas supper. Not to mention, you can make the sauce up to four days ahead, ensuring easy (well, easier) work for you on the day-of.

22 of 65

23 of 65

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Sautéed Mustard Greens with Garlic and Lemon

Sautéed Mustard Greens with Garlic and Lemon
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn

Recipe: Sautéed Mustard Greens with Garlic and Lemon

When the casseroles are already plentiful, these mustard greens will look so fresh and inviting on the table. The garlicky, lemony platter of veggies will be a quick favorite.

23 of 65

24 of 65

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Baby Hasselback Potatoes with Blue Cheese and Bacon

Cornmeal Popovers
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn

Recipe: Baby Hasselback Potatoes with Blue Cheese and Bacon

Get ready to swoon at the smell of the accordian-like slices of these Hasselback potatoes crisping in the oven. The blue cheese and bacon just really tip the scale over into holiday dinner perfection.

24 of 65

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

25 of 65

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Classic Candied Yams

Classic Candied Yams
Credit: Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Classic Candied Yams

Don't call this classic dish outdated, at least before you've tasted it. Lightly spiced and oh-so-sweet, these candied yams are about to become a mainstay alongside the sweet potato casserole.

25 of 65

26 of 65

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Young Lettuces and Shaved Winter Vegetables with Walnut Vinaigrette

Young Lettuces and Shaved Winter Vegetables with Walnut Vinaigrette Recipe
Credit: Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller; Food Styling: William Smith

Recipe: Young Lettuces and Shaved Winter Vegetables with Walnut Vinaigrette

It's the nice, mild salad needed in a room full of showboats like crown roast and squash casserole. Soft baby lettuces are the trick to the subtle salad.

26 of 65

27 of 65

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Skillet Cornbread

Skillet Cornbread
Credit: Jennifer Causey

Recipe: Skillet Cornbread

Three words: Hot. Bacon. Drippings. Say hello to the secret weapon behind this perfect skillet recipe for Southern cornbread.

27 of 65

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

28 of 65

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Chicken-and-Biscuit Cobbler

Chicken-and-Biscuit Cobbler
Credit: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Chicken-and-Biscuit Cobbler

Cobbler? For dinner? Groundbreaking. What sets this comforting chicken casserole apart is that it’s topped with fluffy homemade biscuits (that happen to have chopped bacon in them).

28 of 65

29 of 65

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Perfect Beef Tenderloin

Perfect Beef Tenderloin
Credit: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Perfect Beef Tenderloin

It's all in the technique. If you're a less-is-more, quality-first type of person, this perfectly cooked beef tenderloin will soon become a Christmas staple. (Hint: It also makes for great leftovers, placed inside a biscuit.)

29 of 65

30 of 65

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Slow-Cooker Collard Greens with Ham Hocks

Slow-Cooker Collard Greens with Ham Hocks Recipe
Credit: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Collard Greens with Ham Hocks

Free up your oven space, and let these too-easy, too-flavorful collards wow the Christmas crowd. After a simple 15 minutes of prep time, these ham-hocked collard greens finish in your slow cooker.

30 of 65

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

31 of 65

Save FB <