Food and Recipes Recipes 60 Christmas Dinner Recipes You Need to Try This Holiday Season By Kaitlyn Yarborough Kaitlyn Yarborough Part of the Southern Living team since 2017, Kaitlyn Yarborough is a Georgia native living in Austin, Texas, who covers a wide variety of topics for both the magazine and website, focusing on culture and lifestyle content, as well as travel in the South.She earned a B.A. in Journalism at the University of Georgia. She hopes to inspire your travel bucket list with her features on road trips through Texas Hill Country, bourbon tours in Kentucky, and the best beach getaways on the Gulf Coast. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on June 22, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Alison Miksch 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 60 of our all-time best Christmas dinner recipes, from Southern sideboard staples to show-stopping main dishes. With a spread like this, you'll find that the only hard part is having to pick what makes it on your plate. Pair Cider-Braised 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. 01 of 60 Grits Dressing 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. 02 of 60 Old-School Green Bean Casserole 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. 03 of 60 Honey-Glazed Spiced Carrots 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. 04 of 60 Baked Brie Bites 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. 05 of 60 Make-Ahead Yeast Rolls 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. 06 of 60 Beet, Fennel, and Apple Salad 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. 07 of 60 Balsamic Green Beans with Pearl Onions 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. 08 of 60 Roasted Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese 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. 09 of 60 Herbed Wild Rice Dressing Iain Bagwell Recipe: Herbed Wild Rice Dressing It's wild, that's for sure. Earthy wild rice is combined with crisp apples and celery, aromatic red onion, toasted walnuts, fresh parsley and sage, and buttery sourdough bread cubes. This innovative dressing dish belongs at Christmas. 10 of 60 Our Favorite Buttermilk Biscuits 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. 11 of 60 Savory Corn Pudding 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. 12 of 60 Italian Casserole 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!). 13 of 60 Sweet Potato and Chorizo Sausage Bites 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. 14 of 60 Sautéed Mustard Greens with Garlic and Lemon 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. 15 of 60 Baby Hasselback Potatoes with Blue Cheese and Bacon Laurey W. Glenn; Food Styling: William Smith; Prop Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham 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. 16 of 60 Classic Candied Yams 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. 17 of 60 Chicken-and-Biscuit Cobbler 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). 18 of 60 Slow-Cooker Collard Greens with Ham Hocks 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. 19 of 60 Best-Ever Macaroni and Cheese Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Best-Ever Macaroni and Cheese There's no better case for serving macaroni and cheese at Christmas dinner than this best-ever version. You won't find a creamier, meltier macaroni and cheese rendition in all the land. 20 of 60 Bacon-Brussels Sprout-Green Bean Casserole Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Bacon-Brussels Sprout-Green Bean Casserole If it's topped with fried onions and crispy bacon, is there a Southerner that won't love it? This casserole is a glorious mashup of two of our favorite vegetables to serve during the holidays: green beans and Brussels sprouts. 21 of 60 Pumpkin-Buttermilk Biscuits with Crispy Ham and Honey Butter Victor Protasio; Propr Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Pumpkin-Buttermilk Biscuits with Crispy Ham and Honey Butter Surprise everyone with this festive take on buttermilk biscuits. Pumpkin puree gives the biscuits their bright hue and flavorful twist, while the honey butter and salty country ham balance each other perfectly. 22 of 60 Stuffed Beef Tenderloin with Burgundy-Mushroom Sauce Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller; Food Styling: William Smith Recipe: Stuffed Beef Tenderloin with Burgundy-Mushroom Sauce Find a prettier main dish, we challenge. These tender spirals of beef filled with creamy spinach and leeks always receive perfect scores on taste and style. 23 of 60 Kentucky Hot Brown Casserole Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke Recipe: Kentucky Hot Brown Casserole Why not gussy up a classic Southern sandwich for the holiday season? If it's from the South, chances are we're going to try to make casserole out of it, and this one is (thankfully) quite incredible. 24 of 60 Grits and Greens with Brown Butter Hot Sauce Iain Bagwell Recipe: Grits and Greens with Brown Butter Hot Sauce Grits and greens, greens and grits—we'll take them any way. This creamy side dish combines the two Southern staples with a brown butter hot sauce that'll leave the taste buds reeling. 25 of 60 Classic Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Classic Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes Consider this an old-school recipe, perfected. A power trio of tangy buttermilk, creamy butter, and velvety rich crème fraîche make these mashed potatoes the best-ever rendition. 26 of 60 Italian-Style Grits and Greens with Pulled Pork and Mushrooms Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Italian-Style Grits and Greens with Pulled Pork and Mushrooms This is definitely the I've-got-company-coming platter. The mouthwatering piled-up presentation was made for this combination of slow-cooker Parmesan grits, pulled pork, and garlicky sautéed mushrooms. 27 of 60 Slow-Cooker Green Beans Iain Bagwell Recipe: Slow-Cooker Green Beans Crave the taste of your grandmother's green beans? This slow-cooker recipe gets you there, with a little extra bacon. We'll swear up and down that this side dish makes every festive dinner just a little bit better. 28 of 60 The Ultimate Make-Ahead Gravy Hector Sanchez Recipe: The Ultimate Make-Ahead Gravy Get out your best gravy boat—because this gravy deserves a nice home. Though this recipe takes only one pot and 30 minutes, you can still make it ahead to mark something off your to-do list. 29 of 60 Classic Cranberry Salad Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Classic Cranberry Salad We know you're already stocking up on those cans of congealed cranberry, but this fresh cranberry salad can fit on the table, too. Filled with pears, pineapple, celery, and pecans, this recipe offers a fresh, crunchy take on the nostalgic dish. 30 of 60 Old-Fashioned Chicken Pot Pie Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Old-Fashioned Chicken Pot Pie There's always room for pot pie. If hosting a large crowd or a potluck-style Christmas meal, look no further than this old-school chicken casserole with a golden, crispy crust. 31 of 60 Herbed Potato Stacks Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller; Food Styling: William Smith Recipe: Herbed Potato Stacks These stacks make the short list for most adorable side dish and feature a short ingredient list to boot. Baked in a muffin pan, the tiny potato towers get deliciously crispy on the outside, yet creamy and tender on the inside. 32 of 60 Skillet Squash Blossom Iain Bagwell Recipe: Skillet Squash Blossom At first glance, we're intrigued. At first bite, we're sold. Bacon, thyme, and a little maple syrup help make up the squash blossom's success. 33 of 60 French Onion Soup Casserole Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: French Onion Soup Casserole Like we said, we'll make anything a casserole. Transform your comforting bowl of onion soup into this cheesy, caramelized layered masterpiece. 34 of 60 Potato Gratin with Rosemary Crust Jennifer Davick Recipe: Potato Gratin with Rosemary Crust Want to bring major flavor without spending too much time in the kitchen? The rosemary aromatics of this cheesy two-potato gratin will put you in the holiday spirit. 35 of 60 Smashed Baby Red Potatoes Iain Bagwell Recipe: Smashed Baby Red Potatoes Smashed, not mashed. You'll find something inherently satisfying about smashing these baby red potatoes. Coated in a heavenly garlic-herb butter sauce, these will be an instant hit. 36 of 60 Cheesy Broccoli-and-Rice Casserole Hector Sanchez Recipe: Cheesy Broccoli-and-Rice Casserole If broccoli-and-cheese casserole is wrong, then we don't want to be right. (We'd wager that just about every Southerner feels the same.) Make the classic dish a little extra special by using this recipe that skips the canned cream of mushroom and frozen broccoli. 37 of 60 Oyster Casserole Greg DuPree Recipe: Oyster Casserole You might know it as oyster dressing, oyster pie, or even scalloped oysters. Oyster casserole is part of many Southerners' Christmas traditions, and this recipe is our Test Kitchen's favorite rendition. 38 of 60 Gnocchi Gratin with Ham and Peas Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Gnocchi Gratin with Ham and Peas The perk of using gnocchi instead of traditional pasta in your gratin? It takes so much less time to cook. This ham-and-pea gratin shakes things up. 39 of 60 Pancetta-Wrapped Beef Tenderloin with Whipped Horseradish Cream Jim Franco Recipe: Pancetta-Wrapped Beef Tenderloin with Whipped Horseradish Cream Wrap the tenderloin in pancetta and cook until it's nice and crispy. 40 of 60 Arugula Salad with Bacony Croutons and Sherry Vinaigrette Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke Recipe: Arugula Salad with Bacony Croutons and Sherry Vinaigrette Arugula, blue cheese, Honeycrisp apple, toasted pecans, and bacon fat croutons make up this indulgent salad. 41 of 60 Buttery Toasted Pecans Iain Bagwell Recipe: Buttery Toasted Pecans This quick and easy recipe will get you into the holiday spirit. 42 of 60 Peppercorn-Crusted Standing Rib Roast with Roasted Vegetables Laurey W. Glenn Recipe: Peppercorn-Crusted Standing Rib Roast with Roasted Vegetables Slather the roast in herb butter and let it sit overnight for a flavorful and impressive main dish. 43 of 60 Collard Greens Gratin Iain Bagwell; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller Recipe: Collard Greens Gratin What better way to get your greens in than with a gratin? 44 of 60 Classic Lasagna LauriPatterson / Getty Images Recipe: Classic Lasagna Lasagna can be served any time of year, but we love to serve it on Christmas for a bit of comfort food. 45 of 60 Spice-Rubbed Tenderloin with Mustard-Cream Sauce 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. 46 of 60 Fennel-and-Potato Gratin Jennifer Davick Recipe: Fennel-and-Potato Gratin A casserole dish of cheesy potato gratin pleases every palate, in our experience. This recipe gets a festive touch from fennel and nutmeg. 47 of 60 Cider-Braised Pork Shoulder 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. 48 of 60 Skillet Cornbread Jennifer Causey Recipe: Skillet Cornbread Three words: Hot. Bacon. Drippings. Say hello to the secret weapon behind this perfect skillet recipe for Southern cornbread. 49 of 60 Perfect Beef Tenderloin 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.) 50 of 60 Christmas Salad Alison Miksch Recipe: Christmas Salad It's earned its name. Packed with bacon, beets, feta cheese, and toasted pumpkin seeds, this salad is a reader-favorite starter for formal Christmas menus. 51 of 60 Classic Roasted Duck with Orange-Bourbon-Molasses Glaze Southern Living Recipe: Classic Roasted Duck with Orange-Bourbon-Molasses Glaze Feel instantly fancy when serving this perfectly crispy roasted duck. The secret is in the sauce: a glaze of orange marmalade, bourbon, molasses, lemon juice, and ginger. 52 of 60 Classic Fresh Field Peas Photo: Iain Bagwell Recipe: Classic Fresh Field Peas If there's a recipe that couldn't benefit from the addition of ham hocks or bacon drippings, we've yet to find it. Luckily, this recipe for fresh field peas covers its bases, using both. 53 of 60 Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes Southern Living Recipe: Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes If there was ever an occasion to take your mashed potatoes over the top, Christmas seems like the time. In this recipe we made mashed potatoes with heavy cream and butter, but added plain goat cheese for an extra dose of flavor and silkiness. 54 of 60 Hot Cheesy Crab Dip Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Hot Cheesy Crab Dip Jumbo lump crab meat makes this cheesy dip worthy of a holiday spread. It will only take a few bites for your guests to start requesting the recipe. 55 of 60 Baked Ham with Brown Sugar-Citrus Glaze Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Recipe: Baked Ham with Brown Sugar-Citrus Glaze Give your go-to ham glaze the holiday season off and swap in this bright, fresh version made with orange juice, marmalade, and brown sugar. 56 of 60 Christmas Snow Salad Jennifer Causey Recipe: Christmas Snow Salad No Southern holiday is complete without at least one jiggly gelatin masterpiece. Like a delightfully retro Christmas tree ornament, this colorful salad will stand out on your dining room sideboard. 57 of 60 Mamau's Cheese Straws Robbie Caponetto; Prop Styling: Mary Beth Wetzel; Food Styling: Pam Lolley Recipe: Mamau's Cheese Straws This take on a Southern classic was inspired by our editor in chief's grandmother, Mamau. She never broke the tradition of serving this same little snack on Christmas Eve. 58 of 60 Pork Crown Roast Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Recipe: Pork Crown Roast We'll let you in on a little secret: You don't need a laundry list of ingredients to make an impressive Christmas entrée. With a little help from your butcher, even your mother-in-law will request the recipe for this pork crown roast. 59 of 60 Southern Cornbread Dressing Lee Harrelson Recipe: Southern Cornbread Dressing Thought cornbread dressing was just for Thanksgiving? You'll be pleasantly surprised when you taste how well this buttery side dish pairs with beef tenderloin, duck, and ham. 60 of 60 Cornmeal Popovers Laurey W. Glenn Recipe: Cornmeal Popovers You'll be reaching into the breadbasket more than once for this light and fluffy dinner-roll alternative. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit