The Best Christmas Dinner Guide

It’s the season for celebrating and dining together! I’ve gathered up some of my best holiday recipes to create some delicious Christmas dinner ideas. Get ready to find everything you need from holiday main dishes to sides, salads, appetizers, soups and desserts! I’ve also included 2 complete Christmas menus for you to use.

Christmas dinner is such a joyous occasion. There is so much to celebrate. And there are so many ways to celebrate! From soups to salads to stunning main dishes, Christmas dinner doesn’t have to be the same every year.

And even if you like to have a few favorites year after year, this list of recipes offers a few ways you can mix in some new favorites too!

• Holiday Prime Rib– Prime rib is the choicest of beef cuts. Rich, tender, elegant– but still the utmost of traditional family dishes.
• Creole Roasted Turkey Breast– Coated with simple creole seasoning & butter, then roasted with fresh herbs & touch of citrus, bone-in Creole Roasted Turkey Breasts are deliciously tender, juicy & full of savory flavor! 
• Pecan Crusted Apple Cider Ham– This show stopping ham bakes up golden brown with a rich brown sugar, molasses, apple juice glaze and buttery pecan crust. 

• Air Fryer Natchitoches Meat Pies– Traditional Louisiana Natchitoches Meat Pies have never been easier than with this short cut air fryer recipe! Roll out pie crusts make prep easy. The spicy beef and pork filling keep it authentic.
• Easy Louisiana Gumbo– This gumbo has a light, buttery roux that only takes about 5-7 minutes to reach its golden brown color and nutty flavor.  Layered with plenty herbs, spices, sausage, okra and shrimp, This is what holiday comfort food is all about!
• Green Chile Rice– This simple rice recipe delivers loads of flavor and is the perfect way to serve your gumbo!
• Sweet Potato Cornbread– Sweet and earthy with warm spices, a hint of molasses and a humble cornbread crumble, Easy Sweet Potato Cornbread harnesses all the cozy flavors and feels of the season.
• Classic Louisiana Pralines– Wonderfully indulgent, pralines are all about buttery southern pecans wrapped in blankets of rich, soft, fudge-like caramel candy made from brown sugar, cream, and butter. They are the perfect Christmas candy!

• Layered Sweet Potato Gratin– In this gorgeous, cheesy sweet potato side dish, layers of sweet potatoes and gold potatoes are bathed in rich, garlicky cream, topped sharp Gruyere and Parmesan cheeses and baked until fork tender in a Rosemary pie crust.
• Cranberry Apple Sausage Dressing– Loaded with seasoned sausage, green & red apples and plump, tart cranberries, Sausage Apple Cranberry Dressing is moist and full of seasonal flavors or you can make traditional Southern Chicken & Dressing.
• Garlic Honey Glazed Carrots– Caramelized in a rich sweet savory blend of honey, garlic, butter, chicken broth & thyme, these savory carrots are a simple oven roasted side dish.
• Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole– Fluffy rice and fresh broccoli are wrapped in an easy homemade sauce that gets it creaminess from cream cheese, evaporated milk and sharp cheddar instead of the usual canned soup.
• Brussels Sprouts Au Gratin– This Brussels Sprouts Au Gratin recipe is made with tender, shredded Brussels sprouts smothered in a rich, creamy cheese sauce made with smoked gouda, shaved Parmesan, garlic and heavy cream. 

• Green Salad with Pears, Figs & Molasses Vinaigrette– Dark greens, crisp pears, rich figs, dried cranberries, toasted pumpkin seeds, bacon, walnuts and cool bleu cheese & homemade vinaigrette make this salad more than special!
• Ambrosia Fruit Salad– This heavenly fruit salad is wrapped in a light and fluffy whipped cream dressing with a secret ingredient that makes it absolutely the best! Don’t want a whipped dressing? Try Classic Fruit Salad!
• Cranberry Jello Salad- Deliciously sweet and festive, this salad is filled with little mandarin orange slices, crushed pineapple, the crunch of chopped pecans and tart whole berry cranberry sauce suspended in a vibrant black cherry jello. Try Cherry Coca Cola Jello Salad too!
• Crunchy Broccoli Salad with Strawberries– This fresh take on classic Crunchy Broccoli Salad is loaded with 2 kinds of broccoli, plump strawberries, sweet dried cranberries, tart green apples and a simple homemade dressing. Perfect for making ahead!
• Apple Cheese Celery Salad– This Waldorf-style salad plays off the classic pairing of sweet apples and mildly salty cheese with the crisp crunch of celery and a sprinkling of walnuts. 

• Cozy French Onion Soup– A classic comfort food, French Onion Soup is loaded with sweet caramelized onions, rich, savory broth, oodles of melted cheese & crusty bread. 
• Short Cut Creamy Parmesan Cauliflower Soup– This rich & creamy Cauliflower Soup topped with bacon could almost be mistaken for potato… but it’s not! Riced Cauliflower, sharp Parmesan, a little cream cheese, cream and broth come together in this easy recipe to create a deliciously cheesy soup!

• Favorite Pimento Cheese Ball– Rolled in pecans, bacon, chives and punctuated with zesty pimentos, this classic is all about everyone’s southern favorites. 
• Shrimp & Crab Deviled Eggs– Rich, creamy and deliciously savory, these Louisiana Shrimp & Crab Deviled Eggs are stuffed with Creole seafood goodness. 
• Green Chile Sausage Balls– This recipe will make your traditional sausage ball recipe sing with the addition of savory green chiles! A simple mixture of sharp cheddar cheese, canned diced green chiles, ground pork sausage and biscuit mix
• Hot Cranberries & Cheddar Skillet Dip– Warm and melted with a little kick and topped with those wonderfully red Christmas-time cranberries, this baked cheese dip can be scooped with crackers, Melba toast, pita chips, chunks of hot bread, even pecans. 

• Red Velvet Trifle–  Luscious layers of red velvet cake, chocolate sauce, white chocolate cheesecake and whipped topping make one decadent dessert that anyone can make!
• Cozy Apple Pear Crisp- Layers of sliced apples and pears are wrapped in a brown sugar cinnamon filling, full of warm spices and topped with a crunchy oatmeal pecan topping. 
• Gooey Black Bottom Pecan Pie Brownies– Dark, fudgey brownies and toasted pecan pie filling are the perfect combination in these decadent Pecan Pie Brownies. 
• Southern Bread Pudding with Whiskey Cream Sauce– With a touch of cinnamon & a sprinkle of pecans, this easy New Orleans favorite only amps up the sweet southern charm with a generous drizzle of rich whiskey cream sauce. 
• Chocolate Chip Neiman Marcus Cookies– Loaded with chocolate chunks, chocolate chips, oatmeal, and pecans, these aren’t your usual chocolate chip cookies.