Holiday foods are varied, but they all have one thing in common: They're undeniably delicious. Whether you're celebrating a literal holiday or just having a festive holiday season dinner with friends and family, you're sure to find something delicious here. From sweet showstoppers to traditional favorites (and even some new flavor combinations), we've got it all.
If a Beef Wellington and pigs in a blanket had a baby, it would be this holiday showstopper. It's both a great centerpiece for your holiday table and a totally easy main, thanks to refrigerated crescent rolls and a pre-cooked ham.
Recipe: Pastry-Wrapped Holiday Ham | Shop This Recipe
tasty.co You can use pomegranate molasses (which makes the base of this drink) in a ton of recipes, sweet and savory, so don't worry that it'll go to waste. And if you're serving a younger crowd, sparkling cider or grape juice is a great sub for champagne.
Recipe: Pomegranate Spritzer | Shop This Recipe
tasty.co These are great for any holiday, but especially for Hanukkah, where fried foods reign supreme. And if you sneak these in so you don't have to eat a jelly donut, more power to you.
Recipe: Apple-Stuffed Donuts | Shop This Recipe
tasty.co Corn is a traditional part of a Kwanzaa table (one for each child!), and this dish incorporates that decoration right into the meal. Plus, it's delicious — and super easy to make vegan if you need it to be. All you have to do is sub in vegan butter.
Recipe: Makai Paka | Shop This Recipe
tasty.co There's nothing that says "We made it through the year!" quite like a big slab of perfectly cooked beef. And it's a surprisingly hands-off recipe, too: The roast hangs out in the oven while you hang out with your family and friends.
Recipe: Prime Rib With Garlic Herb Butter | Shop This Recipe
tasty.co It really doesn't matter what your main course is, be it Beef Wellington, turkey, or even salmon — apple pie will always steal the show. This recipe is fully from scratch, crust and all...but if you use a store-bought crust I promise not to tell.
Recipe: Apple Pie From Scratch | Shop This Recipe
tasty.co Sweet, a little tart, and full of all those good roasty flavors, these carrots are the surprising star of any holiday meal. And they're adaptable, too! If you don't have maple syrup, commenters have had success with honey or even orange marmalade.
Recipe: Roasted Carrots | Shop This Recipe
tasty.co I've often thought linguine with clams could use a more flavorful sauce, and carbonara also tends to be a little plain on its own — enter this recipe, which combines the best of both dishes. If you're Italian, or even if you're not, you've gotta make this one of your Seven Fishes this Christmas Eve.
Recipe: Clams Carbonara | Shop This Recipe
tasty.co Roasted Brussels sprouts have (rightfully) earned a spot on many menus, but they can be a little lackluster on their own. This version jazzes the veggie up with onion wedges, pears, and a handful of dried cranberries for the ultimate in autumnal flavors.
Recipe: Roasted Vegetables | Shop This Recipe
tasty.co If you can't find a chocolate orange to melt down for this fondue, plain semi-sweet chocolate and orange liqueur would still be delicious. Folks will rave about this dessert for ages — even though it's basically zero effort.
Recipe: Boozy Chocolate Orange Fondue | Shop This Recipe
tasty.co If you're having a Kwanzaa celebration this year, this stew is a great fit — it's a hearty main dish that showcases traditional West African flavors. And if you want to make it for New Year's Eve, or Hanukkah, or just a particularly cold Tuesday, it's a great fit there, too.
Recipe: Gambian-Inspired Groundnut Stew (Domoda) | Shop This Recipe
tasty.co Hanukkah has passed for this year, but you can always keep this recipe in your pocket for next year — it's a classic that won't let you down. If you have a food processor, it's worth breaking out for all the shredding here. Otherwise you'll get a killer arm workout!
Recipe: Potato Latkes | Shop This Recipe
tasty.co There's a secret ingredient in this vegan hot cocoa that gives it that almost pudding-like consistency of truly gourmet hot chocolate...but I won't spill the beans. (OK, yes I will — it's pureed sweet potato!)
Recipe: Creamy Hot Cocoa | Shop This Recipe
tasty.co A good brisket is a labor of love, but the broiling, the braising, the resting, and the reducing all add up to a gorgeous result. It's a great centerpiece for the Hanukkah table...or any table, really.
Recipe: Best Beef Brisket | Shop This Recipe
tasty.co No holiday table is complete without mac 'n' cheese, no matter what the holiday is. And this one has something for everyone to enjoy, from garlic butter bacon breadcrumbs to seven (!!) types of cheese.
Recipe: Ultimate Mac ‘n’ Cheese | Shop This Recipe
tasty.co Whether you make your own apple cider or use a jug from the store, these cupcakes are warming, sweet, and festive enough for any celebration. They're also a great break from cookies and pie, which can get a bit overdone this time of year.
Recipe: Apple Cider Cupcakes | Shop This Recipe
tasty.co Beef Wellington seems intimidating, but all of the steps are actually very simple. To be fair, there are a lot of steps...but if you take your time and do them right, you'll be rewarded with a Wellington that Gordon Ramsay himself would be proud of.
Recipe: Show-Stopping Beef Wellington | Shop This Recipe
tasty.co Whether you're serving two people or twelve, this one is a great option. The salmon packets are easy to assemble (and they can all bake at the same time), so everything will be fresh and hot when you're ready to eat.
Recipe: Parchment Garlic Butter Salmon | Shop This Recipe
tasty.co Traditional challah gets its richness and shine from eggs, but this vegan version substitutes coconut oil for a loaf that's just as delicious without any animal products. Serve this as a side with your holiday dinner, make it the base for a leftover sandwich, or turn it into the best French toast ever .
Recipe: Vegan Challah Bread | Shop This Recipe
tasty.co If you're hosting any outdoor gatherings this holiday season, this hot toddy would be a great addition. It's made in a slow cooker, so it'll keep itself (and your guests) warm for hours.
Recipe: Hot Toddy | Shop This Recipe
tasty.co Lobster tails are a great compromise for folks who want to eat lobster but can't quite bring themselves to boil a whole one alive. (It's me. I'm people.) These bake up super fast, and they're the perfect main to serve with a festive holiday meal.
Recipe: Baked Lobster Tails | Shop This Recipe
tasty.co These potatoes have been tested (and tested, and re-tested, and tested again) so you can be sure they're the absolute pinnacle of mashed potato perfection. You won't find a silkier spud anywhere.
Recipe: Ultimate Mashed Potatoes | Shop This Recipe
tasty.co Slice 'n' bake cookies just got a big upgrade. The swirled doughs and sprinkled edges of these cookies make them fancy enough to showcase in any cookie swap or gift box — no decorating required.
Recipe: Sugar Swirl Cookies | Shop This Recipe
tasty.co For the longest time, I wasn't a huge fan of green bean casserole. As it turns out, making it with real, whole ingredients instead of condensed soups makes a huge difference...but nothing can top those little fried onions from the can.
Recipe: Ultimate Green Bean Casserole | Shop This Recipe
tasty.co Shrimp cocktail may be shockingly simple to make, but for some reason it just has a ~classy~ vibe. If you're hosting the kind of holiday party where cocktails (and cocktail dresses) are involved, you simply must include shrimp cocktail.
Recipe: Shrimp Cocktail | Shop This Recipe
tasty.co This clever treat uses pre-made pizza dough, which means you can easily make it in the sleepy lull after presents have been opened (but before toys start to get played with). By the time it's all baked and ready to eat, everyone will perk back up.
Recipe: Cinnamon Roll Wreath | Shop This Recipe
tasty.co I can't think of an easier, more crowd-pleasing appetizer than pigs in a blanket. If you want to make these three-ingredient beauties even easier, they're just as yummy sans cheese.
Recipe: Pigs in a Blanket | Shop This Recipe
tasty.co Pro-tip: If you want instant holiday cred, become the One Who Brings the Rolls. You can trust me: I'm the One Who Brings the Mac 'n' Cheese, so I know what I'm talking about. It's up to you whether or not you let people know that these are just jazzed-up refrigerated biscuit dough.
Recipe: Pull-Apart Garlic Rolls | Shop This Recipe
tasty.co Mashed potatoes may be a classic, but scalloped potatoes are way up there too, IMO...especially if your holiday dinner includes ham or steak. And if you have a mandoline, you'd be wise to break it out for this recipe. It makes getting those perfectly even slices of potatoes super easy.
Recipe: Scalloped Potatoes | Shop This Recipe
tasty.co Any time you mix cheese with fruit, people will think you're fancy. These are just three ingredients — four, if you count the optional honey drizzle — but they seem way more complex and sophisticated.
Recipe: Apple Brie Crostinis | Shop This Recipe
tasty.co You could probably wrap a flip-flop in puff pastry and it would taste delicious. Thankfully, bacon and asparagus are much more appetizing than a flip-flop, and the friends and family at your holiday party will probably like them way more.
Recipe: Bacon Asparagus Pastry Twists | Shop This Recipe
tasty.co Making these mini cheesecakes in a cupcake tin means you can use a whole, pre-made gingersnap as the crust — no crushing or mixing required. If you happen to have access to a Trader Joe's, I bet their Triple Gingersnaps would be amaaaaazing in this.
Recipe: Mini Gingerbread Cheesecakes | Shop This Recipe
tasty.co If you're lucky enough to spend the holidays at the beach, you're legally obligated to have a seafood boil at some point. The fresh seafood, potatoes, corn, and sausage are truly the perfect combination here.
Recipe: Holiday Seafood Pot | Shop This Recipe
tasty.co Vegans and omnivores alike will go wild for this dish. The squash soaks up a ton of delicious sauce, and the topping of chives, hazelnuts, and pomegranate seeds is just as stunning to look at as it is delicious to eat.
Recipe: Hasselback Butternut Squash | Shop This Recipe
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