Welcome the New Year with These Delicious Dinner and Party Foods

Whether you're hoping to gather with a bevy of friends for a traditional New Year’s Eve party, or are planning a more intimate evening, ringing in 2021 with just a few close family members, you'll want to mark the final day of this tumultuous year with a good meal. And that mean some delicious mains, some tasty side dishes, a few appetizers and snacks, and of course a cocktail or two, both to send off the old year and to toast to whatever 2021 has to bring. To help you decide what to make, we've put together this list of five dozen of our favorite dishes, all of which are both elegant and easy to make, so you can feel comfortable making these for a crow, or even for just yourself and a friend.

Our spread of New Year's Eve food includes the best New Year's Eve appetizers that will kick the night off right, like colorful cheese balls and bruschetta. Delicious main courses will steal the show, such as citrus roasted salmon or pork chops with bourbon-molasses glaze, with sides of mashed potatoes, roasted squash, or grilled artichokes. Wow your guests with our holiday desserts and make sure everyone has a bubbly New Year's cocktail in hand to make a toast.

Set the tone for your New Year's Eve dinner even further by making a playlist with some of the best New Year’s Eve songs or playing a game. The only thing left to do will be to count down to 2020 by watching the New Year's Eve ball drop—maybe with a second piece of pie.