These Christmas Eve dinner ideas are elegant and crowd-pleasing. They’re perfect if Christmas Eve is the bigger meal in your family or if you’re just looking for a nicer meal to enjoy before Santa’s arrival. Around the world, Christmas Eve dinner looks different, so we’re sharing a variety of dinner recipes. From glazed ham, roasted turkey, and pork, to fish recipes, and elevated pasta dishes, we’ve rounded up a variety of recipes to make Christmas Eve special.
Baked Pasta Bolognese With Bechamel Sauce
“I enjoy finding new ideas for serving pasta dishes. Baked Bolognese is something I remember having at my grandmother’s house. I added a Bechamel sauce and used the sauce to layer the recipe. This is so full of flavor and very hearty; the leftovers don’t last long!” – wendy
My Famous Lasagna
“I call this my famous lasagna because every time I make it, it becomes someone’s favorite lasagna. I still have friends calling me, year after year, asking me to make it for them.” – Jannette
Roast Turkey
“For you new cooks or those who have not used a roasting bag, this is a no-fail method, and you do not have to baste the turkey during the cooking.” – Nell
Individual Beef Wellington With Mushroom Pate
“Impressive dinner! This is one of my go-to recipes when having a dinner party.” – Deb
Linguini and White Clam Sauce
“My grandma made this with wilted lettuce salad once a month.” – Kat
Roasted Pork
“I usually make this when company comes. The problem is, after eating, they want to stay!” – Giana
Pasta Carbonara
“When I was an Au Pair in France, the mother’s side of the family was Italian, and so I learned how to make a lot of Italian pasta dishes. I learned this while I was there.” – Marie
Roasted Pistachio Salmon With Maple Whiskey Sauce
“This is one of my husband and son’s favorite dishes. It’s so easy to make and tastes like a high-end restaurant item. This is still a fabulous recipe without the whiskey; just omit if needed.” – Patricia
Brown Sugar and Pineapple Glazed Ham
“Super easy but so impressive, this Brown Sugar and Pineapple Glazed Ham is a beautiful centerpiece for any meal.” – Debbie
Garlic Parm Shrimp and Pasta
“A super simple shrimp and pasta dish. It only takes as long to make as it takes the pasta to cook! We took some of our favorite things, tossed them together, and came up with this tasty meal.” – Maggie
Stuffed Beef Tenderloin Recipe
“This is my go-to meal for date night. This sounds complicated, but it is so easy.” – Danny
Cheese & Pepper Pasta (Cacio e Pepe)
“I will confess that it took me several years to get this recipe right. My Aunt Josephine used to make it all the time, but I never watched how she did it. The ingredients are simple: cheese, pepper, and pasta… so what’s so hard about that? Well, as one of my teachers used to say, oftentimes the simplest dishes are the easiest to get wrong.” – Andy
Traditional Gnocchi
“My Aunt Angie is one of the most amazing cooks in my family. I hope you enjoy my family’s Gnocchi recipe. I served mine with Alfredo sauce because that’s what I like. Traditionally, they’re served as Baked Gnocchi Caprese, which is smothered in sauce and topped with mozzarella.” – Anthony
Spinach Artichoke Lasagna Rolls
“One of the best lasagnas I’ve ever had! My family loved it.” – Melody
Lobster Ravioli
“There is only one word to describe this lobster ravioli recipe… Yummy!” – Michelle
Herb Roasted Turkey Breast Recipe
“A simple herb roasted turkey breast that makes a great Thanksgiving meal for a small gathering.” – Kevin