Our Top 22 Traditional Christmas Dishes

Get the must-have recipes for a perfectly traditional Christmas dinner. 

Source: Allrecipes.com | By Carl Hanson

 

Here they are, the holiday classics! These are the top-rated main dish and side dish recipes you need for a perfect traditional Christmas dinner. They cover the savory side of Christmas dinner, from prime rib, baked ham, and roast turkey to scalloped potatoes, green bean casserole, and cranberry sauce.

 

01of 23

Chef John's Honey-Glazed Ham 

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CHEF JOHN

"A great holiday ham glaze needs to have three things: wonderful flavor, gorgeous, shiny appearance, and a crispy, crackling crust you can hear across the room," says Chef John. "I'm happy to report this easy-to-make glaze has all those things in abundance."

02of 23

Mom's Scalloped Potatoes 

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Photo by lutzflcat.

This classic scalloped potatoes recipe showcases the flavors of potatoes and onions baked in a creamy sauce. "This is the way my mother always made her scalloped potatoes," says janebp. "The measurements are taken from other recipes because she always just winged it, but the method is the same. The key is to heat the milk first!"

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03of 23

Best Green Bean Casserole 

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CYNTHIA ROSS

Another classic Christmas side dish casserole. "This great variation of the traditional green bean casserole is topped with French fried onions and Cheddar cheese," says Jan.

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04of 23

Chef John's Roast Turkey and Gravy 

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CYNTHIA ROSS

"One of the secrets to a moist, delicious, and beautiful turkey is spreading butter under the skin," says Chef John. "You can season the butter any way you want; the possibilities are endless."

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Holiday Mashed Potatoes 

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CYNTHIA ROSS

These mashed potatoes don't shy away from the butter or cream. "I only make these on holidays, and everyone wonders what's in them that makes them so rich," says one Allrecipes user.

06of 23

Christmas Prime Rib 

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Photo by IamJekob.

This boneless prime rib roast gets rubbed with horseradish and mustard, sprinkled with seasonings, and roasted to perfection. "I think that this was absolutely the best meat dish that I have ever prepared," says Diane Yearns. "It was absolutely delicious and I would love to make it an annual Christmas tradition."

07of 23

Quick and Easy Yorkshire Pudding 

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DOTDASH MEREDITH FOOD STUDIOS

"As legend has it, Yorkshire puddings were traditionally cooked in a pan of fat, at the bottom of a hearth, underneath a large piece of roasting beef," says Chef John. "The smoky heat from the fire, along with all the other goodness dripping into the pan from the meat, must've made for quite a delicious pastry.

08of 23

Beef Wellington 

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DOTDASH MEREDITH FOOD STUDIOS 

If you don't want an entire prime rib, Beef Wellington makes an equally show-stopping main dish," writes one home cook. "We made individual filets, and we chopped the mushrooms rather than slicing them. This was my first time making Beef Wellington and I now have my recipe for life!"

09of 23

Grilled Wild Duck Breast 

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DOTDASH MEREDITH FOOD STUDIOS

Duck, one of the traditional meals for Christmas in Germany, takes center stage in this mouthwatering dish. "Excellent!" raves one Allrecipe user. "Mallards soaked in salt and ice water for 2 hours and then marinated for 3 hours. Best we have ever fixed."

10of 23

Christmas Pomegranate Salad 

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FRANCE C

"Simple and delicious with all the colors of Christmas!" says France C. "It's very versatile and you could swap out for different nuts or cheeses. Definitely making this one again!"

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Christmas Cranberry Salad 

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ALLRECIPES COMMUNITY

"Everyone loved this at Christmas Dinner," says Tammy Lynn. "It looked very pretty next to the rest of the salads. And to cast my vote on the Frozen vs. Chilled versions — I prefer chilled."

12of 23

Candied Sweet Potatoes 

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"This is the best recipe for Candied Sweet Potatoes I have ever had, as well as the easiest," says home cook GRAMHOME. "I got raves at Christmas and requests for the recipe."

13of 23

Buttery Garlic Green Beans 

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DOTDASH MEREDITH FOOD STUDIOS

"Even those who hate beans or veggies love these," says Chelsey Carr. "Super quick, too. My aunt made these once for Christmas dinner, and they were a huge hit. I bring them everywhere."

14of 23

Chef John's Roast Christmas Goose 

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Roast goose is the story-book main dish for Christmas dinner. And this recipe makes things super easy by starting with a pre-cooked smoked bird. The bird comes out rich, moist, and delicious with a crispy skin.

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Holiday Cranberry Sauce 

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LARKSPUR

"Wow - this stuff is so good I couldn't stop eating it out of the saucepan and I've never been a fan of cranberry sauce!" says Janet G. "If you can boil water, you can make this. "

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16of 23

Moroccan-Style Stuffed Acorn Squash 

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ALLRECIPES MAGAZINE

Acorn squash is stuffed with cornbread, mushrooms, and sage-flavored wild rice, making it the perfect for a holiday meal. "It is delicious!" raves Tatana. "Easy to cook, looks great on the table. My guests were impressed and it's a perfect vegetarian dish!"

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Roasted Pork Shoulder with Pomegranate Sauce 

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Pork loin is marinated with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and steak seasoning rub. That's all you need to make this crowd-pleasing, deeply flavorful pork roast. "Made this for Christmas Eve Dinner and everyone raved and asked for the recipe," says WISEWOMAN64.

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18of 23

Chef John's Creamy Corn Pudding 

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Photo by Chef John.

"Corn pudding doesn't get the same attention as some other holiday side dishes, but it's a real crowd-pleaser that pairs perfectly with all your favorite special-occasion meats," says Chef John.

19of 23

Christmas Roasted Vegetables 

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BUCKWHEAT QUEEN

Seasonal root vegetables, including squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, and rutabaga, are roasted with olive oil, a dash of red wine vinegar, a squeeze of lemon juice, and herbs. "Very, very nice recipe," says Buckwheat Queen. "The diversity of the vegetable flavors are quite complementary to this. Leftovers turned into a lovely and rustic soup."

20of 23

Fresh Spinach Gratin 

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BUCKWHEAT QUEEN

"Fresh spinach and Swiss cheese combine in this gratin that is perfect for the holidays," says Soup Loving Nicole. "With the exception of the breadcrumb topping, this can be done a day ahead to save time on the big day. You will just need to allow an additional 30 minutes of cook time."

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21of 23

Cornish Game Hens with Garlic and Rosemary 

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LC206

"We've enjoyed this for years," says one Allrecipes user. "A traditional Christmas Eve dinner at our house. I have lots of rosemary growing here so put a sprig in the cavity and lemon wedge. (I thought I made this up, LOL). Everything was the same except for no wine - I also used pan juices to make gravy for mashed potatoes."

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Cranberry Stuffed Turkey Breasts 

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"Absolutely delicious and definitely a repeat recipe!" raves home cook Antje." It was a most suitable alternative to the normal 23-pound stuffed bird; in my opinion even better. I took off the skin, boiled it, and used it as a gravy base."