10+ Cozy Christmas Eve Dinner Ideas

Slow-Cooker Spiral Ham Recipe

This feast-worthy spiral-cut ham couldn't be easier to make. And if you're sick of overly sweet sauces, you're in luck—this one incorporates your ham drippings to create a flavor that's savory, sweet, and salty. If your ham doesn't fit in the slow cooker, you can trim off the top edge until it does. Then just toss those trimmings down in the slow cooker. You'll need a turkey baster to evenly distribute those juices, so don't settle for a spoon.

Crock Pot Easy Pot Roast Recipe

Crock Pots are the perfect solution to (controlled) holiday chaos.  Just throw the ingredients in the slow cooker in the morning, and by dinnertime you'll have a meal that the whole family will love. Bonus?  If you've got afternoon or evening Christmas Eve plans, you won't even have to be home to cook.  

Instant Pot Eye of Round Roast Beef Recipe

Serve homemade roast beef on toasted baguettes for an elegantly simple Christmas Eve dinner.  Be sure to serve with the luscious jus for dipping. Salting the beef and allowing it to sit, uncovered, in the refrigerator (for at least one hour, but longer if you can) is key to achieving supreme flavor.  Prep your Instant Pot eye of round the day before, refrigerate overnight (this will help lock in those savory juices and make thinly slicing so much easier), slice it up, and then put it out with your warmed jus and all your favorite fixings for a build-your-own roast beef sandwich bar. 

Classic Meat Loaf Recipe

This is the iconic, classic meat loaf like your mom used to make (or that you wished your mom would make). Mix the ingredients gently, just until combined, and don't compact the meat when shaping the loaf for best results.  This recipe is wonderfully homey and comforting, making it the perfect option for a low-key Christmas Even.  Serve with steamed green beans and mashed potatoes.  

Venison Chili Recipe

Once Christmas rolls around, many hunters have freezers stocked with venison from autumn hunting expeditions, making chili an excellent choice for a casual Christmas Eve. If venison is not available, substitute ground sirloin. Garnish with reduced-fat sour cream and/or reduced-fat shredded cheddar, if desired. You can make the chili a day ahead and refrigerate; reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.

Grilled Balsamic Skirt Steak Recipe

This budget-friendly grilled skirt steak is quick and easy to make; plus, it can be grilled outdoors for a socially distanced Christmas Eve celebration, or indoors on a grill pan if it's just too cold to be outside. . Use balsamic vinegar to create a base for a fast and easy marinade made up of kitchen staples. For bolder flavor, marinate the steak for 24 hours.

Everything Bagel Roasted Salmon Recipe

Quick-cooking salmon is an excellent go-to for a wow-worthy Christmas Eve supper.  Everything bagel seasoning is an easy but unexpected way to add punch to salmon; the onion flavor is subtle, and the added crunch provides a nice textural contrast to the tender fish. Brushing on honey and mustard adds the perfect sweet and tangy kick.

Seared Hanger Steak with Braised Greens and Grapes Recipe

This recipe calls for Swamp Pop Noble Cane Cola, but Dr Pepper has a similar spicy and moderately sweet flavor and will work fine. Collard greens have been an important part of the Southern cuisine for generations, and they are an integral part of this recipe. A cast iron skillet is ideal for grilling steaks, so be sure to keep yours in tip-top shape.

Basic Grilled Flank Steak Recipe

An easy marinade gives this flank steak a robust flavor--yet the seasonings are subtle enough that leftovers work in a variety of applications. Embellish with a cilantro sprig garnish.

Oven Baked Chicken Thighs with Vegetables Recipe

This pretty skillet supper tastes (and smells) as good as it looks. Choose small chicken thighs, which tend to be juicier and more flavorful than large ones. Serve with plenty of crusty bread on the side for mopping up the pan sauce.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole Recipe

This creamy, crowd-pleasing casserole delivers generously on cheesy, savory flavor—but requires a fraction of the fuss of classic chicken cordon bleu. The key to this chicken cordon bleu casserole's incredible, bubbly richness is the stovetop cheese sauce made with Swiss and Gruyère.  (If you have trouble finding Gruyère, simply substitute the same amount of Swiss.) We call for shredded rotisserie chicken here, but rest assured—this is a great casserole recipe for using leftover cooked chicken.

Rosemary-Orange Roast Turkey Recipe

Give this bird a pretty finishing sheen by brushing on a savory-sweet marmalade glaze.If you don't like the slightly bitter flavor of marmalade, you can substitute currant jelly for tart, bright flavor.

Classic Lasagna with Meat Sauce Recipe

This simple lasagna is perfect for when you're short on time, but craving a comforting meal. Ready in just over an hour, it requires only 50 minutes of cooking in the oven. Extra-lean ground beef (which sometimes cooks up dry) works well here because it's combined with marinara to keep it moist. For a quick and easy variation, feel free to use 9 whole lasagna noodles instead of 6 broken noodles, using 3 noodles per layer. You also can sub fresh basil leaves for the parsley sprinkled on at the end.