Favorite Christmas Dishes: 15 Delicious Recipes to Try This Holiday Season

Christmas is a time of celebration, joy, and gratitude. It is also a time of indulging in some of the most delicious and traditional dishes from around the world. Whether you are hosting a family dinner, a potluck with friends, or a cozy night in, you will surely find something to suit your taste buds and your festive mood in this list of 10 favorite Christmas dishes.

Roast Turkey with Stuffing and Gravy

Roast turkey is the quintessential Christmas dish that is enjoyed by millions of people every year. It is usually stuffed with a mixture of bread, herbs, vegetables, and sometimes fruits or nuts, and roasted in the oven until golden and tender. The drippings from the turkey are used to make a rich and savory gravy that is poured over the meat and the side dishes. Roast turkey is a symbol of abundance, generosity, and gratitude, and it originated in North America, where the native turkeys were domesticated by the indigenous people and later introduced to Europe by the Spanish explorers in the 16th century.

Glazed Ham with Pineapple and Cherries

Glazed ham is another popular and festive dish that is often served as an alternative or a complement to roast turkey. It is made with a cured and smoked ham that is coated with a sweet and sticky glaze, usually made with brown sugar, honey, mustard, and spices. The ham is then decorated with pineapple rings and maraschino cherries, and baked in the oven until caramelized and juicy. Glazed ham is a dish that originated in England, where the tradition of eating ham on Christmas Eve dates back to the Middle Ages, when a boar’s head was considered a delicacy and a sign of prosperity.

Prime Rib

Prime rib is a luxurious Christmas dish that is perfect for those who want to indulge during the holiday season. It’s a cut of beef that is roasted in the oven until it’s tender and juicy. Prime rib is often served with horseradish sauce and is a delicious and decadent meal that is perfect for special occasions.

Baked Ham

Baked ham is another popular Christmas dish that is often served alongside roast turkey. It’s a sweet and savory dish that is made by baking a ham with a glaze made from brown sugar, honey, and mustard. The glaze caramelizes on the outside of the ham, giving it a deliciously sweet flavor. Baked ham is a great alternative to turkey and is perfect for those who don’t eat poultry.

Scalloped Potatoes

Scalloped potatoes are a classic side dish that is often served with roast turkey or baked ham. They’re made by layering thinly sliced potatoes with cream, butter, and cheese and baking them in the oven until they’re golden brown and bubbly. Scalloped potatoes are a rich and creamy dish that is perfect for the holiday season.

Mashed Potatoes with Garlic and Herbs

Mashed potatoes are a simple and comforting dish that are a staple of any Christmas dinner. They are made with boiled potatoes that are mashed with butter, milk, cream, or sour cream, and seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic, and herbs. Mashed potatoes are a versatile dish that can be served with any kind of meat, gravy, or sauce, and they can also be enhanced with cheese, bacon, or green onions. Mashed potatoes are a dish that originated in England, where they were first recorded in a cookbook in 1747, and they were later brought to America by the Irish immigrants who fled the potato famine in the 19th century.

Green Bean Casserole with Fried Onions

Green bean casserole is a classic and creamy dish that is a favorite of many Americans. It is made with green beans that are cooked in a mushroom soup sauce, and topped with crispy fried onions, and baked in the oven until bubbly and golden. Green bean casserole is a dish that was invented in 1955 by Dorcas Reilly, a home economist who worked for the Campbell Soup Company, and it was originally published in a cookbook called “The Campbell Cookbook: Cooking with Soup”. It became a popular dish for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and it is still widely enjoyed today.

Cranberry Sauce with Orange and Ginger

Cranberry sauce is a sweet and tangy dish that is a perfect accompaniment to roast turkey, ham, or chicken. It is made with fresh or frozen cranberries that are cooked with sugar, water, orange juice, and zest, and flavored with ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Cranberry sauce is a dish that originated in North America, where the native cranberries were used by the indigenous people for food, medicine, and dye. They were also introduced to the European settlers by the Native Americans, who taught them how to make a sauce with cranberries and sugar.

Yorkshire Pudding with Beef Dripping

Yorkshire pudding is a savory and fluffy dish that is a traditional part of a British Christmas dinner. It is made with a batter of flour, eggs, milk, and salt, that is poured into a hot pan with beef dripping, and baked in the oven until risen and golden. Yorkshire pudding is a dish that originated in Yorkshire, England, in the 18th century, and it was originally served as a first course with gravy, to fill up the stomach before the more expensive meat course. It is now usually served as a side dish with roast beef, gravy, and horseradish sauce.

Gingerbread Cookies with Icing and Candy

Gingerbread cookies are a sweet and spicy dish that are a fun and festive treat for Christmas. They are made with a dough of flour, butter, sugar, molasses, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, that is rolled out and cut into various shapes, such as people, animals, or stars. They are baked in the oven and decorated with icing, candy, or nuts. Gingerbread cookies are a dish that originated in Germany, where they were popularized by the fairy tale of Hansel and Gretel, who found a house made of gingerbread in the woods. They are also a symbol of creativity, fun, and tradition.

Fruitcake with Rum and Nuts

Fruitcake is a dense and rich dish that is filled with dried fruits, nuts, and spices. It is usually soaked in rum, brandy, or other spirits, and aged for several weeks or months. It is often served with whipped cream, custard, or ice cream. Fruitcake is a dish that originated in ancient Rome, where it was made with pomegranate seeds, pine nuts, and raisins. It was later adapted by the Europeans, who added more fruits, nuts, and spices, and preserved it with alcohol. It became a popular dish for Christmas, especially in Britain, where it was also used as a wedding cake.

Candied Yams

Candied yams are a sweet and savory side dish that is often served during the holiday season. They’re made by boiling sweet potatoes until they’re tender and then baking them in the oven with a glaze made from brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon. Candied yams are a delicious and comforting dish that is perfect for the holiday season.

Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin pie is a classic Christmas dessert that is loved by many people. It’s made by combining pumpkin puree with eggs, cream, sugar, and spices and baking it in a pie crust until it’s golden brown and set. Pumpkin pie is a delicious and comforting dessert that is perfect for the holiday season.

Eggnog with Nutmeg and Cinnamon

Eggnog is a creamy and frothy drink that is a traditional beverage for Christmas. It is made with milk, cream, eggs, sugar, and spices, and sometimes spiked with rum, brandy, or whiskey. It is usually served cold or hot, and sprinkled with nutmeg and cinnamon. Eggnog is a drink that originated in medieval England, where it was called “posset”, and it was made with hot milk, ale, and spices. It was later brought to America by the British colonists, who added eggs and rum, and called it “eggnog”. It became a popular drink for Christmas, especially in the South, where it was also used as a toast.

Buche de Noel with Chocolate and Cream

Buche de Noel is a beautiful and elegant dish that is a traditional dessert for Christmas in France and other parts of Europe. It is made with a sponge cake that is rolled up with chocolate cream, and covered with chocolate ganache. It is then decorated with meringue mushrooms, sugar flowers, or candy, and shaped like a log. Buche de Noel is a dish that originated in France in the 19th century, and it was inspired by the ancient custom of burning a yule log on Christmas Eve, which was believed to bring good luck and ward off evil spirits. It is also a symbol of nature, warmth, and family.

These are some of the favorite Christmas dishes that you can try this holiday season. They are not only delicious and satisfying, but also meaningful and symbolic. They represent the culture, history, and tradition of different countries and regions, and they also reflect the personal preferences and experiences of different people. They are a way of celebrating the joy and gratitude of Christmas, and sharing it with your loved ones. We hope you enjoyed this article and learned something new. If you have any comments or questions, please feel free to leave them below. Thank you for reading and happy holidays!