• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Instant Pot
    • Air Fryer
    • Soup, Stew & Chili
    • Dinner Recipes
      • Chicken
      • Beef
      • Pork
      • Seafood
      • Pasta
      • 30 Minute Meals
      • One Pot Recipes
    • Cuisine / Region
      • American
      • Asian Recipes
      • Italian Recipes
      • Mexican Recipes
    • Appetizers & Snacks
    • Dips, Dressings, and Salsa
    • Slow Cooker
    • Salads
    • Sides
    • Dessert
    • Breakfast / Brunch
    • Holiday
  • ABOUT
    • TKG Featured In
    • SUBSCRIBE
    • PRIVACY POLICY & TERMS OF USE
  • SHOP

The Kitchen Girl logo

menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Instant Pot
    • Air Fryer
    • Soup, Stew & Chili
    • Dinner Recipes
      • Chicken
      • Beef
      • Pork
      • Seafood
      • Pasta
      • 30 Minute Meals
      • One Pot Recipes
    • Cuisine / Region
      • American
      • Asian Recipes
      • Italian Recipes
      • Mexican Recipes
    • Appetizers & Snacks
    • Dips, Dressings, and Salsa
    • Slow Cooker
    • Salads
    • Sides
    • Dessert
    • Breakfast / Brunch
    • Holiday
  • ABOUT
    • TKG Featured In
    • SUBSCRIBE
    • PRIVACY POLICY & TERMS OF USE
  • SHOP
×

Home » ALL Recipes » Holiday

by Traci · Published: 12/18/2021 · Updated: 12/19/2021 · This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

30+ Holiday Recipes That are Elegant & Easy...Really!

106 shares
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email recipe

Looking for crowd-loving Thanksgiving recipes and Christmas dinner ideas that won't stress you out? Grab these easy appetizers, salads, entrees, sides, and desserts suited for both casual and formal Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. Most of these recipes are gluten free and can be made-ahead. Some are even vegan! My super scrumptious roast turkey breast recipe and my air fryer turkey breast lets you skip right past the intimidation of cooking a whole turkey. Yeah, let's do this!

partially sliced air fryer turkey breast on serving platter

Go ahead and steal these easy Thanksgiving recipes and Christmas dinner ideas! Categories include appetizers, salads, mains, sides, and desserts. Many of these recipes can be made ahead, which makes your Thanksgiving dinner more efficient and makes YOU feel like a rockstar!

You'll notice that many of the recipes are gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan! But I've never had any complaints about them tasting too healthy, even though some of them really are!

Oh, and if you're looking for ways to use leftover turkey, we rounded up 40 of them just for you!

Easy Thanksgiving dinner recipes for appetizers, salads, entrees, sides, and dessert. This collection is suitable for formal AND casual holiday dinners. You'll find endless ideas for Thanksgiving or Christmas breakfast recipes, holiday potlucks, Christmas brunch recipes, and the list goes on. There are endless gluten free Thanksgiving recipes too!

Table of Contents hide
1) Breakfast or Brunch
2) Blood Orange Mimosa Recipe
3) Dutch Baby Pancake
4) Cranberry Walnut Bread
5) Vegetarian Crustless Quiche
6) Smoked Salmon Dip with Greek Yogurt
7) Appetizers
8) Christmas Charcuterie Board
9) Cranberry Brie Crostini
10) Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip Recipe
11) Herb Artichoke White Bean Dip
12) How To Make Crostini
13) Mains and Sides
14) Herb Roasted Turkey Breast
15) Air Fryer Turkey Breast
16) King Crab Legs Recipe (Cooked 4 Ways)
17) How To Make Gravy Without Drippings
18) Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes
19) Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes (No Drain)
20) Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Kale & Apples
21) Easy Cream of Mushroom Soup
22) Fresh Green Bean Casserole Recipe
23) Sausage Stuffing with Apples
24) Cranberry Sauce with Orange Juice
25) Pomegranate Cranberry Relish
26) Vegan Green Bean Casserole
27) Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup
28) Baked Smashed Potatoes
29) Instant Pot Mac n Cheese
30) Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts
31) Savory Sweet Potato Salad
32) Baked Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
33) Desserts
34) Apple Cranberry Crisp
35) No Bake Peanut Butter Pie
36) Bananas Foster
37) Edible Gifts
38) Peppermint White Chocolate Covered Pretzels
39) Christmas Rice Krispie Treats
40) Salted Dark Chocolate Nut Clusters

Breakfast or Brunch

Blood Orange Mimosa Recipe

This Blood Orange Mimosa is a spin on a classic mimosa recipe, made with blood orange juice in place of orange juice. It's less sweet than a classic mimosa and is garnished with rosemary for aroma and flavor. It's a simple, elegant, daytime cocktail.

Dutch Baby Pancake

Dutch baby is a light, puffy, golden brown pancake served with fresh fruit, powdered sugar, and maple syrup for breakfast or brunch. This easy dutch baby recipe requires a 5-minute prep, 15-minute bake, and no special skills.

Cranberry Walnut Bread

Cranberry Walnut Bread is a fluffy, plump, slightly sweet bread perfect for turkey sandwiches or toasted with soft cheese. This simple yeast bread recipe is mixed by hand or stand mixer and perfect for bread beginners.

Vegetarian Crustless Quiche

Start your holiday with the perfect breakfast! This Vegetarian Crustless Quiche is a hassle-free, low carb breakfast casserole with eggs, bell peppers, mushrooms, and your choice of leafy greens. It’s made without crust, so it's naturally gluten-free. You can even make it ahead!

Smoked Salmon Dip with Greek Yogurt

Enjoy a holiday brunch with this easy salmon dip recipe. It's made with smoked salmon, cream cheese, Greek yogurt, and fresh dill. Serve with crackers, crostini, bagels, or vegetables.

Appetizers

Christmas Charcuterie Board

Easy Christmas charcuterie board made with cured meats, cheeses, nuts, jam, crackers, and seasonal ingredients. It's the perfect sweet and savory snack or appetizer for every holiday gathering.

Cranberry Brie Crostini

Cranberry Brie Crostini is a simple crostini recipe topped with brie cheese, pomegranate cranberry relish, and walnuts. This savory, sweet, crostini appetizer is love at first bite and will make your mouth water just thinking about it!

Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip Recipe

This Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip recipe is made with cream cheese, yogurt, artichokes, fresh spinach, parmesan cheese, and mayo. Bake-and-serve in a bread bowl or oven-safe dish. Once you try it, you'll be tempted to make spinach artichoke dip for every future gathering.

Herb Artichoke White Bean Dip

This White Bean Dip is an easy bean dip recipe made with cannellini beans, artichokes, fresh herbs, and (optional) feta cheese. Serve this scrumptious dip with crackers, vegetables, or bread for any occasion and watch it fly off the plate!

How To Make Crostini

Toasted bread slices with olive oil and salt. Perfect for bruschetta!

Mains and Sides

Herb Roasted Turkey Breast

Herb Roasted Turkey Breast is a bone-in, turkey breast half, brushed with herbed butter and olive oil, and baked to perfection. This juicy number with slightly crispy skin is perfectly sized for smaller meals. Serve roast turkey breast for holiday meals or weeknight dinner!

Air Fryer Turkey Breast

Golden brown air fryer turkey breast with a tender, juicy inside. Air fried bone-in or boneless turkey breast is ready to eat in 40 minutes!

King Crab Legs Recipe (Cooked 4 Ways)

Alaskan king crab legs recipe: pressure cooked, grilled, baked, or steamed, I'm showing you how to cook crab legs to perfection.

How To Make Gravy Without Drippings

How to make gravy without drippings and only 5 ingredients! It's the perfect last-minute or make ahead turkey gravy for any dinner!

Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes

How to cook Instant Pot sweet potatoes tender, fluffy, and perfect. No peeling or chopping makes pressure cooker sweet potatoes even faster!

Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes (No Drain)

Instant Pot mashed potatoes with heavy cream are rich, fluffy, delicious, and guaranteed to disappear at any meal. Perfect for holiday dinner!

Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Kale & Apples

This shaved Brussels sprout salad recipe is festive, healthy, and loaded with raw foods like kale, pomegranate, and apples. It's the perfect combo of sweet and savory with TONS of texture in every bite! It's vegan, gluten-free, and perfect for the holidays...or ANY day!

Easy Cream of Mushroom Soup

This mushroom soup recipe is so rich and creamy, even with the no-cream option. Button mushrooms simmered in a silky cream broth make homemade mushroom soup a delicious substitute for canned soup!

Fresh Green Bean Casserole Recipe

Fresh green bean casserole with velvety mushroom soup and French fried onion topping is an essential Thanksgiving or Christmas side dish. No canned soup or beans needed!

Sausage Stuffing with Apples

This sausage stuffing recipe is a savory holiday side dish with a hint of apple sweetness. It starts on the stove and finishes in the oven. It’s hassle-free and includes make-ahead instructions! It’s the perfect dressing for Thanksgiving, or any holiday, bringing classic flavor to your festive meal.

Cranberry Sauce with Orange Juice

Cranberry orange sauce is a mouthwatering holiday cranberry sauce with subtle citrus flavor from orange juice and orange zest. Quick and easy!

Pomegranate Cranberry Relish

This Pomegranate Cranberry Relish recipe has pomegranate and cranberries, macerated in sugar, creating a sweet and tart relish. Make cranberry relish a day or two ahead for deep flavor!

Vegan Green Bean Casserole

Vegan Green Bean Casserole with fresh green beans, vegan mushroom soup, caramelized onions, and a crispy Panko and almond topping. So creamy and delectable, you won't believe it's a dairy free green bean casserole.

Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup

A cream of mushroom soup that's vegan AND gluten free? Yep! It's so rich and creamy, no one will ever believe it's vegan mushroom soup!

Baked Smashed Potatoes

Smashed Potatoes are crispy roasted potatoes with a soft inside where baby potatoes are cooked, smashed, oiled, and baked to crispy perfection. Serve smashed potatoes sprinkled with salt or your favorite toppings as an appetizer or side dish for any meal.

Instant Pot Mac n Cheese

Make classic macaroni and cheese in the pressure cooker and free up your stove space. It's the perfect side for holiday turkey or ham and loved by the whole family!

Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Savory, sweet, roasted Brussels sprouts with SO much flavor and texture. Fresh Brussels sprouts are oven roasted with fennel and onion, maple syrup-drizzled, then topped with pomegranate and pepitas. Perfect for holiday meals or ANY meal calling for a healthy side dish.

Savory Sweet Potato Salad

Savory Sweet Potato Salad is made with sweet potatoes, quinoa, pumpkin seeds, arugula, dried cherries, and pomegranate, in apple cider vinaigrette. This sweet potato salad is loaded with texture and flavor!

Baked Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

This Baked Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese recipe is made with a lightened-up, butternut squash sauce. The sauce is poured over pasta noodles and is baked under crispy panko and stretchy jack cheese. The perfect holiday side dish!

Desserts

Apple Cranberry Crisp

Pear Cranberry Apple Crisp is a simple, warm, holiday dessert. Fresh pears, apples, and cranberries are nestled in a scrumptiously sweet sauce under a crispy oat and walnut topping. It's so juicy and delicious ... one of our favorite holiday recipes.

No Bake Peanut Butter Pie

This Peanut Butter Pie is a luscious, no-bake dessert with flaky graham cracker crust, fluffy peanut butter filling, and lightly salted chocolate topping. This super easy and not-too-sweet pie is a crowd pleaser for any occasion!

Bananas Foster

New Orleans-inspired EASY Bananas Foster recipe with bananas cooked in a caramel rum sauce and topped with vanilla ice cream. Date night approved

Edible Gifts

Peppermint White Chocolate Covered Pretzels

Peppermint White Chocolate Covered Pretzels are pretzel rods dipped in white chocolate and crushed candy cane. Christmas pretzels are the perfect holiday snack and edible gift that's fun to make! Everyone loves sweet and salty chocolate covered pretzels.

Christmas Rice Krispie Treats

Christmas Rice Krispie Treats are classic rice krispie treats topped with white chocolate and peppermint candy. This no-bake holiday treat is fun, easy, and downright craveworthy.

Salted Dark Chocolate Nut Clusters

Sweet and salty Dark Chocolate Nut Clusters are made with toasted mixed nuts, dark chocolate, and a touch of salt. They're super easy to make and they make elegant edible gifts!"

More Holiday Recipes

  • Hot Crab Dip Recipe
  • Citrus Salad
  • Blood Orange Mimosa
  • How to Cook A Spiral Ham
106 shares
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email recipe

Reader Interactions

We love recipe feedback... Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Comments

  1. Bernadette says

    September 22, 2021 at 5:22 pm

    Hi Traci! I spoke to your Dad last night and he told me about your blog. So far I've printed three recipes and the first one I'll try is No Bake Energy Bites -- they look healthy and easy!

    Reply
    • The Kitchen Girl says

      September 22, 2021 at 11:02 pm

      Awww, I love hearing that you talked to my papa and I'm so glad you're finding recipes you can enjoy. I love those energy bites ... healthy AND addictive LOL. Please let me know if you have any questions at all, Bernadette. Sending hugs to you!

  2. Andrea Metlika says

    November 11, 2019 at 9:03 am

    So many fantastic recipes here. I'm going to start with the quiche and salmon dip. Then I'll go from there.

    Reply
    • Traci Antonovich says

      November 11, 2019 at 9:33 am

      Sounds like a great plan 🙂 Thanks, Andrea!

  3. Anita says

    November 08, 2019 at 9:20 pm

    This is such a nice article. My mind is racing trying to pick which ones to prepare. Is it bad I want them all? LOL. This is truly the case of my brain thinks it can eat way more than what my stomach can possibly handle. 😀

    Reply
    • Traci Antonovich says

      November 09, 2019 at 6:52 am

      Haha, this is a good problem, Anita 😉 Thank you!

  4. Calleigh says

    November 08, 2019 at 7:47 pm

    I l ove these collections of Thanksgiving recipes, they'll bring the family together and will satisfy your cravings every year!

    Reply
    • Traci Antonovich says

      November 09, 2019 at 6:36 am

      Thanks, Calleigh! Love the family gatherings 🙂

  5. Haley D. Williams says

    November 08, 2019 at 5:13 pm

    I love the selection of traditional and nontraditional recipes! So many good ones to choose from

    Reply
    • Traci Antonovich says

      November 09, 2019 at 6:35 am

      Thanks, Haley 🙂 Love hearing it!

  6. Danielle says

    November 08, 2019 at 4:18 pm

    I am so happy I've stumbled upon these ideas - I can officially declare that I am all set for Thanksgiving now 🙂 I think you've got everything one needs here - thank you!

    Reply
    • Traci Antonovich says

      November 08, 2019 at 4:24 pm

      So nice to hear that...thank you, Danielle. The list will grow too...stay tuned 🙂

  7. Mary says

    November 08, 2019 at 3:53 pm

    OMG, drooling! I love the great Brussels sprout inspiration!

    Reply
    • Traci Antonovich says

      November 08, 2019 at 4:02 pm

      Haha thanks Mary! Yep, it's Brussels sprout city over here 🙂

Primary Sidebar

Hello from The Kitchen Girl

The Kitchen Girl standing in a white kitchen with brown accents
Hi! I'm Traci and I'm sharing my easy recipes with everyday ingredients, simple instructions, and ALL the flavor. Read more about me.

Game Day Recipes

Delicious Super Bowl recipes!

  • Easy Guacamole Recipe
  • Honey Hot Wings
  • Hot Crab Dip Recipe
  • 7 Layer Dip
  • Crockpot Spinach Artichoke Dip
  • Totchos (Tater Tot Nachos)

Healthy Recipe Favorites

  • Chopped Greek Chickpea Salad
  • Lentil Chili
  • Kale Salad with Lemon Dressing
  • Juicy Broiled Salmon Recipe

Easy Chicken Dinners

  • Easy Baked Chicken Legs (Drumsticks)
  • Instant Pot Whole Chicken
  • Crockpot Creamy White Chicken Chili
  • Air Fryer Chicken Legs
  • Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo
  • Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Thighs Recipe

Featured Recipes

Easy Dinner Recipes
Simple Charcuterie Board
Baked Chicken Thighs
Air Fryer Chicken Breast
Chilean Sea Bass
Beef Stroganoff
Reuben Sandwich
Easy Guacamole Recipe
Minestrone Soup
Grilled Salmon Recipe
Instant Pot Brown Rice
Easy Crostini Recipe
Baked Chicken Legs
Instant Pot Pulled Pork
Tomato Soup Recipe
Instant Pot Soup Recipes
French Bread Recipe
Zuppa Toscana
Best Hummus Recipe
Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

©2023 The Kitchen Girl. All Rights Reserved. PRIVACY POLICY