80 Decadent Italian Christmas Dinner Ideas (2024)

Home Recipes Cuisines European Italian

Updated: Apr. 19, 2024

These Italian Christmas dinner foods, like saucy, rich mains and freshly baked desserts, are begging to be on your holiday table this year.

1/48

Italian Sprinkle Cookies

Of all the Italian cookie recipes I make, this is my favorite. These sprinkle cookies take some time, but, believe me, they are well worth it! My husband and I used to operate an Italian American restaurant, and this recipe goes back generations. —Gloria Cracchiolo, Newburgh, New York

2/48

Creamy Beef Lasagna

This creamy beef lasagna is a stick-to-your-ribs entree, thanks to its Stroganoff-like filling. My family loves the delicious taste, and I appreciate that it’s inexpensive to fix. —Jane Frawley, Charles Town, West Virginia

3/48

Pear and Gorgonzola Salad

This pear and gorgonzola salad is quick and easy. When I have leftover cooked chicken, I often add it to the recipe to make a main dish salad. —Candace McMenamin, Lexington, South Carolina

4/48

Soft Garlic Breadsticks

I rely on a bread machine to mix the dough for this buttery garlic breadsticks recipe that is mildly seasoned with garlic and basil. I like to use this dough when making pizza, too. —Charles Smith, Baltic, Connecticut

5/48

Vegetable-Stuffed Flank Steak

This colorful beef dish was always a favorite request for birthday dinners while I was growing up. Savory, special and stuffed full of vegetables, it’s as tender as the memories it still brings back every time I make it. —Julie Etzel, Tualatin, Oregon

6/48

Quick and Easy Tiramisu

No one can resist this classic cool and creamy dessert. It’s quick to prepare but can be made ahead for added mealtime convenience.

7/48

Portobello Risotto with Mascarpone

Portobello mushrooms add a beefy flavor to this creamy classic. Each serving is topped with soft, buttery mascarpone cheese, which makes it extra special. —Carmella Ryan, Rockville Centre, New York

8/48

Italian Cream Cheese Cake

Buttermilk makes every bite of this awesome Italian cream cheese cake recipe moist and flavorful. I rely on this recipe year-round.—Joyce Lutz, Centerview, Missouri

9/48

Anise Pizzelle

These lovely, golden brown anise pizzelle cookies have a crisp texture and delicate anise flavor. I create them using a pizzelle iron. —Barbara Colucci, Rockledge, Florida

10/48

Gnocchi with Spinach and Chicken Sausage

Dinner is easy when I can use ingredients typically found in my fridge and pantry. —Laura Miller, Lake Ann, Michigan

11/48

Italian Appetizer Meatballs

Store-bought spaghetti sauce speeds up the preparation of these homemade meatball appetizers. Leftovers make terrific sub sandwiches.—Rene McCrory, Indianapolis, Indiana

12/48

Nana's Italian Roulade

My great-aunt from Sicily taught my mother how to stuff and bake a steak in a jelly-roll style. It’s unique and really special in our family. —Roseanne McDonald, Days Creek, Oregon

13/48

Garlic Knots

These novel garlic knots are handy because they can be made ahead of time and reheated when needed. —Jane Paschke, University Park, Florida

14/48

Cranberry Ricotta Gnocchi with Brown Butter Sauce

To make light and airy gnocchi, work quickly and handle the dough as little as possible. You’ll be pleased with the resulting pillowy dumplings. —Sally Sibthorpe, Shelby Township, Michigan

15/48

Tuscan Grapes and Sausages

This recipe is one of my go-tos when entertaining. It’s simple, elegant and you can entertain your guests instead of spending the entire time in the kitchen. The whole pieces of garlic in this dish become so sweet, a lovely complement to the sweet grapes and spicy sausage. —Melissa Zienter, Las Vegas, Nevada

16/48

Gingerbread Amaretti Cookies

The classic Italian cookie gets a new gingerbread twist! Don’t overbake—they should be slightly chewy. —Tina Zaccardi, Eastchester, New York

17/48

Chicken Pesto Meatballs

These tender, pesto-stuffed meatballs get gobbled up in our house. They're short on ingredients, but packed with flavor. I always make a double batch, freezing the other half for a busy night. —Ally Billhorn, Wilton, Iowa

18/48

Over-the-Rainbow Minestrone

This colorful soup is vegetarian-friendly and full of fresh flavors from a rainbow of vegetables. You can use any multicolored pasta in place of the spirals. —Crystal Schlueter, Northglenn, Colorado

19/48

Amaretto Ricotta Cheesecake

There's a good reason why a relative handed this cherished recipe down to me. It's a keeper! The amaretto and ricotta make for a truly unique dessert. —Isabel Neuman, Surprise, Arizona

20/48

Flounder with Shrimp Stuffing

The delicious shrimp-herb stuffing makes this fish recipe special enough for company. But it really isn’t hard to make, and since our family enjoys fish, we eat it often. —Marie Forte, Raritan, New Jersey

21/48

Italian Herb-Crusted Pork Loin

I like to change things up during the holidays with pork loin recipes that incorporate my favorite herbs and veggies. This showpiece dish really dazzles my family. —Kim Palmer, Kingston, Georgia

22/48

Italian Chocolate Spice Cookies

I recently found this old family recipe in my mom’s kitchen. I made a few adjustments to streamline the process, and the cookies turned out wonderfully. —Shawn Barto, Winter Garden, Florida

23/48

Hearty Ragu Bolognese

My robust ragu combines ground beef, sausage and chicken. Serve it over any type of pasta, or baked or fried polenta. It’s even good on its own with a slice of hot buttered garlic bread. —Caroline Brody, Forest Hills, New York

24/48

Cherry Tomato Salad

This recipe evolved from a need to use the bumper crops of delicious cherry tomatoes we grow. It's one of my favorite cherry tomato recipes, especially at cookouts. —Sally Sibley, St. Augustine, Florida

25/48

We love to make meals into celebrations, and antipasto always kicks off the party for Italian dinners. This one is almost too pretty to eat, especially when sprinkled with pimientos, fresh basil and parsley. —Patricia Harmon, Baden, Pennsylvania

26/48

Spinach Chicken Manicotti

Pepper and nutmeg spice up the rich sauce in this hearty chicken and spinach manicotti. I made this for my boyfriend on our first Valentine’s Day. It was a big success—now we're married! —Amy Luce, Dallas, Texas

27/48

When I had 80 pounds of tomatoes, I got creative incorporating them into meals. Sometimes I slice this loaf into squares to make sandwiches with fresh mozzarella cheese and deli meats. —Katie Ferrier, Houston, Texas

28/48

Italian Pasta Bake

I love to make this pasta bake whenever I need to bring a dish to pass. Fresh tomatoes add a nice touch that's missing from most other meat, pasta and tomato casseroles.—Karla Johnson, East Helena, Montana

29/48

Spicy Seafood Stew

The hardest part of this quick and easy recipe is peeling and dicing the potatoes—and you can even do that the night before. Just place the potatoes in water and store them in the refrigerator overnight to speed up assembly the next day. —Bonnie Marlow, Ottoville, Ohio

30/48

Olive Focaccia

When I add my own special touches to a basic focaccia recipe—including sun-dried tomatoes, olives and roasted sweet red peppers—the results were simply delectable. The flavorful, chewy loaf makes a wonderful accompaniment to nearly any meal. —Dee Froemel, Hayward, Wisconsin

31/48

Cheesy Spinach-Stuffed Shells

This is my own personal recipe. I'm very proud of it because I am still a beginner cook and it was the first recipe I created. You can adjust it to your liking by doubling the spinach or adding some meat. —Laci Hooten, McKinney, Texas

32/48

Herbed Bread Twists

A blend of herbs and a special shape dress up ordinary frozen bread dough in this unbelievably easy recipe. —Deb Stapert, Comstock Park, Michigan

33/48

In our family, holiday cookies—like these nutty fig ones—are a big deal. I'm so proud to be passing on this Italian tradition to my two boys. —Angela Lemoine, Howell, New Jersey

34/48

White Bean Soup with Escarole

Pantry staples make this healthy soup oh, so simple to prepare. When I can't find escarole, I use fresh spinach. Just add to the soup pot moments before serving. —Gina Samokar, North Haven, Connecticut

35/48

Penne alla Vodka

This easy and impressive pasta is always on the menu when my husband and I invite first-time guests over for dinner. Many friends have asked me to make the recipe again years after they first tried it. —Cara Langer, Overland Park, Kansas

36/48

Holiday Biscotti

A twice-baked Italian cookie, biscotti makes a wonderful "dunker." A pretty way to present a batch is on a seasonal plate arranged in a wagon-wheel fashion. —Libia Foglesong, San Bruno, California

37/48

Pasta fa*gioli al Forno

The name of this Italian-inspired dish means "baked pasta with beans." But my busy family translates it as "super satisfying dinner." —Cindy Preller, Grayslake, Illinois

38/48

Italian Christmas Cookies

A single batch of these ricotta cheese cookies is never enough. I usually make one to give away and two more to keep at home. The ricotta cheese makes the morsels extra moist. —Doris Marshall, Strasburg, Pennsylvania

39/48

Stamp-of-Approval Spaghetti Sauce

My father is very opinionated, especially about food. This recipe received his almost unreachable stamp of approval. I have yet to hear a disagreement from anyone who has tried it! —Melissa Taylor, Higley, Arizona

40/48

Pizzelle

This recipe was adapted from one that my Italian-born mother and grandmother followed. They used old irons on a gas stove, but now we have the convenience of electric pizzelle irons. These delectable cookies are still a traditional treat in our family. —Elizabeth Schwartz, Trevorton, Pennsylvania

41/48

Italian Chocolate-Hazelnut Cheesecake Pie

I first prepared an Italian-style cheese pie years ago. When I added a chocolate-hazelnut topping, it proved so popular that I had to give out copies of the recipe.—Steve Meredith, Streamwood, Illinois

42/48

Cranberry Walnut Biscotti

A chocolate drizzle lends a little extra sweetness to biscotti.—Joan Duckworth, Lee’s Summit, Missouri

43/48

The Best Eggplant Parmesan

Truly delicious! I love eggplant and have many recipes, but this one’s my favorite. The cheeses and seasonings make this dish unforgettable. —Dottie Kilpatrick, Wilmington, North Carolina

44/48

Bread Machine Panettone

This bread machine panettone is easy to make. Every tender, moist slice is filled with candied fruit and raisins. —Josephine Bianchi, Bristol, New Hampshire

45/48

Citrus Almond Cookies

These frosted goodies were a “must” every Christmas in my mother’s family. I think the blend of milk chocolate, toasted almonds, lemon and orange is cookie perfection.

46/48

I’ve been cooking for 50 years, and this dish is still one that guests request frequently. It is my No. 1 standby recipe and also makes amazing meatball sandwiches. The sauce works for any type of pasta. —Jane Whittaker, Pensacola, Florida

47/48

Sweet Italian Holiday Bread

This is authentic ciambellotto, a sweet loaf my great-grandmother used to bake in Italy. I still use her traditional recipe—the only update I made was for using modern appliances. —Denise Perrin, Vancouver, Washington

48/48

Mostaccioli

Even though we’re not Italian, this rich, cheesy pasta dish is a “family tradition” for holidays and special occasions. I was delighted the first time I tried this mostaccioli recipe—it has all the flavor of lasagna without the work of layering the ingredients. Try it…I’m sure it’ll become one of your family’s favorites, too! —Nancy Mundhenke, Kinsley, Kansas

Originally Published: December 20, 2018