19 Classic Holiday Menus

From a traditional beef roast to a glazed ham, French tourtiére and a golden turkey, these menus are impressive but easy to execute.

By Chatelaine

Updated December 17, 2024

Even if the menu doesn't change a lot from year to year (who wants to give up turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and stuffing?) there are plenty of ways to dress up the classics so they pack a little more flavour and visual punch. Plus we've got some new classics to add to your rotation. From traditional tourtière, to herbed turkeys, cranberry stuffing and more, here are dinner and brunch menus to inspire this year's holiday meals:

Meatless Menu

Appetizer
Fig and Radicchio Salad

Main
Butternut Squash Wellingtons

Sides
Cheesy Creamed Corn
Miso Mashed Potatoes
Gingery Green Beans With Crispy Fried Onions

Dessert
Classic Apple Pie

butternut squash on a red plate with various cranberries around it

(Photo: Erik Putz; Food styling by Ashley Denton; Prop styling by Christine Hanlon)

Classic Turkey Dinner

Cocktail
Pear Mulled Wine Sangria

Appetizer
Holiday Salad With Bacon Pangrattato
Shallot Tarte Tatin

Main
Roast Turkey With Cider Gravy

Side
Pesto Green Beans
Creamy Scalloped Potatoes With Crispy Potato Skins

Dessert
Pomegranate Posset

Best turkey recipes: Roast turkey on a bed of salad

Photo, Roberto Caruso.

Updated Christmas Dinner

Cocktail
Cranberry Aperol Spritz

Appetizer
Waldorf Salad With Chive Dressing
Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Pork Belly

Main
Garlic Butter Turkey With Roasted Garlic Gravy

Side
Sangria Cranberry Sauce
Roasted, Spiced Squash Wedges
Ciabatta And Sausage Stuffing

Dessert
Apple Cobbler

overhead shot of a turkey leg and sliced turkey breast on a blue plate with a pitcher of gravy next to it

Photo, Erik Putz.

Make-Ahead Dinner

Starter
Celeriac Cauliflower Soup

Salad
Chicories with Agrodolce Vinaigrette

Stuffing
Old-School Slow-Cooker Stuffing

Main
Milk-Braised Pork Loin Roast

Dessert
Coffee Toffee Date Bundt Cake

A thanksgiving table set with five make-ahead dishes: agrodolce chicory salad, milk-braised pork loin roast, slow-cooker stuffing, celeriac-chestnut soup, and toffe bundt cake

Recipes by Tara O’Brady. Produced by Sun Ngo. Photography by Christie Vuong. Prop Styling by Nicole Billark. Food styling by Michelle Rabin. Press-on nails courtesy of KISS.

A Christmas Eve Feast

Drinks
Brandied Cherry Cocktail

Appetizer
Lobster Chowder

Main
Holiday Tourtière

Sides
Beet Relish
Pickled Mustard Seeds
Pear And Watercress Salad

Dessert
Sticky Toffee Pudding topped with Gingerbread Caramel Sauce and Vanilla Custard Sauce

A classic tourtière with a scalloped crust topped with cut out images of pigs and a slice cut out of it next to a bowl of beet relish and a bowl of pickled mustard seeds for a post on the best tourtière recipe

(Photo: Roberto Caruso)

A Homestyle Holiday Menu

Main
Pineapple-Ginger-Glazed Ham

Sides
Cheddar And Onion Buttermilk Biscuits
Easy Scalloped Potatoes
Kale And Brussels Sprouts Salad
Sweet And Sour Red Cabbage And Pears
Dessert
Gingerbread Layer Cake With Brown Butter Icing

A pineapple glazed ginger ham next to pickled mustard seeds and buttermilk cheddar chive biscuits and kale salads for a post on easy Christmas dinner menus

(Photo: Erik Putz)

A Christmas or holiday spread with red cabbage and pear salad; scalloped potatoes and kale and Brussels sprouts and chestnut and cranberry salad for a post on the best Christmas dinner menus

(Photo: Erik Putz)

Traditional British Holiday Menu

Appetizer
Velvety Mushroom Soup Recipe

Main
Ultimate Roast Beef And Gravy Recipe

Sides
Carrot And Rutabaga Mash
Yorkshire Pudding Recipe
Crispy Roast Potatoes Recipe

Dessert
Christmas Pudding With Brandy-Butter Sauce

Chatelaine's Ultimate roast beef and gravy in a serving pan next to roasted potatoes; bone-in prime rib roast with Dijon mustard; thyme; for a post on the ultimate roast beef recipe for Christmas and Thanksgiving

(Photo: Erik Putz)

A plate of roast beef and gravy with a side of carrot and rutabaga mash; crispy roast potatoes and Yorkshire pudding for a post on a traditional British holiday menu for Christmas with recipes

(Photo: Erik Putz)

Holiday Potluck

(Okay, yes, we know that you will not be making all of the below recipes if it's really a potluck but hopefully this will help inspire you—or your friends, ahem! And we love this lasagna recipe, it was such a hit at the photo shoot.)

Samosa Puffs With Cranberry Chutney
Pickled Beet Devilled Eggs
Roasted Winter Squash With Fermented Grains
Warm Roasted Pear and Fennel Salad
Nonna Maria's Lasagna Bolognese
Cranberry And Clementine Eton Mess

Cheese being grated over a tray of freshly baked lasagna

Produced by Chantal Braganza and Sun Ngo, Photography by Christie Vuong, Prop Styling by Catherine Doherty, Food Styling by Eshun Mott.

Rustic Holiday Dinner Menu

Appetizer
Garlicky Beet Dip With Walnuts

Main
Roast Oregano Lamb With Vegetable Caponata
Little Gems With Garlicky Lemon And Pistachio

Dessert
Dark Chocolate Pâté

A roast leg of lamb with caponata, used in a post on best lamb recipes for spring.

Photo, Ryan Szulc.

French-Canadian Holiday Dinner Menu

Appetizer
Modern Pea Soup

Main
Tourtiére Tart

Sides
Quick-Pickled Vegetables
Buttery Root Vegetables

Desserts
Maple Crème Brûlée
Maple Fudge

a Tourtiére Tart decorated with leaf cutouts on a baking sheet on a black and red check for a post on the best tourtiere tart recipe for a French-canadian holiday menu

(Photo: Roberto Caruso)

Tricked-Out Turkey Dinner

Main
Herb And Garlic Turkey

Sides
Italian Polenta Stuffing
Sweet And Sour Carrots
Baked Cranberry Sauce

Dessert
The Ultimate Holiday Fruitcake

A photo of a roast turkey on a white platter on a red and white plaid tablecloth.

Photo, Roberto Caruso.

Slices of Chatelaine's ultimate holiday fruitcake on a white plate with a sprig of holly.

Ultimate fruitcake recipe. (Photo, Erik Putz.)

A Boxing Day Brunch To Use Up Christmas Leftovers

Cocktail
Cranberry Gin Smash

Appetizer
Soft and Tangy Cheese Spread

Side
Herbed Potato Croquettes

Main
Curried Turkey Pot Pie

Dessert
Pumpkin Brown Butter Blondies

A slice of Curried Turkey Pot Pie made with leftover turkey on a plate, next to the rest of the pie in a baking dish for a post on a Boxing Day brunch and what to do with turkey leftovers

Recipes and Food Styling by Eshun Mott. Produced by Sun Ngo. Photography by Carmen Cheung. Prop Styling by Madeleine Johari.

Savoury, Then Sweet Holiday Brunch

Main
French Onion Tart

Side
Red And Green Salad With Caper Vinaigrette

Dessert
Sweet Monkey Bread

A slice of onion tart on a gilded floral plate next to a red and green salad made with butter, Boston or bibb lettuce and radicchio with a red-wine dijon vinaigrette for a post n easy salads to make for Christmas dinner or brunch

Photo, Roberto Caruso.

Cracklin’ Pork Roast Dinner

Main
Cracklin’ Pork Roast With Marsala Gravy

Sides
Dreamy Creamy Potato Mash
Garlicky Kale

Dessert
No-Bake Mocha Biscuit Cake

Cracklin' pork roast with marsala-chestnut gravy on a platter surrounded by fresh bay leaves and sliced figs for a post on the best Cracklin' pork roast with marsala-chestnut gravy recipe

A plate of roasted pork with a sliced fig and dreamy creamy potato mash and garlicky kale for a post on a Christmas dinner menu

(Photo: Roberto Caruso)

Modern Holiday Menu

Main
Maple And Herb Roast Turkey With Sherry Gravy

Sides
Creamy Brussels Sprouts And Snap Peas
Sausage Stuffing With Water Chestnuts

Dessert
Cranberry-Mincemeat Pie

Photo, Ryan Szulc.

Sausage Stuffing With Water Chestnuts on a holiday plate with turkey and Creamy Brussels Sprouts & Snap Peas

Luxe Christmas Eve menu

Appetizer
Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Main
Creamy Lobster Crepes

Side
Winter Green Salad

Dessert
Classic Lemon Tart

A plate of creamy lobster crepes topped with a lobster claw and fresh dill with a gold knife and fork resting on it. the plate has an embossed cursive C on the brim, which is navy and gold-trimmed. It sits next to a bowl of holiday decorations and a glass of water

(Photo: Michael Graydon)

English Countryside Holiday Menu

Main
Bacon-Wrapped Tenderloin With Caramelized Shallots And Cranberry-Port Jus

Sides
Crispy Roasted Potatoes
Lemony Swiss Chard

Dessert
Black Forest Trifle

A blue china plate topped with Bacon-wrapped tenderloin with caramelized shallots and cranberry-port jus; Crispy roasted potatoes; Lemony Swiss chard;

Vegetarian Christmas Menu

Appetizers
Sriracha Spiced Nut Mix
Marinated Olives With Citrus and Fennel Seeds
Acorn Squash Soup With Warm Spices

Main
Spinach And Feta Phyllo Tart
Spiced Carrot Orange Slaw

Dessert
Raspberry Semifreddo

A spinach and feta phyllo tart made with store-bought phyllo pastry sheets; cream cheese; frozen chopped spinach; feta and dill for a post on an easy vegetarian main dish for Christmas

(Photo: Michael Graydon)

Homemade semifreddo with pistachio and raspberry in oval dish over old white painted wooden background, selective focus, horizontal composition

Watch: How to carve a turkey

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