Simple Roasted Patty Pan Squash with Garlic and Herbs
Garlic and fresh herbs turn patty pan squash into a low effort roasted vegetable side with browned edges.
garlic herb squash
28 Holiday Recipes: Sides, Mains & Baking
Curated by Sally ThompsonUpdated September 21, 2026
☰ Contents
Holiday cooking gets easier when the menu has a clear rhythm: a golden centerpiece, vegetables with browned edges, and something sweet cooling on the counter.
These holiday recipes are for hosts planning Thanksgiving holiday side dishes, an easy Christmas dinner, or a classic Christmas dinner without repeating the same flavors.
Look for crackling roast chicken skin, garlic turning soft and sweet, and pastry browning around a bubbling filling. The recipes range from quick vegetable sides to make-ahead casseroles, festive breads, special occasion roasts, and holiday baking for family meals or larger gatherings.
What Are Holiday Recipes?
Holiday recipes are dishes built for shared meals, open ovens, and tables with several courses. They can include roasted meats, Thanksgiving holiday side dishes, Christmas salads, baked breads, and desserts with seasonal shapes or spices.
The useful thread is occasion rather than one cooking method. If a dish can hold its place beside a roast or be carried to a gathering, it belongs here. Expect browned edges, creamy centers, bright fruit, and aromas of garlic, butter, citrus, and warm spice.
How to Choose the Best Holiday Recipes
Start with oven space and serving time. A beef roast or chicken needs resting room, while a salad, aioli, or make-ahead casserole can be prepared earlier. If the main dish is rich, choose greens or roasted vegetables with a sharp dressing.
For an easy Christmas dinner, pair one centerpiece with two dependable sides. If children or guests need finger food, pull apart breads and shaped tarts bring a festive look without another carving board. Watch the oven: crowded pans brown slowly.
Christmas Holiday Side Dishes
Roasted vegetables, potatoes, salads, and sauces give a holiday plate contrast in color and texture. Garlic should smell sweet and the cut surfaces should show browning before vegetables leave the oven.
These sides suit both Thanksgiving holiday side dishes and Christmas holiday side dishes, but they differ in workload: some are fast, some can be made ahead, and individual gratins handle formal portions.
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Garlic Parmesan Roasted Asparagus in 17 Minutes
Seventeen minutes brings asparagus to the table with a savory Parmesan crust, useful when the oven schedule is tight.
17-minute side -
Creamy Roasted Garlic Aioli
Roasted garlic softens into a mellow aioli that can accompany vegetables, breads, roast meats, or a holiday appetizer board.
garlic dipping sauce -
Creamy Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Roasted garlic deepens these mashed potatoes without changing their familiar role beside gravy, beef roast, or chicken.
garlic potato side -
Creamy Individual Potato Gratins
Individual potato gratins portion a rich, garlic scented side neatly, avoiding the last minute slicing of one large bake.
individual potato gratins
Classic Christmas Dinner Mains
Beef roasts, filet, and Cornish hens bring a formal centerpiece to the table. Listen for a hard sear, then let the meat rest so the cutting board catches fewer juices.
The roasts serve a larger gathering, while individual hens and filet portions suit smaller dinners. Choose based on carving space, guest count, and whether you want a traditional shared platter or plated portions.
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Roasted Cornish Game Hens with Garlic Herbs
over High heat roasting gives these Cornish hens browned skin and individual portions for a smaller formal Christmas dinner.
individual roasted hens -
Pan-Seared Filet of Beef Tenderloin
A over high heat sear and garlic thyme seasoning give filet of beef a polished centerpiece role for a smaller celebration.
garlic thyme beef -
Holiday Beef Roast: Tender and Pink
This holiday beef roast supplies a shared centerpiece for seven, with a browned exterior suited to gravy and roasted sides.
serves seven -
Orange Glazed Christmas Cornish Game Hens
Ready in 55 minutes, these Christmas Cornish hens combine an elegant presentation with manageable portions for a festive table.
55-minute Christmas main -
Crispy Butterflied Cornish Hens with Sage Butter
Butterflying helps sage buttered Cornish hens roast evenly, with four portions suited to an intimate holiday dinner.
butterflied hens
Easy Christmas Dinner Chicken
Chicken is a practical route to a festive main, especially when guests prefer familiar flavors. The skin should turn bronze and the pan juices should smell savory before the bird is ready to rest.
Whole roasts feed a table, while the 28 minute garlic chicken and herb apricot chicken help when the schedule is tight. Pot pie and casserole style dishes bring a softer, make-ahead direction than the roast recipes above.
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One-Pot Roasted Garlic Clove Chicken
One pot roasting pairs chicken with mellow garlic and mahogany skin, keeping cleanup smaller than a multi pan holiday dinner.
one-pot chicken -
Old Fashioned Christmas Chicken Pot Pie
A buttery flaky crust covers this Christmas chicken pot pie, a substantial make-ahead direction for eight guests.
Christmas pot pie -
Easy Christmas Roast Chicken with Orange and Herbs
This six serving Christmas roast chicken gives an easy dinner a traditional centerpiece, with golden skin for carving.
six-person roast -
Holiday Garlic Chicken Thighs with Honey Lemon Glaze
At 28 minutes, holiday garlic chicken suits a compressed schedule while still bringing roasted garlic character to the main course.
28-minute chicken -
Cozy Christmas Chicken Roast with Golden Skin
Golden skin Christmas chicken offers a familiar roast format for guests who want a classic poultry centerpiece.
classic Christmas roast -
Overnight Holiday Casserole with Herbed Biscuits
An overnight soak lets this holiday casserole wait until morning, then bake into a firm, golden breakfast centerpiece.
overnight casserole -
Ginas Perfect Roast Chicken with Gravy and Lemon
Roast chicken with gravy keeps the menu traditional, pairing crisp skin and pan sauce with potatoes and winter vegetables.
chicken with gravy -
Herb Apricot Chicken with Fresh Thyme
Apricot glaze brings a sweet savory finish to this 30 minute chicken, useful when holiday dinner needs to move quickly.
30-minute apricot chicken -
Lemon Herb Butter Chicken: Crispy Skin
Lemon, herbs, and butter season this four serving chicken dish with a bright finish for a smaller family celebration.
lemon herb butter
Holiday Baking and Party Breads
Shaped breads and cookies make the kitchen smell of cinnamon, butter, and toasted sugar. Pull apart dough should separate in warm layers, while cookies are ready when their edges set and the centers still look slightly soft.
These recipes are more hands on than a tray of roasted vegetables, but the shapes do much of the decorating. Use them for holiday baking tables, breakfast spreads, or a casual dessert course rather than as main dish sides.
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Pull Apart Christmas Tree Bread with Garlic and Cheese
Shape pull apart bread like a Christmas tree for a 35 minute appetizer that guests can separate at the table.
Christmas bread shape -
Christmas Tree Tarts
Christmas tree tarts bring a shaped pastry element to the dessert table, distinct from cookies and pull apart breads.
shaped holiday tarts -
PullApart Gingerbread Man: Soft and Pillowy
Soft enriched dough becomes a pull apart gingerbread man sized for twenty servings, giving a buffet an edible centerpiece.
serves twenty -
Trisha Yearwood Snickerdoodles in 20 Minutes
These 20 minute snickerdoodles bring a crackled cinnamon sugar crust and tangy center to a holiday cookie tray.
20-minute cookies -
Cinnamon Roll Pull-Apart Snowman in 45 Minutes
Cinnamon roll dough forms a pull apart snowman in 45 minutes, adding a playful breakfast centerpiece to holiday baking.
snowman cinnamon rolls
Holiday Desserts and Fresh Salads
A lemon pie, beet salad, or winter green salad can reset a rich meal with either citrus brightness or earthy color. Look for a clean meringue surface, glossy dressing, or greens that still hold their shape rather than wilting.
The pie belongs with holiday baking, while the salads work beside roast beef, chicken, or a buffet. Choose fruit forward salad ingredients when the main course is heavy and a baked dessert when the meal needs a clear finish.
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Roasted Beet Salad with Creamy Goat Cheese
Roasted beets, goat cheese, and fresh greens add earthy color and a tangy contrast to buttery holiday mains.
goat cheese salad -
Magic Lemon Meringue Pie with Condensed Milk
Condensed milk and graham crackers simplify this lemon meringue pie, while the citrus filling keeps a rich holiday meal bright.
lemon meringue dessert -
Big Festive Salad with Pears and Pecans
Pears and pecans give this large festive salad sweetness and crunch beside roast beef, chicken, or creamy potatoes.
pear pecan salad -
Bobbys Winter Green Salad with Pear and Pomegranate
Massaged kale and winter greens make a 15 minute salad with fruit notes for a fresh Christmas vegetable side.
15-minute winter salad
Storage and Food Safety Tips for Holiday Recipes
Keep meat, poultry, eggs, dairy, and creamy sauces chilled at 40°F (4°C) or below when possible. FDA guidance suggests two hours as the limit for perishable food at room temperature; use a shorter window outdoors in warm weather.
Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers so steam escapes and the center cools quickly. USDA guidance puts the safe internal temperature for poultry at 165°F (74°C). If a dish smells sour, shows mold, or has sat warm too long, discard it.
Quick Comparison
| # | Recipes | Best For | Time | Difficulty | Occasion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Simple Roasted Patty Pan Squash with Garlic & Fresh Herbs | easy vegetable side dish | Time varies | simple | holiday side |
| 2 | Garlic Parmesan Roasted Asparagus for 4 | 17-minute green vegetable side | 17 min | Not provided | holiday side |
| 3 | Roasted Garlic Aioli for 8: Creamy | dip or roast accompaniment | 45 min | Not provided | holiday side |
| 4 | Creamy Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes | classic Christmas dinner side | Time varies | Not provided | holiday side |
| 5 | Individual Potato Gratins for 6 Servings | plated potato side | Time varies | Not provided | holiday side |
| 6 | Crispy Roasted Cornish Game Hens | individual festive portions | Time varies | Not provided | special dinner |
| 7 | Filet of Beef with Garlic and Thyme | small formal dinner | Time varies | Not provided | special dinner |
| 8 | Holiday Beef Roast for 7 Servings | shared Christmas roast | Time varies | Not provided | special dinner |
| 9 | Christmas Cornish Game Hens in 55 Minutes | 55-minute Christmas main | 55 min | Not provided | Christmas |
| 10 | Butterflied Cornish Hens for 4 Servings | four-person plated dinner | 1 hr 5 min | Not provided | special dinner |
| 11 | One-Pot Roasted Garlic Clove Chicken | one-pot family dinner | 1 hr 15 min | Not provided | family dinner |
| 12 | Christmas Chicken Pot Pie for 8 | make-ahead Christmas main | 1 hr 15 min | Not provided | Christmas |
| 13 | Easy Christmas Roast Chicken for 6 | six-person Christmas dinner | Time varies | easy | Christmas |
| 14 | Holiday Garlic Chicken in 28 Minutes | fast festive chicken dinner | 28 min | Not provided | weeknight holiday |
| 15 | Christmas Chicken with Golden Skin | traditional roast chicken | Time varies | Not provided | Christmas |
| 16 | Make-Ahead Holiday Casserole | overnight holiday breakfast | Time varies | Not provided | make-ahead |
| 17 | Roast Chicken with Gravy for 4 Servings | gravy-centered family dinner | Time varies | Not provided | family dinner |
| 18 | Herb Apricot Chicken in 30 Minutes | sweet-savory 30-minute main | 30 min | Not provided | weeknight holiday |
| 19 | Lemon Herb Butter Chicken for 4 Servings | four-person herb butter dinner | 55 min | Not provided | family dinner |
| 20 | Pull Apart Christmas Tree in 35 Minutes | Christmas appetizer table | 35 min | Not provided | Christmas |
| 21 | Christmas Tree Tarts | shaped holiday dessert | Time varies | Not provided | holiday dessert |
| 22 | PullApart Gingerbread Man for 20 Servings | large festive bread display | 1 hr 15 min | Not provided | Christmas |
| 23 | Snickerdoodles in 20 Minutes | quick holiday cookie tray | 20 min | Not provided | holiday baking |
| 24 | Pull-Apart Snowman in 45 Minutes | festive breakfast centerpiece | 45 min | Not provided | Christmas |
| 25 | Roasted Beet Salad with Creamy Goat Cheese | bright salad beside rich roasts | Time varies | Not provided | holiday side |
| 26 | Magic Lemon Meringue Pie for 8 Servings | citrus holiday dessert | 1 hr 5 min | Not provided | holiday dessert |
| 27 | Big Festive Salad for 8 Servings | large buffet salad | Time varies | Not provided | holiday side |
| 28 | Bobbys Winter Green Salad in 15 Minutes | quick fresh holiday side | 15 min | Not provided | holiday side |
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I plan an easy Christmas dinner?
Choose one main that fits the guest count, then add one potato side, one green or fresh salad, and a dessert that can be prepared early. Avoid scheduling several dishes that need the oven at the same temperature and time.
What belongs on a classic Christmas dinner menu?
A roast beef, roast chicken, or Cornish hen can anchor the meal, with potatoes, a green vegetable, gravy or sauce, and a festive dessert. A bright salad keeps the plate from feeling too rich.
Which recipes work as Thanksgiving holiday side dishes?
Roasted squash, asparagus, mashed potatoes, potato gratins, beet salad, and winter greens all fit a Thanksgiving table. Choose two contrasting textures rather than several soft sides.
Can holiday recipes be made ahead?
Many sauces, garlic confit, casseroles, salads, and cookie doughs can be prepared early, though crisp toppings and dressed greens are usually best finished close to serving. Reheat creamy or baked dishes gently so they do not dry out.
What makes a good holiday vegetable side dish?
Look for color, a clear cooking contrast, and a flavor that balances the main dish. Roasting brings browned edges, while fresh herbs, citrus, or a sharp dressing can keep vegetables from tasting flat.
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