92 Impressive Christmas Dinner Ideas
Updated: Nov. 28, 2023
Looking for the best Christmas dinner ideas? Browse our collection of showstopping Christmas entrees, side dishes and salads perfect for your Christmas menu.
Our Favorite Christmas Dinner Ideas
We love to pull out all the stops around the holidays, especially when it comes to Christmas dinner. Whether we’re roasting a turkey, making our favorite Christmas ham recipes or filling the table with delicious vegetarian Christmas dinner dishes, the best part is seeing friends and family delight over the Christmas menu.
Putting together a holiday feast takes planning and prep, so save some time in the kitchen with easy Christmas appetizers that come together with minimal fuss. For the main meal, there are so many festive Christmas side dishes to choose from, like green bean casserole, scalloped potatoes with apples, chestnut dressing and seasonal Christmas salad recipes—and don’t forget a basket of fluffy dinner rolls.
For the star of your Christmas dinner menu, go with a showstopper like duck with orange hazelnut stuffing, a surprisingly easy herb-crusted prime rib or a gorgeous honey-glazed turkey. For the vegans at the table, choose from these vegan Christmas dinner recipes. Keep the after-dinner sweets simple with a few of our simple Christmas desserts that you will want to make year after year. Happy Holidays!
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Baked Ham with Pineapple
The pineapples are the star of this baked ham recipe. The maraschino cherries add a lovely red color to the dish and even more sweetness.
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Peppery Roast Beef
With its spicy peppery coating and creamy horseradish sauce, this tender roast is sure to be a favorite in your household.
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Best Dinner Rolls
The title says it all! These really are the best dinner rolls around. The toppings of poppy seeds, garlic, sesame seeds, basil and oregano make these rolls truly special.
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Mulled Wine
This mulled wine is soothing and satisfying with a delightful blend of spices warmed to perfection. Refrigerating the wine mixture overnight allows the flavors to blend even better together.
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Green Bean Bundles
The bean bundles are excellent with turkey, beef or chicken. Serve with a side of basmati rice or stuffing.
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Duck with Orange Hazelnut Stuffing
This elegant entree will look stunning on your dinner table. The zesty stuffing with its nice crunch complements the slices of moist duck, while the hint of orange in the gravy makes a big statement.
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Vegetable Tian
This colorful, hearty and delicious vegetable tian will look stunning on your dinner table. The cheese and bread crumb topping gives every bite a bit of crunch.
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Peppercorn Beef Top Loin Roast
A red wine sauce complements the brown sugar rub on the roast in this inviting entree. It’s easy and elegant—easily one of our favorite dishes.
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Pear and Gorgonzola Salad
When it comes to Christmas dinner ideas, don’t count out salad! This quick, easy recipe really showcases the beauty of juicy pears.
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Roasted Sage Turkey with Vegetable Gravy
Time to make the star of Christmas! Instead of sage stuffing with turkey, fill this bird with fresh sage and thyme sprigs for the same delicious flavors.
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Pomegranate-Hazelnut Roasted Brussels Sprouts
You can’t go wrong with Brussels sprouts on Christmas. The richness of the hazelnuts and the sweetness of pomegranate and orange elevate the sprouts to a new level.
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Holiday Herb-Cheese Rolls
These holiday rolls are buttery, soft and delicious alongside your Christmas feast. These rolls are flavored with garlic, dill and cheese—they’re yummy even without butter!
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Spiral Ham with Cranberry Glaze
This ham recipe is delicious thanks to the sweet and tangy cranberry glaze. These flavors are perfect for a Christmas meal with your loved ones.
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Crab Stuffed Mushrooms
These crab-stuffed mushrooms with their crispy golden topping are sure to be a hit at get-togethers. The crab filling is perfect for special occasions like Christmas.
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Homemade Manicotti
These tender manicotti are much easier to stuff than the purchased variety. Feel free to add some spinach or kale to the filling to get your veggies in.
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Elegant Green Beans
This isn’t your ordinary Christmas casserole! Mushrooms and water chestnuts give new life to a classic green bean casserole.
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Honey-Glazed Turkey
The sweet and spicy turkey glaze gives this holiday bird a wonderful flavor. We won’t judge you for getting seconds or thirds!
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Glazed Marsala Carrots with Hazelnuts
This dish is easy to make and is a great Christmas dinner option. Marsala wine makes it so deliciously different and unlike any other carrot recipe you’ve tasted.
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Beef Tenderloin with Roasted Vegetables
Nothing says winter more than roasted vegetables. The beef in this recipe is particularly tender and juicy.
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Sweet Potato Pilaf
This colorful dish is a wonderful recipe to have for Christmas dinner. The combination of sweet potatoes, savory bacon, asparagus and kale makes this pilaf taste amazing!
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Crown Roast with Apricot Dressing
This roast is undeniably delicious thanks to the sweet apricot dressing. This will make your Christmas dinner table look divine!
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Sugar-Glazed Ham
This old-fashioned ham glaze gives a pretty golden brown coating to the meat. The mustard and vinegar combination pairs perfectly with the brown sugar. This adds a tangy flavor to the ham.
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Parmesan Butternut Squash
Butternut squash sprinkled with Parmesan and bread crumbs makes a superb side dish for Christmas dinner. The combo of sweet and salty flavors will make this dish a hit with your family.
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Herb-Glazed Turkey
The combination of honey with savory herbs gives this turkey a slightly sweet flavor. Say goodbye to boring and plain turkey for this year’s Christmas dinner.
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Roasted Apple Salad with Spicy Maple-Cider Vinaigrette
When you want to use up your apples, this is the dish to make. The spicy dressing gives this colorful salad a bit of heat.
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Standing Rib Roast
Tender slices of this roast are sure to be a family favorite. You can also use the seasoning blend on a different beef roast for a hearty, delicious main dish.
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Bacon and Broccoli Salad
This salad is colorful and full of flavor. The broccoli gets a big-time flavor boost thanks to the savory bacon, toasted pecans, dried berries and a creamy mayo dressing.
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Baked Ham with Honey-Chipotle Glaze
Your Christmas celebration will be so simple to put together with this sweet, smoky ham recipe. It feeds a crowd and the baked ham glaze tastes fantastic.
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Granny’s Apple Scalloped Potatoes
These scalloped potatoes are delicious, easy and comforting for your whole family. It’s a staple for Christmas and other special holidays.
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Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pears
This easy dish uses only a handful of ingredients but still feels special for the holidays. Apples, fresh figs and pecans are also delicious with these sprouts.
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Cocoa Spiced Salmon
You simply can’t beat salmon from the Pacific Northwest waters. The spicy and sweet combination of cocoa makes this extra tasty and unique.
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California Roast Lamb
This recipe is very easy to make and requires little attention (just what you need during a busy holiday season!). It goes well with any rice dish, and it’s perfect for just about any occasion.
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Butternut Squash Custard
Butternut squash is a staple to have for holidays. This custard is sweet, comforting and not overly rich.
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Cranberry Fluff Salad
This cool and tangy cranberry fluff screams “Christmas”. With only four ingredients, it’s super easy and quick to whip up.
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Apple & Herb Roasted Turkey
This moist apple turkey is a beautiful and tasty twist on a classic. You can’t go wrong with these fall flavors that help make this turkey so delicious.
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Stilton, Bacon & Garlic Smashed Potatoes
Bacon, cheese and fresh garlic take mashed potatoes to a whole new level. This side dish is so rich and satisfying, it could be eaten as an entree!
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Roast Rosemary Leg of Lamb
Roast lamb is perfect for Christmas or any special occasion. This succulent leg of lamb recipe calls for a flavorful rosemary, garlic and onion rub.
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Four-Cheese Sausage Rigatoni
There’s simply nothing more comforting than a hearty and cheesy bowl of pasta. The sausage makes this dish extra tasty and savory.
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Balsamic Purple Potatoes
These colorful potatoes are bursting with flavor thanks to the balsamic vinegar. It’s a great addition to have alongside turkey and green beans.
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Herb-Crusted Prime Rib
Prime rib always makes an impression on a holiday dinner table. But it’s actually easy to prepare. This roast is wonderfully flavored with a rub featuring lots of fresh herbs.
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Honey-Mustard Brussels Sprouts Salad
Even if you dislike Brussels sprouts, you will love this salad. The dressing is truly tasty, and it pairs so nicely with the apples, grapes and walnuts.
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Cranberry Ricotta Gnocchi with Brown Butter Sauce
This pillowy gnocchi recipe is a winner thanks to the brown butter sauce that is so good you could drink it.
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Five-Cheese Ziti al Forno
Say goodbye to Olive Garden and hello to this homemade version. This dish is comforting, easy to make and a favorite for kids too.
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Traditional Holiday Stuffing
Sausage and sage add a gourmet taste to this stuffing. It’s perfect for large family gatherings around the holidays.
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Grandma’s Rosemary Dinner Rolls
These rolls aren’t your ordinary dinner rolls. With the addition of rosemary, they’re packed with an earthy flavor.
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Classic Beef Wellingtons
Perfect for Christmas, this beef Wellington recipe is also impressively easy. You can find ready-made puff pastry sheets in the frozen food section.
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Warm Tasty Greens with Garlic
This tasty idea uses kale, tomatoes and garlic in a dish that quickly disappears. Not only is this dish nutritious, but it’s quite delicious thanks to the garlic.
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Creamy Sweet Potatoes
This delicious sweet potato casserole is a fun and unique take on a classic. The addition of orange juice makes this a standout dish.
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Holiday Creamed Spinach
This rich, delicious creamed spinach is a holiday classic for good reason. It’s also quite easy to make so you won’t have to be in the kitchen for too long.
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Plum-Glazed Lamb
This wonderful glaze is simple to prepare, and the hint of garlic really complements the lamb. The recipe’s star is the fruity glaze.
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Potatoes Romanoff
This dish pairs perfectly with steak and green beans, but of course works with other meats as well. You won’t be able to get enough of this dish during the holidays.
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Marinated Beef Tenderloin
This tempting beef tenderloin marinade taste divine and is a great idea to make for Christmas dinner. Leftovers also make wonderful sandwiches.
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Italian Artichoke-Green Bean Casserole
This is not your average green bean casserole. With artichokes added to the mix, this casserole is sure to be a favorite for the holidays.
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Cranberry-Orange Roast Ducklings
This recipe is a winner! The addition of cranberries and oranges make the duck slightly sweet.
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Creamed Spinach with Parmesan
Cooked spinach makes a perfect accompaniment to many entrees, especially salmon or turkey for your Christmas feast.
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Pressure-Cooker Mushroom Pork Ragout
In this recipe, savory pork is served in a delightful tomato gravy over noodles. It’s a nice change from regular pork roast.
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Chestnut Dressing
Tired of having the same stuffing every Christmas? Try out this chestnut stuffing instead. Italian seasoning and chestnuts add flavor and texture.
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Crab-Stuffed Manicotti
The combination of pasta and seafood pair well in this scrumptious dish. Feel free to add more vegetables like broccoli if you’re a veggie lover.
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Braciole
The pinwheels of meat, laid side by side on the platter, topped with a delicious sauce, make this dish a hit.
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Grilled Cauliflower Wedges
This side is incredibly easy, yet is packed with flavor and looks like you spent hours working on it. The grill leaves the cauliflower crispy, and the red pepper flakes add some heat.
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Crunchy Spinach Casserole
This spinach casserole is oh-so creamy thanks to the condensed cream of mushroom soup. Because this recipe calls for using frozen spinach, it’s relatively easy to make.
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Holiday Crown Pork Roast
Crown roast makes a grand Christmas dinner. Flavored with rosemary, sage and thyme, it’s elegant and simple, yet full of holiday flavors.
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Pomegranate-Glazed Green Beans
Green beans are a popular vegetable for the holidays for a good reason. The beans get a nice zest from the glaze featuring fruit juices, vinegar and maple syrup.
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Pork Tenderloins with Wild Rice
Apricots combined with earthy herbs make this gravy-licious meal delectable. Remember this recipe—it’s worthy of a weekend celebration.
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White Seafood Lasagna
While classic lasagna recipes don’t incorporate seafood, this unique take is a true winner. Each bite will have scallops, shrimp and, of course, cheesy goodness!
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Broccoli with Garlic, Bacon & Parmesan
In this dish, the garlic blends beautifully with the smoky bacon. A few simple ingredients make ordinary broccoli irresistible.
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Glazed Cornish Hens
If you’re looking to add a touch of elegance to your holiday dinner table, we suggest these Cornish game hens topped with a sweet apricot glaze.
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Italian Herb-Crusted Pork Loin
This dish is sure to dazzle your guests this Christmas. The Italian herb crust is packed with flavor and is perfectly crispy.
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Lemon Herbed Salmon
If you prefer salmon over turkey for Christmas, don’t hesitate to make this scrumptious dish. Fresh thyme really elevates the flavor.
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Beef Bolognese with Linguine
Is there anything more comforting than a bowl of beef bolognese? This linguine is bursting with flavors thanks to the rich sauce. Feel free to use penne or other pasta shapes instead!
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Roasted Citrus & Herb Turkey
This recipe will be a showstopper for your Christmas holiday. The citrus and herbs bring out the stunning flavors of the bird.
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Twice-Baked Cheddar Potato Casserole
Bacon, cheddar and sour cream turn ordinary potatoes into an extraordinary twice baked potato casserole. You may have to double the recipe because it will be gone fast!
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Pork Tenderloin with Cranberry-Orange Relish
This pork is tender and juicy. The addition of the cranberries and orange really makes this dish shine.
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Merry Berry Salad
Dried cranberries, crunchy apple chunks and toasted almonds dress up this crisp green salad. It’s drizzled with a sweet-tart dressing that’s a snap to blend.
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Apricot Ginger Mustard-Glazed Ham
This zesty ham is chock full of flavor thanks to the apricot and ginger mustard glaze. Now you’ll never have to eat boring and bland ham ever again.
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Hot Chocolate
This homemade hot chocolate is a hit for adults and kids alike. It’s the perfect beverage for the holidays!
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Roasted Acorn Squash & Brussels Sprouts
This dish only has a few ingredients and is so easy to make when you’re in a pinch. Maple syrup adds a slight sweetness, and pecans give it a toasty crunch.
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Garlic Herbed Beef Tenderloin
You don’t need much seasoning to add flavor to this beef tenderloin recipe. The mild blending of rosemary, basil and garlic makes this beef taste out of this world.
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Sausage and Cornbread Dressing
The addition of sausage and a little steak sauce to this cornbread dressing makes for a meal that warms up cold winter nights.
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Holiday Brussels Sprouts
Make Brussels sprouts special with sweet peas, celery and, of course, savory bacon. The recipe doubles easily if needed.
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Wassail
This warm, wonderful and nonalcoholic beverage is perfect for the colder months. This cider will be sure to warm up your whole household.
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Honey Whole Wheat Pan Rolls
You can’t mess up these lovely rolls. And while these honey wheat rolls are great on their own, we recommend dipping them into gravy or soft butter.
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Triple Mash with Horseradish Bread Crumbs
Why settle for traditional mashed potatoes when you can enjoy three times the flavor? The horseradish adds a fun zesty and spicy flavor to the dish.
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Crown Roast of Pork with Mushroom Dressing
While this dish looks hard to make, it’s actually surprisingly easy. This is the perfect centerpiece for your Christmas table. Plus, the mushroom dressing is to die for!
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Perfect Winter Salad
This colorful winter salad is the perfect dish to enjoy for Christmas. The pecans add a nice crunchy texture to the dish.
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Golden Apricot-Glazed Turkey Breast
This wonderfully moist and tender turkey bakes to a lovely golden brown. The apricot glaze adds a hint of sweetness to the savory meat.
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Spaetzle Dumplings
These tender homemade spaetzle noodles take only minutes to make and are a beautiful pairing to have with turkey or chicken. We recommend sprinkling this dish with fresh parsley before serving.
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Thyme-Roasted Carrots
This roasted carrots recipe will look gorgeous on your table. For a little more elegance and color, garnish with sprigs of fresh thyme or parsley.
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Chocolate Martini Recipe
Sometimes, the holidays call for a cocktail (or two). This chocolate martini recipe is potent but utterly delicious!
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Brown Rice and Vegetables
This filling rice dish, full of big chunks of butternut squash and sweet potatoes, is a standout combination of sweet and savory flavors.
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Easy & Elegant Tenderloin Roast
This easy beef tenderloin recipe is simple, yet elegant. Olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper are the only seasonings you will need for this juicy and tender meat.
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Three-Cheese Meatball Mostaccioli
This meatball recipe is rich, creamy and a winner for kids, too! We won’t blame you for getting seconds.
Originally Published: November 21, 2021
