Small Christmas Dinner Ideas
Are you hosting a small Christmas gathering, or maybe going to one? Then you’re in the right place for small Christmas dinner ideas! Below are 12 of our favorite festive dishes! They are colorful, tasty, and vibrant. Ooh, and, for the most part, they don’t yield countless servings you’re stuck storing for days on end.
Even better? All of these recipes are gluten-free and dairy-free. They may also be egg-free, vegan-friendly, or paleo-friendly. So whether you have dietary specifications you need to follow, or your guests do, there is something for everyone!
If you do end up with leftovers, then keep reading. In the next section, I’ll share quick ways to get them used up!
So let’s get started, shall we?
Small Christmas dinner ideas: The basics
In this post there are six different food categories with two recipe suggestions in each. You may not need all categories for your gathering, so let these guide your planning as you make final decisions. Think about whether you want finger foods, soups, or something heartier, and how you feel about a smattering of leftovers.
If you do end up with leftovers, then store them in airtight containers, send some home with guests, or do what we do and throw them together in a slow cooker hodgepodge recipe, a salad, or a sauté. Some of our family’s favorite recipes are the ones we throw together with whatever we have in the fridge, and it works out well. Leftover fruits make a great salad or salsa. Random veggies go well in soups or broths. Bones from a chicken, turkey, or ham are a delicious base for a stock.
Keep these thoughts in mind as you peruse the categories.
Main course
Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Soup happens to be one of my favorite soups, actually. So, I’m pretty excited to share it with you here. If I’m not making a big dinner, then this is the soup I gravitate to, tied with Paleo Zuppa Toscana. You can’t go wrong with either one.
But I am going to break the rule here and suggest a whole ham as a second menu option. Go with me on this, if you will. Make one ham and turn the leftovers into the most delicious Leftover Ham Bone Soup ever.
Admittedly, there is a bit of a soup vibe going here, but I say run with it. These recipes are easy to make and whatever leftovers you do have are easy to store!
Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Soup
This warm, comforting Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Soup is so easy to prepare in a slow cooker! Just the right amount of spice, it’s a delicious gluten-free and dairy-free soup that’s also perfect for leftovers! {GF + paleo-friendly}
Savory Ham (Bone-In)
This festive Savory Ham (Bone-In) is a delicious, hearty main dish recipe that favors herbs, onion, and garlic over its sweeter counterparts. It’s also perfect for leftovers, including sandwiches and soups! {Gluten-Free}
Side dish
We are bonkers for Spicy Garlic-Roasted Broccoli and Lemon Garlic Roasted Asparagus. Here’s the thing: for best results, spread the veggies on the baking sheet so they don’t overlap. You’ll get delicious greens that aren’t soggy or mushy.
Spicy Garlic-Roasted Broccoli
Spicy Garlic-Roasted Broccoli is flavored with fresh garlic and red pepper flakes for a delicious vegetable side dish that’s anything but boring! Made with just a handful of ingredients, these broccoli florets are ready in about 30 minutes! {Vegan + Paleo}
Lemon Garlic Roasted Asparagus
Lemon Garlic Roasted Asparagus is a citrusy-garlic veggie side dish that is ready to go in about 20 minutes and only needs five whopping ingredients to make! Vegetable recipes never tasted so good! {Paleo + Vegan}
Salads
I mean, let’s just take a moment to appreciate the bold colors in these two salads. And then let’s get excited about how good they taste! Pomegranate Pear Salad is an amazing combo of sweet, piquant, and citrusy flavors, and Paleo Winter Salad is so easy to throw together. But word to the wise: add the bananas to the latter recipe just prior to serving so they don’t brown ahead of time.
Pomegranate Pear Salad
This Pomegranate Pear Salad with walnuts and a honey lime dressing is the stuff incredible salads are made of! It’s a delicious paleo salad recipe made with fresh ingredients, sure to please the masses! {Paleo}
Paleo Winter Salad
Apples, bananas, kiwis, oranges, pomegranates, nuts, and an optional honey/lemon dressing come together for a delicious, easy-to-assemble salad! It’s a no fuss recipe that looks downright decadent! {Paleo}
Christmas Cookies
Okay, backstory. Mom was NOT much of a chef. Her attempts at recipes were legendary in our family. BUT one thing she could do well was bake a cookie. Where there is a cookie, there is a way. And these Gluten-Free Snowball Cookies were one of her hits! Also, check out the recipe card in the blog post where she wrote “bake at $300.” ❤️🤣❤️
And then there are these Buttery Almond Cookies, which I discovered via my mother-in-law and a cookbook she gave me at Christmas years ago. I adapted the original recipe to meet our family’s dietary needs. Like the Gluten-Free Snowball Cookies, Buttery Almond Cookies are a family favorite!
Gluten-Free Snowball Cookies
These Gluten-Free Snowball Cookies are made with just a handful of ingredients and are egg-free, too! A sweet, doughy pecan cookie is lightly baked and then rolled in powdered sugar for a delicious, melt-in-your-mouth treat! {GF + Vegan-friendly}
Buttery Almond Cookies
Flaky, melt-in-your-mouth Buttery Almond Cookies are one of our family’s absolute favorite treats! Made with a handful of allergen-friendly ingredients, the rich, sweet taste belies just how easy these Cookies are to bake! {Gluten-Free + Dairy-Free}
Cocktails
Mulled Wine is one of my favorite Christmas drink recipe discoveries. There are so many ways to enjoy it, and while it’s often made with merlot, you can also sub a red blend or cabernet sauvignon. My other favorite Christmas drink recipe is a batch of Cranberry Pomegranate Margaritas. Whereas the Mulled Wine is warm and spicy, the margaritas are citrusy and sweet. You can’t go wrong with either!
Mulled Wine
Sweet, woody cloves, cinnamon sticks, and star anise pair with lemon and oranges to enhance the buttery texture of red wine in this delicious Mulled Wine holiday drink recipe! It’s a cornucopia of flavors and scents you and your guests will enjoy the whole evening! {Gluten-Free + Vegan}
Cranberry Pomegranate Margaritas
Who says margaritas are only for summer? These Cranberry Pomegranate Margaritas are the delicious proof that margaritas can be enjoyed all year round. Made with fresh cranberries, pomegranate arils, agave nectar, lemon and lime juices, orange liqueur, and tequila, these margaritas will add a festive flavor to your holiday season! {GF + VG}
Mocktails
If it’s mocktails you’re into, then look no further. Cranberry Fizz Mocktail is a family-favorite recipe as is the popular 3-Ingredient Pineapple Fresca Mocktail introduced to me by a friend. Cranberry Fizz Mocktail can be made several different ways, so consider including options for guests to make their own. Or experiment yourself to see what you like best!
And since 3-Ingredient Pineapple Fresca Mocktail is straightforward to make, it’s perfect for gatherings where you don’t want a lot of legwork ahead of time OR during the party. It’s a win-win for everyone!
Cranberry Fizz Mocktail
This Cranberry Fizz Mocktail comes with THREE variations, one with ginger ale, one with a lemon lime soft drink, and one with sparkling water, so you can tailor this alcohol-free holiday-friendly party recipe to your palate! Garnish with cranberries (or even orange slices to add an even sweeter flavor to your drink)! The options are endless! {GF + Vegan-friendly}
3-Ingredient Pineapple Fresca Mocktail
This 3-Ingredient Pineapple Fresca Mocktail is super-easy to assemble and topped with frozen fruit so it stays chilled without getting watered down! It’s the perfect non-alcoholic recipe for parties, and it oozes summer vibes with every sip! {GF & Vegan}
Small Christmas Dinner Ideas: The Wrap Up
Spiriteds, hopefully these 12 recipe suggestions inspire your small Christmas dinner ideas. Pick your favorites, and if you need more ideas, then check out our Christmas recipes category on the blog. If you’re looking for more cookies, then check out our Desserts recipes category.
And if throughout all of this, you find you’d like a hug-in-a-mug for yourself, then brew a batch of Dairy-Free Chai Tea or Cinnamon Orange Tea. Oh, what the heck, let’s throw Lemon Ginger Tea into the mix, too! Hugs from me to you!
Spiriteds, stay well and stay wild. Jump into the fun when you can, and always remember I’m glad you’re here. ❤️
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