31 Truly Simple Meals That Are Festive, Cozy, And Exactly What You Need This December
I don't know about you, but it feels like we just closed our eyes one night and woke up in the midst of the holiday season the next morning. This year, don't panic over all the holiday cooking you'll have to do — alongside all the non-holiday cooking you're still in charge of. We've got you covered with 31 really delicious recipes for every day of December, and there's a little something here for everyone.
While seafood might be synonymous with summer, these spiced mussels in a fiery red sauce are a perfect way to turn shellfish into a cold-weather staple.
Recipe: Mussels Marinara
2.Roasted Carrot Soup With Za'atar Chickpeas
'Tis the season to make soup, and this vegan variety gets a creamy boost thanks to a bit of tahini. The crispy chickpeas on top are so good you'll want to make extra to snack on later. I think some toasted pita bread would be the perfect side to dip in your bowl and sop up all the flavor.
3.Sheet-Pan Chicken and Squash Salad
This salad might be super low-effort, but it's anything but boring. All the components get roasted together on a sheet pan, and in 30 minutes, you'll have a meal that blows any takeout salad out of the water.
Home Cooking Collective / Via homecookingcollective.com
Cheese boards? Overrated. Silky whipped ricotta topped with sticky-sweet honey for all your guests to swipe pieces of crusty bread through? Criminally underrated. There's a reason this recipe should be the centerpiece of all your holiday appetizer spreads.
Recipe: Whipped Ricotta
Vegan Richa / Via veganricha.com
This dish is flexible, substitution-friendly, and uses mostly pantry ingredients, so it's great for a weeknight meal. Saag is a fragrant north Indian vegetable dish of finely chopped leafy greens. Saag paneer is probably the most commonly known Indian greens dish in the U.S., but this recipe uses butter beans, a creamy plant-based alternative to cheese.
Recipe: Saag Butter Beans
Mulled wine is a staple at holiday markets and December celebrations at home for many people. This recipe has the cozy winter flavors of a mulled drink without the typical alcohol, but Minimalist Baker includes an optional spike of rum or whiskey for some extra heat.
Recipe: Tart Cherry Mulled “Wine”
Damn Delicious / Via damndelicious.net
Let your crockpot do the work for you this winter. Set some boneless beef chuck roast into your handy dandy appliance and enjoy it in burrito bowls, tacos, and more.
Recipe: Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa
These stuffed winter squash are savory, cheesy, and packed with veggies. You can add sausage (or a good plant-based sausage like Field Roast's apple and sage variety) if you want to beef them up a bit. Plus, folks who've tried this recipe say it tastes great with whatever veggies you have on hand, so it's perfect for a fridge clean-out night.
Recipe: Stuffed Winter Squash
If you're sick of crafting the same old cookie trays for the holidays, turn to Turkish delight instead. Chewy, sweet, and perfectly floral, these easy-to-make candies will impress all your guests this holiday season.
Recipe: Turkish Delight
10.Brown Butter Scallops with Parmesan Risotto
Move over, Marry Me Chicken; there's a new cozy date night recipe in town. If making both risotto and scallops feels a little too intimidating, try swapping the risotto for creamy mashed potatoes or the scallops for shrimp.
This is one Southern classic that far too many of us are sleeping on. Chicken and dumplings remind me of a mashup of chicken pot pie and matzoh ball soup. This hearty dish is simply the ultimate comfort dinner.
Recipe: Chicken and Dumplings
12.Boxty (Irish Potato Pancakes)
Daring Gourmet / Via daringgourmet.com
If you have leftover mashed potatoes after the holidays or just want a taste of Ireland, this Boxty recipe is for you.
Recipe: Boxty (Irish Potato Pancakes)
13.Lemony Arugula Salad with Crispy Shallots
Crispy shallots are the perfect garnish, lending both texture and visual contrast to this bright, fresh salad and any savory dish that needs a little crunch!
For an extra boost of protein to power you through the busiest time of the year, cottage cheese eggs are the ideal choice — and even if you're not the biggest cottage cheese fan, don't worry; you can hardly taste it beyond the added creamy richness.
Recipe: Cottage Cheese Eggs
Mediterranean spices and bright, fresh dill add an extra dimension of flavor to this sweet and savory salad. You can leave the kiwi peels on if you don't mind a fuzzy bite or cut them off if that's what you prefer.
Recipe: Kiwi Feta Salad
16.Easy Chipotle Cheddar Beef Chili
This chili has a few secret ingredients that you might not expect, like tamari, gochujang, and salted butter, all of which give it a serious punch of umami.
Recipe: Easy Chipotle Cheddar Beef Chili
Crispy prosciutto gives this cheesy, creamy, comforting pasta an extra crave-worthy bite. It takes some extra time to carmelize the onions in this dish but trust and believe it's time well-spent. This makes for a great weeknight dinner that also feels fancy enough to serve to guests.
Recipe: One Pot French Onion Pasta
This take on a classic Puerto Rican drink is a creamy, coconut-y, lightly spiced dream of a Christmas cocktail. Sanabria's batch recipe is perfect for a party because it's large enough to satisfy a crowd... for a minute... until they empty their cups because it's just that irresistible!
Recipe: LyAnna Sanabria's Coquito
19.Baked Cod with Parsley Olive Tapenade
The Modern Proper / Via themodernproper.com
A simple baked cod gets paired with a bright and slightly spicy tapenade in this super quick dish (seriously, the fish only takes 10 minutes in the oven!). Serve it on its own, with a green salad, or even with some roasted potatoes for a meal that will soon be part of your weekly rotation.
Recipe: Baked Cod with Parsley Olive Tapenade
20.No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake For Two
Classic cheesecake is surprisingly complicated, with water baths and springform pans to maneuver — but these jarred, no-bake cheesecakes are anything but. The recipe makes two servings, for a romantic winter evening with your special someone, but you can easily batch this recipe to satisfy all your holiday season guests' sweet tooths.
21.Baked Tortellini with Sausage
Chilly December nights call for cheesy baked pasta. This one is loaded with sausage, which makes it extra hearty.
Recipe: Baked Tortellini With Sausage
Inspired by the one and only Ina Garten, this twist on shrimp scampi skips the pasta and opts for a crunchy breadcrumb topping instead. But, hey, if you still want pasta, no one's stopping you from doing both.
Recipe: Baked Shrimp Scampi
Stratas — which are basically just egg bakes with custardy bread mixed in — were practically designed to save busy holiday mornings. Prep the evening before, toss into a hot oven, and you'll have a warm and cozy breakfast or brunch on the table in no time.
Recipe: Spinach Artichoke Strata
The Modern Proper / Via themodernproper.com
Ready in just 30 minutes, this cozy bowl of homemade ramen rivals literally any takeout.
Recipe: Easy Chicken Ramen Soup
25.Swiss Chard, Fennel, And White Bean Gratin
Whether you're looking for a great casserole to bring to a holiday potluck or you just want to cook a big batch of something you can eat out of your fridge all week long, this dish is for you. It's a welcome addition to any holiday spread, but it's also a side that can double as the main event if you're so inclined. The fennel in this dish adds a subtle anise flavor, but Swiss chard and the crunchy, crispy crust are the real stars.
26.Sticky Glazed Pork Rice Bowls
These bowls call for just a handful of simple ingredients, including boneless pork chops, cooked white rice, honey, ginger, and rice wine vinegar. Top them with anything from scallions to sesame seeds for good measure.
Recipe: Sticky Glazed Pork Rice Bowls
27.Balsamic Portobello Burgers
These simple veggie burgers are packed with savory winter flavors, thanks to a delectable garlic aioli, caramelized onions, and a balsamic vinegar marinade. Pair them with sweet potato fries or a kale Caesar salad for an easy-to-prep dinner that takes advantage of some of the season's best produce.
Recipe: Balsamic Portobello Burgers
28.Brazilian Fish Stew (Moqueca)
Serve this stew with a side of rice (bonus points if you add some farofa) for a comforting dinner that no one will guess took you under 40 minutes. You can also swap the firm white fish for shrimp if that's your thing.
Recipe: Brazilian Fish Stew (Moqueca)
29.Berry and Cream Cheese Croissant French Toast Bake
Fool everyone into thinking you spent hours and hours on breakfast with this brilliant transformation of store-bought croissants. (If you know what's best for you, you'll grab a big box from Costco — but any store-bought variety will be great.)
How Sweet Eats / Via howsweeteats.com
It may sound fancy and intimidating, but this puff pastry-wrapped salmon is easier to make than you think. Plus, it'll be a showstopper on literally any holiday table.
Recipe: Salmon En Croute
Trust us: This one was viral for a reason, and years later, it still hits. Toss a whole chuck roast plus some quick flavor shortcuts — like gravy and ranch dressing mix — into your crockpot for a succulent dinner that requires virtually no effort.
Recipe: Mississippi Pot Roast
