Best Italian Christmas Dinner Menu

This is the classic Christmas dinner my mom and I have made for many years.

I prepare the sausage lasagna on Dec. 23 and cover it in foil in the fridge. Pop it in the oven on Christmas Day for the easiest dinner ever.

The ruffly edges of these lasagna roll-ups make a pretty presentation for your Christmas dinner.

The recipe is still so easy to prep ahead and just bake and serve for your meal.

This classic Italian beef bolognese sauce simmers on the stove top for a few hours and the meat gets so tender and rich.

It is the most delicious topping for your favorite pasta shape, served over gnocchi, or even eaten with fresh bread for dunking.

This rich and delicious Tuscan chicken pasta dish is filled with the colors of the season. Red and green and so festive!

It's perfect if you want to have dinner kept warm for when you come home from church or you are welcoming family and friends Open House style.

For a smaller crowd, this crispy baked cheese tortellini skillet has a rich tomato sauce with bits of spinach for color.

The crispy bread crumb topping is our absolute favorite!

Creamy pasta rosa with savory sausage is a super easy fresh pasta dish to make fresh for Christmas dinner.

The touch of heavy cream helps the tomato sauce to cling to the pasta in the very best way.

My chicken parmesan recipe is a make-ahead dinner you can prep up to 24 hours in advance.

Use my special baking tricks to ensure the breadcrumb coating bakes up perfectly crispy in the oven.

When we're not serving lasagna, you can bet this recipe is gracing our Christmas table.

My mom has made this sausage casserole for years and years and it is always a hit.

The trick?? Serve it with fresh pineapple! It's a unique choice but is perfect with this dish.

Creamy pesto chicken casserole is another prep-ahead dish that is fun for Christmas.

Red and green veggies are sprinkled throughout and who could resist that crispy crumb topping??

Plan a variety of Italian meats, cheeses, and olives for this absolutely adorable Santa-themed charcuterie board as an appetizer.

Once you have your Christmas pasta chosen, pair it with a yummy fresh bread.

This bread machine focaccia will help soak up all the delicious pasta sauces from your plate. Top it with fresh rosemary before baking for a wonderful aroma.

My favorite ciabatta bread is the heartiest bread for your richest sauces. It also makes amazing toast with butter if you want to make a chicken parm sandwich.

Bake a loaf of this Italian bread and cut it into wedges to serve alongside olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping. It is the easiest starter to your Italian Christmas dinner.

Homemade garlic bread with a perfectly crispy buttery top is always a family favorite for a holiday dinner. Cut it into wedges for the bread basket.

Toss together a simple Caesar salad for your green vegetable. Everyone will be so happy with the pasta and bread, but it is nice to have an easy vegetable to go with it.

While typically a summer recipe, caprese salad is so festive for Christmas with the bright green basil and pretty red tomatoes. Serve it with fresh mozzarella and your family will forgive you for serving a summertime classic.

The classic Italian Christmas bread panettone makes amazing bread pudding that works for a Christmas dessert for after dinner but leftovers could hang out for Christmas morning, too!

Top the panettone bread pudding with this sweet amaretto cream sauce or stir it into your after dinner coffee for a special treat.

The classic Italian dessert tiramisu is the perfect ending to your Christmas dinner because you can make the whole thing the day before and let it rest in the fridge. The lady fingers will soak up all that lovely espresso.