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    Home » Blog » Christmas Recipes » Christmas Dinner

    Best Italian Christmas Dinner Menu

    Published: Nov 7, 2022 by Tiffany Dahle · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    Easy Italian Christmas dinner ideas for an elegant and delicious holiday meal for your family. Lots of festive Italian pasta recipes, easy Italian breads, and classic Italian desserts for a memorable Christmas feast.

    A Christmas plate has a serving of lasagna and garlic bread on it. Photos of tiramisu, Italian bread, and sautteed spinach are on the side.

    Our family's favorite Christmas dinner usually involves a satisfying Christmas pasta dish like lasagna along with fresh bread and a salad.

    We love this solution to the Christmas menu because it is widely popular with the whole family, easy to make ahead and serve, and the clean up after is nice and easy.

    With all the festive colors that red tomato sauce and fresh green basil or spinach bring to the table, these Italian Christmas recipes are the perfect choice for your holiday dinner.

    If you want our family's annual menu, you'll want to make:

    1. Make Ahead Sausage Lasagna
    2. Homemade Garlic Bread
    3. Caesar Salad

    And then add either the easy tiramisu or my husband's favorite panettone bread pudding with amaretto cream sauce.

    But if you're looking for more options, I've gathered all my best Christmas pasta, side dishes, and desserts to help you plan the perfect Italian Christmas dinner.

    18 Best Italian Christmas Dinner Recipes

    Plan your Christmas dinner menu with these delicious Italian pastas, easy homemade breads, simple vegetable side dishes, and rich Italian desserts.

    Make-Ahead Sausage Lasagna

    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.

    Make-Ahead Lasagna Roll Ups

    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.

    Classic Beef Bolognese Sauce

    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.

    Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken Pasta

    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.

    Baked Cheese Tortellini Skillet

    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!

    Pasta Rosa with Sausage

    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.

    Crispy Baked Chicken Parmesan

    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.

    Easy Italian Sausage Pasta Casserole

    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

    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??

    Photo Credit: www.livinglocurto.com

    Christmas Charcuterie Board

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

    Bread Machine Focaccia

    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.

    Easy Ciabatta {Bread Machine}

    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.

    Bread Machine Italian Bread

    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.

    Easy Homemade Garlic Bread

    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.

    Caesar Salad

    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.

    Caprese Salad

    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.

    Easy Panettone Bread Pudding

    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!

    Sweet Amaretto Creamer

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

    Easy Tiramisu

    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.

    More Easy Christmas Dinner Recipes

    • 12 Easy Christmas Crockpot Recipes
    • Easy Italian Wedding Soup {Instant Pot or Stovetop}
    • Cold Dips for Parties to Make Ahead
    • Best Italian Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

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    Hi, I'm Tiffany!
    I believe a great family recipe is one that makes everyone at the table happy, not just the kids. I'm the author of two bestselling cookbooks for kids that are chock full of recipes everyone in your family will love. I'm also the hostess of the best online book club for moms.

    More about me →

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