Welcome to our best holiday recipes for the season! From easy appetizers to a bright verdant green salad to decadent desserts, you’ll find a holiday menu that includes new classics & many unexpected delicious recipes that will wow everyone on the table. Let the feasting begin!
What is your holiday tradition? Are there any signature mishmash dishes that your family serves at the table?
Over at Just One Cookbook, we are a team made of mash-up heritages & cultures: Japanese, Taiwanese-American, Chinese-Malaysian, and Japanese-Danish-American. That means you’ll see Japanese potato salad next to kabocha soup. Spicy Brussels sprouts with lemongrass next to stuffing. Sometimes a smoked miso butter turkey centers the table. Amid our different backgrounds, we all share many common things: love, kindness, and good foods!
Here, we’ve gathered all our favorite best holiday recipes on Just One Cookbook over the years. The menus are filled with new classics & many unexpected recipes that put unique perspectives on the table.
Whomever you’re celebrating with this year, we raise a glass and toast to your most unforgettable holiday feast. We hope you’ll love what we’ve put together. And thank you for being here with us, and for trying something new.
43 Holiday Recipes For The Unforgettable Feast
Appetizers, Snacks, and Drink
1. Burrata Crostini with Ikura and Yuzu Pepper
Start your holiday spread with this Burrata Crostini with a Japanese twist! Toasty French baguette topped with creamy cheese, peppery arugula, savory red caviar & a pinch of yuzu pepper. This is the hors d’oeuvres that will make a lasting impression at the party. It may look fancy, but it’s really inexpensive to put together.
2. How To Make a Cheese Board
Say cheese! Cheeseboard is almost as important as the desserts at a holiday party these days. A full-stock cheese board will keep your guests entertained and delighted. You’ll find tips and step-by-step guides to creating a beautiful cheese board that everyone will remember!
3. Cranberry Brie Bites
These Cranberry Brie Bites are going to make a deliciously festive addition to your holiday feast! With melted brie stuffed inside puff pastry, topped with cranberry sauce, candied pecans, and sea salt, they are the easiest yet impressive appetizer of the season. Make more because they will be gone in seconds!
4. Homemade Popcorn with Truffle Salt
The truffle salt is the instant magic to this upgraded version of popcorn. It makes a great snack to nibble on, especially if you have a tradition of watching holiday movies together.
5. Cheese Tart
These cheese tarts are filled with melted brie cheese with fruit preserves. An elegant choice to grace your holiday appetizer table. We love that you can make them a day in advance. When you’re ready to serve, just pop these babies into the oven to warm up.
6. Mulled Cider (with Wine) & Homemade Mulling Spices
Infused with Homemade Mulling Spices, Mulled Cider (with or without wine) is the perfect drink to serve during the holidays. It fills your kitchen with a rich, spicy aroma that’s warm and welcoming as the drink itself!
Salads, Soups, and Sides
7. Roasted Cauliflower Kale Salad with Miso Tahini Dressing
Dressed with miso tahini dressing, this Roasted Cauliflower Kale Salad is packed with caramelized cauliflower, kale, sweet glazed pecans, and crunchy croutons. It’s nutritious and filling. A welcome addition to the holiday table.
8. Broccolini Gomaae
To prevent serious food coma, you’ll need a solid vegetable side like this Broccolini Gomaae. It’s full of flavor and goes well with everything. Even the non-vegetable eaters would go for extra.
9. Apple Walnut Salad
This Apple Walnut Salad is the healthified version of Nami’s mom Japanese apple salad. Instead of mayo-laden, the dressing uses Greek Yogurt and just a dollop of Japanese mayo. It’s always a favorite among the kids.
10. Kabocha Salad
Sweet golden Kabocha Salad with sliced cucumber, crispy bacon and tossed with creamy Japanese mayo. This beautiful salad could be your new classic on the holiday table. For a vegetarian and vegan option, you can easily leave out the bacon.
11. Arugula Salad with Fennel and Navel Orange
This refreshing arugula salad with fennel and sweet navel orange can instantly brighten up any holiday spread.
12. Japanese Potato Salad
Another make-ahead favorite: Japanese potato salad. Thanks to the addition of vegetables, it’s creamy yet full of textural crunch. You will be happy to add this delicious version to your holiday repertoire.
13. Warm Mushroom Salad with Sesame Dressing
If you like to keep the menu light yet flavorful, this warm mushroom salad with sesame dressing will not disappoint. Use an assortment of Japanese or wild mushrooms for amazing textures! It’s going to win the hearts of vegetarians and vegans.
14. Kabocha Squash Soup
Make the kabocha squash soup a few days ahead and warm it up on the day of your party. It’s rich, creamy, and soul-warming. Exactly the type of soup you need for a get-together.
15. Macaroni Gratin
The holiday table deserves something better than just plain old mac and cheese. This macaroni gratin with succulent shrimp, mushroom, and crunchy panko topping is going to set things apart.
16. Green Beans with Yuzu Vinaigrette
This Green Beans side dish is the one you’ll need if you’re looking for something lighter to contrast all the heavy dishes at the table. The yuzu vinaigrette gives everything a lovely citrusy zing.
17. Roasted Miso Garlic Cauliflower
This Roasted Miso Garlic Cauliflower is a crowd favorite and is super easy to make! Brushed with delicious garlic miso sauce, the cauliflower florets are roasted to golden perfection in the oven.
18. Maple and Miso Glazed Roasted Carrots
The rainbow-hue carrots are roasted until tender on the inside, perfectly crispy on the outside, and so tantalizingly caramelized with a surprisingly sweet-savory glaze. It will be a regular item on your holiday menu for many years to come.
19. Creamy Mashed Potatoes with Shio Koji
Buttery, creamy, and umami-packed, these Mashed Potatoes with Shio Koji have a Japanese flair to the classic recipe. Be ready to be blown away! Also, get the important tips on how to make the fluffiest, silkiest, and creamiest mashed potatoes.
20. Easy Orange Ginger Cranberry Sauce
Made with just 5 ingredients, this Easy Orange Ginger Cranberry Sauce is ready in 15 minutes. It is bursting with bites of sweet, tangy cranberries, and makes the whole house smells heavenly!
21. Popovers with Strawberry Butter
These amazing buttery delights are the perfect meal starter for your holiday menu. First, they are easy to make. Second, no one can ever resist the warm, crispy bread pastry. Make a big batch as they will be gone in seconds!
22. Kabocha Gratin (Vegan-Friendly)
Tender chunks of sweet kabocha, umami mushrooms, and macaroni in a creamy béchamel sauce, topped off with panko breadcrumbs and baked until crispy golden. Think fancy Japanese-style mac and cheese. It’s going to steal the show.
Main Dishes That Grace The Holiday Table
23. Smoked Miso Butter Turkey Breast
Inspired by and learned from the best – Franklin Barbecue in Austin, Texas, Mr. JOC and I made smoked turkey breast this year for Thanksgiving, but with a Japanese spin. Juicy, flavorful, and tender, this Smoked Miso Butter Turkey Breast is surprisingly easy to make and feeds 6-8 people!
24. Honey Soy Glazed Spatchcock Chicken
For a smaller gathering, this Honey-Soy Glazed Spatchcock Chicken makes a most fabulous centerpiece for the holidays! Learn how to make the perfect chicken that is juicy, savory, and crispy all at the same time.
25. Japanese Pork Roast
If serving a whole turkey is not your thing, consider this Japanese Pork Roast with caramelized vegetable gravy as your main dish. Seared in a cast iron pot, then roasted in the oven, this pork is cooked to perfection in Japanese seasoning. It’s easy and takes less effort than cooking a whole bird.
26. Honey Garlic Pork Chop
Juicy, sweet, with just a hint of garlic, these succulent oven-baked Honey Garlic Pork Chops are simply irresistible. Its flavorful sauce has all the allure.
27. Braised Herb Chicken
We love this Braised Herb Chicken for the holiday menu, where juicy chicken thighs are slowly simmered in white wine and herb-infused sauce until tender. There’s plenty of rich, flavorful sauce to slop up with crusty bread.
28. Cioppino (Seafood Stew)
Seafood stew is a great change to the usual turkey and ham, especially if you have multiple parties going on. Filled with clams, mussels, crab, shrimp, squid, fish, and scallops in a tomato-y soup, it’s so so good. Extra toasty bread rolls, please!
29. Japanese Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Elegance and coziness are what we aim for when crafting a holiday menu. Served in a delicate tomato-based sauce, this Stuffed Cabbage Rolls dish will make a satisfying entree.
30. Instant Pot Oxtail Soup
This Oxtail Soup (Hong Kong Style Borscht) is cooked with oxtail, stew beef, onion, carrot, tomatoes, potatoes, and cabbage. Full of flavor, comfort, and flair, it is a dish that brings a delicious surprise to the holiday table.
Desserts for the Sweet Ending
31. Pear and Almond Tart
This Pear and Almond Tart is by far our most popular holiday recipe favorited by our readers. Many of them have shared their beautiful creations with us over at Pinterest and Instagram. Have you tried it yet? With a homemade crust and seasonal pears on top of the creamy almond cream filling, this tart is an excellent dessert to grace your Thanksgiving or Christmas table.
32. Kabocha Pie
Thanksgiving or Christmas does not feel complete without decadent pies. This Kabocha Pie with a dollop of freshly whipped cream and a hint of rum is our all-time favorite. As Kabocha has a much natural sweeter taste than pumpkin pie, you’d get a rich and creamy pie.
33. Easy Apple Tart
For a simple, fool-proof holiday dessert, mark this apple tart recipe down! Made with puff pastry, putting the tart together is as easy as apple pie (no pun intended). Even little kids can help out with the assembly. Oh, it’s best enjoyed with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
34. Japanese Sweet Potato Pie
How about some afternoon tea treats for the holiday? Make this Japanese Sweet Potato Pie. It’s crispy and flaky, with a smooth, silky filling. Mmmm…
35. Basque Burnt Cheesecake
Creamy on the inside and caramelized on the outside, this Basque Burnt Cheesecake is remarkably easy and quick to make. Baked at a high temperature, the cheesecake’s iconic rich dark top is a show-stopper! Follow my tips and tricks for a foolproof recipe. If you like matcha, try Matcha Basque Cheesecake.
36. Panettone Bread Pudding
With a lush creamy middle and irresistible golden crisp top in one fabulous, Panettone Bread Pudding is so good that it can easily steal the show. Prep ahead and serve this heavenly bread pudding for breakfast, or brunch, or as a side for your holiday dinner.
37. Matcha Gateau au Chocolat
A Japanese rendition of the classic French chocolate cake! Made with white chocolate and green tea, this Matcha Gateau au Chocolat is rich, moist, and intensely flavorful. Warm it up slightly before you enjoy it – the melty texture is to die for!
38. Chocolate Chiffon Cake
This show-stopping Chocolate Chiffon Cake is super-moist, fluffy, airy, and bouncy all at once! With a rich chocolate flavor, this chiffon cake recipe will soon be your favorite! Get ready to eat a second serving, because it’s like eating air!
39. Matcha Mille Crepe Cake
Layers of green tea crepes stacked together with fresh whipped cream in-between, this Matcha Millie Crepe Cake is a guaranteed show stopper. It was the most popular dessert that our readers made for Christmas last year. You can totally nail it too.
40. Japanese Cheesecake
Light and fluffy, Japanese Cheesecake is so dreamy you can’t wait to serve up and show off. It’s a melt-in-your-mouth combination of creamy cheesecake and airy soufflé that makes it so much more special than regular cheesecake.
41. Matcha Tiramisu
A delicious twist on the classic. Creamy, rich, and bursting with bold matcha flavors, this matcha tiramisu is made of matcha-soaked ladyfingers layered with a mascarpone custard filling.
42. Chocolate Almond Toffee
This Chocolate Almond Toffee makes the greatest sweet to gift. Not only it’s easy to make, but it also travels well. So if you need to be on a road trip or short plane ride for family gatherings, bring this homemade treat along.
43. Nama Chocolate
Rich, smooth, and decadent homemade Nama Chocolate! Made with quality dark chocolate and fresh cream, this ROYCE’s copycat chocolate is truly a special treat. It’s one of the most popular gifts from Japan, but you can easily make it at home.
Have you started your holiday menu planning? Will you be trying out any of these recipes? Who will you be spending your holiday feasting with? We’d love to hear from you!
More Holiday & Party Recipes and Ideas:
- A Guide to Host a Sushi Party
- 10 Japanese Desserts to Celebrate the Seasons
- Japanese New Year Food (Osechi Ryori)
- How to Host a Japanese Themed Party
- 15 Easy Japanese Appetizer Recipes
Wish to learn more about Japanese cooking? Sign up for our free newsletter to receive cooking tips & recipe updates! And stay in touch with me on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram.
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on November 21, 2019. The post has been updated with more recipes in November 2021.
