Seven centerpieces. One plate that makes sense.
A plan for Christmas Eve, Christmas morning, and the day after.
Christmas dinner starts with one decision: what goes in the middle of the table.
Start with the centerpiece that fits your crowd and your kitchen. An oven roast, a pressure-cooker braise, and a skillet steak leave different room for the sides. Choose the main first, then build the rest of the meal around the equipment it needs.
Pick the centerpiece, choose a few sides, and make dessert ahead. The menu ideas below show what can share the kitchen and what needs a separate cooking session. Use the individual recipes for cooking times, temperatures, and doneness.
Step 1: Pick Your Centerpiece
Choose by crowd size, equipment, and how much attention you want to give the main. A more involved centerpiece works best with a simpler set of sides.
The Showpiece: Beef Wellington
Best for: a smaller table that wants the dinner to feel like an event.
Serves: 6. Equipment: the oven, plus space to prepare the mushroom filling, crepes, and pastry. Plan first: give the Wellington your attention and keep the sides simple.
A crepe layer, fully dried mushroom duxelles, prosciutto, and puff pastry around a medium-rare center. This is the one people take pictures of. It is also the one that needs the most attention, so it is the wrong pick if you are also cooking six sides.
The Crowd Feeder: Instant Pot Ham
Best for: the biggest table and the least stress.
Serves: 24. Equipment: an Instant Pot, then the broiler. Plan first: leave oven space available for the crust finish.
A boneless spiral ham warmed gently in the Instant Pot, then finished under the broiler with a brown sugar spice crust. Bake the sides in separate oven sessions and reserve the broiler for the ham near serving. The leftovers work well in the day-after recipes below.
The Braise: Pressure Cooker Short Ribs
Best for: deep, rich flavor without giving up the oven.
Serves: 8. Equipment: a pressure cooker. Plan first: give the braise its own cooker session and use the stovetop or oven for sides.
Short ribs with bacon and mushrooms in a rich sauce. Put mashed potatoes underneath and the sauce has somewhere to go.
The Other Braise: Pressure Cooker Lamb Shanks
Best for: a table that wants something other than beef or ham, with a sauce worth the mashed potatoes.
Serves: 6. Equipment: a pressure cooker. Plan first: prepare sides ahead or cook them with another appliance.
Tender shanks in a red wine sauce, finished by blending the cooked vegetables into the braising liquid for extra body.
The Fast and Dressed-Up: Mint-Crusted Rack of Lamb
Best for: a dinner-party table that wants a smaller oven roast.
Serves: 8. Equipment: a skillet and the oven. Plan first: finish baked sides in a separate oven session.
Sear the lamb first, give it a short roast, then finish it with a Dijon, mint, and Parmesan crust until the center is still pink. It looks like it took all day. It did not.
The Small Table: Perfect Filet Mignon
Best for: Christmas for four, when the meal is the gift.
Serves: 4. Equipment: a skillet and the oven. Plan first: have the sides ready to finish before you cook the steaks.
Filet mignon gives a small table an individual steak dinner. A skillet sear and oven finish make the crust and center the focus. Keep the sides simple and ready to serve while the steaks rest according to the recipe.
Want pot roast in the middle instead? The pot roast guide compares the different methods so you can choose one that fits your kitchen.
The Traditional Bird: Spatchcock Turkey
Best for: a Christmas table that wants roast turkey. Equipment: the oven, a large baking sheet, and refrigerator space for the brine.
The Spatchcock Turkey with Butter-Soaked Cheesecloth uses a flattened bird, a citrus-and-herb brine, and a butter-soaked cheesecloth roast. Plan the brine ahead and check the bird, pan, and oven fit before choosing your baked sides.
Prefer a pressure-cooker turkey? The whole-turkey recipe is written for an 8-quart cooker. The turkey breast is the smaller option for a 6-quart cooker.
Centerpieces at a Glance
| Centerpiece | Serves | Equipment | Planning note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beef Wellington | 6 | Oven | Involved preparation; choose simpler sides |
| Instant Pot Ham | 24 | Instant Pot and broiler | Reserve the oven for its crust finish |
| Pressure Cooker Short Ribs | 8 | Pressure cooker | Use another appliance or make sides ahead |
| Pressure Cooker Lamb Shanks | 6 | Pressure cooker | Leave room for the sauce-finishing steps |
| Mint-Crusted Rack of Lamb | 8 | Skillet and oven | Cook baked sides in a separate oven session |
| Perfect Filet Mignon | 4 | Skillet and oven | Get the sides ready before cooking the steaks |
| Spatchcock Turkey | 30 | Oven and a large baking sheet | Plan the brine and check refrigerator and pan space |
Technique Highlight
Leave room for the rest. Follow the resting instructions in the Wellington, rack of lamb, or filet recipe before slicing. Use that pause to arrange serving dishes and finish the sides. The pressure-cooker braises have their own finishing steps, so follow those recipes rather than treating every centerpiece the same way.
Step 2: Build the Plate
The centerpiece gets the attention. The sides make the plate feel complete. You do not need ten of them. You need the right three or four, and they should not all need the oven at the same time.
The anchor side
Southern Baked Mac and Cheese is the oven-baked anchor for a family table. Give it its own oven session and follow the recipe’s resting instructions before serving. The mac and cheese guide compares other methods, including pressure-cooker and no-boil gluten-free versions.
Something to catch the sauce
Mashed Potatoes with Evaporated Milk give short rib sauce and lamb shank sauce somewhere to go. They use the Instant Pot, so account for that cooker session when the main also needs it. The post includes make-ahead and reheating notes.
Southern Cornbread Dressing is a natural match for ham. The full batch serves 32 and bakes on two half-sheet pans. That is a substantial oven commitment. Prepare the cornbread and other components ahead using the recipe’s make-ahead notes, and plan a separate oven session if you are also serving baked mac and cheese.
Pick your green
Choose your collards by the appliance you can spare. Southern Collard Greens simmer on the stovetop and should be started early. Instant Pot Collard Greens need their own pressure-cooker session. Sautéed Collard Greens use a skillet and keep the cooker available for another dish.
Not a collards table? Maple Bacon Brussels Sprouts can use the oven or air fryer; the air-fryer route keeps them out of the oven line. Vegan Green Bean Casserole is the creamy baked option. If the oven is full and the cooker is available, Instant Pot Green Beans are another choice. For the casserole, plan the Dairy-Free Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup ahead according to its storage instructions.
The cold side
Instant Pot Potato Salad gives you a cold side that can be ready before Christmas Day. Make it ahead and follow the recipe’s chilling and storage instructions.
Gluten-Free Callout
Feeding a mixed table? The no-boil gluten-free mac and cheese, the gluten-free red velvet cake, the gluten-free key lime cheesecake bars, and the gluten-free pumpkin bread are built gluten-free from the start. Check the individual posts for notes on the rest.
Step 3: Finish Strong
Make dessert before Christmas Day. Cheesecakes need time to cool and chill after cooking, and the cakes need to cool before frosting or slicing. Choose the dessert first, then give it the preparation and chilling time its recipe requires.
The Christmas cheesecakes
Peppermint Bark Cheesecake looks like Christmas: white chocolate cheesecake with peppermint bits and a chocolate mint crust. Make it ahead so it can cool and chill fully before the meal.
Gingerbread Cheesecake tastes like Christmas, with gingerbread spice and a gingersnap crust. It also belongs on the make-ahead list.
Want chocolate instead? Try Instant Pot Chocolate Cheesecake or Baileys Irish Cream Cheesecake. The cheesecake guide helps you compare flavors and plan the cooling, chilling, and finishing steps.
The cakes
Red velvet, three ways. The oven version with Kahlua and Baileys cream cheese icing is the layered celebration cake. The Instant Pot version keeps the oven free, and the gluten-free version is built for a mixed table. Make the cake ahead and allow for the cooling and frosting steps in its recipe.
Hummingbird Carrot Cake combines carrots, pineapple, coconut, and pecans with brown butter cream cheese frosting. It is another layered cake option for the holiday table.
Boozy Fruit Cake with Fireball Whiskey is the spiced option, with Fireball-soaked fruit. Plan the fruit preparation and baking ahead so it does not compete with dinner for the oven.
Pound Cake with Berries and Vanilla Cream is the simpler finish. Bake the cake ahead, then prepare the berries and cream according to the recipe.
Prefer pie? Sweet Potato Pie starts with roasted sweet potatoes and a smooth filling enriched with evaporated milk.
The glass
Instant Pot Eggnog uses the cooker for its heated milk-and-egg base. Make it ahead and chill it according to the recipe before serving.
Eggnog Coffee Creamer brings the same holiday flavor to Christmas morning coffee. One batch makes 4 cups, or 64 tablespoons. The amount you use per cup determines how many coffees that covers.
Christmas Morning
Christmas morning does not need a second full menu. It needs one hot thing, one sweet thing, and coffee.
Instant Pot Frittata with sausage, mushrooms, and feta feeds 6 and keeps the oven free for whatever dinner needs it.
Brown Sugar Bacon with Cracked Black Pepper is the sweet-and-savory tray. It uses the oven, so bake it before the dinner dishes need that space.
Bake Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread with Brown Butter ahead for Christmas morning. For more options, the brunch collection includes ideas from this site and other cooks.
Suggested Christmas Menus
Use these as starting points. Choose the main, then check that the sides fit the same kitchen. The notes below assume one oven and one pressure cooker.
Menu 1: The Showpiece Table
Centerpiece: Beef Wellington
Sides: Mashed Potatoes, Maple Bacon Brussels Sprouts, and Sautéed Collard Greens
The finish: Peppermint Bark Cheesecake
Kitchen plan: Make the cheesecake ahead. Reserve the oven for the Wellington, the Instant Pot for the potatoes, and a skillet for the greens. Use the air-fryer Brussels sprouts method; without an air fryer, omit them or choose a cold side.
Menu 2: The Big Family Table
Centerpiece: Instant Pot Ham
Baked side: Southern Baked Mac and Cheese or Southern Cornbread Dressing
Other sides: Southern Collard Greens and Potato Salad
The finish: Red Velvet Cake or Gingerbread Cheesecake
Kitchen plan: Make dessert and potato salad ahead, start the stovetop collards early, and reserve the Instant Pot for the ham. Choosing one baked side keeps the oven plan simpler. If you serve both mac and dressing, allow separate oven sessions at their recipe temperatures; the full dressing batch uses two half-sheet pans. Reserve the broiler for the ham’s crust finish.
Menu 3: The No-Oven Table
Centerpiece: Pressure Cooker Short Ribs
Sides: Mashed Potatoes and Sautéed Collard Greens
Optional additional side: Instant Pot Green Beans
The finish: Instant Pot Red Velvet Cake or an Instant Pot cheesecake from the cheesecake guide
Kitchen plan: Make dessert and the potatoes ahead, then reheat the potatoes using their recipe’s guidance. Give the short ribs the pressure cooker on Christmas Day and cook the collards in a skillet. Add the green beans only if you have another cooker or prepare them in a separate session and reheat them according to their recipe. This menu frees the oven while still asking you to plan the cooker’s jobs.
Menu 4: The Table for Four
Centerpiece: Perfect Filet Mignon
Sides: Mashed Potatoes and Sautéed Collard Greens
The finish: Instant Pot Chocolate Cheesecake
Kitchen plan: Make the cheesecake ahead. Cook the potatoes in the Instant Pot and prepare the greens on the stovetop. Leave the skillet and oven available for the steaks, then follow their resting instructions before serving.
Step 4: Plan Ahead
Get ahead where the recipes allow it, then organize Christmas Day around the appliances you have. These menus assume one oven and one pressure cooker. An air fryer is useful for the Brussels sprouts option, and stovetop sides keep the other appliances available.
What to Make Ahead
- Choose and shop for the centerpiece. Read its thawing, brining, and preparation instructions before deciding which day to start.
- Make cheesecakes early enough for their full cooling and chilling steps. Bake cakes and pumpkin bread ahead, following their frosting and storage instructions.
- Make the potato salad, eggnog, or coffee creamer ahead and follow each recipe’s chilling and storage instructions.
- Prepare the cornbread and other dressing components using the dressing recipe’s make-ahead notes. Follow its instructions for the assembled mixture.
- Wash and prep the greens. Make the mushroom soup ahead if green bean casserole is on the menu.
- For a pressure-cooker main, consider making the mashed potatoes ahead so they can be reheated and the main can have the cooker.
- For Wellington, read the complete method before starting. Dry the mushroom filling thoroughly and allow the components to cool as directed before assembly.
What Needs Your Oven or Cooker
- One oven: Wellington, roast turkey, rack of lamb, filet, baked mac, dressing, and green bean casserole compete for space. Choose fewer baked sides or plan separate sessions at each recipe’s temperature.
- Dressing: The full batch uses two half-sheet pans. Check your oven racks and pan fit before counting on another dish alongside it.
- Ham: The Instant Pot handles the warming, but its crust still needs the broiler. Keep that oven finish separate from baking the sides.
- One pressure cooker: A braise, ham, potatoes, collards, and green beans each need their own turn. Give the main priority and use make-ahead, stovetop, or cold sides to reduce the queue.
- Stovetop and air fryer: Collards can use a burner or skillet. The air-fryer Brussels sprouts option keeps another side out of the oven.
What to Finish Before Serving
- Start the dishes with long cooking or preparation steps first. Use the individual recipes for their cooking times and doneness checks.
- Finish the main’s sauce or crust as its recipe directs. Broil the ham when the oven is available for that step.
- Cook or reheat the sides in the separate appliance sessions you planned. Follow the recipes’ reheating and serving guidance.
- Follow the resting instructions for Wellington, rack of lamb, or filet before slicing. Use that pause to arrange the serving dishes.
- Keep chilled sides and desserts refrigerated until you are ready to serve them, following their recipes’ serving instructions.
The Day After Is Already Handled
If ham is the centerpiece, plan a use for the leftovers. Save what you need for the next meal and follow the ham recipe’s storage guidance.
Leftover Ham Hawaiian Pizza Grilled Cheese is lunch.
Instant Pot Split Pea Soup with Ham turns the leftover ham into another dinner.
Pot roast in the middle? The leftovers become Pot Roast Lasagna. Save at least 2 cups of shredded beef and the gravy.
Use extra ham for another meal, following the ham recipe’s storage instructions.
Still Not Sure?
Large family table: Instant Pot Ham.
A showpiece dinner: Beef Wellington.
The oven is spoken for: Short Ribs or Lamb Shanks.
A smaller oven roast: Rack of Lamb.
A table of four: Filet Mignon.
Turkey belongs on your table: Spatchcock Turkey.
Want pot roast: the pot roast guide.
Dessert that looks like Christmas: Peppermint Bark Cheesecake.
Dessert that tastes like Christmas: Gingerbread Cheesecake.
Christmas Dinner FAQ
Instant Pot Ham is a good choice for a larger table. It leaves the oven available for sides until the broiler finish. Make dessert and cold sides ahead, and reserve the Instant Pot for the ham.
Perfect Filet Mignon serves four and uses a skillet and oven. Beef Wellington serves six and suits a showpiece dinner with fewer sides. Pressure Cooker Lamb Shanks serve six and keep the oven free.
Yes. Choose a pressure-cooker centerpiece, pair it with stovetop sides, and make an Instant Pot dessert ahead. With one cooker, make the mashed potatoes ahead and reheat them using their recipe’s guidance. Add pressure-cooker greens or green beans only if you can give them another cooking session.
Make cheesecakes, potato salad, eggnog, and pumpkin bread ahead. Prepare the dressing components and greens using their recipes’ make-ahead notes. Follow the individual recipes for cooling, chilling, storage, and reheating.
Holiday Dinner Game Plans
- Thanksgiving Dinner Game Plan
- Christmas Dinner Game Plan: Pick Your Centerpiece
- New Year’s Day Game Plan
- Easter Dinner Game Plan
- St. Patrick’s Day Corned Beef Game Plan
Build a Christmas dinner that fits your kitchen. Pick the centerpiece by crowd and equipment, choose sides that can share the work, and make dessert ahead. Keep the final cooking and finishing steps manageable so you can sit down with everyone else.
Leave a Reply