What to Eat in December: 10 Recipes to Celebrate the Season

Create Moments of Magic in the Kitchen This December

If you’re a food person, December is your time to shine.✨

This month is made for hospitable hearts who linger in the specialty cheese aisle and dream of spending all day cooking. It’s our time to show our love by cooking with intention, setting the table with care, and making memories that people carry long after the plates are cleared.

But not every December recipe has to be loud, expensive, or picture-perfect. Some of the most magical winter recipes are in quiet, gentle moments like a chilly Tuesday after a stroll around the block in your best hat and mittens. Whether you’re hosting a feast or settling in for a quiet night, a lovingly prepared meal can make any day in December feel just a little more magical.

These 10 recipes are designed for food lovers who want to get lost in the kitchen, creating the best cozy dishes that sparkle just as much as the twinkling lights outside. You’ll find juicy meatballs that feel like little presents; quick curries and comforting soups to warm you up on a weeknight; slowly braised meats that perfume the house; and playful holiday cookies perfect for baking in your pajamas.

There’s magic all around us this month—especially in the kitchen. 💜

What to Eat Each Month ☀️🍂❄️🌿

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10 Festive & Cozy Recipes for December

Best-Ever Ricotta Meatballs simmer in a homemade simple red sauce in a cherry red Staub 13-inch Double Handle Fry Pan. The meatballs have been garnished with freshly chopped basil, parsley, and parmesan cheese and the fry pan sits atop a creamy white cement surface. A blue and white striped linen napkin has been placed underneath the fry pan. A small bouquet of fresh parsley in a wooden container and a small wooden pinch bowl filled with parmesan cheese sit atop the linen napkin, alongside of the fry pan.

Best-Ever Meatballs: Italian-Style Ricotta Meatballs with Simple Tomato Sauce

Made with beef, pork, fresh aromatics and ricotta cheese-soaked breadcrumbs, these ricotta meatballs are rich, flavorful, and melt-in-your-mouth tender. Baked, broiled, and simmered in a simple tomato sauce, they’re perfect with pasta, as a holiday appetizer, or tucked in a meatball sub. Endlessly versatile and perfect every time!

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An overhead shot of kale salad in a large wooden bowl atop a white surface. A bowl of parmesan, a pink glass of water, a pink cloth and a jar of vinaigrette sit alongside the bowl.

Kale Salad with Cranberries and Pistachios (15 Minutes)

This fresh kale salad is just unexpected enough to feel special! With ultra-crunchy pistachios and salty parmesan, it’s a bold twist on a classic. Simply toss with massaged kale, tart-sweet cranberries, and a homemade maple balsamic vinaigrette! Ready in 15 minutes or less.

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An overhead shot of chicken lentil soup in a green bowl, garnished with fresh parsley. The bowl sits on a white marbled surface alongside a golden yellow cloth napkin, a pot of soup and dishes of pepper and chopped herbs.

Spiced Chicken Lentil Soup with Hearty Veggies

This soup is the perfect blend of cozy and bright, bringing together tender shredded chicken, hearty lentils, and creamy butternut squash. Warm spices add bold, layered flavor, while a final squeeze of lemon juice at the end makes each bowl sing. A new go-to cozy dinner, ready in an hour or less!

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Christmas Eve Lasagna on a small white plate, atop a white surface surrounded by small Christmas ornaments & a glass of red wine.

Christmas Eve Lasagna (Festive Lasagna Bolognese!)

A twist on classic lasagna bolognese, this lasagna boasts festive red and green layers of rich and hearty homemade bolognese sauce and basil pesto ricotta. Equally stunning and delicious, this Christmas Lasagna is the perfect dish to make for any special holiday dinner this season.

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A side shot of three stacked bittersweet chocolate cookies on a sheet of parchment paper. The top cookie has a bite taken out of it, displaying gooey chocolate chips.

“Lump of Coal” Bittersweet Chocolate Cookies

Santa’s Naughty List has never been sweeter! These cookies have craggy edges, a fudgy center, and rich chocolatey flavor from black cocoa and bittersweet chocolate chips. Rolled in sugar and baked just until set, they’re the perfect treat for holiday cookie plates or cozy cocoa breaks!

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An overhead shot of a serving of chicken piccata meatballs on a bed of spaghetti noodles on a white stoneware plate atop a striped cloth on an off-white surface.

Juicy and Tender Lemon Chicken Piccata Meatballs

Juicy and tender lemon chicken meatballs—laced with aromatics like garlic, Italian seasoning, and parmesan cheese—simmer in a bright and buttery piccata sauce made with white wine and capers. Serve with pasta, mashed potatoes, or polenta for the perfect cozy dinner in 35 minutes or less.

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Two servings of Red Wine Braised Short Ribs atop a pile of mashed potatoes on two white ceramic plates. The plate at center has a single silver fork resting on top and both plates have been garnished with fresh herbs. A white and blue striped linen napkin, two glasses of red wine, and loose fresh herbs surround the plates and all items sit atop a blue-gray textured surface.

Seriously Good Red Wine Braised Short Ribs

These short ribs are seriously show-stopping comfort food! Beef short ribs slowly simmer in a simple red wine sauce infused with aromatic vegetables, garlic, and fresh herbs until they are completely fall-apart tender. Easy enough for a lazy Sunday dinner and fancy-feeling for holidays—it will always impress!

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One pot french onion pasta fills a large gray Staub skillet that sits atop a white and gray marble surface. A dark gray linen napkin rests underneath the skillet and a small white bowl filled with fresh thyme rests alongside. A woman's hand uses a spoon to scoop a portion of the pasta out of the skillet and into a white bowl. A melted gruyère cheese pull is shown as the spoon leaves the skillet.

Hearty French Onion Pasta with Braised Beef & Caramelized Onions

This French onion soup-inspired pasta is a satisfying take on the classic soup, complete with fall-apart tender braised beef, sweet caramelized onions, and melty gruyère cheese. Toss it all with al dente pasta cooked in a rich and flavorful fortified beef stock, one-pot pasta-style. A delicious labor of love, best served with a salad and a little crusty bread.

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An overhead shot of a serving of chicken and gnocchi soup in a blue speckled bowl atop a wooden surface. The bowl is surrounded by fresh herbs, salt and pepper, and crusty bread on a blue striped cloth.

Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Comfort food heaven with a little Italian flair: creamy chicken gnocchi soup! Think of it as a home-style creamy chicken noodle soup—with pillowy gnocchi dumplings instead of noodles. Tender chicken, fresh herbs, and a rich, parmesan-infused broth make this one-pot meal hearty yet easy enough for a weeknight, in 60 minutes or less.

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An overhead shot of a green bowl of salmon red curry served over white rice. The bowl sits on a white surface alongside dishes of cilantro and green onion, an orange cloth, and several lime wedges.

30-Minute Thai-Inspired Red Curry Salmon

The ultimate cozy and feel-good meal! Tender and flaky seared salmon bites simmer in a quick Thai-inspired coconut red curry sauce with bell peppers and onions. It’s creamy and comforting, but also light and veggie-loaded – perfect over fluffy jasmine rice with fresh herbs. An easy, one-skillet dinner recipe, ready in 30 minutes or less!

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