Christmas Dinner for Two: 15 Cozy Recipes for When It’s Just the Two of You This Year

A Christmas dinner for two can feel every bit as special as a table for twelve. Maybe the kids are grown and spending the holiday with their in-laws, maybe the drive home is too far this year, or maybe the two of you simply want a quiet day. Either way, a 20-pound roast makes no sense, and nobody wants to eat turkey sandwiches until New Year. So here is a full holiday menu sized just right: a proper main, a starter, the sides you love and a dessert worth waiting for. Every recipe below makes two generous servings, or a small amount you can finish the next day. Pick one main, two sides and a dessert, set the good plates out and enjoy a Christmas that still feels like the real thing..

Christmas Dinner for Two Star: Honey Glazed Mini Ham

Ham is the heart of Christmas in many American homes, and you do not need a giant spiral ham to have it. A small boneless ham of 2 to 3 pounds is sold in most stores in December, it is already cooked, and it only needs warming and a sticky glaze. You get beautiful slices for dinner, a few for breakfast with eggs, and maybe one sandwich. That is the perfect amount of leftovers. Brush on the glaze in the last 20 minutes so it turns shiny and does not burn..

You will need: 1 small fully cooked boneless ham (2 to 3 lb), 1/4 cup honey, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 tbsp orange juice, a pinch of ground cloves, 1/2 cup water.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 325 F. 2. Put the ham in a small baking dish, pour the water around it and cover with foil. 3. Bake about 15 minutes per pound. 4. Whisk the honey, brown sugar, mustard, orange juice and cloves. 5. Uncover the ham, brush on half the glaze and bake 10 minutes. 6. Brush on the rest and bake 10 minutes more, then rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Beef Wellington for Two, the Showstopper Made Small

Beef Wellington sounds like a restaurant project, but a small one is very doable for a Christmas dinner for two at home. You only need a short center-cut piece of beef tenderloin, enough for two thick slices each. Wrap it in mushrooms, a layer of wilted spinach and store-bought puff pastry, bake it, and you will hear a little gasp when you cut that first slice at the table. For a perfect pink center, take it out at 125 F and let it rest. The USDA safe temperature chart lists 145 F with a 3 minute rest for beef roasts if you like it more done.

You will need: 1 center-cut beef tenderloin (about 1 lb), salt and pepper, 1 tbsp oil, 8 oz mushrooms (very finely chopped), 1 tbsp butter, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, 2 cups baby spinach (wilted and squeezed dry), 4 thin slices prosciutto, 1 sheet puff pastry (thawed), 1 egg (beaten).

How to make it: 1. Season the beef and brown it on all sides in hot oil, then cool. 2. Cook the mushrooms in butter until dry, about 10 minutes, then cool. 3. Brush the beef with mustard. 4. Lay the prosciutto on plastic wrap, spread the mushrooms and spinach on top, set the beef on it and roll up tightly. Chill 20 minutes. 5. Unwrap, roll it in the pastry, seal the seam and brush with egg. 6. Bake at 400 F for 25 to 30 minutes, then rest 10 minutes and slice.

Christmas Dinner for Two Main: A Small Rack of Lamb

One rack of lamb has 7 or 8 little chops, which is just right for two hungry people. It cooks in about 20 minutes, it looks elegant on the plate, and the garlic and rosemary crust makes the entire kitchen smell like a holiday. Sear it in a cast iron skillet, then finish it in the oven in the same pan. Let us settle this: which main would you pick for your Christmas table? A) Glazed ham B) Beef Wellington C) Rack of lamb. Tell us in the comments.

You will need: 1 rack of lamb (7 to 8 ribs, about 1 1/2 lb), salt and pepper, 1 tbsp olive oil, 2 cloves garlic (minced), 1 tbsp fresh rosemary (chopped), 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, 2 tbsp breadcrumbs.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 400 F and season the lamb well. 2. Sear it fat side down in the hot oiled skillet for 3 minutes, then turn and sear 1 minute. 3. Mix the garlic, rosemary, mustard and breadcrumbs. 4. Press the mixture on the fat side. 5. Roast 15 to 20 minutes, until it reads 135 F for medium rare. 6. Rest 10 minutes, then cut between the bones.

Pork Tenderloin With a Quick Berry Pan Sauce

Pork tenderloin is the best friend of a Christmas dinner for two. One tenderloin feeds two with a little left over, costs far less than beef, and is ready in about half an hour. A quick sauce made from frozen berries, a spoon of jam and a splash of broth turns it into something that looks like it came from a fancy restaurant. Serve the slices with roasted beets or a green salad for a pretty red and green plate that fits the season.

You will need: 1 pork tenderloin (about 1 lb), salt and pepper, 1 tbsp oil, 1 tsp fresh thyme, 1 cup frozen mixed berries or cranberries, 2 tbsp raspberry jam, 1/3 cup chicken broth, 1 tbsp butter.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 425 F. 2. Season the pork with salt, pepper and thyme. 3. Brown it in an oven-safe skillet on all sides, about 6 minutes. 4. Roast 12 to 15 minutes, until it reads 145 F, then rest it on a board. 5. Put the skillet back on the stove, add the berries, jam and broth and simmer 5 minutes. 6. Stir in the butter and spoon the sauce over the sliced pork.

Baked Salmon With Lemon and Dill for Christmas Eve

Many families keep Christmas Eve light and save the big meal for the next day. A baked salmon fillet with lemon, dill and buttery little potatoes is perfect for that night, a quiet warm-up to your Christmas dinner for two. It takes 15 minutes in the oven and feels special without being heavy. Buy one piece of about 12 ounces and cut it in two, so both portions cook evenly. If your family has a fish tradition on Christmas Eve, this is an easy way to keep it going when it is just the two of you.

You will need: 2 salmon fillets (6 oz each), 1 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper, 1 lemon (half sliced, half juiced), 1 tbsp fresh dill, 8 small potatoes, 1 tbsp butter.

How to make it: 1. Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender, about 15 minutes, then toss with butter and half the dill. 2. Heat the oven to 400 F. 3. Put the salmon on a lined pan and brush with oil. 4. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice, and top with lemon slices. 5. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until it flakes easily. 6. Sprinkle with the rest of the dill and serve with the potatoes.

Lobster Tails on Creamy Orzo, the Little Splurge

Here is the secret of a Christmas dinner for two: you can afford the special thing. Two lobster tails cost about the same as a big roast for a crowd, and they feel like a real celebration. Frozen tails thaw overnight in the fridge and broil in less than 10 minutes. Serve them on a bed of creamy orzo with a little Parmesan, and the plate looks like a holiday dinner out, without the bill or the drive. A small salad on the side is all you need.

You will need: 2 lobster tails (5 to 6 oz each, thawed), 3 tbsp butter (melted), 1 clove garlic (minced), 1/2 tsp paprika, salt, 3/4 cup orzo, 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, 1/4 cup cream, 1/4 cup Parmesan, lemon wedges.

How to make it: 1. Cook the orzo in the broth over medium heat, stirring, until tender, about 10 minutes. 2. Stir in the cream and Parmesan and keep warm. 3. Cut down the top of each lobster shell with kitchen shears and lift the meat on top of the shell. 4. Brush with butter mixed with garlic, paprika and salt. 5. Broil 6 to 8 minutes, until the meat is white and firm. 6. Serve the tails on the orzo with lemon.

Shrimp Cocktail in a Pretty Glass to Start

A starter makes a Christmas dinner for two feel like an occasion, and shrimp cocktail needs no cooking at all if you buy cooked shrimp. The trick is a fresh homemade sauce, which takes two minutes and tastes so much brighter than the jar. Serve it in a martini or wine glass with a lettuce leaf and a lemon wedge, and you have that old supper club feeling right at home. Make the sauce in the morning so dinner is just a matter of filling two glasses.

You will need: 12 large cooked shrimp (peeled, tails on), 1/3 cup ketchup, 1 to 2 tsp prepared horseradish, 1 tsp lemon juice, a few drops of hot sauce, 1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce, lettuce leaves, lemon wedges.

How to make it: 1. Thaw the shrimp in the fridge if frozen and pat them dry. 2. Mix the ketchup, horseradish, lemon juice, hot sauce and Worcestershire. 3. Chill the sauce at least 30 minutes. 4. Put a spoon of sauce and a lettuce leaf in each glass. 5. Hang the shrimp around the rim. 6. Add a lemon wedge and serve cold.

Cheesy Stuffed Mushrooms You Can Make Ahead

Stuffed mushrooms are the party appetizer everyone fights over, and a small batch of 8 is just right for a Christmas dinner for two. Fill them in the afternoon, keep them covered in the fridge, then bake them while the main dish rests. The filling of cream cheese, garlic and Parmesan gets bubbly and golden in 15 minutes. Add a few microgreens or chopped parsley on top for color. Leftovers, if there are any, are great with eggs the next morning.

You will need: 8 large white or cremini mushrooms, 2 oz cream cheese (soft), 2 tbsp Parmesan, 1 clove garlic (minced), 1 tbsp chopped parsley, 2 tbsp breadcrumbs, 1 tbsp butter, salt and pepper, microgreens to garnish.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 375 F. 2. Pull out the mushroom stems and chop them finely. 3. Cook the stems and garlic in butter for 3 minutes, then cool. 4. Mix with the cream cheese, Parmesan, parsley, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper. 5. Fill the caps and set them on a lined pan. 6. Bake 15 to 18 minutes and top with microgreens.

Christmas Dinner for Two Salad: Beets and Pomegranate

Every heavy holiday meal needs one fresh, bright dish, and this jewel colored salad is it. Cooked beets, pomegranate seeds and sweet corn get tossed with a simple lemon and olive oil dressing. Buy the beets already cooked and vacuum packed to save an hour. It is red, it sparkles, and it looks like Christmas in a bowl. It also keeps well, so you can make it in the morning. Be honest: is salad at Christmas dinner a must for you, or just decoration?

You will need: 2 cooked beets (diced), 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds, 1/2 cup sweet corn (thawed if frozen), 2 tbsp chopped walnuts (optional), 1 tbsp chopped parsley, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1/2 tsp honey, salt and pepper.

How to make it: 1. Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, salt and pepper in a bowl. 2. Add the diced beets and toss. 3. Add the corn and pomegranate seeds. 4. Stir gently so the beets do not stain everything too much. 5. Top with parsley and walnuts. 6. Chill until dinner and toss once more before serving.

Crispy Garlic Herb Potato Slices

Potatoes are not optional at Christmas, but a full pan of scalloped potatoes is too much for two. These thin roasted slices give you crispy edges and soft middles from just two potatoes, and they bake on one sheet pan while you finish the rest of your Christmas dinner for two. Slice them about the thickness of a coin so they cook evenly. Toss them with garlic, thyme and plenty of black pepper, and spread them out so they roast instead of steaming.

You will need: 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes (thinly sliced), 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp melted butter, 1 clove garlic (minced), 1 tsp fresh thyme, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1 tbsp Parmesan (optional).

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 425 F and line a sheet pan with parchment. 2. Toss the slices with the oil, butter, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. 3. Spread them in a single layer. 4. Roast 15 minutes. 5. Flip them and roast 10 to 15 minutes more, until golden and crisp. 6. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve hot.

Green Beans With Toasted Almonds

This is the classic French style side, and it takes 10 minutes from start to finish. Half a pound of fresh green beans is the right amount for two. The almonds toast in butter until golden and smell amazing, then everything gets a squeeze of lemon. It is a lighter side than casserole, and it adds the green a Christmas dinner for two needs. Looking for more sides for a bigger day? Try our Christmas dinner side dishes that upstage the roast.

You will need: 8 oz fresh green beans (trimmed), 1 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp sliced almonds, 1 small clove garlic (minced), 1 tsp lemon juice, salt and pepper.

How to make it: 1. Boil the green beans in salted water for 3 to 4 minutes, until bright green and just tender. 2. Drain and rinse with cold water. 3. Melt the butter in a skillet and toast the almonds until golden, about 2 minutes. 4. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds. 5. Add the beans and toss until hot. 6. Finish with lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Christmas Dinner for Two Dessert: Chocolate Lava Cakes

If there is one dessert made for two, it is this one. Molten chocolate lava cakes bake in two ramekins in about 13 minutes, and when you cut in, the warm chocolate center runs out onto the plate. You can mix the batter in the afternoon, keep it in the fridge in the ramekins, and bake while you clear the dinner plates (add 2 minutes if they are cold). Serve each one with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a strawberry.

You will need: 2 oz semisweet chocolate, 1/4 cup butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 egg plus 1 egg yolk, 2 tbsp flour, a pinch of salt, butter and cocoa powder for the ramekins, vanilla ice cream and strawberries to serve.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 425 F. Butter two 6 oz ramekins and dust with cocoa. 2. Melt the chocolate and butter together and stir until smooth. 3. Whisk in the powdered sugar, then the egg and yolk. 4. Stir in the flour and salt. 5. Divide into the ramekins and bake 12 to 14 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers jiggle. 6. Rest 1 minute, run a knife around the edge and turn out onto plates.

Mini Santa Hat Cheesecakes

These little cheesecakes are almost too cute to eat. Each one is baked in a muffin cup, then topped with a strawberry hat and a dot of whipped cream. A half batch makes 6, so a Christmas dinner for two ends with dessert tonight and a treat for the next two days. They are also lovely to share with a neighbor. If the grandkids stop by over the holidays, let them put on the hats.

You will need: 6 vanilla wafers or 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs mixed with 1 tbsp melted butter, 8 oz cream cheese (soft), 1/4 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1/2 tsp vanilla, 6 strawberries (tops cut flat), whipped cream.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 325 F and line a muffin pan with 6 paper cups. 2. Put a wafer or a spoon of crumbs in each cup. 3. Beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth, then beat in the egg and vanilla. 4. Fill the cups and bake 18 to 20 minutes, until just set. 5. Cool, then chill at least 2 hours. 6. Pipe a little cream on each, add a strawberry upside down and top with a dot of cream.

A Small Chocolate Yule Log

The yule log, or buche de Noel, is the French Christmas cake shaped like a little log, and it is easier than it looks. This smaller version for a Christmas dinner for two makes 6 to 8 slices instead of 16. A thin chocolate sponge is rolled while warm, filled with whipped cream and covered with chocolate frosting. Run a fork through the frosting to make the bark. Add a sprig of rosemary on the board for a little forest look.

You will need: 2 eggs, 1/3 cup sugar, 3 tbsp flour, 2 tbsp cocoa powder, a pinch of salt, powdered sugar for the towel, 3/4 cup heavy cream whipped with 1 tbsp sugar, 1/2 cup chocolate frosting.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 375 F and line a 9×13 or quarter sheet pan with parchment. 2. Beat the eggs and sugar until thick and pale, about 5 minutes. 3. Fold in the flour, cocoa and salt. 4. Spread thin and bake 8 to 9 minutes. 5. Turn onto a towel dusted with powdered sugar, roll up and cool. 6. Unroll, spread with cream, roll again, frost and drag a fork along the top.

Christmas Dinner for Two Nightcap: Real Hot Cocoa

End the night on the couch with two mugs of real hot cocoa, the kind made with milk and real chocolate, not a packet. It takes 5 minutes and tastes like a cup from a fancy cafe. Pile on the whipped cream, add a pinch of cinnamon and put on your favorite Christmas movie. Small holiday or not, this is the part of the day people remember. What is your must-watch Christmas movie? A) It’s a Wonderful Life B) White Christmas C) Home Alone.

You will need: 2 cups full-fat milk, 2 oz semisweet chocolate (chopped), 2 tbsp cocoa powder, 2 tbsp sugar, a pinch of salt, 1/2 tsp vanilla, whipped cream and a pinch of cinnamon to top.

How to make it: 1. Warm the milk in a small pot over medium heat until steaming. 2. Whisk in the cocoa, sugar and salt until smooth. 3. Add the chocolate and whisk until melted. 4. Do not let it boil. 5. Stir in the vanilla. 6. Pour into two mugs and top with whipped cream and cinnamon.