39 Make-Ahead Holiday Dishes That Are Perfect for Festive Family Gatherings

Poached pears are an easy, elegant end to a special holiday dinner. The fruit first cooks in a citrus-spice liquid, then soaks for an additional two hours (and up to three days); you can serve them with freshly made whipped cream at the drop of a hat.

Not only is this holiday dessert recipe sweet as can be, it's also a favorite for home cooks because it can be made up to three days in advance. Use fresh or frozen fruit for juicy flavor and bright red color.

It's the quintessential winter dinner. Our version of beef stew—made with beef chuck, frozen pearl onions, carrots, and Yukon Gold potatoes—is a total classic. This recipe serves six, which is just right for a small gathering this holiday season.

Cakes are the ultimate special occasion dessert, especially during the holiday season. This luscious combination of chocolate layer cake with a rich buttercream frosting and a sprinkle of fresh raspberries on top is picture perfect and absolutely delicious.

Inspired by your Grandmother's best meat sauce, our version combines dried porcini mushrooms, pancetta, ground beef, and ground pork for a hearty, super flavorful topping for pasta.

Guests will be amazed when you place this indulgent chocolate dessert on the table—and you'll be amazed at just how easy it is to make. Use your favorite ice cream flavor; we prefer the combination of chocolate and peppermint for the holiday.

This is one of our genius make-ahead, freeze-ahead recipes—and it feels like an extra-special comforting meal to serve to your family during the holidays.

A unique combination of fresh cranberries and satsuma mandarins—a semi-seedless citrus species—creates a delightful make-ahead holiday relish that you can serve alongside turkey, beef or pork tenderloin, or any other spectacular main.

Three layers of chocolate decadence delight in this make-ahead holiday dessert recipe. A chocolate wafer crumb crust serves as the base for a milk chocolate mousse filling and espresso whipped cream.

Cut prep time in half by roasting the potatoes for this make-ahead holiday casserole; they need to be cool enough to handle anyway. From here, they're mashed with a rich combination of butter, sour cream, cream cheese, and raclette cheese.

Get the party started early with this make-ahead holiday appetizer. Cook the cornmeal filling just like polenta, then let it cool in a baking dish until firm for at least two hours (and up to two days). From there, all you need to do is pan-fry them.

Instead of the usual Beef Wellington, why not surprise—and surely delight—your family with this pork version made with both a tenderloin and prosciutto? You can prepare the pork Wellington up through step three in advance so all you need to do is bake it before dinner.

Looking for an easy and elegant dish to serve alongside a charcuterie board? How about this make-ahead, three-ingredient recipe for poached figs, which get a hint of sweetness from sugar and brandy?

We think this chocolate mousse is the ultimate make-ahead dessert for the holidays. It can be chilled in the refrigerator, is easy to serve individually (a bonus during COVID times!), and is totally decadent—what's not to love?

Poach your vegetables and shrimp, stir your sauces, and assemble the platter all before the doorbell rings—as soon as your loved ones arrive, this showstopping appetizer will be ready.

A total crowd pleaser and a make-ahead marvel, that's this lasagna. You can brown your meat and assemble the entire casserole ahead, then pop it in the oven just about an hour before dinnertime.

There are many reasons to love soup—it feeds a crowd, is a great way to make use of seasonal produce (such as butternut squash!), and is easy to prepare. But perhaps our favorite part is that it can be made ahead and reheated anywhere, anytime.

On a cold winter's night during the holiday season, nothing is quite as satisfying as shepherd's pie. This Irish-inspired dish is loaded with ground lamb, carrots, peas, and onions and topped with—what else—but mashed potatoes.

The beauty of braising meat such as brisket is that you can set it and forget about it. In this recipe, the brisket bakes with an assortment of spices including garlic, coriander seeds, oregano, orange wedges, and triple-sec until it becomes fork-tender and so flavorful.

A subtly spiced white-chocolate vanilla pudding fills the chocolate wafer cookie crust in this make-ahead-friendly holiday dessert.

Stuffing is a seamless, easy side dish for the holiday season. You can get a head start on this recipe by making our classic cornbread and baking it until the cubes are crisp and dry. Or assemble the entire stuffing in advance and then reheat right before serving.

Turn French Toast into a family-friendly casserole that you can make ahead. The longer the bread soaks in the custard, the richer and creamier it becomes (we recommend refrigerating it up to one day in advance).

Rib-eye roast is a special treat on its own, but why not kick it up a notch by butterflying the meat and filling it with an herb blend that includes parsley, sage, and garlic? Let it stand at room temperature for one hour before roasting.

This make-ahead holiday recipe is a labor of love—but the swirly, twirly pattern, buttery flavor, and sprinkling of garlic and herbs throughout the bread is so worth the effort.

Focaccia is normally a savory starter, but we brought in a touch of sweetness with wedges of plum, which are at their peak during the holiday season.

Everything tastes better in miniature! These individual beef Wellingtons are as delicious as they are adorable. Everything but the final baking can be done up to two weeks in advance.

Get one of the dishes for your Feast of the Seven Fishes out of the way early. You can make this salad with squid, shrimp, mussels, and crab up to eight hours ahead.

We've deconstructed the traditional Sicilian pastry into a creamy dessert dip and cannoli "chips." Both components can be made up to 12 hours in advance and stored in the fridge.

Add some freshness to your holiday table with this bright, crunchy salad. It's one of those rare salads that gets better as it sits, so you can toss it up to an hour before guests arrive.

A staple of holiday meals, these airy whipped spuds get an extra dose of flavor from the maple syrup. This buttery dish can be made up to two days in advance and warmed over a low flame on the stove (make sure to stir constantly to keep the potatoes from sticking to the pan).

Using store-bought phyllo dough helps this colorful vegetable tart come together in a flash. Bake it the night before your holiday party and store at room temperature.

When else are you going to pull out this showstopper? This vertical-layer cake alternates layers of genoise with a nutmeg-and-rum-scented semifreddo and can be made a day in advance. Just make sure there's enough space to store it in your freezer!

Our take on the classic Eastern European soup is served hot and keeps for three months in the freezer. All you have to do on the day of the holiday party is thaw, reheat, and add garnishes.

Let your guests nosh on these cheesy crackers while you put the final touches on dinner. You can make and freeze the dough up to three months ahead. Try our fig-and-almond version, too!

Gochujang, a spicy fermented Korean chili paste, turns up the volume on this classic finger food. The meatballs can be formed up to a day in advance.

Seeking an unusual holiday dessert? Look no further than this sophisticated (and gluten-free!) winter sweet. Both the citrusy, meringue-like pudding and tarragon-infused creme anglaise can be made up to two days ahead.

Jewel-like grapefruit and orange segments and a fragrant blend of ginger and allspice take classic cheesecake to new heights. Make it the night before your holiday party and collect compliments on the day of.

Serving homemade bread at your holiday party is totally doable if you have this recipe in your back pocket. The formed bread can be made up to a month in advance and stored in the freezer.