It’s the first day of the year—and it’s going to be damn delicious. Start 2024 off right with one of these festive New Year’s Day dinner ideas that are fancy enough to impress any relatives that haven’t left your house since the 25th, yet still easy enough to whip up on one of the laziest days of the year (even if you went to bed way past midnight on New Year’s Eve). Might we suggest pairing these recipes with leftover Champagne from last night’s toast?
20 New Year’s Day Dinner Ideas That Look Fancy (but Are Secretly So Easy)
2024 is shaping up to be *very* tasty
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Published Oct 24, 2023
New Way To Food
1. Tabasco- and Gochujang-Cured Salmon Poke Bowl
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, no cook, beginner-friendly, high protein
If you want to kick the year off with a healthy dish that won't be a pain to prepare, look no further than this no-cook gem. It's packed with protein in the form of raw salmon, but you could substitute mushrooms, tempeh or tofu to make the meal vegan.
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients
Last night's noodles have never looked better. With the help of eggs and a few pantry staples, lackluster leftover pasta is transformed into something filling *and* delicious.
3. Smashed Potato and Chorizo Sheet Pan Salad
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why I Love It: sheet pan recipe, high protein, beginner-friendly
No one wants to turn a new leaf with a sink full of dirty dishes. Dig into this unexpected mix of chorizo and spuds that's crowned with queso fresco, scallions and romaine lettuce.
4. Rainbow Chard & Roasted Pine Nut Salad
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, special occasion-worthy, vegetarian
Complete with pickled chard stems for a punch of acidity. Use agave or maple syrup in the dressing instead of honey to make it vegan, or boost the protein content with grilled chicken, pan-fried fish or goat cheese.
5. Creamy Rigatoni with Crispy Chickpeas, Spinach and Lemony Panko
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: high protein, beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy
Comforting, decadent and spicy, this is the ultimate winter warmer for a lazy January 1st. The chicken thighs offer stick-to-your-ribs savoriness, while a generous dose of chili crisp infuses every bite with umami-laced heat.
6. Salmon and Fennel Dinner Salad
- Time Commitment: 55 minutes
- Why I Love It: high protein, make ahead, beginner-friendly
Protein, grains and veggies unite in this stunning dinner salad that’s an appetizer, side and entree all in one. Make the yogurt dressing, chop the produce and cook the couscous in advance to save time before dinner.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, vegetarian, kid-friendly
Sautéed eggplant and a simple homemade sauce, stirred with hot pasta in the pan right before serving, makes this dish feel extra fancy. We won't tell if you sub dried parsley and basil instead of springing for fresh (or if you add crumbled sausage to the mix).
- Time Commitment: 55 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
A classic and foolproof French dinner in less than an hour? We see you, Julia Child. Even better, you'll get to sip the leftover white wine while the chicken simmers.
9. Skillet Gnocchi with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, high protein, beginner-friendly
Low-key is the way to go on a chilly January evening. Skip boiling the gnocchi to make it even easier; it'll brown beautifully after a few minutes in a hot, oiled skillet. Pass the Parm, will ya?
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
- Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly
Spaghetti night feels a bit pedestrian after the hundredth time, so give your meatballs some flair with a batch of polenta instead. No one needs to know it’s ridiculously easy to make. (Seriously—you'll only need to stir it periodically to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.)
11. Cacio e Pepe
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients, <30 minutes
Five ingredients + 20 minutes + one pot = infinite yum. No one will have any complaints about this ridiculously easy staple. Splurge on the Pecorino Romano for a higher-quality tasting dish.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, one pan
Shrimp, chorizo, clams—what a way to end New Year's Day. The best part of making paella is that there's no stirring required. Let the rice simmer to perfection as it cooks into a gorgeous dinner that feeds six.
13. Baking Sheet Pizza with Olives and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, sheet pan recipe, beginner-friendly, vegetarian
Almost as easy as ordering a pie for delivery, but so much tastier. Feel free to riff on the toppings; we're betting crispy shards of prosciutto would pair beautifully with the briny marinated olives and sharp red onion.
14. 10-Minute Spicy, Garlicky Cheater’s Dan Dan Noodles
- Time Commitment: 5 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, vegetarian
Five minutes is all you need to prepare this life-changing recipe. Use any chewy noodles you'd like, such as dao xiao mian, lo mein or udon. Add a side of pickled veggies or steamed broccoli for a dose of freshness as well.
15. One-Skillet Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken and Orzo
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, high protein, one pan, special occasion-worthy
Let's not spend most of New Year's Day at the sink. This one-skillet meal is equal parts sophisticated and cozy, plus leaves you with minimal chores to do after dinner. A flourish of lemon juice and fresh rosemary offers bright, herby flavor to the Insta-worthy dish.
16. Ravioli Lasagna
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 25 minutes
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, make ahead
The baked pasta dish of your dreams has arrived. Consider using a few different kinds of store-bought ravioli for an element of surprise. (P.S.: The casserole is a cinch to assemble ahead or freeze for a later date.)
17. Chicken Thighs with Pancetta and Green Olives
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why I Love It: high protein, beginner-friendly, one pan, <10 ingredients
The drool-worthy skin on this chicken is plain revelatory, and the trick to getting it that way is simple. Ideally in a cold cast iron skillet, cook the thighs low and slow, undisturbed, until they're shatteringly crisp on the outside. Serve them with rice, pasta, pita or greens.
18. Brown Butter Scallops with Parmesan Risotto
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly, high protein
All three components of this elegant meal will be ready to devour in under an hour—and each bite will straight-up soothe your soul. We're talking Parmesan risotto, expertly seared scallops in brown butter and garlicky greens. Thoroughly dry the shellfish before cooking it for a flawless outer crust.
19. Flank Steak Tacos with Cucumber Salsa
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 50 minutes
- Why I Love It: high protein, beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy
Homemade salsa, as easy as it is tasty, amps up these steak tacos. That being said, we'd totally understand crowning them with pickled onions and avocado (or better yet, guac). Serve 'em with hot sauce and sour cream—but you already knew that.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
It’s filling, it’s fast and if you use the image as inspo and layer the puff pastry, it’s pretty darn fancy-looking too. The masterpiece comes together in your trustiest oven-proof pan. Use rotisserie chicken instead of cooking your own for maximum convenience.
