Of course, it wouldn’t be a party without a champagne cocktail or a tasty dessert, and we’ve got those too! Our curated menu ideas will make your holiday party one to remember.
New Year’s Eve Menu Ideas
Try one of these festive menu ideas for a New Year’s Eve party that’s so impressive no one will know it was super easy.
New Year’s Eve Appetizer MenuTraditional New Year’s Eve MenuElegant New Year’s Eve MenuMake-Ahead New Year’s Eve MenuPotluck New Year’s Eve MenuVintage New Year’s Eve MenuBreakfast-for-Dinner New Year’s MenuNew Year’s Eve Pizza Party MenuNew Year’s Eve Chili Cook-OffBBQ New Year’s Eve Menu
New Year’s Eve Appetizer Menu
Appetizer: For us, classic New Year’s Eve food means appetizers. When it comes to cheese platters, you can select a variety of flavors for a fuss-free treat. Out favorites include chèvre, smoked Gouda, and fresh mozzarella.
Get the recipe: DIY Charcuterie Board
Drink: While your favorite bottle of wine will go perfectly with this New Year’s party menu, we offer a delicious sangria recipe for a sophisticated sip. We’re partial to this wintry sangria with dried fruit, brandy, and red wine. Honey and cinnamon lighten up the deep, rich flavors of this sparkling party drink recipe.
Get the recipe: Apple-Cinnamon Winter Sangria
Main Course: Gruyère cheese and Swiss cheese combine with a splash of white wine flavor in this gooey appetizer fondue that is delicious when dunked with bread chunks.
Get the recipe: Cheese Fondue
Side: Charcuterie is a fancy name for cooked cold meats, and they go perfectly with cheese assortments. Try our cranberry-pistachio pâté and see our best charcuterie platters. Dessert: This creamy chocolate-peanut butter dip is low in calories yet high in protein for a sweet and delicious dessert. Plus, no wine and cheese menu is complete without chocolate.
Get the recipe: Peanut Butter-Chocolate Cookie Dough Dip
Traditional New Year’s Eve Menu
If your New Year’s Eve food falls on the traditional side, enjoy a vegetable soup, an Old Fashioned cocktail, and classic honey-glazed ham with individual creamy mashed potato pots, then finish off with a traditional apple pie. Despite the change to a new year, these familiar dishes will make the best New Year’s Eve menu yet. Appetizer: Butternut squash, thinly sliced carrots, and chopped onion combine for a rich and flavorful vegetable soup. This creamy appetizer tops the menu for a traditional New Year’s Eve dinner.
Get the recipe: Butternut Squash and Carrot Soup
Drink: This drink’s long-lived popularity is a testament to its delicious flavor and traditional roots. A dash of sugar muddled with bitters and an orange slice makes a citrusy-sweet base for this classic cocktail.
Get the recipe: Old Fashioned
Main Course: Tender honey-glazed ham brings a light sweetness to your New Year’s Eve dinner. This holiday classic is a guaranteed hit with family and friends.
Get the recipe: Standing Rib Roast
Side: This classic recipe for mashed potatoes will do you proud every time. The individual mashed potato pots are coated with oodles of cheese for rich flavor and color.
Get the recipe: Cheesy Mashed Potato Pots
Dessert: The most traditional American dessert is old-fashioned apple pie. This quintessential dessert is bursting with pleasantly tart apples and is perfectly spiced.
Get the recipe: Old-Fashioned Apple Pie
Elegant New Year’s Eve Menu
Host an elegant dinner party to start off the New Year celebrating with family and friends. This classic New Year’s Eve menu will tie together your New Year’s gathering with delicious food and elegant displays. Start your New Year’s party by serving a sophisticated tomato-basil bruschetta with a bubbly pomegranate sip. For the main course, serve lobster and prosciutto-wrapped asparagus. Finish your elegant New Year’s Eve dinner with luxurious cheesecake. Appetizer: Bruschetta topped with chopped tomatoes and sweet basil leaves takes just 15 minutes and is an elegant starting dish for any New Year’s Eve menu. For a twist on the classic, we add feta and pop these beauties under the broiler to get them warm.
Get the recipe: Two Tomato Bruschetta
Drink: Serve a bubbly beverage with tart pomegranate flavor to complement your sophisticated menu. This New Year’s Eve drink includes chilled champagne so it’s perfect for when midnight strikes. Main Course: A fresh lobster tail cradled in a coral-color shell makes a delicious main course for New Year’s Eve. Serve with melted butter infused with snipped fresh chives and finely shredded lemon peel.
Get the recipe: Boiled Lobster
Side: Wrap thin slices of provolone cheese and prosciutto around fresh asparagus spears for a simple yet elegant side dish. These crispy bites are sure to delight a celebratory crowd.
Get the recipe: Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus
Dessert: This luxurious dessert is full of white chocolate with cocoa butter and cream cheese. Top this cheesecake with fresh strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries for an even sweeter finish.
Get the recipe: White Chocolate Cheesecake
Make-Ahead New Year’s Eve Menu
Our make-ahead New Year’s Eve dinner ideas include quick and easy recipes for a stress-free celebration. Nibble on bacon-wrapped sausage bites while sipping a refreshing mocktail. For dinner, serve make-ahead stuffed pork tenderloins alongside oven-roasted carrots. For dessert, enjoy a sweet fruit tart as you wait for the clock to strike midnight. Appetizer: Take basic smokies up a notch with a slice of bacon and a light coating of brown sugar. This appetizer recipe is so simple, and you can make it the day before your New Year’s Eve party.
Get the recipe: Sugared Bacon-Wrapped Smokies
Drink: Mint and lime combine for a refreshing mocktail. To speed up this recipe, make the simple syrup in advance. This drink takes just 10 minutes to prepare.
Get the recipe: Minted Cucumber No-Jitos
Main Course: These stuffed pork tenderloins can be frozen and stored up to a month in advance of your New Year’s dinner. Filled with ham and herb-seasoned stuffing, this make-ahead pork tenderloin is simple and delicious.
Get the recipe: Cuban Pork Roast
Side: A thyme and brown sugar glaze and crunchy toasted pistachios add just the right amount of savory and sweet flavor to this quick and easy side dish. To make ahead, cook the carrots and toast the pistachios the day before, then glaze and reheat before serving.
Get the recipe: Glazed Carrots with Pistachios
Dessert: Enjoy the delicious flavor combination of sweet apples with sharp cheddar. This fruit pastry can be chilled up to 24 hours in advance.
Get the recipe: Apple Tart with Cheddar Cheese Crust
Potluck New Year’s Eve Menu
For easy potluck recipes, look no further. This extensive menu ensures that no matter which course you volunteered to contribute, there is a delicious and simple recipe everyone will love. Our potluck appetizer, dinner idea, side dish, and dessert are simple to take on the go for your New Year’s Eve party. Appetizer: Precooked chicken, bubbly cheese, and a packet of ranch dressing mix make this slow cooker dip worthy of its own celebration.
Get the recipe: Buffalo Chicken Dip
Drink: Our big-batch recipe for champagne punch includes pureed peaches for a tasty, surprising spin on the traditional mimosa recipe.
Get the recipe: Prosecco-Peach Champagne Punch
Main Course: No need to order in pizza for your New Year’s celebration. This casserole combines vegetable noodles with the crowd-pleasing fixings of pizza for a creative dish that can be warmed up in less than 30 minutes.
Get the recipe: Zoodle Pizza Casserole
Side: Combine a mayo sauce with broccoli, bacon, and sunflower kernels. This satisfying side dish is sure to bring compliments (and requests for a copy of the recipe) in the New Year.
Get the recipe: Creamy Broccoli-Bacon Salad
Dessert: Decadent cocoa powder and chopped chocolate pieces give this classic chocolate pie double the chocolate-filled goodness.
Get the recipe: Classic Chocolate Meringue Pie
Vintage New Year’s Eve Menu
This vintage dinner menu provides an old-fashioned approach for your New Year’s menu. Make these favorite retro dishes like fruit-filled bread, sweet party punch, slow cooker shepherd’s pie with green bean casserole, and old-fashioned butterscotch pie. This vintage New Year’s Eve dinner is a delightful throwback to start a new beginning. Appetizer: The sweet dough of our fruit danish is chock-full of cherries, almonds, and a sweet almond glaze. Your whole home will smell like fruit and serve as a reminder of the scent of baking bread in your childhood home.
Get the recipe: Cherry-Almond Danish
Drink: Our sparkling punch comes together in minutes, which is perfect for prepping just before the New Year strikes. Fill an old-fashioned punch bowl and jazz it up with a decorative ice ring to keep the drink cool until midnight.
Get the recipe: Orange-Ginger Pomegranate Punch
Main Course: This slow cooker turkey shepherd’s pie cooks for 6 hours on low heat for a tender and savory meal.
Get the recipe: Chicken-and-Biscuit Pot Pie
Side: Who would guess that this classic and traditional casserole could get even more delicious? We upped the ante by adding some bacon and wild mushrooms to your childhood favorite.
Get the recipe: Bacon-Topped Green Bean Casserole
Dessert: Homemade butterscotch pie baked to a golden brown makes for a classic go-to dessert. The flaky pecan pastry is finished with finely chopped nuts and a warm meringue filling.
Get the recipe: Cashew-Crusted Caramel Cream Pie
Breakfast-for-Dinner New Year’s Menu
This late-night menu includes yummy upgrades to classic breakfast staples. To ensure the celebration lasts until midnight, serve our coffee shake shots. For a breakfast-for-dinner menu, consider peanut butter and jelly French toast sticks, savory breakfast sandwiches, fried smashed potatoes, and banana-chocolate chip muffins. Appetizer: French toast as a starter? Perfect! This twist on the classic makes the fluffy-sweet bread into bite-size cubes so everyone can get a taste before the main event.
Get the recipe: French Toast Cubes
Drink: Boozy coffee is perfect for making it to the New Year’s Eve ball drop. Combine coffee liqueur, Irish cream, and vodka with a drizzle of chocolate syrup. It’s a guaranteed method for staying up until midnight.
Get the recipe: Mudslide Cocktail
Main Course: For a customizable breakfast treat, offer a breakfast sandwich bar. Our favorite option includes thick slices of whole-wheat toast topped with an avocado spread, asparagus spears, and hard-boiled eggs.
Get the recipe: Blueberry and Mascarpone-Stuffed French Toast Casserole
Side: Parmesan and parsley dress up these simple smashed potatoes for a flavorful side dish. Bonus: These breakfast potatoes can be made up to 24 hours in advance of your New Year’s celebration.
Get the recipe: Fried Smashed Potatoes
Dessert: Sweet orange-chocolate chip muffins are a perfect on-the-go breakfast item, but they’re also delicious for dessert. Try our moist, golden muffins.
Get the recipe: Orange-Chocolate Chip Muffins
New Year’s Eve Pizza Party Menu
Kick off the New Year with a homemade pizza party! For a fuss-free celebration, serve these pizza-inspired menu items. Start off with a pizza-inspired dip, creative flatbread toppings, cheesy garlic bread, and sweet dessert fruit pizza. Appetizer: A great dip can set any party off on a delicious note. This pizza fondue combines turkey sausage, veggies, and tomato sauce for a warm, cozy dipper to start the night.
Get the recipe: Pizza Fondue
Drink: If you cannot get enough of the tomato flavor, try this gin and tonic with a kick. This spicy drink will entertain with its unique flavor and colorful look.
Get the recipe: Spicy Tomato Gin and Tonic
Main Course: These flatbread pizza toppings are delicious any time of the year, but we especially like them for special-occasion dinners: think figs, roasted veggies, pepper jelly, and sage. Sweet and savory dinners in minutes await your New Year’s celebration.
Get the recipe: Hot Salami Pizza
Side: Garlic bread is so easy to make at home—and it’s delicious, too. In fact, you’ll probably like this version even better than the stuff you get at your favorite takeout restaurant! Double the batch to go back for seconds (or thirds!).
Get the recipe: Garlic-Herbed Bread
Dessert: Try this tasty fruit pizza recipe that takes all the guilt out of pizza eating. Cover a sugar cookie with a sweet cream cheese spread and top with your choice of fresh fruit. Drizzle with honey for added flavor!
Get the recipe: Dessert Fruit Pizza
New Year’s Eve Chili Cook-Off
Begin the New Year with a bit of friendly competition with these chili cook-off ideas. Appetizer: These vegetarian nachos are the perfect addition to any gathering. Black beans, roasted peppers, salsa, and reduced-fat cheese make this the best loaded nachos recipe.
Get the recipe: Triple-Pepper Nachos
Main Course: Rich, chunky, and filled with fabulous flavor, this traditional chili is a classic recipe for a reason! Add an extra sprinkle of cheese and a spoonful of sour cream for a smooth finish.
Get the recipe: Pulled Pork Skillet Chili
Side: You can give classic corn bread a a spicy kick with diced green chile peppers and shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese. It’s perfect for scooping the last bits of chili in your bowl.
Get the recipe: Corn Bread
Dessert: No need to get complicated after your chili cook-off. Enjoy a simple and sweet helping of fruit dipped in chocolate.
Get the recipe: Chocolate-Dipped Fruit
BBQ New Year’s Eve Menu
Appetizer: Crisp, crumbled bacon and crunchy sunflower seeds almost make this creamy slaw a meal in itself, but it’s also the perfect accompaniment for a BBQ-filled main meal.
Get the recipe: Creamy BLT Coleslaw
Main Course: Tangy mustard and wheat beer give this tender brisket plenty of big flavor. Serve each sandwich with some homemade BBQ sauce for delicious flavor.
Get the recipe: Tangy Molasses Barbecue Ribs
Side: OK, so maybe delicious BBQ sauce isn’t technically a side, but it definitely can be when you add it to every part of the meal. Plus, this homemade BBQ sauce has less than a quarter of the sugar compared to some store-bought brands.
Get the recipe: Homemade BBQ Sauce
Dessert: Keep the smoky flavors going with a grilled sundae. Topped with almonds and honey, this tangy sundae treat is sure to be a hit.
Get the recipe: Grilled Pineapple Sundaes
