Holiday Menu: Easy Recipes and Original Ideas for Christmas and New Year’s Eve with the Flavors of Fratelli Carli

Here's what you'll discover in this article:

• Easy and gourmet appetizers for the holidays. Quick and impressive ideas, from finger food with our Crispy Focaccia to crostini with creamy Taggiasca Olive Spread.
• Traditional first courses. Classic and creative recipes for the heart of your menu, with light options for Christmas lunch or specific dishes for New Year's Eve dinner.
• Exceptional main courses. Meat and fish options to impress your guests, along with secrets for getting the most out of traditional dishes like cotechino or roast.

The holidays are just around the corner, and with them comes the desire to gather around a table filled with the flavors of home, tradition, and affection. The secret to making these moments unforgettable lies in attention to detail and, above all, in choosing the highest-quality ingredients, capable of turning every dish into a sensory experience. For over a century, we at Fratelli Carli have been bringing the excellence of Italian cuisine to your table. Let our ideas guide you in creating the perfect Christmas menu and New Year's Eve dinner.

Holiday Appetizers: Tasty Recipes to Impress

The start of the meal sets the tone for the entire celebration. That's why our holiday appetizers are designed to be elegant, delicious, and easy to prepare, allowing you to enjoy the company of your loved ones without spending hours in the kitchen.

Christmas Appetizers to Impress: Festive Finger Food with Easy and Quick Recipes

Little bites full of flavor, perfect for a standing cocktail or to kick off your holiday menu.

• Taggiasca Olive Spread Spoons: One of the best no-cook holiday recipes. Place a small quenelle of our creamy paté on a serving spoon and garnish with toasted almond flakes for a surprising contrast.
• Colorful Skewers with Pitted Olives: A simple idea that brings joy to the table, perfect even for children's Christmas dishes. Thread our olives onto skewers, alternating with small mozzarella balls and cherry tomatoes.

Gourmet Appetizers for New Year's Eve Dinner

For those seeking a more refined start, here are two ideas that highlight the purity of our gourmet products:

• Artichoke Hearts in Oil and Anchovy Fillets: Serve our tender, firm, and meaty artichokes simply with shavings of 24-month-aged Grana Padano, topped with Cantabrian anchovy fillets. A dish that celebrates simplicity.
• Bresaola Rolls with Goat Cheese and Carli Sun-Dried Tomatoes: A quick solution, perfect for a last-minute menu. Soften our sun-dried tomatoes and finely chop them to enrich a creamy goat cheese with which to fill the slices of bresaola.

Holiday First Courses: The Heart of Italian Tradition

The first course is the beating heart of an Italian menu. Whether sumptuous baked dishes or refined pasta, our suggestions will warm the atmosphere and delight every palate.

Christmas Lunch: The Queens Lasagna and Cannelloni

For Christmas lunch, we suggest a delicate and flavorful version of the most classic of first courses: White Lasagna with Artichoke Heart Cream and Smoked Provola cheese. Blend our artichokes with a drizzle of their oil and a little béchamel to create a smooth, velvety filling.

Traditional New Year's Dishes: First Courses for New Year's Eve

For the longest night of the year, tradition calls for fish dishes that are both delicious and auspicious.

• Linguine with Jarred Tuna Sauce, Capers, and Our Pitted Olives: A first course that smells of the Mediterranean, quick to prepare but full of character, perfect for celebrating the arrival of the New Year.
• Creamy Risotto with Artichoke Hearts and Scallops: A great classic of holiday menus, this risotto gains a unique elegance in this version. Create a velvety texture by blending part of our tender artichokes, which you'll use during the final stirring for an incredibly creamy result. The sweetness of the artichokes perfectly complements the delicate scallops, seared separately and placed on top of the risotto just before serving. A dish for true gourmets, to be completed with a drizzle of our Delicate Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Holiday Main Courses: Classic Recipes and Original Ideas

The main course is the heart of the meal. Our ideas showcase both regional specialties and more creative preparations, always emphasizing quality.

How to Make Cotechino with Lentils Special

A must-have on the New Year's table, cotechino with lentils that can be taken to the next level. Our tip? When the lentils are cooked, stir in a spoonful of our Chili Infused Oil. A lively touch that will pleasantly surprise your guests.

An Easy and Impressive Fish Main Course

Turn a simple sea bass fillet into one of your favorite gourmet dishes. Spread a generous layer of our Taggiasca Olive Spread over the surface of the fish before baking—it will create a flavorful, aromatic crust while keeping the flesh incredibly tender.

Christmas Desserts: The Perfect Ending with Genovese Pandolce

No holiday menu is complete without a worthy finale. Sweetness is the best way to conclude and leave a happy memory. On Italian tables, the undisputed stars are Panettone and Pandoro, but every region preserves its own unique pastry treasures. Among these, a place of honor goes to Genovese Pandolce, a specialty from our Liguria. Lower and more compact than the version of Milan, it is just as rich with candied fruit, raisins, and pine nuts. Serve it in thick slices, perhaps accompanied by a sweet dessert wine, for an authentic taste experience.

Recipes with Leftover Panettone: How to Turn Leftovers into Masterpieces

Often, after the holidays, you find yourself with leftover panettone. Instead of eating it just for breakfast, why not turn it into the star of new, surprising recipes?

Its soft and aromatic dough is an incredibly versatile base for creating spoon desserts, cakes, and small treats—for example, a sumptuous panettone tiramisu or delicious truffles.

Your celebrations start here: Bring Carli's Excellence to Your Table

Cooking during the holidays is an act of love, a way to care for the people we cherish. We hope these Christmas and New Year's ideas and recipes inspire you to create moments of pure joy and togetherness. Every dish, from the simplest to the most elaborate, deserves ingredients that enhance its flavor and tell its story.

Visit our online shop to discover all the gourmet products mentioned and let yourself be captivated by our exclusive gift ideas. Bring to your table the quality and passion that have always distinguished us.

From all of us at Fratelli Carli, our warmest wishes for Happy Holidays!

Holiday Menu FAQs

What to Cook for Christmas?

Christmas lunch is a celebration of tradition and family warmth. Unlike New Year's Eve dinner, which is often more versatile, Christmas favors recipes that evoke home and memories. The menu is usually built around a sumptuous baked first course, such as the timeless lasagna with ragù, stuffed cannelloni, or elaborate filled pastas like tortellini, traditionally served in a rich capon broth according to local customs.

For Christmas main courses, meat often takes center stage: large roasts, slow-cooked braises, stuffed capon, or lamb, depending on regional specialties. The key advice is not to overcomplicate things with overly complex recipes, but to focus on the excellence of the ingredients: it is the quality of the ingredients that will truly work its magic on your holiday table.

What to Eat for New Year's Eve Dinner?

Traditionally, New Year's Eve dinner is a meal full of symbols and good wishes for the coming year. The golden rule is abundance, but with an eye on elegance and conviviality. Many Italian families opt for seafood-based menus, considered lighter and more refined for the long night of celebrations: such as tartares, carpaccios, first courses with shellfish, and sumptuous baked fish.

At the stroke of midnight, lentils, symbolizing prosperity, are a must, often accompanied by cotechino or zampone. A modern and increasingly popular alternative is a buffet, rich with shareable dishes and finger food, allowing guests to socialize more freely. The key is that each dish should be a small jewel of flavor, capable of making the evening truly special.

How Can I Organize an Affordable Holiday Menu Without Sacrificing Taste?

Focus on recipes that highlight simple but high-quality ingredients. Dishes like pasta with a sauce made from our Sun-Dried Tomatoes or a legume soup enriched with a drizzle of our Aromatic Olive Oil can be excellent and refined solutions.

What Are the Ideal Shareable Dishes for a New Year's Eve Buffet?

The same Christmas finger foods work perfectly. Go for crostini with our Olive Paté, mini quiches with our Artichoke Hearts, and spelt or barley salads enriched with Tuna and vegetables in olive oil.

Do You Have Suggestions for a Gluten-Free / Lactose-Free Menu?

Many of our products, such as oils, olives, vegetables in olive oil and tuna, are naturally gluten- and lactose-free. A baked fish main course with our Aromatic Olives or a rich salad with Artichoke Hearts are perfect and safe options.