18 Stress-Free Christmas Recipes For Just Two People (2024)

    Fewer people? More for me. 😋

    by Marie TellingBuzzFeed Contributor

    Hosting Christmas dinner for two people this year?

    You can still treat yourself to a feast! From festive main dishes to comforting holiday drinks and desserts, you'll find all the Christmas recipes you need to put together a small but mighty holiday food menu.

    1. Steak Dinner for 2

    18 Stress-Free Christmas Recipes For Just Two People (2)

    tasty.co

    This three-course meal — a Caesar salad with bacon, garlic butter steak, and scalloped potatoes— is perfectly portioned out for two people. Don't forget to split a bottle of red!

    Recipe: Steak Dinner for 2

    thekitchn.com

    You can definitely whip up buttery mashed potatoes without making a giant potful — and this ultra-practical version doesn't even require a masher or ricer.

    Get the recipe: Mashed Potatoes for 2

    temeculablogs.com

    This recipe makes four individually sized cakes — but you can easily halve it if you only want two. (But also, who *doesn't* want more dessert for later?) Find more air fryer holiday recipes here.

    Get the recipe: Air Fryer Chocolate Lava Cakes

    4. Kale and Quinoa Salad

    18 Stress-Free Christmas Recipes For Just Two People (3)

    alexandracooks.com

    I know Christmas is synonymous with comfort and indulgence, but this salad will be a refreshing note on the holiday table.

    Get the recipe: Kale and Quinoa Salad

    5. Salted Caramel Brûlée Latte

    halfbakedharvest.com

    Picture this: just the two of you, sitting on the couch, a cup of salted caramel latte in your hands, watching Die Hard for the hundredth time. What more do you need?

    Get the recipe: Salted Caramel Brûlée Latte

    6. Pan-Seared Duck Breast With Port Wine Sauce

    18 Stress-Free Christmas Recipes For Just Two People (5)

    alexandracooks.com

    If you don't feel like cooking a ham or roasting a turkey, may I suggest duck? It's delicious, feels fancy, and actually not that hard to make. This pan-seared duck is brought to a whole new level thanks to a gastrique — a sweet-and-sharp sauce made with caramelized sugar deglazed with vinegar and port wine.

    Get the recipe: Pan-Seared Duck Breast With Port Wine Sauce

    alexandracooks.com

    Only a few ingredients needed to make this foolproof side: potatoes, garlic, thyme, rosemary, olive oil, and kosher salt.

    Get the recipe: Fingerling Potatoes With Rosemary and Thyme

    8. Cauliflower Cheese

    18 Stress-Free Christmas Recipes For Just Two People (6)

    Deb Perelman / smittenkitchen.com

    This English classic (think mac 'n' cheese but with cauliflower instead of pasta) can make for a great vegetarian main dish but will also shine bright as a side dish.

    Get the recipe: Cauliflower Cheese

    tasty.co

    This recipe uses thick-cut brioche bread and raspberries and blackberries — though you can sub in just about any fruit you have on hand.

    Get the recipe: Berry-Stuffed French Toast for 2

    10. Broiled Lobster Tails

    18 Stress-Free Christmas Recipes For Just Two People (7)

    wholesomeyum.com

    The only tricky part in prepping this is that you need to butterfly the tails, but the recipe shows you how to do that, step-by-step. You then brush the tails with lemon-garlic butter before broiling them for a few minutes.

    Get the recipe: Broiled Lobster Tails

    11. Spicy Gingerbread Cookies With Lemon Icing

    18 Stress-Free Christmas Recipes For Just Two People (8)

    brooklynsupper.com

    It is a truth universally acknowledged that gingerbread cookies will put you in a Christmas mood no matter what.

    Get the recipe: Spicy Gingerbread Cookies With Lemon Icing

    12. Paprika Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad With Prosciutto and Pimentón Aioli

    18 Stress-Free Christmas Recipes For Just Two People (9)

    brooklynsupper.com

    The recipe is for six people, but you can easily half the portions. Ready in 25 minutes, this makes for a great first course or a side dish, depending on your mood.

    Get the recipe: Paprika Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad With Prosciutto and Pimentón Aioli

    13. Super-Simple Glazed Ham

    18 Stress-Free Christmas Recipes For Just Two People (10)

    Rocky Luten / food52.com

    Is this recipe ambitious? Maybe. But if Christmas isn't the right time for a little bit of culinary ambition, I don't know when is.

    Get the recipe: Super-Simple Glazed Ham

    14. Chocolate Marshmallows

    18 Stress-Free Christmas Recipes For Just Two People (11)

    David Lebovitz / davidlebovitz.com

    Homemade. Chocolate. Marshmallows. Need I say more? Alright: homemade chocolate marshmallows served in a cup of steaming-hot chocolate. You're welcome.

    Get the recipe: Chocolate Marshmallows

    15. Fritto Misto

    18 Stress-Free Christmas Recipes For Just Two People (12)

    Lauren Zaser / buzzfeed.com

    Just because you're hosting for two people doesn't mean you can't cook your very own Feast of the Seven Fishes. This dish is a great place to start.

    Get the recipe: Fritto Misto

    16. Sweet and Savory Cheesy Bacon Wrapped Puff Pastry Twists

    18 Stress-Free Christmas Recipes For Just Two People (13)

    halfbakedharvest.com

    You'll only need a handful of ingredients to make these (with puff pastry, bacon, and cheese being the main ones), and you can easily adjust the portions to make fewer twists than the original recipe yields.

    Get the recipe: Sweet and Savory Cheesy Bacon Wrapped Puff Pastry Twists

    17. Gingerbread Truffles

    18 Stress-Free Christmas Recipes For Just Two People (14)

    greenkitchenstories.com

    All the flavors of gingerbread in delicious truffles. I'll take a dozen.

    Get the recipe: Gingerbread Truffles

    18. Garlic Roasted Carrots

    18 Stress-Free Christmas Recipes For Just Two People (15)

    damndelicious.net

    Five ingredients, almost zero effort, and just five minutes' prep are needed to make this great side dish.

    Get the recipe: Garlic Roasted Carrots

    19. Panettone French Toast for 2

    18 Stress-Free Christmas Recipes For Just Two People (16)

    David Lebovitz / davidlebovitz.com

    Take the ultimate Christmas morning brioche, turn it into French toast, and you're in for the best treat.

    Get the recipe: Panettone French Toast

    20. Seared Scallops With Herbs Salad

    buzzfeed.com

    The salad is just a vessel here — the stars are the scallops, and you can be assured that they'll shine bright over your Christmas meal.

    Get the recipe: Seared Scallops With Herbs Salad

    21. Green Beans With Bacon Bread Crumbs

    18 Stress-Free Christmas Recipes For Just Two People (17)

    gimmesomeoven.com

    Just think of green beans as an excuse to eat a ton of delicious bacon bread crumbs.

    Get the recipe: Green Beans With Bacon Bread Crumbs

    alexandracooks.com

    OK, so you might be wondering how you and your plus-one are going to eat nine cinnamon buns all by yourselves. First of all, you gotta believe in yourself! Second, you can actually freeze some of the buns before you glaze them and save for later.

    Get the recipe: Overnight Brioche Cinnamon Buns

    18 Stress-Free Christmas Recipes For Just Two People (2024)

    References

    Top Articles
    Latest Posts
    Recommended Articles
    Article information

    Author: Barbera Armstrong

    Last Updated:

    Views: 5462

    Rating: 4.9 / 5 (79 voted)

    Reviews: 94% of readers found this page helpful

    Author information

    Name: Barbera Armstrong

    Birthday: 1992-09-12

    Address: Suite 993 99852 Daugherty Causeway, Ritchiehaven, VT 49630

    Phone: +5026838435397

    Job: National Engineer

    Hobby: Listening to music, Board games, Photography, Ice skating, LARPing, Kite flying, Rugby

    Introduction: My name is Barbera Armstrong, I am a lovely, delightful, cooperative, funny, enchanting, vivacious, tender person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.