Still stuck on those Christmas Eve dinner ideas? Let’s kick it up a notch with your New Years dinner plans instead.
Look, we both know your usual New Years Eve menu could use a refresh – and I’m here to save you from another boring essen (eating) experience.
These New Years Eve recipe ideas are about to make your traditional New Years meals look like they came from a fancy restaurant, minus the crazy price tag. Forget recycling your Christmas Eve meal leftovers – we’re talking game-changing New Years dishes and Best Nye appetizers that’ll have your guests fighting over the last bite.
From classic New Years dinner ideas traditional to modern New Years Day food that’ll blow minds, this guide is your ticket to becoming the host everyone’s talking about next year.
Easy New Years Dinner Recieps
1. Aunt Bee’s Hoppin’ John
Just like any good Southerner, serve a Lucky New Year’s dinner — complete with pork, greens, and Aunt Bee’s Hoppin’ John! The easy rice dish comes together quickly (thanks to a few shortcuts) and is the perfect way to complete your meal!
Check it here.
2. Smoky Sweet Vegan Collard Greens
These smoky sweet vegan collard greens are the perfect side dish for barbecue or dairy-free mac and cheese. With a slight sweetness by way of dried cranberries, they have a lovely rounded flavor. Vegan & gluten-free.
Check it here.
3. Easy Collard Greens – Tender & Garlicky
This is my go-to collard greens recipe. These easy collard greens have a richness about them and a melt-in-your-mouth quality. Vegan & gluten-free side dish.
Check it here.
4. Vegan Hoppin’ John
Happy New Year! Celebrate with bowl of vegan Hoppin’ John for a prosperous year ahead.
Check it here.
5. Hoppin’ John Burgers With Tempeh Bacon And Spicy Aioli
Ring in the new year with vegan Hoppin’ John Burgers with Tempeh Bacon and Spicy Aioli! It has all of the flavors of the classic dish in one tasty sandwich.
Check it here.
6. Black Eyed Peas Salad w/ Baby Power Green
Black Eyed Peas Salad w/ Baby Power Greens – start off the New Year with good health and a lucky streak thanks to black eyed peas and leafy greens – both traditionally considered “lucky” foods.
Check it here.
7. Smoky Cajun Black Eyed Peas Pasta
Smoky Cajun Black Eyed Peas Pasta is sure to bring you health and wealth in the coming year.
Check it here.
8. Breton Beans (Fasolka po Bretonsku) w/ Kielbasa
Breton Beans (Fasolka po Bretonsku) with Kielbasa and Tomatoes is a super comforting dish for these cold winter days. Use black eyed peas to welcome New Year the traditional way.
Check it here.
9. Instant Pot Black Eyed Pea Soup
A modern twist on a southern classic! This Instant Pot black eyed pea soup is chock-full of all the fixings, only it’s ready to go in half the time!
Check it here.
10. Simple Black-Eyed Pea Salad
Perfect for lunch, a side dish, or even a light supper, you’re going to love this Simple Black-Eyed Pea Salad because it’s delicious and so easy to make.
Check it here.
11. Slow Cooker Sausage and Cabbage
Slow Cooker Sausage and Cabbage is a easy crock pot recipe ready in 6 hours! Add Sweet Italian Sausage links and vegetables (potatoes, cabbage, carrots and onion!) into your slow cooker for a delicious comfort meal!
Check it here.
12. Mongolian Buuz (Steamed Meat Dumplings)
Nothing says Mongolian food like a plate of Buzz, also known as steamed Mongolian dumplings. These tasty little meat pockets are served by street vendors and home cooks alike, and they’re traditionally made for Mongolian lunar new years celebrations (Tsagaan Sar). Buuz have all the elements of Mongolian cooking wrapped into one dumpling. They’re usually made with fatty mutton, as is most food in Mongolia. They’re also simply spiced, so the flavors of the meat shine through.
Check it here.
13. Ham Black-Eyed Pea Soup With Collard Greens
Brrr… It’s been rather chilly the last few days, leaving me craving any kind of hearty soup. I love Ham Black-Eyed Pea Soup with Collard Greens since it’s thick and creamy. The perfect comfort food on a cold day.
Check it here.
14. Black Eyed Pea Dip Recipe
Black Eyed Pea Dip is perfect for New Year’s Day or any time of the year! This healthy dish is made with corn, bell pepper, avocado, and a tangy dressing.
Check it here.
15. Grandpa Joel’s Vegan Ham Hocks and Beans
My Grandpa Joel’s Vegan Ham Hocks and Beans are a New Year’s Day tradition in my family—they’re said to bring good luck!
Check it here.
Tips For Making Delicious New Year Dinner
• Your New Years Eve recipes dinners deserve better than last-minute panic – grab a drink and let’s walk through some genius food planning that’ll actually let you enjoy your own party.
• Smart hosts know the secret to killer New Years appetizers is prepping 80% the day before – your future self will high-five you for this one.
• Turn your Nye dinner into an Instagram-worthy spread by playing with food heights and colors – no filter needed when your setup looks this good.
• Ditch the stress of complicated New Years Day recipes by mixing store-bought shortcuts with homemade heroes – nobody needs to know which is which.
• Your New Years Day meal can rock both worlds – blend New Years meals traditional with modern twists that’ll keep everyone happy.
• Master the art of New Year finger food ideas by following the “grab and go” rule – if it needs more than two fingers to eat, it needs a redesign.
• Transform your New Years food ideas meals into a stress-free zone by creating a timeline that works backward from midnight.
• Keep your New Years Day food ideas fresh by setting up strategic serving stations – hot stuff stays hot, cold stuff stays cold, and everybody wins.
• Rock your New Years Eve menu timing by spacing out your show-stopping dishes – nobody remembers the first hour anyway.
• Make your New Years dishes work harder by choosing items that taste even better the next day – breakfast solved.
• Level up your New Year’s Day food game with a mix-and-match approach – let guests build their own perfect plate.
• Skip the fancy New Years appetizers fails by sticking to crowd-pleasers with just one unique twist each – simple but memorable is your sweet spot.
• Save your sanity with a “zone defense” approach to your New Years Day food ideas – organize your kitchen into prep, cooking, and plating areas.
• Turn those New Years Eve recipe ideas into reality by prepping ingredients in order of cooking time – no more cold food disasters.
• Create the ultimate New Years food ideas meals success by building in buffer time – because something always takes longer than planned.