When you have stockings to fill, presents to wrap, and company is knocking on the door, the last place you want to be is stuck in the kitchen. From an easy sheet pan dinner to a cozy slow-cooker sauce, these recipes are all doable, hands-off meals for the night before Christmas.
Easy Beef Chili
This beef-based chili from Martha Stewart relies on one secret ingredient to amp up its savory flavors: cocoa powder! Good-quality, Dutch-processed cocoa powder adds richness, complexity, and umami to an otherwise simple dish. Plus, it complements the chili powder and perks up its heat!
5-Ingredient Sheet Pan Salmon
If you have a big feast planned for Christmas, something a little lighter like this easy roast salmon, is a smart choice for the night before. This 5-ingredient entrée from Platings + Pairings makes it extremely easy to pull off your protein and your sides in under 45 minutes.
Creamy Instant Pot Pasta
Pasta on Christmas Eve is always a winner! This creamy pasta from A Couple Cooks is ready in 30 minutes, but the creamy sauce tastes like it has been stewing for hours. The Instant Pot makes it so you can cook your pasta and your sauce all in one vessel.
Slow-Roasted Lemon and Herb Chicken
Juicy chicken is challenging to master, but this Real Simple recipe provides an easy guide. This dish can be tossed together and thrown in the oven without a second thought. Roast potatoes and carrots at the same time as your chicken for a complete meal!
Slow-Cooker Burgundy Beef
The surprising secret to this tender dish from Taste of Home is to let it cook low and slow in your slow cooker, freeing you up to tidy the house, wrap presents, or enjoy a well-deserved nap! Toss together in the morning and have an incredible Christmas Eve meal come dinnertime.
Skillet-Roast Sausages and Apples with Walnut Vinaigrette
What’s better than an impressive, dinner party–worthy dish that also has low-fuss, weeknight ease? Our one-skillet recipe combines seared sausages and tender sweet apples with crisp bitter greens and a toasty walnut vinaigrette. It’s unexpected, but it all fuses together for a satisfying meal. Sausages are one of our favorite fast ingredients because they come pre-seasoned, pre-portioned, and ready to cook.
A Few of Our Favorite Hands-Off Cooking Tools!
Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker ($80)
All Clad Stainless-Steel Covered Oval Roasting Pan ($200)
Lodge Chef Collection Skillet ($50)
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