There’s a lovely change in an Italian kitchen when Christmas Eve turns into Christmas Day. On the first night, you may smell garlic, olive oil, fried fish, and a pot of seafood sauce. The next day, it’s lasagna, slow-cooked meat, warm bread, and panettone waiting to be sliced.
That’s because an Italian Christmas dinner is really two feasts.
Christmas Eve, called La Vigilia, has a long meatless tradition, so fish and seafood are the stars. In many Italian-American homes, this became the famous Feast of the Seven Fishes.
Christmas Day is different. This is when pasta, rich sauces, pork, beef, veal, and lots of sweets come to the table.
Below you’ll find more than 40 traditional recipes for both days. There’s also a ready-made Seven Fishes menu and a simple Dec. 22–25 plan, so you don’t have to cook everything at once.
Italian Christmas Food at a Glance
If you’re new to Italian Christmas food, this is the easiest way to understand the holiday.
| Christmas Eve — La Vigilia | Christmas Day — Natale |
|---|---|
| Traditionally meatless | Meat returns to the table |
| Fish and seafood are the stars | Pasta and roasts take center stage |
| Baccalà, shellfish, fried fish | Lasagna, ravioli, pork, beef, veal |
| Seven Fishes in many Italian-American homes | A long meal with several courses |
| Seafood pasta and risotto | Antipasti, primi, secondi and contorni |
| Struffoli and other sweets | Panettone, torrone, cakes and cookies |
These foods aren’t meant to appear on one table at the same time. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are two different meals, and every family can make them a little differently.
What Do Italians Eat at Christmas? Christmas Eve vs Christmas Day
There isn’t one Christmas menu that every Italian family follows.
Food changes a lot from one part of Italy to another. Family traditions matter too. Still, there’s one important difference between Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Christmas Eve is called La Vigilia, which means the vigil. Catholic tradition shaped the custom of avoiding meat before an important feast day. Fish and seafood became the center of the meal instead.
This is especially clear in southern Italy, where Christmas Eve may include salt cod, fried fish, shellfish, seafood pasta, and other dishes from the sea.
The exact Feast of the Seven Fishes is a little different. The Christmas Eve seafood tradition is Italian, but counting exactly seven fish dishes is mainly an Italian-American custom.
Christmas Day brings a much bigger change. Meat returns, and the table may include filled pasta, lasagna, rich sauces, pork, beef, or veal.
Northern Italian Christmas meals may include more filled pasta, risotto, and baked pasta. Southern tables have their own local dishes and sweets, including struffoli around Naples.
You don’t need to follow one region from beginning to end. Pick the dishes your family will enjoy and build a meal that you can actually cook.
A Traditional Italian Christmas Menu
If you just want a simple menu to follow, start here.
Christmas Eve: Baccalà → fritto misto → seafood pasta → grilled branzino → struffoli
Christmas Day: Bruschetta and caponata → lasagna Bolognese → porchetta with creamy polenta → panettone and Italian Christmas cookies
That’s already a lot of food.
If you want to make the full Feast of the Seven Fishes, the next section gives you eight seafood recipes to choose from.
Christmas Eve: La Vigilia and the Feast of the Seven Fishes
Christmas Eve is the night for seafood.
And no, you don’t need to make seven huge main dishes.
A small plate of salt cod can count as one fish. Fried calamari can be another. Pasta, risotto, shrimp, stew, and a whole fish can fill the other places.
That makes a feast of the seven fishes menu much easier to cook and much easier to eat.
1. Italian Baccalà
Authentic Italian Baccalà (Salt Cod) Recipe for the Feast of the Seven Fishes
Baccalà is salted cod and one of the classic foods for Christmas Eve. It often needs soaking before cooking, so this is one to plan ahead.
2. Fritto Misto
Fritto Misto – Authentic Italian Mixed Fry Seafood Recipe
Fritto misto gives you crisp fried seafood such as calamari and small fish. Serve it soon after frying while the outside is still crisp.
3. Frutti di Mare
Frutti Di Mare Recipe (Italian Seafood Pasta)
Seafood pasta is an easy way to bring several tastes from the sea into one course. Keep the serving small when more fish is coming.
4. Seafood Risotto
Risotto ai Frutti di Mare – Italian Seafood Risotto Recipe
Creamy seafood risotto makes a warm first course without adding another pasta. Make this close to serving time because risotto is best fresh.
5. Tuscan Cacciucco
Authentic Cacciucco Recipe (Tuscan Seafood Stew)
Cacciucco is a Tuscan tomato-based stew filled with fish and seafood. Serve it with bread because you won’t want to leave that lovely broth behind.
6. Grilled Branzino
Lemon-Stuffed Grilled Branzino Recipe
Whole branzino makes a simple main fish after several smaller dishes. Lemon keeps it fresh and light after fried seafood or pasta.
7. Shrimp Scampi
Shrimp scampi cooks fast with garlic and butter. Clean the shrimp ahead, then cook them shortly before they go to the table.
8. Spaghetti Puttanesca
Tomatoes, olives, capers, and anchovies give puttanesca plenty of flavor. And yes, I think those little anchovies can count as fish number seven if you need them.
A Ready-Made Seven Fishes Menu
The easiest way to serve seven fishes is to make each serving small.
You aren’t making seven dinners. You’re making a long meal with little tastes along the way.
Here’s one menu you can use:
- Baccalà — start with a small salt cod dish.
- Fritto misto — add a little crisp fried seafood.
- Shrimp scampi — keep this serving small and garlicky.
- Frutti di mare — serve a small bowl of seafood pasta.
- Seafood risotto — a few spoonfuls are enough.
- Grilled branzino — make this the main fish.
- Spaghetti puttanesca — the anchovies bring in your seventh fish.
Cacciucco can take the place of one of these if you want a warm seafood stew.
For a smaller family, don’t feel that you have to reach seven. Three or four good seafood dishes can still make a lovely Italian Christmas Eve dinner.
The point is to enjoy the evening, not spend the whole night washing seven pans.
Italian Christmas Antipasti
Christmas Day starts with little things to eat while everyone settles around the table.
Don’t make every appetizer here. Pick two or three and save room for the pasta.
9. Classic Italian Bruschetta
Classic Italian Bruschetta Recipe
Tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and toasted bread make a fresh start to the meal. Make the tomato topping ahead and toast the bread before serving.
10. Italian Arancini
Cheesy Italian Arancini Balls Recipe
Arancini are crisp rice balls with a soft, cheesy center. They’re a good warm bite before a Christmas meal, but keep them small because there’s lots more coming.
11. Supplì
Supplì al Telefono (Roman Rice Balls with Mozzarella)
Roman supplì are rice balls with mozzarella hidden inside. Serve them warm so the cheese in the middle is still soft.
12. Mozzarella Balls
Easy Mozzarella Balls Recipe (Fried, Baked, or Air-Fried!)
Warm mozzarella balls are simple and easy to share. Choose one cooking method and don’t make extra work for yourself.
13. Stracciatella Cheese
Easy Homemade Stracciatella Cheese Recipe
Soft stracciatella cheese gives the table something cool and creamy. Put out some bread and let everyone help themselves.
14. Sicilian Caponata
Authentic Sicilian Caponata Recipe
Caponata is a Sicilian eggplant dish with a sweet and sour taste. It can be made ahead, which is always helpful at Christmas.
For an easy antipasto spread, choose one warm bite, one cheese, and one vegetable dish. Bruschetta, stracciatella, and caponata would be plenty before a big pasta course.
Italian Christmas Primi: Pasta, Risotto, and Soup
Now we get to one of my favorite parts.
The primo comes before the main meat dish. It can be pasta, risotto, gnocchi, or soup.
Choose one for most Christmas dinners. Two can work for a very large table, but remember that the roast is still coming.
15. Lasagna Bolognese
Authentic Lasagna Bolognese Recipe
Lasagna is one of the easiest choices when you’re feeding a crowd. Assemble it ahead, then bake it when everyone is ready to eat.
16. Italian Sunday Sauce
Traditional Italian Sunday Sauce (Ragù della Domenica)
A long-cooked Sunday sauce is made for a big family table. Make it the day before and slowly warm it on Christmas Day.
17. Ricotta Ravioli
Authentic Ricotta Ravioli Recipe
Soft ricotta ravioli works well before a heavier meat course. Keep the sauce simple so you can still taste the cheese filling.
18. Manicotti
Manicotti Recipe – Italian Style Stuffed Pasta
Filled manicotti can be prepared in one baking dish, which makes serving a crowd easier. Assemble it ahead and bake it before dinner.
19. Ricotta Gnudi
Italian Ricotta Gnudi in Cheese Sauce Recipe
Gnudi are soft ricotta dumplings without a pasta wrapper. They’re a nice choice when you want something lighter than a big piece of lasagna.
20. Traditional Gnocchi
Traditional Homemade Italian Gnocchi Recipe
Soft potato gnocchi can be served with many different sauces. They’re lovely for a smaller Christmas table, though making enough for a crowd takes time.
21. Gnocchi alla Sorrentina
The Best Italian Gnocchi alla Sorrentina Recipe
Gnocchi alla Sorrentina adds tomato sauce and melted cheese to soft gnocchi. It’s rich enough that you can keep the rest of the meal simple.
22. Saffron Risotto
Simple Italian Saffron Risotto Recipe (Risotto Milanese)
Golden saffron risotto is especially good with osso buco. Serve the two together if you want a warm northern Italian-style Christmas meal.
23. Stracciatella Soup
Stracciatella Soup Recipe (Italian Egg Drop Soup)
Stracciatella soup is much lighter than baked pasta. A small bowl is a good idea when you’re planning a large roast for the next course.
Italian Christmas Day Main Dishes
Christmas Day is when meat comes back to the table.
You don’t need several main dishes. Pick one that works with your pasta and sides, then let it be the center of the meal.
24. Porchetta
Porchetta Recipe (Italian Pork Roast)
Porchetta makes a lovely Christmas centerpiece with seasoned pork and a browned outside. Slice it for the table and serve it with simple sides.
25. Osso Buco
Italian Osso Buco – Simple Recipe
Osso buco cooks slowly until the meat is soft and rich. Serve it with saffron risotto or creamy polenta for a hearty Christmas Day meal.
26. Beef Braciole
Beef Braciole Recipe (Involtini) – Traditional Italian Braciole al Sugo
Braciole is thin beef rolled around a filling and cooked in tomato sauce. It’s a great choice when your family loves plenty of sauce for bread and pasta.
27. Veal Saltimbocca
Italian Veal Saltimbocca Recipe
Saltimbocca cooks much faster than a large roast. It works well for a smaller Christmas dinner when you still want a special meat dish.
28. Veal Marsala
Veal Marsala has a rich sauce but doesn’t need hours in the oven. That’s handy when your lasagna already needs the oven.
29. Veal Piccata
The Best Veal Piccata Recipe (Classic Lemon Caper Butter Sauce)
Lemon and capers make veal piccata lighter and brighter than many Christmas meat dishes. Try it after a creamy or cheesy pasta.
30. Bistecca alla Fiorentina
Authentic Bistecca alla Fiorentina Recipe
A large Florentine steak makes beef the star of the table. It’s best for a smaller group where one big steak can be shared.
31. Polenta with Sausage
Sausage and soft polenta make a warm Christmas meal without a large roast. It’s simple, filling, and great for a more relaxed dinner.
Italian Christmas Side Dishes
After antipasti, pasta, and meat, you really don’t need six side dishes.
One or two will do.
32. Creamy Italian Polenta
Creamy polenta is wonderful with osso buco, braciole, sausage, and other saucy meats. It catches all that good sauce on the plate.
33. Homemade Garlic Bread
Garlic bread fits especially well on an Italian-American Christmas table. Put it beside lasagna or braciole and it never lasts long in my house.
34. Italian-American Garlic Knots
Italian-American Garlic Knots Recipe
Soft garlic knots are easy to pass around the table. Bake them close to dinner so they’re still warm when everyone sits down.
Traditional Italian Christmas Desserts and Cookies
And then comes the table after the table.
Italian Christmas sweets can include tall breads, little cookies, honey-covered dough, nougat, cakes, and creamy desserts.
You don’t need to make all of them.
Pick one big dessert, one special Christmas sweet, and a few cookies. That’s more than enough for a beautiful spread.
35. Classic Struffoli
Classic Struffoli (Italian Honey Balls)
Struffoli are little fried dough balls covered with honey and colorful sprinkles. They’re especially tied to Christmas around Naples and southern Italy.
36. Chocolate Panettone
Italian Panettone With Chocolate
Panettone is one of the best-known Italian Christmas breads. Slice this chocolate version for dessert, then save the rest for coffee the next morning.
37. Italian Panforte
Authentic Italian Panforte Recipe – A Timeless Holiday Treat
Panforte is a dense sweet filled with fruit, nuts, honey, and spices. Cut it into thin pieces because a little goes a long way.
38. Italian Torrone
The Best Italian Torrone Recipe (Soft White Nougat with Nuts)
Torrone is a sweet white nougat filled with nuts. Cut it into little pieces and add it to the cookie plate.
39. Classic Italian Tiramisu
Best Authentic Italian Tiramisu Recipe (Easy, Creamy & No Bake)
Tiramisu gives you something cool and creamy after a big dinner. Even better, it can be made ahead and left to chill.
40. Lemon Tiramisu
The Best Lemon Tiramisu Recipe
Lemon tiramisu is a fresh choice after a rich meal. The bright lemon taste also gives you something different from chocolate, nuts, and honey.
41. Zabaglione
Zabaglione Recipe (Zabaione): Authentic Italian Wine Custard
Zabaglione is a soft Italian wine custard. Serve it in small portions when everyone says they’re full but still wants something sweet.
42. Italian Ricotta Cheesecake
Classic Italian Ricotta Cheesecake
Ricotta cheesecake has a lighter texture than many cream cheese cakes. It works well as the main cake on a large dessert table.
43. Cassata Siciliana
Authentic Cassata Siciliana Recipe (The Classic Sicilian Cassata Cake)
Cassata is a colorful Sicilian cake made with ricotta. Make this your main showpiece and keep the other desserts small.
44. Pignoli Cookies
Traditional Pignoli Cookies Recipe – Soft Italian Almond Cookies
Pignoli cookies are soft almond cookies covered with pine nuts. Their small size makes them just right after a long Christmas dinner.
45. Cucidati
Authentic Italian Fig Cookies Recipe (Cucidati)
Cucidati are Sicilian fig cookies with a rich fruit filling. They’re great for Christmas because you can make them before the busiest cooking days.
46. Italian Rainbow Cookies
Authentic Italian Rainbow Cookies Recipe (Tri-Color Cookies)
Red, white, and green layers make these little cookies look right at home at Christmas. The chocolate outside makes them rich, so cut them small.
47. Baci di Alassio
Baci di Alassio Recipe – Italian Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies
These chocolate hazelnut cookies add something dark and rich to the cookie plate. They’re a nice change from almond and fruit-filled cookies.
48. Italian Biscotti
The Best Italian Biscotti Recipe
Crisp biscotti are made for dipping into coffee. Bake them ahead and bring them out again after everyone thinks dessert is finished.
49. Italian Chocolate Salami
Italian Chocolate Salami Recipe
Chocolate salami is sliced into small rounds rather than baked like a cookie. Make it ahead, keep it cold, and add a few slices to your dessert plate.
More Italian Christmas Sweets
Still have room on the dessert table?
You can also add Traditional Italian Christmas Cookies (Soft Anise Cookies), Traditional Italian Pizzelle: The Classic Holiday Cookie Recipe, Italian Amaretti Cookies Recipe, Sfogliatelle Recipe (Italian Neapolitan Pastry), Easy Zeppole (Italian Donuts) Recipe, Authentic Torta della Nonna Recipe, or Simple Italian Tartufo Recipe with Chocolate Ganache.
Don’t feel that you need them all. Panettone, struffoli, and three kinds of cookies already make a very generous Christmas dessert table.
Make-Ahead Italian Christmas Timeline: December 22–25
This is the part that can save Christmas dinner.
There’s no reason to make cookies, sauce, lasagna, seafood, and dessert on the same day. Spread the work out and Christmas becomes much easier.
Before December 22
Start with the cookies.
Biscotti and other cookies that keep well can be baked ahead and stored once they’re cool. This is also a good time to check that you have enough pans, platters, and room in the fridge.
Make your shopping list now. Keep the seafood on a separate list because you’ll buy that closer to Christmas Eve.
December 22
Make sweets that keep well, such as panforte.
You can also make caponata today. Having one finished appetizer waiting in the fridge is a very nice feeling when Christmas gets busy.
Finish any cookies that still need baking.
If you’re making tiramisu, make sure there’s room for it in the fridge before you start filling every shelf.
December 23
Today is for sauces and anything that needs a long, slow cook.
Make your ragù or Sunday sauce and chill it once it’s cooled. Prepare fillings for stuffed pasta if your recipe lets you do that ahead.
You can also start buying seafood on Dec. 23 or Dec. 24. Keep it properly chilled and follow the storage needs for each type.
December 24: Christmas Eve
Today, fresh seafood gets most of your attention.
Fritto misto should be fried close to serving. Shrimp scampi cooks quickly, and seafood risotto should also be made near dinner time.
A stew such as cacciucco is easier because it doesn’t need the same last-minute work as fried seafood.
If you’re making lasagna for Christmas Day, assemble it today and keep it cold. You can do the same with other baked pasta dishes when the recipe allows.
Finish your struffoli and set out the dishes you’ll need tomorrow.
December 25: Christmas Day
Christmas Day should be mostly about baking, roasting, warming, and serving.
Put your main roast at the center of the plan. Work backward from dinner time so you know when it needs to go into the oven.
Bake your lasagna or manicotti and warm sauces slowly.
Put cold antipasti together shortly before everyone eats. Save anything that needs to be hot and crisp until the end.
Dessert should be the easy part now.
Slice the panettone, fill a plate with cookies, bring out the struffoli, and take chilled desserts from the fridge when you’re ready.
Then sit down.
Wine with an Italian Christmas Dinner
You don’t need a different wine for every course.
Start with prosecco alongside the antipasti. For Christmas Eve fish and seafood, a crisp Italian white such as Vermentino is an easy choice.
On Christmas Day, Chianti works well with tomato sauces, pasta, and braciole. A bigger red such as Barolo can go with a rich beef or pork main.
When the cookies come out, Vin Santo is lovely with biscotti and other small sweets.
Keep the pours small. This is a long meal.
How to Build an Italian Christmas Day Dinner
You have 40+ recipes here, but please don’t try to cook 40+ recipes.
For Christmas Day, start with two or three antipasti. Bruschetta, caponata, and stracciatella give you a nice mix without too much work.
Then choose one primo.
Lasagna is my pick for a crowd because you can assemble it the day before. Ravioli, gnocchi, or risotto can be lovely for a smaller group.
Choose one main meat next. Porchetta makes a big centerpiece, while osso buco is wonderful with risotto or polenta. Braciole is a good choice if your family loves tomato sauce.
Add one or two sides and stop there.
For dessert, bring out panettone or another larger sweet, then add struffoli and a few cookies.
That’s already a big traditional Italian Christmas meal.
You want the table to feel full, but you also want to sit at it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do Italians eat on Christmas Eve?
Italians traditionally eat a meatless Christmas Eve meal, with fish and seafood often taking the main role. The evening is called La Vigilia, and the exact dishes change from one family and region to another. Baccalà, fried seafood, shellfish, seafood pasta, risotto, fish stew, and whole fish can all appear. In many Italian-American homes, this seafood tradition became the Feast of the Seven Fishes.
Is the Feast of the Seven Fishes actually Italian?
The Christmas Eve seafood tradition is Italian, but counting exactly seven fish dishes is mainly an Italian-American tradition. The two are closely connected, but they aren’t quite the same thing. Italian families may eat several fish and seafood dishes on Christmas Eve without counting them. Italian-American families turned the number seven into part of the celebration.
Why don’t Italians eat meat on Christmas Eve?
Many Italians traditionally avoid meat on Christmas Eve because of the Catholic custom of not eating meat before an important feast day. Fish and seafood became the foods served in its place. Over time, seafood became a special part of Christmas Eve itself. That’s why dishes such as baccalà and fried fish are still closely linked with La Vigilia.
What’s the difference between panettone and pandoro?
Panettone is a tall, round Christmas bread from Milan that traditionally contains dried or candied fruit, while pandoro comes from Verona and has a tall star shape with a plain, buttery inside. Pandoro is usually covered with plenty of powdered sugar. Families can have strong opinions about which one is better, so buying both is a very easy way to keep everyone happy.
What can I make ahead for an Italian Christmas dinner?
Cookies, panforte, caponata, tiramisu, ragù, sauces, and many baked pasta dishes can be made partly or fully ahead. Fresh seafood, fried fish, shrimp, and risotto are better cooked close to serving. Bake cookies first, make sauces on Dec. 23, and assemble lasagna on Dec. 24. Save Christmas Eve for the fresh seafood and Christmas Day for baking, roasting, warming, and enjoying the meal.
