16 Festive Recipes for New Year’s Eve
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There isn’t much turnaround time between Christmas and New Year’s, so it’s time to start thinking about the foods that you want to ring in 2011 with! Growing up, my parents always had parties at our house and there were many dishes that made appearances year after year. Classics like veggie pizza, chicken spread, barbecued beans, pork and sauerkraut at midnight, etc. I know folks have all sorts of traditions, and I wanted to share with you some of my favorite recipes that would make great additions to your New Year’s Eve spread. Appetizers, snacks, dips, and desserts – lots of ideas!
Appetizers
Artichoke Spinach Dip
Barbecued Beans (a NYE staple of my mom’s)
Chicken Spread (another NYE staple of my mom’s)
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip
Fontina Stuffed, Bacon-Wrapped Dates
Polenta Pizza
Taco Dip
Traditional Hummus
Desserts
Almost Fudge Gateau
Brownie Mosaic Cheesecake
Chocolate Peanut Butter Torte
Chocolate Rum Cheesecake
Gooey Chocolate Cakes
Hidden Berry Cream Cheese Torte
Peanut Butter-Fudge Cheesecake
Tiramisu
Do you have any New Year’s food traditions? I’d love to hear about them!
it’s a korean tradition to have rice cake soup on new year’s day, so my family always eats it for brunch. sometimes we have it for dinner too! good thing it is one of my favorite foods, and i never get tired of it!
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In the South, we have a dish called Hoppin’ John. It’s filled with rice, black eyed peas, bacon, green, onion, and peppers. It’s supposed to bring the eater good luck: the beans represent pennies, and the greens are greenbacks since they are the color of money.
That polenta pizza looks absolutely DELICIOUS. I’ve never thought about using polenta as a crispy crust…but I can totally taste it now. Yum.
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That chocolate chip cookie dough dip sounds killer! I don’t have any New Year’s food traditions. New Year’s is the one holiday of the season that doesn’t have any particular foods attached to it for me and my family, which is nice because that means I get to try new things every year and I love variety.
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I’ve always had Ham on New Years Day… but this year I’ll be in Boston so I think I will have a lobster roll!!
I’ve made the Mosaic Brownie Cheesecake – WORTH THE WORK!
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i love that you have chocolate cookie dough dip as an appetizer:-)
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Great recipe round-up–thanks for sharing! Happy New Year!
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My Mom passed down this FABULOUS recipe for New Year’s Day Bean Soup…..only I don’t wait until January 1ST to make it! As soon as the weather turns, I start thinking about it! Of course, we DO have it around New Year’s, too! I’ll be soaking beans tomorrow night…which will mean I’ve made it twice in a week’s time! Good stuff! (And who couldn’t use a little extra black-eyed-pea good luck?!?)
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Great ideas! I was just in search of some dessert ideas for New Years Eve! Happy Holidays!
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We don’t have a specific NYE recipe but our tradition is to have appetizers for a late dinner that night. It varies from year to year but we usually have a cheese platter, veggies with some kind of dip, fruit, any leftover Christmas cookies, and a few warm appetizers (egg rolls, mini quiche, etc – sometimes homemade but sometimes store bought depending on how harried I am that year LOL). We often have a layer dip similar to the taco dip you linked (ours has refried beans, salsa, sour cream, cheese, tomato, green onion & olives). My son always insists on jumbo shrimp as well. My kids call it “snacky food night”.
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Thanks for all the great NYE food ideas Michelle. I’ve been dying to make the Brownie Mosiac Cheesecake ever since I saw it posted on your website a while back. I think now is the time haha! Happy New Year!
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Great picks! I am posting my favorites soon, but now I just want to make all of yours..ha!
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Love these ideas! I think I’m going to stay home with my love on New Year’s and cook him up a big meal. The dates sound awesome
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Great round-up of recipes for a New Year’s party. Our New Year’s tradition is to make two big pots of cheese fondue and share them with a group of good friends.
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oh I want to make ALL of these!! ‘Tis the season… to eat! Happy HOlidays!
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Great suggestions! I’m soooo excited for NYE!
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I love your options! We make BBQ chicken dip every New Years Eve. It’s one of my husband’s favorite traditions
Hope you have a great New Years 
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I love seeing your traditional dishes. Though I’m envious of that sweet cookie dough dip appetizer!
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YUM! The chocolate chip cookie dough dip sounds AMAZING!!!!!!!
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These are some great options! I’ve got my eyes set on the hummus – love it!
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We make a taco dip — it’s a staple at our house on NYE.
http://joyinmykitchen.blogspot.com/2010/01/taco-dip.html
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Hi! How do you make your pork and sauerkraut? I’m on my way home from visiting fam in Pburgh where pork and sauerkraut is certainly tradition. Also though I always make a big pot of black-eyed peas (that I’ll cook all day NY Eve in a crockpot with ham bones) and turnip greens since I also lived in the South for a while and you have to have those two on NY Day!
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Michelle on February 16th, 2011 at 9:51 pm
I actually have never made it – that’s my mom’s signature dish!
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I will most definitely be making chocolate peanut butter fudge cheesecake! That is a staple now at my house!! Everyone is begging me bring to our family get together! Thanks for making me the favorite!!! he he
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I’m so going to try your taco dip recipe, it sounds delicious!
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I have to try the Cookie dough dip. I also eat the dough when we’re making desserts, and mum thinks it’s horrible about the egg, so it’s a good idea. Thank you!!
At home, in New Year, we make the biscotti for the foie with macadamia nuts, peanuts, pistachio and almond, and it taste really good. Rest of time, we buy it at the shop, so I think it’s our special tip of New Year
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Thank you so much for these recipe ideas! They all look fantastic, but the Chocolate Peanut Butter Torte is REALLY calling my name. I can’t wait to try it. Thanks and Happy New Year!
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I want to make everything on this list! Thanks for the inspiration.
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This year I’ll be making little wienies!! It’s the finger-food sized smokes wienies, cooked in a honey and yellow mustard sauce. It’s been a staple in my family since I was young. Can’t wait!
Great blog!!
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I’m spent and I’m hoping to go out for this New Year’s
Happy New Year to you!
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omg: cannot stop munching on the white chocolate (with cranberries + pistachios) bark…will have to make more for my friends for the “eve!!” along with your pecan tassies & toffee pretzel bark…
happy 2011 & let there be peace, joy filled days, good health & happiness for all.
all the best to you & your family!!
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We had a wonderful time in Greensburg the last 6 days! For NYE I’ll be making a New Years Pretzel ,and we grill steaks and I make Shrimp Scampi,NYD ,bring on the pork and saurkraut! Happy New Year!!!!!
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Our tradition is chili and tamales and black-eyed peas. I CANNOT start the New Year with those three!
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Have enjoyed your posts this year and am looking forward to 2011. Happy New Year. If you have time, I’d love it if you’d drop by my blog sometime.
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Wow, thanks for all these recipes. Can’t wait to work my way through them. Happy New Year!
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Everything sounds wonderful! Happy new year to you
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The taco dip was great! I didn’t have taco seasoning on hand so subbed a couple of chipotle flavoring cubes (not healthy, I know!), some hot sauce and agave syrup. And I topped it with chopped green bell pepper, tomato and Emmental cheese (cheddar is hard to come by here in France). It was a hit at our New Year’s Eve party! Thanks for the recipe, it will be in my regular rotation now
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I love your options! We make BBQ chicken dip every New Years Eve. It’s one of my husband’s favorite traditions
Hope you have a great New Years 
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