Source: Lilechka75, AdobeStockEvery December, many people find themselves torn between the desire to cook something new and the habit of repeating classic dishes. You're probably familiar with this feeling! You want to surprise your guests, avoid getting exhausted in the kitchen, and set a festive table. And also, not to miss out on the traditions of the Year of the Fire Horse! We offer a menu for the 2026 New Year's feast!
New Year's Appetizers 2026
Sometimes it's the small dishes that set the mood for the entire table – light, vibrant, and appetizing, disappearing the fastest. To avoid guessing what to cook this time, grab our ready-made selection of New Year's appetizers!
Bruschetta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Source: AdobeStockSimple, beautiful, and at the same time very refined.
You will need: 1 ciabatta or baguette, 200 g cream cheese, 150 g sun-dried tomatoes, 1 avocado, arugula, Parmesan.
Preparation: Slice and toast the ciabatta in a pan. Then spread it with cream cheese and arrange avocado slices, topped with pieces of sun-dried tomatoes. Garnish with arugula and Parmesan.
Cheese Balls with Prunes
Source: AdobeStockSweet paprika gives this appetizer a beautiful hue and an unusual flavor.
You will need: 150 g hard cheese, 150 g cream cheese, 80 g prunes, 80 g walnuts, salt, paprika, spices.
Preparation: Soak prunes in hot water, rinse, pat dry, and chop finely. Grate the hard cheese and mix everything with cream cheese. Season to taste and form balls from this mixture. Roll them in crushed walnuts and it's ready!
New Year's Tartlets with Chicken and Oranges
Source: AdobeStockThere are simply no more practical appetizers than tartlets.
You will need: 10 tartlets, 1 chicken fillet, 1 orange, 150 g hard cheese, mayonnaise, salt, ground black pepper.
Preparation: Boil and finely chop the chicken fillet, grate the cheese, and slice the peeled orange segments. Mix everything, season with salt and pepper, and dress with mayonnaise. Fill the tartlets with the prepared mixture.
Canapés with Fresh Vegetables
Source: AdobeStockAn interesting way to serve a vegetable platter creatively for the 2026 New Year's table.
You will need: 200 g cherry tomatoes, 200 g cucumbers, 200 g bell peppers, 200 g feta or brined cheese, 2 handfuls of olives, salad mix.
Preparation: Cut vegetables and cheese into arbitrary shapes. Arrange all ingredients beautifully on skewers, alternating them with olives and pieces of salad leaves.
Lavash Roll with Red Fish for New Year's
Source: AdobeStockIt must be prepared in advance so that it soaks thoroughly.
You will need: 2 sheets of lavash, 250 g red fish, 200 g cream cheese or curd cheese, 1 cucumber, 1 bunch of lettuce, 30 g dill.
Preparation: Spread cream cheese on a lavash sheet, arrange lettuce leaves, cover with a second lavash sheet, and spread with cheese again. Then sprinkle with chopped dill, and arrange slices of red fish and cucumber. Roll tightly, wrap in cling film, and refrigerate for several hours. Slice into portions before serving.
20 Layered Salads for New Year 2026 That Everyone Will Love
New Year's Salads 2026
A New Year's table rarely goes without salads – it's as essential as a Christmas tree, tangerines, and champagne. You want something light, satisfying, vibrant, and without endless repetitions of the same recipes. We offer interesting options!
Salad with Crab Sticks and Oranges
Source: AdobeStockAs delicious as classic crab salad – but more original.
You will need: 200 g crab sticks, 1 orange, 100 g canned corn, 5 quail eggs, mayonnaise, garlic, salt, ground black pepper.
Preparation: Boil and cut quail eggs into halves or quarters. Separately chop crab sticks and peeled orange segments. Mix everything, add corn, and for the salad dressing – mix mayonnaise, minced garlic, salt, and ground black pepper.
Chicken and Mandarin Salad for New Year's
Source: AdobeStockIf you wish, sprinkle it with your favorite nuts when serving.
You will need: 1 chicken fillet, 250 g mandarins, 200 g salad mix, 1 purple onion, 30 ml olive oil, 1 tsp grainy mustard, salt, ground black pepper.
Preparation: Boil, bake, or fry chicken fillet with spices. Cut it into pieces, and the onion into feathers. Peel and slice mandarin segments. Arrange everything on the salad mix. Mix olive oil, grainy mustard, salt, and ground pepper, and drizzle this dressing over the salad.
Chicken and Pomegranate Salad
Source: AdobeStockRed pomegranate can also be easily used to decorate other dishes for the 2026 New Year's table.
You will need: 1 chicken fillet, 2 eggs, 200 g apples, 1 purple onion, 1 pomegranate, 50 g walnuts, light mayonnaise, salt, ground black pepper.
Preparation: Boil chicken fillet and eggs until cooled. Chop all ingredients, crush walnuts, add pomegranate seeds, and dress the salad with mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper.
New Year's Salad with Grapefruit and Soft Cheese
Source: AdobeStockLight, refreshing, and very original.
You will need: 300 g soft cheese to taste, 3 tomatoes, 1 grapefruit, 1-2 purple onions, 50 g olives, 4 tbsp olive oil, herbs, salt, ground black pepper.
Preparation: Peel the grapefruit, slice tomatoes into wedges, onion into feathers, and olives into rings. Cut the cheese into arbitrary pieces, chop herbs, and dress the salad with olive oil and spices.
Salmon and Avocado Salad
Source: AdobeStockIf you're worried about the avocado browning, then sprinkle it with lemon juice.
You will need: 150 g lightly salted salmon, 200-250 g cherry tomatoes, 1 avocado, 2 handfuls of arugula, 4 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp wine vinegar, 1 tsp lemon juice, salt, spices, aromatic herbs.
Preparation: Mix olive oil, wine vinegar, lemon juice, salt, spices, and aromatic herbs for the dressing. Slice red fish, tomatoes, and avocado, mix everything with arugula, and dress the salad.
20 Delicious Tartlet Recipes for New Year 2026
New Year's Main Courses 2026
The main course is the star of any feast, including New Year's. And this main course can be very diverse – meat, poultry, fish, seafood. Choose what suits your company best!
Baked Chicken with Rice
Source: AdobeStockThat main dish that doesn't even need a separate side dish.
You will need: 1 chicken, 200 g apples, 150 g rice, 40 ml soy sauce, 25 ml vegetable oil, 50 g honey, 40 g mustard, 15 g butter, spices.
Preparation: Mix vegetable oil, soy sauce, honey, mustard, and your favorite spices. Rub the chicken with this marinade inside and out, place it in a baking dish, and leave for half an hour.
Separately slice apples and fry them in butter for 3-5 minutes. Boil rice, mix it with apples, and stuff the poultry with the resulting filling. Then bake the chicken for 60-80 minutes in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius, but don't forget to periodically baste it with its juices!
Stuffed Pumpkin
Source: AdobeStockA bright orange pumpkin will easily become the star of the table in 2026 – the Year of the Fire Horse.
You will need: 1 large pumpkin, 500 g beef, 500 g potatoes, 2 bell peppers, 1 carrot, 1 onion, 25 g garlic, 3 sprigs of rosemary, 50 g butter, 2 tbsp vegetable oil, salt, ground coriander, aromatic herbs.
Preparation: Cut, season, and sear the beef until browned over high heat. Add chopped onion and cook for another 5 minutes. Then add carrots to the meat, and after 3 minutes – season, pour in 1.5 cups of boiling water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 30-40 minutes covered over low heat.
Cut off the top of the pumpkin and carefully scoop out all the pulp so that the wall thickness is 2-2.5 cm. Cut potatoes and bell peppers, add them to the meat, add garlic, rosemary, spices, and aromatic herbs, and simmer for another 10-15 minutes.
Rub the inside of the pumpkin with soft butter, garlic, and spices. Place it on parchment paper and fill it with the stuffing and remaining liquid. Cover with the cut-off lid and bake for 1 hour in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius.
Duck with Dried Fruits for New Year's
Source: AdobeStockRequires a little more cooking time, but the result is worth admiring!
You will need: 1 duck, 250 g favorite dried fruits, 4 apples, 100 ml dry white wine, 1 tsp honey, salt, spices.
Preparation: Rub the prepared duck with salt and poultry spices both inside and out. Mix sliced apples and dried fruits, stuff the duck with them, and secure the opening with string or toothpicks.
Place the bird in a roasting bag and pour in the wine mixed with honey. Bake the dish for approximately 2 hours in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius, then cut open the bag and let the duck brown a little more.
Baked Salmon with Oranges
Source: AdobeStockRed fish baked in the oven is a classic dish for any festive table. And New Year's 2026 is no exception!
You will need: 800 g salmon fillet, 1-2 oranges, 1 cm ginger root, 1 clove garlic, olive oil, teriyaki sauce, salt, ground pink pepper.
Preparation: Salt and pepper the fish, then carefully place it on parchment paper. Mix a tablespoon of teriyaki sauce with minced garlic and ginger, and thoroughly coat the salmon fillet with this marinade. Arrange thin orange slices, drizzle with olive oil, and bake for 20 minutes in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius.
Stuffed Bell Peppers with Cheese
Source: AdobeStockAnd to make it even more beautiful, you can use bell peppers of several different colors.
You will need: 600 g bell peppers, 600 g ground meat, 100 g rice, 1 onion, 1 carrot, 150 g sour cream, 250 g hard cheese, salt, spices.
Preparation: Boil rice until half-cooked and mix it with ground meat, minced onion, carrot, and spices. Add a third of the grated cheese to the resulting stuffing. Cut the peppers in half, remove the cores, and fill with the stuffing. Place the stuffed peppers in a baking dish, spread with sour cream, and bake for 25 minutes in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius. Then sprinkle with the remaining cheese and bake for another 10 minutes.
20 Original Canapé Recipes for New Year 2026
New Year's Side Dishes 2026
Side dishes are rarely the center of attention, but they are what truly complete a main course. Therefore, they also need to be given due time! Especially for such a wonderful occasion as New Year's 2026!
Rustic Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes
Source: AdobeStockEasy and quick to prepare both in the oven and in an air fryer.
You will need: 800 g potatoes, 400 g sweet potatoes, 50 ml olive oil, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp smoked paprika, dried garlic.
Preparation: Thoroughly wash and slice potatoes and sweet potatoes into wedges. Then mix them with olive oil, salt, and spices, and spread in a single layer on parchment paper. Bake for about 30 minutes in the oven at 200 degrees Celsius.
Baked Carrots with Honey
Source: AdobeStockBright orange classic, perfectly suited to the symbolism of 2026.
You will need: 600 g carrots, 4 cloves garlic, 80 ml olive oil, 50 g honey, 20 ml 6% vinegar, salt, ground red pepper, aromatic herbs.
Preparation: Mix vegetable oil, honey, vinegar, and all spices. Cut carrots into sticks, mince garlic, pour the previously prepared marinade over everything, and mix. Bake for 15 minutes in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius, then stir and bake for another 10-15 minutes until tender.
Vegetables with Mushrooms in the Oven
Source: AdobeStockThe simplest and at the same time the best side dish.
You will need: 1 zucchini, 1 squash, 3 bell peppers, 1 small head of broccoli, 250 g mushrooms, 1 purple onion, 4 cloves garlic, 4 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp honey, salt, spices, aromatic herbs.
Preparation: Mix oil, lemon juice, honey, and all spices with herbs. Cut vegetables, mushrooms, and garlic, and mix them with this marinade. Transfer the vegetables to a heatproof dish and bake for approximately 30-40 minutes in the oven at 170 degrees Celsius.
Rice with Cauliflower and Turmeric for New Year's
Source: AdobeStockA wonderful dish that will be a worthy decoration for the 2026 New Year's table.
You will need: 500 g cauliflower, 150 g rice, 1 tsp turmeric, vegetable oil, salt, other spices, aromatic herbs.
Preparation: Fry dry rice in a small amount of vegetable oil for 2 minutes, add salt, turmeric, and spices, and mix. Pour in 300 ml of water, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer rice covered until cooked. If necessary, add water as it evaporates.
Chop and separately fry cauliflower until beautifully browned, then add it to the rice and mix. For a more interesting flavor, you can also add a little greenery or grated cheese.
Pilaf with Pumpkin and Couscous
Source: AdobeStockA little exoticism for New Year's certainly won't hurt!
You will need: 200 g couscous, 500 g pumpkin, 2 purple onions, 1 lemon, 4 sprigs of parsley, 3 tbsp olive oil, salt, paprika, other spices, aromatic herbs.
Preparation: Cut pumpkin and onion into small pieces, drizzle with olive oil, season, and bake for 15-20 minutes in the oven at 200 degrees Celsius – until the pumpkin is tender. Separately prepare couscous according to package instructions. Then mix it with vegetables and dress with lemon juice, zest, and chopped parsley.
20 Amazing Sandwich Recipes for New Year 2026
New Year's Desserts 2026
The finale of the New Year's feast should be sweet – literally and figuratively. When dessert appears on the table, a new part of the celebration begins. Make it even brighter and more atmospheric!
Jelly Cake with Fruits
Source: AdobeStockDecorate the finished cake with grated chocolate and mint leaves.
You will need: 500 g sour cream, 300 g fruits and berries, 200 g cookies, 150 g sugar, 20 g gelatin, 150 ml water.
Preparation: Chop fruits and berries, break large cookies, whip sour cream with sugar, and dissolve gelatin in water according to package instructions. Pour the gelatin mixture into the sour cream and mix thoroughly. Arrange fruits and cookies in a mold, pour the sour cream-gelatin mixture over them, and refrigerate the cake until set.
Trifle with Cherry and Chocolate
Source: AdobeStockA great portioned dessert that everyone will surely love.
You will need: 3 eggs, 150 g sugar, 75 g flour, 30 g cocoa, 0.5 tsp baking powder, 350 ml 33-35% cream, 75 g powdered sugar, 150 g cream cheese, 250 g cherries in syrup.
Preparation: Whisk eggs with sugar until fluffy, add flour with cocoa and baking powder, and mix. Pour the resulting batter into a mold to make a not-too-thick biscuit, and bake for 7-8 minutes in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius. Then let the biscuit cool and break it into small pieces.
Whisk cream with powdered sugar until stiff peaks form, mix with cream cheese, and whisk again. Layer biscuit pieces, cream, and cherries in dessert glasses.
Orange Muffins for New Year's
Source: AdobeStockEspecially for lovers of fragrant homemade baked goods!
You will need: 150 g butter, 3 eggs, 150 g sugar, 220-250 g flour, 1 orange, 10 g vanilla sugar, 10 g baking powder.
Preparation: Cream soft butter with two types of sugar, beat in eggs, and mix. Add orange zest and juice, mix again, then gradually add flour with baking powder. Divide the resulting batter into muffin cups and bake for 20-25 minutes in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius.
New Year's Gingerbread Cookies
Source: AdobeStockYou can cut them into Christmas tree shapes or other figures, and decorate with icing.
You will need: 200 g butter, 2 eggs, 200 g sugar, 350 g flour, 1 tsp cocoa, 0.5 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp ground ginger, ground cardamom, cloves, and other spices.
Preparation: Whip soft butter with sugar, beat in eggs, and whip again. Then add all dry ingredients, knead, wrap the dough in cling film, and refrigerate for 2-3 hours. After that, leave it at room temperature for 1 hour, then roll thinly, cut, and bake cookies for 10 minutes in the oven at 200 degrees Celsius.
Homemade White Chocolate Candies
Source: AdobeStockA delicious treat that will become one of your favorites for New Year's 2026!
You will need: 150 g mixed nuts, 40 g dried cranberries, 50 g dark chocolate, 2 tbsp condensed milk, 150 g white chocolate.
Preparation: Finely chop nuts and dark chocolate, add cranberries, and enough condensed milk to form balls from the mixture. Form small balls and place them in the freezer for several hours. Then melt white chocolate, dip the candies into it, arrange them on parchment paper, and let them set completely.