Our 25 Most Popular Recipes in December (2024)

From chicken skillets to roasted veggie sides, these comforting dishes were most clicked on by EatingWell readers throughout December. It's no surprise that warm and cozy meals like creamy casseroles and soups were so popular during the chilly month. Recipes like our Creamy Spinach-Feta Chicken Casserole and Spaghetti & Spinach with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce are so delicious, you'll want them again and again for months to come.

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Spinach & Mushroom Quiche

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Our 25 Most Popular Recipes in December (1)

This healthy vegetarian quiche recipe is as simple as it gets. It's a quiche without the fussy crust! It's filled with sweet wild mushrooms and savory Gruyère cheese. Enjoy it for breakfast or brunch, or serve it with a light salad for lunch.

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Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup with Rotisserie Chicken

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Our 25 Most Popular Recipes in December (2)

This creamy rotisserie chicken soup has a delicious chicken pot pie feel to it. We call for rotisserie chicken to streamline your prep time--look for a nice big one with lots of breast meat on it. Pair this comforting and easy soup recipe with a green salad, or, if you're really hungry, a grilled cheese sandwich.

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Spaghetti & Spinach with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce

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Our 25 Most Popular Recipes in December (3)

To achieve flavor quickly in this sun-dried tomato pasta recipe, we use the oil from sun-dried tomatoes to create the base of the cream sauce. Meanwhile, the residual heat of the pasta wilts the spinach in record time for a fast weeknight dinner.

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Creamy Spinach-&-Feta Chicken Casserole

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Our 25 Most Popular Recipes in December (4)

Inspired by the flavors of spanakopita, here we put a spin on spinach pie and turn it into a casserole. Adding chicken provides protein, while plenty of garlic and onions add flavor. This recipe calls for 8 sheets of phyllo dough, so there's no need to cover them to keep them moist when assembling. If your sheets are larger than your dish, cut them or fold them in half so they fit.

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Creamed Spinach

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Our 25 Most Popular Recipes in December (5)

This creamed spinach recipe is loaded with greens and bound together with just enough creamy goodness to make it luscious but not heavy. Serve it alongside just about anything—from holiday roasts and ham to grilled steak or tofu, you really can't go wrong!

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Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili

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Our 25 Most Popular Recipes in December (6)

Make a double batch of this quick vegetarian chili, full of black beans and sweet potatoes, and eat it for lunch the next day or freeze the extras for another night. We love the smoky heat from the ground chipotle, but omit it if you prefer a mild chili. Serve with tortilla chips or cornbread and coleslaw.

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Chicken & Broccoli Casserole

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Our 25 Most Popular Recipes in December (7)

This one-pan chicken and broccoli casserole is prepared in a skillet on the stovetop, then finished in the oven until it's browned, cheesy and bubbling. Serve with a crunchy green salad.

Honey-Garlic Chicken Thighs with Carrots & Broccoli

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Our 25 Most Popular Recipes in December (8)

This sweet and savory baked honey-garlic chicken thigh recipe comes with a side of veggies that cook on the same sheet pan as the chicken. The honey-soy-garlic marinade for the chicken does double duty as an irresistible sauce to drizzle over everything. Lining your baking sheet with foil will protect your pan from the sticky honey-soy-garlic sauce, so cleanup will be a breeze too. If you can't find small carrots, cut medium carrots in half lengthwise.

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Cucumber Sandwich

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Our 25 Most Popular Recipes in December (9)

This creamy, crunchy cucumber sandwich recipe strikes a lovely balance between decadent and light. The cream cheese-yogurt spread complements the crisp refreshing cucumber while the hearty flavor and texture of the whole-wheat bread holds everything together. Removing the crusts makes it more delicate than your average sandwich.

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Chicken & Spinach Skillet Pasta with Lemon & Parmesan

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Our 25 Most Popular Recipes in December (10)

This one-pan chicken pasta combines lean chicken breast and sautéed spinach for a one-bowl meal that's garlicky, lemony and best served with a little Parm on top. I call it "Mom's Skillet Pasta" and she called it "Devon's Favorite Pasta." Either way it's a quick and easy weeknight dinner we created together and scribbled on a little recipe card more than a decade ago, and it remains in my weekly dinner rotation to this day. It's a simple dinner the whole family will love.

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Whipped Feta Dip with Roasted Red Peppers

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Our 25 Most Popular Recipes in December (11)

This super-creamy whipped feta dip is savory with just a hint of sweetness from honey. This healthy dip is perfect for veggies, whole-grain crackers or bread.

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Melting Potatoes

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Our 25 Most Popular Recipes in December (12)

The name for this potato recipe hints at the creamy interior. Roasting these melting potatoes at high heat ensures they get crunchy on the outside. Then, adding a little broth at the end allows the potatoes to absorb the liquid, making the insides extra moist.

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Chicken Cutlets with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce

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Our 25 Most Popular Recipes in December (13)

Though a chicken cutlet may be a chicken breast cut in half, this recipe shows how to make chicken cutlets with double the deliciousness. A jar of sun-dried tomatoes does double duty for this healthy dinner idea. The flavorful oil they're packed in is used to sauté the chicken, and the tomatoes go into the cream sauce.

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Weight-Loss Cabbage Soup

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Our 25 Most Popular Recipes in December (14)

Loaded with cabbage, carrots, bell pepper, tomato and plenty of seasoning, this healthy cabbage soup recipe packs in lots of flavor and is ultra-satisfying. This easy recipe makes a big batch for lunches or veggie-packed snacks all week. If you want to bump up the satisfaction factor even more, top with a little cheese or avocado.

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Christmas Breakfast Casserole

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Our 25 Most Popular Recipes in December (15)

Enjoy this Christmas-morning casserole while you open presents. Breakfast casseroles are perfect for when you have a crowd to feed, and you can make the prep even quicker by tearing the bread into pieces the night before.

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Chhole (Chickpea Curry)

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Our 25 Most Popular Recipes in December (16)

This healthy Indian recipe is an authentic chickpea curry that you can make in minutes. If you want to add a vegetable, stir in some roasted cauliflower. Serve with brown basmati rice or warm naan.

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Hearty Chickpea & Spinach Stew

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Our 25 Most Popular Recipes in December (17)

This satisfying stew comes together in a snap. Mashed chickpeas add body to the broth, and tomato paste adds a savory note without piling on the sodium in this healthy recipe for weight loss.

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Simple Cabbage Salad

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Our 25 Most Popular Recipes in December (18)

Cabbage maintains a nice crunch when it's tossed with an easy dressing in this simple cabbage salad recipe. This easy salad is perfect for fall when cabbage is at its sweetest.

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One-Pot Lentil & Vegetable Soup with Parmesan

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Our 25 Most Popular Recipes in December (19)

This lentil-vegetable soup is packed with kale and tomatoes for a filling, flavorful main dish. If you have it, the Parmesan cheese rind adds nuttiness and gives the broth some body. If you avoid cheese made with rennet, look for vegetarian Parmesan cheese, which is made without it.

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Cranberry-Almond Energy Balls

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Our 25 Most Popular Recipes in December (20)

These energy balls are the perfect make-ahead snack. Filled with cranberries, almonds, oats and dates, these energy balls come together in minutes. Maple syrup and tahini help bind everything together while adding a touch of sweetness and bitterness.

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Easy Chicken Enchilada Casserole

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Our 25 Most Popular Recipes in December (21)

Casseroles make perfect meal-prep dinners, and this enchilada version is no exception. The whole casserole can be built and left to hang out in the refrigerator for up to three days—just bake it off on a busy night and you have a healthy, easy dinner on the table in no time. The quick homemade enchilada sauce in this recipe is great when you don't have any of the canned sauce on hand; just season crushed tomatoes with spices and salt for an instant enchilada sauce.

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Crispy Smashed Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic & Parmesan

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Our 25 Most Popular Recipes in December (22)

Topped with Parmesan cheese and balsamic vinegar, these flavorful Brussels sprouts will be the star on any table. Smashing the sprouts creates a wide surface area that gets mouthwateringly crispy in the oven.

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Roasted Garlic-Parmesan Cabbage

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Our 25 Most Popular Recipes in December (23)

Cabbage gets transformed in the oven with garlic, Parmesan and olive oil in this simple vegetable side. This irresistible side dish would make a welcome addition to any meal—try serving it alongside chicken or steak.

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Chicken & Zucchini Casserole

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Our 25 Most Popular Recipes in December (24)

This baked chicken and zucchini casserole is creamy, hearty and low-carb! The whole family will love this easy casserole, plus it's a great way to get the kids to eat their veggies (concealed in a delicious cheese sauce!).

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French-Onion Smashed Potatoes

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Our 25 Most Popular Recipes in December (25)

Inspired by the flavors of French onion soup, crispy, tender potatoes get topped with sweet caramelized onions and shredded Gruyère for a savory bite. These potatoes make a tasty side dish or appetizer that's sure to impress.