385 ahead recipes

Cranberry-apple Stilton bites on Melba toast with port-braised fruit, creamy blue cheese, and chopped walnuts. A make-ahead holiday appetizer that balances sweet, salty, and funky in one bite.

Beau Monde dip, the classic dill and onion party dip in a creamy sour cream and mayo base, seasoned with Beau Monde for a savory, celery-salt edge. Make-ahead and made for chips, crudites, or a bread bowl.

Mango Splash cocktail with fresh mango puree, curacao, lime juice, and sparkling wine. An elegant brunch drink or party cocktail with a make-ahead puree base. Non-alcoholic option with ginger ale.

Caramelized onion topping with rosemary and toasted pine nuts, slow-cooked in butter and olive oil. A savory make-ahead spread for crostini, pizza, roast meats, or tossed with pasta.

Homemade cranberry orange sauce studded with dried apricots and raisins. This fruity, jewel-toned holiday condiment can be made up to 4 days ahead and thickens beautifully as it chills.

Cucumber and radish salad marinated in zesty Italian dressing with sweet onion and parsley. Crisp, refreshing and low-carb, it gets better as it chills, a make-ahead side that needs no cooking.

Smoky chipotle salsa simmered with roma tomatoes and garlic, then pureed smooth for a deep, fiery table sauce. A bold make-ahead salsa that keeps for days and freezes well.

This lighter chocolate dessert has a bonus because it is also easy to prepare. Plan to make this recipe one day ahead to let the yogurt drain in your refrigerator.

A frozen slush punch made with cranberry juice, pineapple juice, and sugar, topped with lemon-lime soda for fizz. Make ahead and scoop out servings as needed. Makes 2 gallons.

Christmas Lizzies are boozy Southern fruitcake cookies loaded with candied cherries, raisins, dates, pecans, and citrus zest, soaked in whiskey. Make them weeks ahead and drizzle with spirits to age.

Slice-and-bake cheddar cheese biscuits with Worcestershire and hot sauce, topped with poppy, sesame, or celery seeds. Make the dough ahead and bake crispy, golden rounds whenever guests arrive.

Pickled black-eyed peas marinated in a garlic-infused oil and red wine vinegar dressing with red onion and cayenne. A Southern make-ahead appetizer that improves over several days.

Gingered cabbage-beet salad with red cabbage, pickled beets, sweet cherries, crystallized ginger, and red wine vinegar. A vibrant make-ahead slaw that marinates overnight and keeps for 2 days.

Szechuan cold noodles tossed in a sesame-soy-chili oil sauce with sliced scallions. A Chinese-style make-ahead noodle dish that improves with a few hours in the fridge.

Spinach pesto appetizer: a sliceable, high-protein cheesecake-style savory loaf with spinach, cottage cheese, cream cheese, and Romano. Perfect make-ahead party food served chilled with crackers or crostini.

Rice pilaf salad tosses diced turkey, brown rice, chickpeas, kidney beans, apples, celery, and green olives into a protein-loaded chilled salad. Perfect for Thanksgiving leftovers or make-ahead lunches.