What type of New Year’s Eve persona are you? Some of us are the partygoers, intent on making the most of the final few hours of the year. Others, like myself, look forward to curling up in my coziest pajamas with a friend, good book, cuddly pet—or preferably, all three!—for company. There are others still who find themselves somewhere in between, either booking a table for two at a favorite restaurant or hosting a small group of friends at home. Whichever describes your NYE plans best, there’s a common ground we can all agree on. While indulging is par for the course when it comes to celebrating the year to come, I doubt any of us want to wake up to either a sugar or alcohol-induced headache. To help us fend off bad 2024 vibes, I rounded up my favorite healthy New Year’s Eve recipes.
Remember: restriction is not the goal. My hope is to help you fill your plate with all the delicious and nutritious foods that’ll let you celebrate the holiday in whatever way you please while waking up ready to make your 2024 vision board a reality. I found everything from mocktails to satisfying mains to small bites bursting with flavor. Get ready for gluten-free goodness, vegan deliciousness, and veggie-packed apps.
18 Healthy New Year’s Eve Recipes
Something I love about setting the intention to incorporate healthier foods into my diet is the creativity it inspires. When you’re focusing on bringing color and feel-good ingredients to every meal, the foods you create and consume are inevitably more satisfying. You might be surprised to discover how much closer and more connected you are to what you eat. And honestly, that feeling alone is far more gratifying than stressing over calorie counts.
So with abundance on our minds and excitement to try all the healthy food and flavor combos, let’s dive in. Get ready to wrap up 2023 on a high note and ring in the new year to come.
Healthy Mocktails
Minty Pomegranate Punch
Why We Love It: Pomegranates are the ever-elusive ingredient that I’m desperate to make the most of when they’re in season. Muddling the pomegranate arils with blueberry and mint balances the sweet and tart flavors beautifully. Trust me when I say this will be the best take on a non-boozy mojito you’ve ever had.
Hero Ingredient: I love the cool and sweet flavor that mint can bring to just about anything.
Salty Dog Mocktail
Why We Love It: Okay, so technically this recipe was developed as a cocktail. But thankfully, Camille was thinking ahead and figured many of us would want to ring in the new year with this drink—minus the vodka. It’s one of our most popular recipes of 2023, and for good reason. It’s refreshing and hydrating, and you can sip on it knowing you won’t wake up with a hangover in the morning.
Hero Ingredient: Grapefruit juice is my all-time favorite mixer for mocktails and cocktails alike.
Healthy Snacks and Appetizers
Crudite Platter
Why We Love It: With an abundant crudite platter on your table, you can make your eat-more-veggies-in-2024 goal a reality even before the clock strikes midnight. One of the many beautiful things about this healthy New Year’s Eve recipe is that it’s a choose-your-own-adventure-type situation. Follow the template we’ve provided and then let your cravings guide the way.
Hero Ingredient: If you need me, I’ll be right next to the creamy caramelized onion dip.
Sautéed Garlic, Carrot, and Hummus Toasts
Why We Love It: One peek at these toasts’ bright pop-of-orange topping and I immediately think healthy. Thankfully, after just one bite, you’ll realize that the flavor follows suit. Crunchy, toasted sourdough serves as the base with a thick smear of creamy hummus and sweet and spicy carrots to finish things off. Proof that virtuous eating doesn’t ever have to be boring.
Hero Ingredient: This snack will transform all your previous opinions about carrots. Lacking flavor? Never.
Smoky Eggplant Dip
Why We Love It: Baba ganoush, but with the volume turned up (and that’s saying something). If you think eggplant-based dips are for warm-weather gatherings only, think again. Once your eggplant has been roasted, all that’s left to do is mix its creamy goodness with the ultimate blend of spices and flavorings (think: smoked paprika, thyme, garlic, tahini, and cumin). The resulting flavor is over the top.
Hero Ingredient: Choose from any of the spices I listed above. They all bring so much depth and dimension to this dip, it’s hard to name the best.
Holiday Charcuterie Board
Why We Love It: I know what you’re thinking—charcuterie… healthy? Here’s the beautiful thing about constructing and snacking on a charcuterie board: the components are totally up to you. Olives and nuts deliver a healthy dose of fats while fresh and dried fruits (grapes, figs, and pomegranate arils) lend a little antioxidant love to the mix. From there, sprinkle in some cheese and dried meats and top your crackers as you please. The tasty, colorful combos are limited only by your imagination.
Hero Ingredient: Again, there are no hard-and-fast rules about what your charcuterie board should and shouldn’t include. But if I had to pick just one standout snack, it’d be Marcona almonds. Even the Barefoot Contessa agrees.
Maman’s Kale Pea & Ricotta Spread
Why We Love It: Of all the healthy New Year’s Eve recipes I can think of, this might be my all-time fave. Why? First off, let’s talk about the color. Kale and peas yield a bright, vibrant green that’s welcome in the middle of winter. And the texture is beyond creamy, thanks to a healthy dose of the ricotta. Lastly, this spread boasts beautiful flavor with the nutmeg, black pepper, lemon, and red pepper flakes all mixed in.
Hero Ingredient: It has to be the lemon juice. It’s essential for brightening up any healthy New Year’s Eve recipe.
Ricotta with Pears and Honeyed Pistachios
Why We Love It: Approved for Instagram and all of your social media pursuits, this ricotta board is beyond beautiful. And thankfully, so simple to put together. With only the most minimal amount of effort required, you’ll have this five-ingredient appetizer on the table within minutes.
Hero Ingredient: It’s the pistachios. The blend bright color with crunchy texture to perfection.
Healthy Sides and Main Dishes
Squash Farro Salad With Apple, Goat Cheese, & Pecans
Why We Love It: The salty-sweet combination of this salad’s impressive ingredients is unmatched. Farro is a nutty, toothsome grain that you need to start incorporating into your 2024 cooking, stat. This salad is a perfect entry point, with delicata squash that crisps up in the oven, tangy goat cheese, crisp apples, and a dressing you’ll be putting on everything.
Hero Ingredient: Dijon mustard is my favorite base for any vinaigrette. It adds a punch of flavor that’ll have you licking this dressing off the spoon.
Zucchini Pasta
Why We Love It: If your New Year’s Eve gathering is more of a sit-down celebration than a finger food fête, this is the main to make. Pasta is always my go-to when I’m wanting to impress without worrying whether or not my dish will actually turn out. Intentionally rustic, this veggie-packed pasta is inherently and beautifully imperfect. It’s a healthy recipe that feels special enough to welcome in the new year.
Hero Ingredient: Keep the parmesan coming.
Creamy Vegan Butternut Squash Pasta
Why We Love It: While it might not seem special enough to bring to your New Year’s Eve gathering, this isn’t just any old pasta. This dish is creamy, comforting, and cheesy, but more than that, it’s full of nuanced flavor thanks to the miso and sage. You heard it here first—chickpea pasta is taking over.
Hero Ingredient: The butternut squash makes this the ultimate sweet and savory pasta.
Vegan Flatbread with Roasted Carrot and Red Pepper Hummus
Why We Love It: It’s basically a rule: When hummus is on the table, the party has started. But if you’re looking for a main dish that’ll take everyone’s favorite party snack to the next level, this flatbread is your answer. Toasty, charred pita meets creamy and sweet hummus and gets topped with fresh and flavorful veggies. The celebrations really can’t begin until you serve this.
Hero Ingredient: Give it up for the two teaspoons of paprika that weave in a little smoky heat for a hummus that’s truly addictive.
Honey Sriracha Tempeh Spring Rolls
Why We Love It: There’s something about these spring rolls that feels perfect for New Year’s Eve. Perhaps it’s because I’ve always associated finger food with the holiday or the fact that the presentation is a surefire stunner. Regardless, these plant-based, protein-packed rolls will satisfy every appetite and pair perfectly with a glass of bubbly.
Hero Ingredient: The sauce is a stunner, and I have to give the award to sriracha for boosting its flavor with a pungent, garlicky heat.
Healthy Desserts
Easy Cinnamon Baked Apples
Why We Love It: I was at a dinner party the other night where someone served spicy, sweet, and cozy baked apples. While the presentation was humble, the flavor and all-around impact were beyond words. A total of nine ingredients (two being water and salt) makes this just about the simplest after-dinner sweet. And because when you’re working with something as wonderfully delicious as apples, there’s not much that can be improved upon.
Hero Ingredient: Except… butter makes everything better.
Gluten-Free Citrus Cake with Strawberries and Cardamom Coconut Cream
Why We Love It: When it comes to healthy New Year’s Eve recipes, this dessert takes the literal cake. The recipe is a chic yogurt cake that combines almond flour and gluten-free AP to yield a fluffy, cloud-like confection. It’s a GF twist that’s still dreamy and decadent.
Hero Ingredient: Coconut cream is my favorite way to whip up a quick dairy-free garnish.
Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Brownies
Why We Love It: Because of their rustic, humble presentation, you might not associate brownies with this sparkly and glitzy holiday. But… that’s where you’d be wrong. When the clock strikes midnight and your guests are a couple of champagne coupes deep, nothing will satisfy the craving for something sweet quite like a chocolatey brownie. And because these are both gluten- and dairy-free, everyone can enjoy.
Hero Ingredient: I love swapping in maple syrup instead of granulated sugar. It makes for a complex sweetness and nice, moist crumb.
Healthy Oatmeal Cookies with Coconut, Raisins, and Dark Chocolate
Why We Love It: These healthy oatmeal cookies are one of my favorite 3 p.m. snacks, but their beauty lies in their versatility. Truly, you can enjoy these almost any time of day and for any occasion—New Year’s Eve, included. Enjoy the crispy-chewy texture these cookies offer thanks to the blend of raisins, dark chocolate, walnuts, coconut flakes, and oats. That’s right, these deliver it all.
Hero Ingredient: No cookie is complete without flaky salt sprinkled on top.
Healthy & Easy Apple Crumble
Why We Love It: Think you can’t enjoy apples past November? Think again, my friends. While the pumpkin spice gives off distinct autumnal vibes, you have my permission to bake this crumble all winter long. It’s spicy, crispy, and just sweet enough.
Hero Ingredient: It’s not a crumble without oats. They get deliciously crisp in the oven and create the perfect bite against the soft, melt-in-your-mouth apples.
