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Traditional Christmas Dinner Menu
We’re hosting Christmas Day this year, and it’s been a while since we’ve done that so I’ve been researching recipes to create a Traditional Christmas Dinner menu and I thought I’d share it with you.
I’ve covered everything from starters and roasts to sides and puddings. Don’t forget to scroll all the way to the end so you don’t miss any of the fabulous ideas, and be sure to pin your favourites as you go so you can find them again later!
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Traditional Christmas Starters
The Ultimate Prawn Cocktail
I think Christmas Day is the only time anyone in my family eats a Prawn Cocktail, this recipe uses a secret ingredient to make it taste extra special! (via The Telegraph)
Smoked Salmon on Toast
If you’d prefer to serve salmon for a starter check out this Jamie Oliver recipe. Of course it is Christmas so there’s no reason you can’t serve a Prawn Cocktail and Salmon Bites! (via Jamie Oliver)
Christmas Roasts
Holiday Roast Goose
Traditionally UK folks would eat a Goose for Christmas Dinner. They’re not actually that difficult to cook and this recipe has a wonderful spice rub to give the bird a wonderful taste. (via Jamie Oliver)
Roast Turkey with Pears & Sage
If goose just seems a little too extravagant you can still have a traditional dinner by roasting a turkey instead. For a twist this recipe includes a pear glaze and a pear and sage stuffing. Yum. (via Adventures in Cooking)
Christmas Sides
Sage, Onion and Smoked Bacon Stuffing
If you prefer your stuffing to be the Sage and Onion variety why not try this delicious looking recipe that adds smoked bacon for extra flavour. (via HGTV)
Bacon Wrapped Smokies with Brown Sugar Glaze
Speaking of bacon, no Christmas Day dinner is complete without sausages wrapped in bacon (or pigs-in-blankets, or smokies, whatever you call ’em!, and plenty of them! I can’t wait to try this recipe that adds brown sugar for extra sweetness. (via Moms Need to Know)
Oven Roasted Parsnips with Thyme
Parsnips are a must have vegetable in the Traditional Christmas Dinner, and this recipe is so simple with some fresh thyme to bring out the flavour. I have to say I’ve always cut my parsnips longways but I like the look of these smaller slices! (via Foodness Gracious)
Easy Bread Sauce
Ah bread sauce, the traditional accompaniment to a roast turkey and a must have Christmas Dinner sauce. I had to search long and hard to find this recipe so no twist here! (via BBC)
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Apples
Brussel sprouts are definitely an acquired taste but they are a key part of the traditional dinner. Mix things up a little by adding in some bacon and apples. (via Wholefully)
Festive Side Dishes: Duck Fat Roast Potatoes & Honey-Cumin Roasted Carrots
We always have to make extra roast potatoes because they are my husband’s favourite part of Christmas and if he gets to the bowl first no one else gets a look in! The absolute best tasting roasties are those cooked in duck fat just like this recipe. (via Simply Delicious)
Christmas Desserts
Delia’s Classic Christmas Pudding with Brandy Sauce
Nothing says Traditional Christmas Dinner like a flaming Christmas pudding! Make sure you add a silver coin into the mixture as it will bring luck to the one who finds it (as long as everyone knows to look for one – we don’t want anyone choking at Christmas!). And according to this wonderful article here you should make your Pudding on Stir Up Sunday, stirring the mixture from East to West in honour of the Wise Men. Ask everyone in your family to stir the Pudding and tell them to make a secret wish. (via Delia Online)
Star-Topped Mince Pies
And we can’t have Christmas Day in our family without the good old mince pie. In fact my Dad loves them so much he starts eating them right after Halloween! (via Nigella Lawson)
Christmas Crackers
For a truly traditional Christmas Dinner you need to give each guest a Christmas cracker, then have everyone link arms and pull them at the same time!
Preparing your Kitchen for Christmas Day
Make your time in the kitchen a little less stressful this Christmas with some of these trusty tools:
- Sturdy roasting pan – you’ll need a deep roasting pan to cook that turkey and this pan is a great choice because it’s perfect for cooking lasagne and other casseroles the rest of the year. Oh and it comes with a plastic lid too so you can leave the leftovers right there in the pan. If there are any leftovers of course!
- Professional carving set – there’s no point spending hours fussing over the turkey to make sure it tastes delicious if you then try and hack it up with an old carving knife. Treat your husband to a professional set like this one so he can serve up beautiful slices of turkey.
- Microwave safe baking dishes – a must have for baking your side dishes, this set from Pyrex is brilliant because not only do the dishes have lids there’s also a handled carrier which is perfect for taking dishes to a pot luck dinner.
- Stainless steel turkey baster – for keeping your turkey nice and moist while it’s baking. It is so much easier to use a baster than a spoon!
- Turkey thermometer – if like me you worry about serving an undercooked turkey this is a must have investment for your Thanksgiving dinner preparations.
- Carving board with a trench – I never really understood why my wooden carving board had a trench around the edge until I tried to carve a turkey on my flat plastic one, and all the juices ran off on to the counter.
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