Christmas dinner doesn’t have to be stressful! Make your life easier this year by cooking up some of these easy Christmas dinner recipes.. Full of tips, tricks and cheats, these easy Christmas menu ideas, from me and my fellow food bloggers, are sure to make Christmas morning a much less stressful and more enjoyable affair….but no less delicious!!
Christmas is a busy old time of year and one thing that always causes a great deal of stress is the Christmas dinner. So this year, to help you out, I have gathered together a bumper 43 easy peasy Christmas dinner recipes to make things that bit easier in the kitchen on Christmas day…so you can have more time to open presents, chat to friends and family and drink that glass of bubbly…rather than spending all morning frazzled in the kitchen!
Some of the recipes are mine and some of them are from my food blogging buddies …but all of them are easy to prepare and designed to take the stress out of cooking your Christmas lunch – either by making things ahead of time, using great tricks, cheats and shortcuts, or just by being great tasting but naturally simple recipes.
To make things even easier I’ve divided this bumper Christmas dinner recipe roundup into categories so you can easily find just what you are looking for! There’s starters and nibbles, turkey and alternative meats, showstopping vegetarian and vegan centrepieces, lots of easy recipes for your Christmas vegetables and of course, not forgetting, easy Christmas puddings and desserts!
I would LOVE to know if you make any of these on Christmas Day and how they turned out! I would especially love to see pictures on social media 😀 I’m onTwitter,FacebookandInstagram – if you do make one of these recipes, please tag me @easypeasyfoodie and use the #easypeasyfoodie hashtag, so I can see what you’ve been cooking up!!
Wishing you a very merry, stress-free and delicious Christmas!
Eb x
Easy Christmas Starters and Nibbles
Pesto Puff Pastry Christmas Tree
This Christmas tree shaped party nibble has serious wow-factor, but uses ready-made puff pastry and pesto, so it’s actually really easy!
Recipe by Recipes Made Easy
Get the recipe => Pesto Puff Pastry Christmas Tree
Sticky, Honey Glazed Prawns with Griddled Greens
Quick and easy sticky prawns! A great alternative to prawn co*cktail starter. It can feed a lot or a few. The greens can be prepped in advance and the prawns only take a few minutes to cook.
Recipe by Proper Foodie
Get the recipe => Sticky, Honey Glazed Prawns with Griddled Greens
Bacon and Cheese Straws
Super quick and easy, these bacon and cheese straws can be prepared the night before and kept in the fridge. Then just pop them into the oven to cook for 30 minutes on Christmas morning!
Recipe by Easy Peasy Foodie
Get the recipe => Bacon and Cheese Straws
Spiced Almonds
Or why not rustle up your own Spiced Almonds? They only take 20 minutes to make and are sure to impress your guests!
Recipe by Fab Food 4 All
Get the recipe => Spiced Almonds
Smoked Salmon on Rye Bread
Skip the formal starter and serve these in the lounge with prezzies and champagne – then just go straight to mains at the table!
Recipe by Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy
Get the recipe => Smoked Salmon on Rye Bread
Creamy Dill Dip with Honey Mustard New Potatoes
A simple creamy dill dip made with a mix of cream cheese and Greek yoghurt and served with honey mustard roasted new potatoes makes the easiest of nibbles to serve on Christmas morning.
Recipe by Beach Hut Cook
Get the recipe => Creamy Dill Dip with Honey Mustard New Potatoes
Roasted Pear, Stilton and Walnut Salad
Want a really simple Christmas starter that takes virtually no effort and doesn’t fill you up too much before the main event? Why not try this delicious Roasted Pear, Stilton and Walnut Salad?
Recipe by Easy Peasy FoodieGet the recipe =>Roasted Pear, Stilton and Walnut Salad
Easy Christmas Turkey and Other Meats
Easy Roast Turkey Crown
Make your life simple this year and cook a turkey crown. Easier to cook and easier to carve, plus less waste – a turkey crown still makes a lovely centrepiece and has all the delicious flavour of a whole roast turkey…but with much less of the stress!
Recipe by Easy Peasy Foodie
Get the recipe => Easy Roast Turkey Crown
Ultimate Classic Roast Turkey
If your heart is set on a traditional whole roast turkey and nothing else will do, then follow Michelle’s foolproof recipe…with a great little tip to keep the turkey moist. And this girl has turkey for Thanksgiving, half-Thanksgiving, birthdays AND Christmas every year so she KNOWS what she’s talking about!
Recipe by Flipped Out Food
Get the recipe => Ultimate Classic Roast Turkey
Gin Brined Chicken
Of course there is no rule to say it has to be turkey on Christmas day…make this Gin Brined Chicken using a really good quality organic chicken (which is probably cheaper than a poor quality turkey!) and I guarantee you will not be disappointed. The brine is super simple and makes the chicken taste amazing…and after that…well it’s as easy as roasting a chicken! 😉
Recipe by Easy Peasy Foodie
Get the recipe => Gin Brined Chicken
Spiced Rack of Lamb with Honey Roast Root Vegetables
Or what about going for something completely different this year and serving up this amazing Spiced Rack of Lamb with Honey Roast Root Vegetables? This dish is just as much of a showstopper as a traditional roast turkey, but the whole thing can be cooked in 1 tray and in under 1 hour, meaning you have more time to spend with your friends and family on Christmas morning!
Recipe by Easy Peasy Foodie
Get the recipe => Spiced Rack of Lamb with Honey Roast Root Vegetables
Prosciutto Wrapped Turkey Mini Fillets with Sage and Sausage Stuffing
If it really must be turkey, but you don’t want all the hassle, why not serve these Prosciutto Wrapped Turkey Mini Fillets with Sage and Sausage Stuffing – all the flavours of traditional roast turkey, but none of the stress – and perfect for smaller families and those on a tight budget this Christmas.
Recipe by Easy Peasy Foodie
Get the recipe => Prosciutto Wrapped Turkey Mini Fillets with Sage and Sausage Stuffing
Maple and Mustard Glazed Ham
And of course a ham is also an essential on the Christmas dinner table in many households – try this easy peasy recipe from Corina…it’s ready in less than 1h30 and has the most incredible glaze!
Recipe by Searching For Spice
Get the recipe => Maple and Mustard Glazed Ham
Easy Mulled Wine Christmas Ham
Or if you fancy going full on Christmassy, why not make my Mulled Wine Christmas Ham…it uses just 5 ingredients and only 10 minutes hands on time…but will absolutely fill your house (and your tummy) with the flavours of Christmas!
Recipe by Easy Peasy FoodieGet the recipe => Easy Mulled Wine Christmas Ham
Easy Vegetarian and Vegan Christmas Centrepieces
Parsnip, Chestnut and Sage Wreath
This delicious main course is a perfect centrepiece for a vegan or vegetarian Christmas dinner. It can be made in advance and then baked on Christmas Day.
Recipe by Sneaky Veg
Get the recipe => Parsnip, Chestnut and Sage Wreath
Vegetarian Christmas Plait
With the help of shop bought pastry, this vegetarian plait is not only easy to make, but tasty and packed with a lovely variety of vegetable proteins.
Recipe by Only Crumbs Remain
Get the recipe => Vegetarian Christmas Plait
Creamy Leek Strudel Wreath
This delicious vegan centrepiece is quite a bit simpler than it looks, tastes great and has a fairly short and simple list of ingredients.
Recipe by The Veg Space
Get the recipe => Creamy Leek Strudel Wreath
Vegetarian Nut Roast
This traditional nut roast is very quick and easy to prepare and is gluten free, egg free and can easily be made dairy free.
Recipe by Mummy Tries
Get the recipe => Vegetarian Nut Roast
Cranberry, Feta and Quinoa Stuffed Butternut Squash
These are super easy to make and, better still, can be made ahead of time and reheated in just 20 minutes on Christmas Day! They are gluten free , nut free and vegetarian, and can very easily be made vegan and dairy free too!
Recipe by Easy Peasy Foodie
Get the recipe =>Cranberry, Feta and Quinoa Stuffed Butternut Squash
Lentil and Brazil Nut Roast
This Lentil and Brazil Nut Roast can be made a couple of days in advance, so is ideal for getting well prepared. Plus it includes a delicious recipe for vegetarian red wine gravy!
Recipe by Tin and Thyme
Get the recipe => Lentil and Brazil Nut Roast
Easy Christmas Vegetables
Pan Fried Sprouts with Chorizo and Almonds
Fancy a Spanish twist to your Brussels this year? This easy peasy recipe only uses 3 ingredient and 1 pan and takes less than 15 minutes…but tastes totally epic!! (am I too old to use ‘epic’?)
Recipe by Easy Peasy Foodie
Get the recipe => Pan Fried Sprouts with Chorizo and Almonds
Honey Roasted Sprouts with Pancetta
These sprouts are really low effort, as they’re roasted, so you just chuck them in the oven (as long as you have room!)and leave them to do their thing. Plus lots hints and tips in this recipe for a stress free Christmas – whoop whoop!!
Recipe by Charlotte’s Lively Kitchen
Get the recipe =>Honey Roasted Sprouts with Pancetta
Orange and Maple Carrots
Part of a 4 part series for an easy peasy prep-ahead vegan and vegetarian Christmas dinner, these carrots are part-boiled, part-steamed and then finished with a sweet and fruity orange and maple glaze.
Recipe by The Veg Space
Get the recipe =>Orange and Maple Carrots
Garlic and Rosemary Roast Potatoes
Another recipe in Kate’s easy peasy prep-ahead vegan and vegetarian Christmas dinner series, these delicious vegan-friendly roast potatoes are peeled and par-boiled the day before and then all you have to do is roast the potatoes on Christmas day!
Recipe by The Veg Space
Get the recipe => Garlic and Rosemary Roast Potatoes
Polenta Roast Potatoes with Rosemary and Garlic
Want the most perfect crispy, crunchy roast potatoes? Then you have to try my Polenta Roast Potatoes with Rosemary and Garlic – polenta makes them super crunchy on the outside, whilst inside they are soft and fluffy…and deliciously flavoured with garlic and rosemary…and of course, as you’d expect from me, they are super easy to make!
Recipe by Easy Peasy Foodie
Get the recipe => Polenta Roast Potatoes with Rosemary and Garlic
Goose Fat Roast Potatoes
Jo uses her Tefal Actifry to make cooking roast potatoes in goose fat easy peasy! Not only are they quick and easy to make, but cooking them this way frees up valuable space in the oven, uses less fat and no there’s no parboiling required either!
Recipe by Jo’s Kitchen
Get the recipe => Goose Fat Roast Potatoes
Easy Christmas Vegetable Traybake
My most popular Christmas Recipe! And it’s easy to see why… Roasting the parsnips, carrots and sprouts all together in one tray means you can relax and have a glass of bubbly instead of juggling pots and pans like a mad thing this Christmas.
Recipe by Easy Peasy Foodie
Get the recipe =>Easy Christmas Vegetable Traybake
Roast Parsnips and Parsnip Mash
Helen does her parsnips two ways…the fat ends are roasted and the skinny ends are mixed with butternut squash and turned into mash, thus avoiding those thin burnt pieces of parsnips…as a bonus, both of these recipes can be made ahead of time in disposable foil trays…ready to simply be reheated in the oven in the oven on Christmas Day…and no washing up – hooray!!
Recipe by The Crazy Kitchen
Get the recipe => Roast Parsnips and Parsnip Mash
Honey Glazed Thyme Roasted Carrots and Parsnips
So, so easy to prepare. Simply source your most desired root veg, cut to a smallish size (or don’t if it is a baby variety), toss in a little olive oil, add a little honey, a sprinkle of fresh herbs and some salt and pepper and roast lovingly!
Recipe by Gluten Free Alchemist
Get the recipe =>Honey Glazed Thyme Roasted Carrots and Parsnips
Easy Christmas Spiced Red Cabbage
A delicious traditional and easy red cabbage recipe for Christmas. This classic festive side dish is suitable for vegetarians and vegan and is a must-have on every Christmas dinner table.
Recipe by Sneaky Veg
Get the recipe =>Easy Christmas Spiced Red Cabbage
Easy Christmas Sauces and Garnishes
Easy Peasy Turkey Gravy
A quick and easy gravy, plus a bonus recipe for turkey stock using the turkey giblets. The stock can be made ahead of time and frozen and the gravy takes just 10 minutes!
Recipe from Easy Peasy Foodie
Get the recipe => Easy Peasy Turkey Gravy
Crockpot Turkey Stock
And as a bonus…a genius way to make turkey stock with the leftover turkey carcass…in the slow cooker! You could easily follow the same method with a roast chicken carcass to create fabulous stock ahead of time to use in your turkey gravy on Christmas day!
Recipe by Flipped Out Food
Get the recipe =>Crockpot Turkey Stock
Easy Peasy Cranberry Sauce
Need a simple, foolproof cranberry sauce recipe that only uses 3 ingredients? Try my Easy Peasy Cranberry Sauce. It only takes 15 minutes and you can even use frozen cranberries!
Recipe by Easy Peasy Foodie
Get the recipe => Easy Peasy Cranberry Sauce
Cranberry Sauce with Apple and Nutmeg
Like apple sauce and cranberry sauce? This make ahead cranberry and apple sauce brings you the best of both worlds! It’s really easy to make…just put everything in a pan and simmer. And you can store it in sterilised jars for up to 6 months.
Recipe by Proper Foodie
Get the recipe => Cranberry Sauce with Apple and Nutmeghttp://properfoodie.com/cranberry-sauce-apple-nutmeg/
Cranberry and Port Sauce
Or what about adding port into the equation? Charlotte’s Cranberry and Port Sauce is also very easy to make, can be made ahead and just popped on the table on Christmas Day.
Recipe by Charlotte’s Lively Kitchen
Get the recipe =>Cranberry and Port Sauce
Pork, Sage and Onion Stuffing Balls
These cute little sausage stuffing balls use just 4 ingredients and take just 30 minutes to make and can be prepped ahead of time. As a bonus they are free from gluten, dairy, egg AND nuts!
Recipe by Easy Peasy FoodieGet the recipe => Pork, Sage and Onion Stuffing Balls
Easy Christmas Puddings and Desserts
Chocolate Orange Christmas Pudding
A lovely twist on the classic Christmas pudding, this Chocolate Orange Christmas Pudding is easy to make and can be made way ahead of time (but doesn’t have to be if you have not been very organised this year). Then all it needs on Christmas day is re-heating before serving – so easy!
Recipe by Only Crumbs Remain
Get the recipe =>Chocolate Orange Christmas Pudding
No Churn Christmas Pudding Ice Cream
Or what about Christmas Pudding Ice Cream? This easy peasy ice cream recipe is no churn and can be made ahead of time, but is chock full of the flavours of Christmas!
Recipe by Recipes Made Easy
Get the recipe => No Churn Christmas Pudding Ice Cream
No Churn Baileys Ice Cream
Not a fan of Christmas Pudding? Then this recipe is for you! This decadent, no churn ice cream is super quick, super easy and can also be made ahead of time.
Recipe by Gluten Free Alchemist
Get the recipe => No Churn Baileys Ice Cream
Christmas Robin Cupcakes
One that’s virtually guaranteed to go down well with the kids…and much easier than they look with the vast majority of the fondant shapes being cut with a plain round cookie cutter! The undecorated cupcakes can either be shop bought (promise I won’t tell!) or homemade and stored in the freezer until required.
Recipe by Only Crumbs Remain
Get the recipe => Christmas Robin Cupcakes
Chocolate Tart with Cranberries, Orange and Pistachios
Another delicious alternative to traditional Christmas pudding, this easy peasy chocolate tart is made with a shop-bought tart case and the filling can be made in less than 10 minutes and is virtually foolproof…plus it can easily be made ahead of time.
Recipe by Easy Peasy FoodieGet the recipe =>Chocolate Tart with Cranberries, Orange and Pistachios
Easy Christmas Cake Muffins
Fancy making homemade Christmas cake but don’t have the time? Make my Easy Christmas Cake Muffins instead! These cute mini Christmas cakes have all the flavours of a traditional Christmas cake but take just 45 minutes from start to finish. As a bonus they are gluten free, nut free, alcohol free and can easily be made dairy free too. (If you don’t need these to be free from, there are instructions for making these the standard way too.)
Recipe by Easy Peasy FoodieGet the recipe => Easy Christmas Cake Muffins
Mince Pie Cupcakes with Brandy Buttercream
Or what about this gorgeous twist on the traditional mince pie…Mince Pie Cupcakes with Brandy Buttercream. They are as easy to make as standard cupcakes and can easily be made in advance.
Recipe by Charlotte’s Lively Kitchen
Get the recipe => Mince Pie Cupcakes with Brandy Buttercream
If you like this…
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