What Should I Cook For Christmas Dinner Thats Not Traditional

Christmas recipes and Christmas Menus for anybody!! Whether y'all're having a summery Aussie Christmas dejeuner, a cosy White Christmas, a traditional Christmas dinner, or demand speedy recipes that still have the wow factor, hither's a collection of my very all-time Christmas food ideas!

Prefer to aid yourself? Browse the new Christmas Recipe Alphabetize!

I started this guided walk through of my very all-time Christmas recipes back in 2022. Each twelvemonth, I update the post with my latest recipes and add more suggested menus. I hope you find some inspiration! – Nagi 10

---

Christmas Recipes and Menus

Skip to: Mains | Sides – Warm | Sides – Fresh | Breads | Starters | Desserts | Menu Suggestions

The RecipeTin Family is notorious for leaving our Christmas bill of fare until the last minute. Nosotros like to toss ideas around, offering up suggestions, "debating"*, looking effectually to see what looks good this year.

In that location's a big build up until 3 days before – thenbam! The Menu is Set, tasks are allocated, and anybody is dispatched to source the required ingredients.

Information technology's all part of our annual Christmas ritual.

And now, information technology's your plow. I promise this Christmas Recipe Index and Carte du jour Ideas helps you to planyour Christmas Carte du jour!

* This is code for heated arguments and requests being shot down. Such as scoffing at mum's asking for Crackling Roast Pork also every bit ham ("double pork is a no no!" we declare), mocking my asking for Fried Chicken ("it'due south Christmas, don't be and then bogan!"), and experimental ideas like Turdukin shot downwards as "noooo, it's just a hack, information technology isn't that tasty!". Every bit far equally I'yard concerned, there are no rules for Christmas and the opinions of the RecipeTin Family should be disregarded. And Fried Craven is the perfect main for any occasion!😂

Christmas Mains

What will be your centrepiece this year?? A perfectly cooked Prime Rib, the juiciest ever Roast Turkey, a sticky Glazed Ham or the about incredible simple Herb and Garlic Butter Slow Cooker Turkey Breast?

Reader favourite: Christmas Baked Salmon. Looks festive, easy to make, exceptional season!

Warm & Hearty Sides

Warm and cosy, many of these are slap-up for making ahead! My picks:

• Potatoes au Gratin – indulgent, tastes outrageously adept (information technology'southward French, you tin can't go wrong) and it's 100% perfect for make ahead;

• Baked Mac & Cheese – best fabricated fresh for optimal eating experience only I take tips for near perfect make-alee! This is a regular at the RecipeTi Family Christmas – nosotros splurge on very good gruyere cheese and information technology is outrageously to die for!

Salads & Summery Sides

Never under judge the ability of a really groovy fresh, crunchy salad. And for those of us who accept a Summer Christmas, fill your festive table with these colourful, a little-bit-show-off salads and side dishes!

Breads

It might non exist traditional, but for years Corn Bread has remained as a firm favourite in our family unit! We love how soft and moist it is, that information technology's then tasty you could eat it apparently but when you lot use it to mop your Christmas plate make clean?Swooon…

Starters & Snacks

Things to nibble before the feast are mandatory. Full stop!

To Terminate

There is ALWAYS room for dessert. Always!!! This twelvemonth, I present my Pavlova Christmas Tree, featured as part of a Christmas special I did for The Sydney Morning time Herald's Sunday Life pull-out, every bit well every bit on the Skilful Food website.

And here are some more dessert suggestions to steal the show at your Christmas dinner this twelvemonth!

---

• 

• 

• 

Simply a few suggestions for Christmas Menus……

1. 🦃 🎄My Perfect Traditional Christmas Menu (ignoring all practical logistics like oven space and sleeping!)

2. ☀️ Aussie Summertime Christmas Lunch!

3. 🥩 Prime Rib Christmas Dinner

4. ❄️ Cosy White Christmas Dinner

5. 💵 Thrifty but Not bad – Budget conscious Christmas dinner (For Commonwealth of australia)

6. 😇 Super Like shooting fish in a barrel Christmas Menu – low effort, forgiving, brand alee recipes

.

Carte du jour 2: 🇦🇺Aussie Summertime Christmas Lunch!🇦🇺

• 

• 

It's un-Australian to spend Christmas Day holed up in the kitchen with the oven going all day! Here'south a suggested summer Christmas Lunch Carte du jour – Aussie mode!

Tasty Snacks to start – suggestions

• Sausage Rolls (very Aussie!) or Holiday Crostini (8 different ways!)

• A dip like Smoked Salmon Dip or Guacamole with crudités (that'due south a fancy word for veggie sticks 😂), fries or crackers.

Mains

• Prawns (shrimp) with dipping sauces – An Aussie Christmas only ain't an Aussie Christmas unless at that place are prawns on offer!Those sauces are likewise ideal for other shellfish: Crab, lobster, Morton Bay / Balman bugs, seafood sticks, and other cold seafoods.

• Fresh Oysters with lemon wedges

• Glazed Ham –You can't get more classic than a Chocolate-brown Sugar Glazed Ham or Maple Glazed Ham for your Christmas chief! The impressive presentation and irresistible wafts of spice and carbohydrate volition turn heads and set tongues wagging as you lot ceremoniously deliver this glorious centrepiece to the table!

• Turkey Breast – Because ham is so large, turkey breast is a popular choice here in Commonwealth of australia. This Slow Cooker Garlic Herb Turkey Breast is actually popular this year, and this classic Juicy Deadening Cooker Turkey Breast with Gravy is a certain thing!I opt for slow cooker turkey as the oven is used for the ham.

• Alternative Fish Primary: This fabulously festive-looking and tasting Christmas Baked Salmon. Information technology'southward expressionless easy, and tin can be made ahead!!

Sides

• Carby Sides – a Lemon Potato Salad (great at room temp) and Marinated Vegetarian Pasta Salad.

• Fresh Salads, a bit fancy – lots of festive salads are ideal for hot weather condition Christmas Feasting! Peaches are at their peak so this Peach Salad is perfect. Otherwise, this little-bit-fancy Apple Salad with Cranberries and Candied Nuts, a Roast Pumpkin Spinach Feta Salad or this Pomegranate Salad shot through with Christmas colours! Simply if you want to truly go big, y'all cannot beat my Hot Smoked Salmon Commemoration Salad!

• Uncomplicated leafy salad – I always like to add a leafy salad like this French Bistro Salad, or merely dressed mixed leaves with Balsamic Dressing, French Dressing, Italian Dressing. Coleslaws are always bully as well for summer – or try this lighter No-Mayo Slaw for a modify up. Besides popular over the concluding years is this Cucumber Salad with Herb and Garlic Dressing!

• Good Bread – buy some good quality bread and serve with bowls of quality extra virgin olive oil for dunking. Bread is also essential to mop the plate clean!

Dessert

• Pavlova (or go big and prove-stealing with Pavlova Christmas Tree!) and Trifle are firm favourites Down Under!

• No Broil Mango Cheesecake is colourful, easy and always a hit in hot atmospheric condition.

• For a truly show-stopping, patisserie-quality dessert, y'all can't go by Chocolate Mirror Glaze Cake!

Also see the 2017 Very (Like shooting fish in a barrel) Aussie Christmas Feast menu!

.

.

Menu four: Cosy White Christmas Dinner

• 

• 

• 

If you're having a White Christmas, you lot'll dear this cosy card! The number of mains you have volition depend on how many people you're serving. If you've got a small group, perhaps but opt for one main.

• Juicy Roast Turkey. Dry brining is the undercover to the juiciest roast turkey you've ever had. Complete with a gorgeous turkey gravy! (Even got you covered for turkey leftovers: Garlic Bread Leftover Turkey Pot Pie!). OR consider a Dull Roasted Pork with perfect crackling! Otherwise, brand a splash with this Rosemary Crumbed Lamb Rack.

• Chocolate-brown Sugar Glazed Ham or Maple Glazed Ham. Make this earlier the turkey – it will be fine at room temp! OR make either this Tedious Cooker Garlic Herb Turkey Breast or this classic Juicy Irksome Cooker Turkey Breast with Gravy to proceed the oven free for the ham.

• Stuffing – I e'er broil my stuffing in a pan separate from turkey for ii reasons: 1) the extra season from the browning; and ii) raw stuffing inside turkey = overcooked turkey meat (because past the time the stuffing is cooked, the turkey is overcooked). Here'due south my all fourth dimension favourite Sausage stuffing recipe – and for something different, plough it into Pancetta Stuffing Cups.

• Cosy, bubbling sides – Potatoes au Gratin (also run across other Tater Recipes), Broiled Mac and Cheese, a savoury Brown Butter Sweet Spud Goulash or a creamy Broccoli au Gratin.

• Warm Vegetable Sides – Likewise many to listing, merely some suggestions your guests will love: Roasted Pumpkin with Yogurt Sauce and Pine Basics for something a bit different; Dark-brown Sugar Glazed Roasted Carrots are ever popular; Roasted Mushrooms; Baked Zucchini for some tasty greens; Lentil and Roasted Eggplant is a wickedly delicious combo; Magic Broccoli is so piece of cake still so tasty it's, well, magic!

• Dessert – Annihilation warm volition become downwardly a treat! Pudding is a smashing option: Bread and Butter Pudding; Gluey Date Pudding or Creamy Cinnamon Rice Pudding. Else who can resist Apple Crumble?

.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

This is the carte that I did for the Proficient Food section of the Sydney Forenoon Herald'southward Lord's day Life Magazine which was published on Sunday six December 2022! My challenge was to come upwardly with the almost amazing menu possible on a budget of $20 per caput, mindful of the challenging times we've experienced this twelvemonth.

Hither'southward a link to the menu on the Practiced Food website. This is what's included – the budget was for viii adults at $20 pp, total of A$160.

• Prawn Crostini with Minted Pea Puree – because what's an Aussie Christmas without prawns?? Here'south the recipe on the Practiced Food website;

• Crackling Roast Pork – an existing recipe on my website where I share my game changing (simple!) tips for the best crispy crackling of your life, guaranteed!

• Sticky Christmas Glazed Chicken – when you have a archetype Brown Sugar Ham Coat and utilize it for chicken, very, very good things happen….

• Smushed Potato Salad – when you gently crushed potatoes so toss in a Love Mustard Dressing, all those delish flavours seeps into the fluffy insides… Here'south the recipe on the Practiced Nutrient website;

• Charred Corn Salad with Creamy Parmesan Dressing – an adaptation of this very popular Mexican Corn Salad! Here'south the recipe on the Good Nutrient website;

• Pavlova Christmas Tree – which made the front cover of the Sunday Life Magazine! 🙌🏻 Here's the recipe on the Skillful Food website, but the version published hither on this site has much more detail which I advise yous read to get information technology merely correct.

PS Alee of Mon, here'southward a little preview of the Pavlova Christmas Tree!

.

Menu 6: Thrifty but Cracking Christmas Dinner

• 

• 

• 

Yous absolutely Tin can brand an amazing feast on a budget!

This menu is catered to an Australian audience, as it reflects the prices of produce hither. For example, turkey is quite expensive here compared to other proteins – whereas in the States, you tin can buy turkey for less than $2/kg!

• Starter – Italian Cheese Log. This makes loads, lasts for ages and a little goes a long way. You can make full information technology with economical antipasto type things!

• Main Option i: Garlic Herb Butter Roast Chicken. It'south AMAZING, less stress than turkey and definitely far more than economical!Make multiple needed, and fancy up the presentation by placing it on a bed of green fluffage – see the photos in this Roast Turkey for presentation idea! Alternatively, Viscid Christmas Glazed Craven for an easy ham-glaze-meets-chicken mashup that hands caters for whatever number of guests!

• Main Option ii: Fish doesn't have to break the banking company. Cheaper fish are oft overlooked but are rarely junior in eating quality compared to more popular fish like salmon or snapper. Tailor, morwong, gurnard, leatherjacket, flake and basa, for example are all succulent and economical fish. Try them in this Fish Pie that'due south inexpensive but admittedly worthy of gracing a Christmas table.

• Prawns –While you'll find prawns from quality seafood stores and the fish marketplace are juicier, sweeter and with a better season, present, I find the prawns from supermarkets (over the counter, not pre-packed or frozen) are far better quality than they used to be and they're usually xxx – 40% cheaper. TIP: To add awow factor, skip the jarred sauce and make on of these unproblematic Seafood Sauces!

• Salads – This Baby Potato Salad with Butter and Herbs or Macaroni Salad are nifty options because they keep for days. Plus one simple salad (eg merely leafy greens, a garden salad or halved carmine tomatoes with torn basil) with Balsamic Dressing, French Dressing, Italian Dressing or my go-to elementary Vinaigrette in this Cabbage Salad recipe.

• Bread – Nowadays, in that location are terrific breads fifty-fifty sold at our supermarkets! It'south actually worth spending a couple of extra dollars to get a adept artisan style bread – sourdough, ciabatta or even the stone broiled range sold at Woolies. Or make a loaf of  No Knead Artisan Staff of life yourself for less than $i! TIP: Fancy staff of life up with flavoured butter! Mix softened salted butter with a little parmesan or chopped herbs to fancy information technology upward! Curlicue up in cling wrap and twist ends to form a log, refrigerate until firm (shape if needed) then soft a bit before serving with bread.

• Dessert – With bargain summer fruit effectually, the Great Aussie Pav is actually a very economic dessert pick. The only catch is that leftovers aren't great. So my other proffer is Chocolate Fudge Cake which is also a terrificeasy economical option (at to the lowest degree one brand of baking chocolate is almost always on sale). And this keeps for days and days!

.

Menu 7: Super Easy Christmas Menu

• 

• 

• 

Low effort, forgiving recipes – and all the same looks so impressive! All can be prepped ahead with minimal work required prior to serving!

• 3 Minute Festive "Baked" Brie to get-go. So pretty, and totally effortless.

• Juicy Ho-hum Cooker Turkey Chest with Gravy OR Garlic Herb Butter Turkey Breast – very quick prep, forgiving recipe

• Brownish Sugar Glazed Ham or Maple Glazed Ham. HAM IS EASY, information technology looks amazing, it can exist entirely prepped or even baked ahead! Terrific centrepiece, leftovers keeps for days and tin can exist frozen.

• For a fish choice, Christmas Baked Salmon is as simple to make as it gets, yet looks so impressive!

• Like shooting fish in a barrel flossy cheesy Potato Bake – only diced potato baked with cream and cheese. A simpler version of Potatoes au Gratin! OR Lemon White potato Salad – easy, and great make ahead!

• Wild Rice Salad – easy to make, looks festive, tastes amazing (business firm reader favourite!). Prep all ingredients ahead then toss to serve.

• Simple salad – 1 or two quick and piece of cake salads to add freshness into the menu like this Bitter Leaf and Orange Salad. Leafy greens, a garden salad or halved reddish tomatoes (+ torn up basil) with Balsamic Dressing, French Dressing or Italian Dressing. Or browse the Side Salad collection, sorted by primary ingredients;

• Staff of lifewith butter or olive oil for dipping. Simply buy some skilful breadstuff!

• Dessert – Easy Chocolate Fudge Cake. Low effort, low risk, big affect, crowd pleaser!

There volition never be a unmarried menu that will work for everyone, but I hope these give you some ideas for different combinations that you might want to try!

Merry Christmas and Happy Feasting! ~ Nagi x

Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.

Servings 8 + people

Tap or hover to calibration

Here's a printable list of the recipes for the Easy Christmas Carte – so y'all don't need to print out the entire post with all the photos! These are low effort, forgiving recipes – and however looks so impressive! All can be prepped ahead with minimal work required prior to serving.

Bread:

• ▢ Store bought breadstuff
• ▢ Butter or olive oil for dipping

3 Minute Festive "Baked" Brie:

• Set up components ahead, then takes minutes to assemble on the solar day.

Juicy Ho-hum Cooker Turkey Breast with Gravy:

• Set rub ahead, then deadening cook start thing in the morning.

Brown Sugar Glazed Ham or Maple Glazed Ham:

• Tin can be entirely prepped ahead, or even baked ahead!

Christmas Baked Salmom:

• All components can be prepared ahead, then salmon is baked in foil on the day of for simple clean up!

Easy creamy cheesy Tater Bake:

• A simpler version of Potatoes au Gratin! Fix ingredients alee and so bake on the day. OR bake ahead then reheat in the oven, covered.

Lemon Potato Salad (alternative):

• Is best made the 24-hour interval before!

Wild Rice Salad:

• Prep all ingredients ahead then toss to serve on the day.

Simple salads:

• Brand dressings the upwardly to two days ahead.

Piece of cake Chocolate Fudge Cake:

• Can be made days in advance!

Keywords: Easy Christmas Menu

Originally published in December 2022. This mail service gets updated each year with the latest additions to holiday recipes and new menu suggestions!

Life of Dozer

More photos from the weekend when our local domestic dog lensman (Kevin from Unleashed Northern Beaches) was down at the dog embankment doing a Christmas photo day!

I might be smile, but Dozer is never impressed…😂

And Life of Dozer from 2022:

When a gingerbread man's arm goes missing, everyone is then quick to blame Dozer…. but in this case, it was me that was the crusade of the amputation!

Source: https://www.recipetineats.com/christmas-recipes/

Posted by: swainsompan.blogspot.com

Share this post