Need easy Christmas dinner ideas? With the beloved holiday just around the corner, it pays to start prepping as early as possible. When it comes to Christmas recipes, however, it’s best to choose ones that will not eat up so much of your time. Much like the easy Thanksgiving recipes we presented to you this year, we’ve curated some of the yummiest and easiest dinner ideas you can make as well.
From Christmas finger foods, main courses, beverages, and even Christmas desserts, we have you covered!
Christmas Foods Around the World
Before we get started with the recipes, however, let’s talk about traditional Christmas dinner menu ideas from around the globe. You might even get classic Christmas dinner ideas while we’re at it!
America
In America, people consume nearly 22 million turkeys and buy an estimated 318 million pounds of ham right around the holidays! If you’re looking for all-American yet easy Christmas dinner ideas, then make sure your table has the following:
- Mashed potatoes
- Gravy
- Roasted root veggies
- Roasted fowl
It’s simple, but undeniably filling!
China
In China, a tradition that’s becoming popular is giving apples during Christmas Eve. You’ll find many stores selling individual or bunches of apples wrapped in decorative paper so people can directly send them as gifts. Why apples? This is because the Chinese word for Christmas Eve ‘Ping An Ye’ is very similar to the word for apple, ‘Ping Guo.’
Germany
Fruit cakes are a staple for many holiday tables and in Germany, they have one that’s called ‘Stollen,’ which is short for ‘Christstollen’ or ‘Weihnachtsstollen.’ It is packed with sweet dried fruit and marzipan. This particular cake has quite the history dating all the way back to the 15th Century, where people would serve or give them as gifts during Christmas!
Mexico
Christmas isn’t celebrated in Mexico until January 6. In the country, it is known as ‘El Dia de los Reyes’ or the day of The Three Kings. During this occasion, families gather and share a specially made cake referred to as the Twelfth Night cake or Three Kings cake. It’s unique because it comes with a surprise inside: a figure of the Baby Jesus! Whoever finds it is considered lucky and becomes the ‘Godparent’ of Jesus for that year.
Canada
In Canada, you’ll find many families hosting cookie-baking parties at home. Each family would have their own special recipe, which means everyone gets to try it out during the party. The best bit? They all get to go home with a fresh batch of cookies after! Not a bad idea when it comes to bonding with your loved ones, right?
Bonus Christmas Trivia: Did you know that for many Jewish Americans, it is a tradition to eat American Chinese food for Christmas? This is because Chinese restaurants are considered to be a haven for American Jews who might feel alienated during the holiday. Going to one made them feel like they were part of the family! As it should be during Christmas, right?
Christmas Food Ideas – International Cuisine
Did the mention of foreign food make you crave for some? Don’t fret! There are also many easy Christmas dinner ideas from around the world that you can serve at your own table. Here are some ideas for Christmas dinner.
Mexican Christmas Food
Who doesn’t enjoy Mexican food even on ordinary days? Our Noche Buena recommendation is this Green Chile and Cheese Vegetarian Tamales. Note: These are vegan food and gluten free!
Green Chile and Cheese Vegetarian Tamales Recipe
Ingredients (Dough):
- 2 ½ teaspoons of salt
- 3 ¼ cups of MASECA flour (instant corn masa flour)
- 1 cup of vegetable oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder
- 2 ¼ cups of vegetable broth
Ingredients (Filling):
- ½ packet of corn husks
- 5 large poblano peppers or 10 jalapeno peppers
- 12 ounces of spicy Pepper Jack cheese (you can also use Monterey Jack or Asadero, it depends on your personal taste)
Directions:
- Start by prepping the corn husks. Place the husks in a big enough bowl and fill it with hot water. Leave submerged for about an hour.
- In another bowl, add your flour, baking powder, and salt. Use a fork to mix everything together.
- Slowly, pour in your broth and the oil. Mix properly using your hands until it forms a sticky dough. Cover and allow to rest for half an hour.
- For the filling, slice your cheese into 24 strips. Broil the peppers for about three to five minutes per side. After, peel off the skin and cut the peppers into thin strips.
- Next, carefully fill and wrap the tamales. If this is your first time making one, here’s an easy tutorial you can follow!
- Lastly, steam the tamales on medium-high heat for about an hour or 90 minutes.
These make for delicious Christmas finger foods so they’re good to add to your menu. Pro-tip: if you’re looking for Christmas dinner ideas for a crowd, having easy-to-eat snacks such as tamales would help keep them sated until the main course!
German Christmas Food
When it comes to alternative Christmas dinner ideas, look to the many delicacies of Germany to add more diversity to your menu. The Germans have a lot of yummy treats to choose from, but when it comes to easy Christmas dinner ideas, you cannot miss out on the delicious Gingerbread!
German Gingerbread Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of softened butter
- 3 eggs
- 2 cups of brown sugar
- ¼ cup orange liqueur
- 2/3 cup of honey
- ½ cup orange juice
- 1 cup of sour cream
- 2 teaspoons of ground ginger
- 1 cup of whole wheat flour
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 2/3 cup of all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup raisins
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup blanched and sliced almonds
Directions:
- In a large bowl, whisk together your baking powder, flours, and spices. Make sure everything is incorporated well.
- Next, get a different bowl and cream your butter with the brown sugar. Beat the eggs before adding it in, followed by the orange juice, sour cream, orange liqueur, and honey. Mix well.
- Add the flour mixture into the cream mixture, then stir in your almonds and raisins.
- Grease and flour a tube pan, before pouring your batter in it.
- Bake this at 350 degrees for about 80 minutes, but do test it first before removing from the oven. Transfer to a rack and allow to cool after.
It may not be the healthiest, but if it’s unique Christmas dinner ideas that you want then this fits the bill! Desserts should never be missing when it comes to Christmas party food ideas.
Puerto Rican Christmas Food
Are you tired of the usually heavy traditional Christmas food? Want to try Keto recipes this season? Well, we’ve got just the thing for you. Try this Puerto Rican eggnog!
Puerto Rican Eggnog Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of homemade Keto condensed milk. Here’s a good recipe!
- 2 cups of liquid coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean powder or 1 tablespoon of unsweetened vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup of coconut cream
- A teaspoon of ground nutmeg
- 1 cup of white rum (adjust according to your taste)
- To sweeten, you can use liquid stevia
Directions:
- Once you have the Keto condensed milk ready, simply add all of the ingredients in a blender. Process until it becomes frothy.
- When you get the consistency you want, transfer it into a jar and refrigerate.
- Before serving, you can sprinkle a bit of nutmeg or cinnamon on top for extra flavor!
- Note that this can last in the fridge for four days. If it gets too thick, however, just reheat again.
What is Keto diet? You might be surprised at how beneficial it can be for you, especially around the holidays! If you want to stay fit or lose a few pounds after the celebrations, check out the best keto foods you can try.
Italian Christmas Food
Don’t say no to non traditional Christmas dinner ideas just yet! Just take our next recipe for example. This Squid in Marinara Sauce Over Linguine dish is not only delicious, but also easy to make. It’s one of the yummiest seafood Christmas dinner ideas on our list as well!
Squid in Marinara Sauce Over Linguine Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 pound calamari squid (cleaned)
- 12 ounces of linguine
- 5 cloves of finely chopped garlic
- ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 can of undrained diced tomatoes (you can also use crushed)
- ½ teaspoon of crushed red pepper
- 2 tablespoons of fresh parsley
- Salt and ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried crushed oregano
Directions:
- Slice up the calamari, making sure that you remove any hard cartilage.
- Boil a large pot of salted water for the linguine.
- In a skillet, heat up some olive oil. Add your red pepper and garlic. Sauté this until it becomes fragrant and turns golden. Don’t let the garlic pieces turn brown or get burnt.
- To your sautéed garlic, add the oregano and tomatoes. Season this according to taste, then allow to simmer for about 15 minutes.
- Add your calamari just long enough until it turns opaque. Stir in your parsley then remove the pan from the heat.
- Cook your linguine and drain before plating.
- You can serve this with the sauce mixed or separated.
Thinking about trying out new Christmas recipes? We hope you consider giving this one a shot! It should make dinner prep much faster, too.
Swedish Christmas Food
Easy Christmas dinner ideas and vegan recipes are a match made in heaven. Just take this holiday version of a Swedish Potato Gratin. It’s the perfect vegan food side dish.
Swedish Potato Gratin Recipe
Ingredients:
- 2 kilos of potatoes, peeled
- 3 to 4 tablespoon of vegan butter
- 1 brown onion, sliced
- 25 cup of corn starch
- 2 cups of oat cuisine (instead of cooking cream)
- 1 teaspoon cane sugar
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 5 teaspoon garlic powder
- 5 teaspoon ground white pepper
- A pinch of nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves
- 3 tablespoon capers
- 3 cup of bread crumbs (gluten free, if you prefer)
- Sea salt
Directions:
- Start by preheating your oven to 225 degrees Celsius.
- In a separate bowl, combine your oat cuisine, spices, vinegar, corn starch, sugar, and salt together. Whisk well and make sure everything is combined well. Set aside after.
- Cut your potatoes into matchsticks, but don’t make them too thin. Arrange a third of your potatoes at the bottom of your oven dish.
- On top of this, spread half of your capers and onions. Repeat this layering process and finish off with a final layer of potatoes.
- Try to evenly spread the oat cuisine mixture on top of your potatoes. Top this with breadcrumbs.
- Bake this for about 60 minutes. If it becomes too brown, place a baking sheet on top before you continue.
Do you know what goes well with this? Your favorite Christmas songs, so you can get a bit of exercise after a heavy meal.
Filipino Christmas Food
No Christmas dinner menu is complete with a nice dessert to top everything off. Perhaps something you can enjoy while watching Christmas movies with the family? Give this Filipino Leche Flan a try—it’s sweet, fluffy, and deliciously syrupy!
Filipino Leche Flan Recipe
Ingredients:
- 10 eggs
- A can of condensed milk
- 1 cup of granulated sugar
- A can of fresh or evaporated milk
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Directions:
- Separate the egg yolks from the whites. You only need the yolks.
- Place all of the yolks in a big bowl and beat properly. Add your condensed milk and continue mixing.
- Next, add in your vanilla and fresh milk. Continue mixing.
- Use an oval mold or a heat-safe bowl and place it on top of a stove. Make sure you use proper heat-resistant or heat-safe tools for this.
- Add granulated sugar in the mold and wait until it melts. Spread it evenly and wait for about five minutes before adding the egg mixture on top.
- Cover this with aluminum foil and steam for half an hour. Allow it to cool down before refrigerating.
- This is optional, but you can grate a bit of cheddar cheese on top for a touch of saltiness!
When it comes to easy Christmas dinner ideas, this one is among the quickest to make. If you’re looking for cheap Christmas dinner ideas, this counts as well since you only really need five different ingredients—all of which are pantry essentials!
French Christmas Food
A soufflé for Christmas? Why not! Because it has greens in it, it’s definitely one of the best vegetarian Christmas dinner ideas on our list.
French Soufflé Recipe
Ingredients:
- 5 ½ tablespoons of softened butter
- 1 pound of spinach (chopped and stemmed)
- 3 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
- 1 cup of whole milk
- 1/8 teaspoon of grated nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon of ground black pepper
- 3 eggs, separated
Directions:
- Take some of your butter and brush the inside of six ramekins or a deep casserole dish. Sprinkle some Parmesan on the inside.
- Next, get a large saucepan and add your spinach to it. Sauté this until it wilts.
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Melt your remaining butter in a separate saucepan. Slowly stir in your salt and flour. Cook for 30 seconds before adding milk. Wait until it thickens.
- Toss in your spinach (but reserve about half a cup) to the cream mixture and cook for another minute over medium heat. Add your seasoning.
- Take your remaining spinach and add it to the egg yolks. Combine this with the cream and spinach mixture.
- Next, take your egg whites and beat it on high speed until it peaks. Stir in about a third of this into the spinach. Once done, fold in the rest. This is to make your soufflé fluffier!
- Spoon the batter into each ramekin and bake for half an hour.
While soufflés aren’t a usual part of many Christmas recipes, they are a welcome treat on any Christmas dinner menu. One of our favorites? This Alabama Breakfast Soufflé from Recipes.net. It’s perfect for Christmas morning!
Southern Christmas Dinner Ideas
Christmas dinner menu ideas inspired by Southern food? It has to be all about comfort and warmth. Christmases in the South tend to be centered on these things, along with spending time with family. If you’re looking for kid friendly dinner ideas, look no further than Southern recipes for it. One of our favorites? Biscuits and sausage gravy.
Southern Biscuits and Sausage Gravy Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 can refrigerated jumbo buttermilk biscuits
- ¼ cup flour
- 1 package sausage crumbles
- 2 ½ cups milk
- Salt and ground black pepper
Directions:
- Bake biscuits according to package instructions.
- Next, cook your sausage how you usually would. Once cooked, stir in your flour and mix. Slowly add your milk and cook it until the mixture thickens. Make sure you stick constantly.
- Reduce your heat to medium and continue to simmer for two more minutes. Stir constantly to avoid burning. Season according to taste.
- Split your biscuits in half, top this with about a third cup of gravy.
If you want some classic Christmas dinner ideas, then you’ve got to give this one a try. Aside from being kid friendly, this is also a great fit if you need small Christmas dinner ideas. Since it’s easy to make, they’re great for unexpected Christmas morning guests as well!
In Closing
You’ll find many different Christmas dinner ideas online, whether you decide to go for a traditional Christmas dinner or something different, like vegan Christmas dinner ideas. However, at the very heart of Christmas cooking is also the time you get to spend with your family. So, why not turn this into something you can all do together?
Not only would that make dinner prep much easier and less stressful, you get to enjoy every minute of the holidays with them, too. While you’re at it, throw in more laughs to the mix and check out our collection of Christmas memes as well.
