15 alternative Christmas dinner recipes (2024)

Christmas is as much about gorging on leftovers as it is the main event. This succulent joint of beef by the Scandinavian recipes master Trine Hahnemann is delicious as the centrepiece to Christmas or Boxing day lunch, but it also makes the most incredible sandwiches the next day.

Try this roast beef with port gravy recipe

Christmas ham with a mustard crust is traditional in Scandinavia, but this quirky quince version is just as delicious. Make sure you tell your butcher what the meat is for, and let him know it shouldn’t be pre-cured. The ham can be cooked up to two days before roasting.

Try this spiced quince ham recipe

This decadent fish dish is actually very easy to make but the two-fish parcel looks suitably impressive and fit for the Christmas table. Not just one for pescatarias, the beautifully flaking and flavoursome fish will please all your guests.

Try this salmon fillets stuffed with cod recipe

They may seem fiddly, but when you break down all the steps, beef Wellington’s are pretty straightforward. This makes a great centerpiece to the Christmas meal and the dish has all the drama of a turkey and more. Happy diners will make it well worth the effort.

Try Lisa Faulkner’s Beef Wellington recipe

This gorgeous tart makes a brilliant vegetarian alternative to pie or nut roast at Christmas. Full of deliciously buttery fried shallots and glistening with honey and balsamic vinegar, it’s as indulgent as it looks and you can be certain there won’t be any leftovers.

Try this honey-glazed shallot tarte tatin recipe

Sloe gin is a wonderful winter treat so it makes a fitting addition to the Christmas dinner flavours. The sloe gin adds a deliciously different dimension to this slow roast lamb and it’s bound to cause a stir when you present it as the highlight of the meal.

Try this slow roast lamb in sloe gin recipe

If you’re looking to mix things up a bit this Christmas try this Peking style roast duck. Duck is a great bird to cook when you’re expecting a smaller gathering as the size doesn’t feed as many as a turkey. This receipe makes a great sharing dish that you could setup in the middle of the table, carve and let everyone help themselves.

Try this Peking style roast duck recipe

It’s hard to beat a salmon en croûte for an impressive fish dish. This recipe results in beautifully golden-flaked pastry with a tender and moist salmon filling. Laced with herby butter, expect bags of flavour for the ultimate fishy Christmas dinner.

Try this salmon en croûte recipe

This roast chicken recipe is super easy to prepare and is ideal for a low-stress Christmas dinner, particularly if you only have a few mouths to feed. The fragrant flavours of citrusy lemon with garlic and rosemary not only taste delicious but will make your kitchen smell fantastic. Serve with all the festive trimmings and no one will miss the turkey in the slightest.

Try this lemon, garlic and rosemary roast chicken with hasselback roast potatoes recipe

This is a fantastic, well-packed pie that makes a colourful and temptingly appetizing addition to the Christmas spread. Instead of serving up the traditional roast turkey and leaving leftover baked ham until Boxing Day, make the most of the two meats in this impressive and delicious pie.

Try this cold turkey and ham pie with cranberry topping recipe

An excellent option for vegetarians, this chestnut-based pie is full-bodied with layers of delicious flavour. Meat eaters will enjoy the richness of this pie too so make sure there’s enough to go around.

Try this chestnut bourguignon pie recipe

This slow cooked goose is fantastically soft and juicy. Serve up on Christmas day for a feast that’s guaranteed to wow. The roast bird is succulent from the cider and rich with delicious stuffing, it will be seconds helpings all round.

Try this slow-cooked goose with apples and prunes recipe

This easy spinach pie makes a great vegetarian option for Christmas. The beautifully crisp filo pastry looks a treat at the centre of the dining table and the golden folds hide a rich and deliciously cheesy spinach filling.

Try this spinach pie recipe

Pies make a great alternative to the usual Christmas roast and this chicken and mushroom recipe will impress all your diners. Pillowy choux pastry makes a rich and wonderfully delicious bed for the creamy chicken filling – this is one recipe you won’t want to forget.

Try this chicken and mushroom gougère recipe

This beautifully flavoured pork dish is absolutely delicious. Crisp golden crackling gives way to succulent meat making this the ultimate Christmas dinner with a difference.

Try this roast pork with spices and crisp crackling recipe