Looking for a Christmas menu that's a little bit non-traditional and unique? I've got some great ideas for you, whether you're planning a casual get together or a five star feast.
Turkey is a no-brainer when it comes to Thanksgiving, and ham or beef roasts are holiday mainstays. But I've always liked to get a little unconventional when it comes to our Christmas meal.
I know, I know...it runs contrary to most advice (including my own) to try anew recipe on a holiday, but Christmas dinner is theone chance I have each year to finally test outsome of those slightly more involved recipes I've beentearing out, pinning, andbookmarking all year long.
My only rule for a Christmas dinner entree is that it has to be special — something I wouldn't normally makefor ourfamily dinner.That might mean it's a little bit labor intensive, or requires a unique or expensive ingredient that I wouldn't normally buy.
Yet I don't want it to be over-complicated. I want my Christmas meal to say, "I love you, I'm glad you're here, and I put effort into making this delicious, special meal for you." Not, "I was trying so hard to be impressive and fancy that I completely stressed myself out and now I hate everyone."
With that in mind, here are some recipes and menu ideas for somesimple, yet specialmealsto considerfor your holiday feast.
Non-traditional Christmas Dinner Ideas:
1) Homemade Lasagna
Homemade lasagna is a labor of love, and any dinner guest will appreciate it. You can never go wrong with traditional lasagna, but there are other variations you can try as well. It's a perfect dish to serve if you're feeding a crowd, especially since you can make it ahead.
Lasagna Recipe Suggestions:
2) Pasta Bolognese or Ragu
Again, pasta might not seem like itwould be special enough for a holiday meal, but when you spend hours simmering and stirring and perfecting a bolognese or ragu sauce, it definitely is. Another perk to making one of these dishes is that you make the sauce several days ahead and store it in the refrigerator. The flavor will be even better!
Bolognese and Ragu Recipe Suggestions:
3) Lobster
Lobster is the ultimate "special occasion" food. Risotto isn't hard to make, but it's time consuming because it requires adding liquid in small amounts and stirring constantly to get it just right. For that reason, I've only made it for him once (on his birthday), but I'd consider making it again for a holiday meal.
4) Cioppino
Another thing that would be glorious on a Christmas dining table (and in your belly) would be a seafood stew or Cioppino. The gathering and prep of ingredients for this dish is where the difficulty lies; otherwise, the actual cooking is quite quick and simple.
Cioppino Recipe Suggestions:
5) 1770 House Meatloaf
Meatloaf for Christmas?
This isn't just any meatloaf, however. A few years ago, I made1770 House Meatloaf for our Christmas dinner -- a recipe originally shared by Ina Garten and beautifully replicated by Susan at The View from Great Island.
Meatloaf might seem like a run-of-the-mill weeknight meal, but this meatloaf is special. It's all about the garlic sauce, which is really easy to make and has delicious flavor (and it's not super garlicky since the slow simmering of the garlic mellows it out quite a bit). It was a huge hit with everyone, including the kids!
6) Short Ribs
You don't need to cook a large roast to have holiday-worthy beef for dinner. Short ribs are a great option because they cook low and slow, so you don't need to worry about any mad dashes through the kitchen when it's time to eat.
Short Rib Recipe Suggestions:
- Traditional Braised Short Ribs
- Slow Cooker Short Ribs with Polenta
- Garlic Braised Short Ribs with Red Wine
7) Steak
You can't go wrong with a perfectly cooked steak for a holiday meal. If you want to make it extra special, choose the highest quality steak you can find, and create a special sauce to go with it.
Steak Recipe Suggestions:
9) Braciole
A combination of beef, proscuitto, red wine, garlic, parmesan, tomatoes and more - sounds perfect for Christmas, right? This recipe for Beef Braciole is absolutely delicious, and you can save time and energy by cooking it in the slow cooker.
10) Lamb Chops
A well cooked lamb chop makes for a delicious, yet simple main course. Lamb has a distinctive taste, which some love and others don't. But if you've got lamb-lovers coming for dinner, these recipes would be a hit.
Christmas Side Dish Ideas:
OK, now that you've got ideas for a main course, what about side dishes? Here are some of my favorite Christmas side dish recipes.
- Kale and Wild Rice Casserole
- Christmas Cheesy Potatoes
- Butternut Squash Soup.
- Roasted Red Potatoes
- Roasted Carrots with Balsamic & Thyme
- Pear, Pomegranate and Spinach Salad
- Shredded Brussels Sprout and Bacon Salad
- Skinny Green Bean Casserole
- Green Beans with Mushrooms and Shallots
Christmas Drinks:
- Rosemary Lemonade - the rosemary simple syrup makes the house smell like the holidays!
- Coquito - it's a Puerto Rican twist on eggnog, and this vegan coquito happens to be egg-free and dairy-free!
- Vegan Eggnog
Christmas dinner doesn't have to mean 10 different dishes or an elaborately prepared expensive cut of meat. All you need is good food made with love.
If you have any great Christmas dinner ideas to share, please do so in the comments. Wishing you all a wonderful, delicious and stress-free holiday!
