Christmas starter recipes
Looking for special Christmas starter recipes? From classic smoked salmon to an epic caramelised onion tart, we have a starter recipe for everyone.
Start things on a sophisticated note with our crab crumpet rarebit with pickled walnut ketchup, go cheesy with our baked camembert with harissa honey, or make a showstopper with our sausage and cheese brioche wreath.
Want to get pudding for Christmas sorted too? Browse our best festive desserts to make ahead.
Add some excitement to your Christmas starter with our Glow Up hacks: five simple, make-ahead ways to jazz up all kinds of Christmas dishes, including a savoury granola with cranberries and pistachios and festive orange and hazelnut chilli oil for drizzling.
Showing 1-16 of 90 recipes
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Celebrity chef Christmas recipes
Nigella Lawson’s pea and ham hock soup
Queen of Christmas Nigella Lawson shares a simple recipe for a satisfying, full-flavoured pea and ham soup made with ham hock stock.
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Easy
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Dinner party starters
Paul Ainsworth’s The Mariners taramasalata on toast
Taramasalata on toast makes a winning dinner party starter or snack. “There’s no comparison to the homemade stuff," says chef Paul Ainsworth.
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Medium
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Orange and clove Christmas tapenade
Olive-based dip tapenade gets an orangey twist and a hint of Christmas spice from the clove. Perfect for festive entertaining – and quick!
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Easy
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Camembert
Baked camembert with harissa honey
Oozy, gooey cheese drizzled with a fiery, sweet topping; this easy baked camembert with honey recipe is perfect for entertaining.
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Easy
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Crab
Crab crumpet rarebit with pickled walnut ketchup
Crab raises welsh rarebit to the height of luxury in this impressive Christmas starter recipe. Make the rarebit and crab mixes a day ahead.
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Easy
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Pears
Beef carpaccio with pickled pear and parmesan mayonnaise
This carpaccio is a masterpiece on the plate, with butter-soft beef, pear, umami-rich mayo and crunchy nuts, A perfect make-ahead starter.
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Medium
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Easy starters
Pork rillettes
Pork rillettes, a French classic, is perfect served with a crusty baguette and pickles. Learn the art of meat potting with our easy recipe.
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Easy
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Game
Game terrine with brandy-soaked prunes
Nicholas Balfe's game terrine makes a special Christmas dish. The festive spices go beautifully with seasonal game and brandy-soaked prunes.
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Medium
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Italian pastas
Tortellini in brodo
Tortellini in brodo is a labour of love. Tiny handmade tortellini are served in the rich stock from a bollito misto. A Piedmontese classic.
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Medium
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Oranges
Blood orange, burrata and cinnamon-cashew salad with mulled wine glaze
Blood orange and burrata salad gets a festive spin with a spiced mulled wine dressing. Perfect as a Christmas starter or Boxing Day salad.
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Easy
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Nduja
Sausage and cheese brioche wreath with ’nduja cranberry dip
Looking for a festive starter? Hidden inside each brioche dough ball in this wreath is a flavour explosion. Fennel and sausage meet oozing cheese...
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Easy
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Trout
Brown sugar-cured trout with easy wheaten bread
This festive trout starter sings with aniseed flavours, from the spices in the cure to the glorious tarragon herb butter on the bread.
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Easy
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Trout
Cured trout tartare with apple and nori
Cured trout tartare is a simple, relatively effortless Christmas starter. All it takes is time and know how. The results are astounding.
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Easy
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Celeriac
Celeriac and brown butter soup with crispy kale
This luxurious celeriac soup sees the root vegetable bathed in brown butter, adding incredible depth of flavour and subtle sweetness.
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Easy
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Christmas starters
Parmesan and paprika custards with quince toast
With parmesan, smoky paprika and fruity quince paste soldiers for dipping, these savoury set custards provide a simple make-ahead starter.
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Easy
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Crab
Crab pots with parmesan crisps
Effortless but packed with flavour, this easy crab starter with fancy parmesan crisps can be made entirely in advance in just 15 minutes.
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Easy
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