Make-ahead Christmas dinner recipes
Whether you call it Christmas dinner or lunch – your Christmas main meal planning just got easier. Browse our collection of make-ahead Christmas dinner recipes including soups, terrines, pâtés and sausage rolls.
Check out the Make-ahead Christmas sides collection too, full of our best stress-free options.
Showing 1-16 of 67 recipes
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Christmas trimmings, sides and sauces
The best homemade turkey gravy
Homemade turkey gravy makes all the difference to your Christmas dinner. Prepare a flavoursome stock in advance and the rest is easy.
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Easy
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Cranberries
Ultimate homemade cranberry sauce
Our ultimate cranberry sauce is ready in 20 mins and can be made ahead. It's the perfect balance between tart and sweet, with citrussy spice.
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Easy
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Wellingtons
Best-of-the-best beef wellington
Want to show off your cookery skills? Try our best-of-the-best beef wellington recipe for the ultimate take on this culinary classic.
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Medium
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Make-ahead stuffing
Sausage, sage, prune and onion stuffing
The two best stuffings are sage and onion or sausage and prune. This one contains both, making it the ultimate Christmas stuffing recipe.
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Easy
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Cabbages
Braised red cabbage
This braised red cabbage offers a sweet-and-sour flavour combo with seasonal spice, cutting through the rich flavours of Christmas dinner.
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Easy
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Christmas trimmings, sides and sauces
Butter-roast parsnips with hazelnuts and sage
Dish up your best-ever roast parsnips this Christmas. Crisp sage and a scattering of toasted hazelnuts provide flavour and crunch.
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Easy
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Filo pastry
Vegetarian filo Christmas wreath
Food writer Elly Curshen’s spectacular filo-wrapped wreath makes a perfect vegetarian Christmas main or Christmas buffet centerpiece.
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Easy
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Vegetarian pies
Ottolenghi’s butternut crunch pie
This ruffled filo pie from team Ottolenghi cleverly treads the line between sweet and savoury, with a top note of zingy heat thanks to a scattering of pickled chillies.
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Easy
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Christmas trimmings, sides and sauces
Christmas cabbage with hazelnuts, olives and raisins
Jazz up your Christmas cabbage. Treat savoy like a salad, combining shredded leaves with nuts, olives, raisins, herbs and pomegranate seeds.
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Easy
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Christmas mains that aren't turkey
Venison wellington
Venison wellington makes a fabulous alternative to Christmas turkey. Try this prep-ahead recipe from top chefs, Chris and Jeff Galvin.
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Easy
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Vegan Christmas
Confit parsnip and carrot crumble
Got a vegan guest for Christmas? This vegetable crumble for one makes a hearty and impressive Christmas main, and has a rich, creamy sauce.
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Easy
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Make-ahead Christmas
Caramelised onion, pear and chestnut stuffing
Get ready for Christmas with this make-ahead chestnut stuffing recipe from Chantelle Nicholson. Freeze, then defrost when ready to bake.
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Easy
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Make-ahead Christmas starters
Individual smoked salmon terrines for Christmas
Looking for a salmon starter? Make this easy to prepare smoked salmon terrine recipe as a starter to serve at a dinner party, or Christmas lunch...
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Easy
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Vegetarian Christmas dinners
Porcini mushroom and vegetable nut roast
Forget those uninspiring veggie offerings of Christmases past – this updated porcini mushoom and vegetable nut roast is so satisfying.
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Easy
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Christmas turkey
One-pan roast turkey cushion with trimmings
An all-in-one Christmas lunch for a group of six to eight people. Find out how to make a turkey cushion stuffed with sausage and lentils.
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Medium
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Vegan Christmas
Vegan miso mushroom, squash and chestnut wellington
This vegan wellington recipe combines miso mushrooms, sweet butternut squash and chestnuts in vegan puff pastry. It's an absolute delight!
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Medium
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