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 homemade cranberry sauce is ready in 20 mins and can be made ahead. It's the perfect balance between tart and sweet.
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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 best stuffing? Sage and onion stuffing or sausage and prune stuffing. This one contains both, making it the ultimate 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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