It's that time of year again - time to start planning for Christmas dinner! I know how stressful it can feel to think about cooking such a huge meal for friends and family.
There are so many dishes to prepare, timings to coordinate, and details to keep track of. But never fear - I'm here to take the stress out of Christmas dinner with my Fuss Free Christmas Dinner Menu for 2023.
This menu has everything you need to wow your guests this festive season.
I've also recommended a few air fryer and slow cooker adaptations of my top festive recipes to assist in freeing up oven space on the big day.
From the main turkey roast to delicious sides and desserts, I've carefully selected Christmas recipes that are easy to make in advance or can be thrown together quickly on the big day.
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Christmas Day Starters
Curried Parsnip & Apple Soup
This delicately spiced curried parsnip and apple soup recipe is a must-try during the winter months! It's easy to make and pairs perfectly with crusty bread.
Servings => 4
Takes => 1 hour 23 minutes
Calories per serving => 210
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Quorn Ham & Stilton Rarebit Bites
The perfect vegetarian appetiser for Christmas Day.
Servings => 6
Takes => 12 minutes
Calories per serving => 423
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Christmas Dinner
Make Ahead
These recipes can be made up to 3 months in advance and frozen!
Easy Slow Cooker Red Cabbage
Add some flavour to your festive meal or Sunday roast with this easy and delicious slow cooker red cabbage recipe! Cooked to perfection with apples, onion, and mixed spice!
Servings => 8
Takes => 7 hours 5 minutes
Calories per serving => 86
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Easy Apricot Stuffing Recipe
Easy apricot stuffing is a delicious side dish to serve with Christmas turkey, honey roast gammon, or roast chicken! Made with simple ingredients, it's a delicious and easy side dish.
Servings => 6
Takes => 43 minutes
Calories per serving => 344
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Cheesy Brussels Sprouts Gratin with Bacon
A cheesy Brussels sprouts gratin with smoky bacon! A delicious and festive vegetable side dish that the whole family will love, even sprout haters!
Servings => 6
Takes => 45 minutes
Calories per serving => 535
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Quick and Easy Bread Sauce Recipe
This quick and easy bread sauce recipe is the perfect complement to your roast dinner or Christmas lunch. Infused with warm spices and creamy goodness, it's simple and delicious!
Servings => 8
Takes => 20 minutes
Calories per serving => 132
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Easy Cranberry Sauce with Port
An easy cranberry sauce recipe made with fresh or frozen cranberries, port, and clementines.
Servings => 6
Takes => 18 minutes
Calories per serving => 87
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Cook on the day
For 2-4 guests
Easy Air Fryer Turkey Crown
This moist and juicy air fryer turkey crown is super easy to make, and serves up to 4 people (with leftovers!), making it a delicious centre-piece for a smaller Christmas lunch. Best of all, it's ready in under 50 minutes!
Servings => 4
Takes => 55 minutes
Calories per serving => 394
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For up to 8 guests
Easy Slow Cooker Turkey Crown
An easy way to cook your Christmas turkey with just 3 minutes of prep! This slow cooker turkey crown produces moist, juicy, and flavourful meat!
Servings => 8
Takes => 5 hours 33 minutes
Calories per serving => 352
Get the recipe
Feed a crowd
Easy Honey Roast Gammon
An easy honey roast gammon recipe with a simple honey glaze made with runny honey, English mustard, and crunchy demerara sugar.
Servings => 7
Takes => 4 hours 5 minutes
Calories per serving => 101
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Easy Slow Cooker Roast Beef
A mouthwatering moist slow cooker roast beef recipe with a rich red wine gravy! It's melt-in-the-mouth tender, incredibly juicy, and so easy to make!
Servings => 6
Takes => 8 hours 40 minutes
Calories per serving => 529
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Easy Christmas sides
Crispy Duck Fat Roast Potatoes
Crispy duck fat roast potatoes are an easy and delicious potato side to serve with roast duck, roast chicken, roast beef, and even air fryer turkey crown!
Servings => 6
Takes => 1 hour 10 minutes
Calories per serving => 257
Get the recipe
Easy Air Fryer Roast Potatoes
These crispy air fryer roast potatoes are super quick to make and require no par-boiling! Perfect with your traditional Sunday Roast, or equally delicious as part of an easy weeknight dinner.
Servings => 4
Takes => 1 hour
Calories per serving => 361
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Honey Roasted Carrots and Parsnips
Add some sweetness to your roast dinner with these easy honey roasted carrots and parsnips. Simple to make and bursting with flavour!
Servings => 6
Takes => 43 minutes
Calories per serving => 165
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Easy Air Fryer Roast Parsnips
These easy air fryer parsnips with a sticky maple and sea salt glaze are the perfect solution for a quick, healthy, and delicious vegetable side dish for your roast dinner or Christmas lunch!
Servings => 6
Takes => 20 minutes
Calories per serving => 80
Get the recipe
Crispy Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
Deliciously crispy air fryer Brussels sprouts with crumbled chestnuts and pomegranate seeds! Ready in under 20 minutes!
Servings => 6
Takes => 20 minutes
Calories per serving => 126
Get the recipe
Easy Pan Fried Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
Impress your guests this Christmas with an irresistible recipe for pan fried Brussels sprouts with bacon and a tangy balsamic drizzle!
Servings => 4
Takes => 15 minutes
Calories per serving => 209
Get the recipe
Easy Cauliflower Cheese
An easy cauliflower cheese recipe, the perfect side dish for your roast dinner!
Servings => 4
Takes => 35 minutes
Calories per serving => 455
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Easy Air Fryer Stuffing Balls
Discover how to make perfectly crispy stuffing balls in an air fryer! This delicious air fryer side dish pairs perfectly with Christmas turkey or roast chicken. Using store-bought sage and onion stuffing mix makes it easy to customise them to suit your taste.
Servings => 6
Takes => 20 minutes
Calories per serving => 115
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Air Fryer Pigs in Blankets
Indulge in the classic British side dish of air fryer pigs in blankets. Perfect for Christmas and Sunday roast, this easy recipe is a must-try!
Servings => 6
Takes => 9 minutes
Calories per serving => 92
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Air Fryer Devils on Horseback (with Maple Sriracha Glaze)
Spice up your party with air fryer devils on horseback (bacon wrapped dates) coated in a sweet and spicy maple sriracha glaze. Air fry in just 5 minutes! Perfect for Christmas.
Servings => 8
Takes => 10 minutes
Calories per serving => 69
Get the recipe
Christmas Desserts
No-Bake Chocolate Orange Tarts
Rich and indulgent no-bake Terry's chocolate orange tarts with a simple no-bake biscuit crust and chocolate orange ganache filling!
Servings => 4
Takes => 2 hours 10 minutes
Calories per serving => 930
Get the recipe
Easy Sherry Trifles
Easy individual sherry trifles made with crumbled Madeira cake, ready-made custard, a cheat's raspberry jelly, and topped with lightly whipped cream.
Servings => 8
Takes => 3 hours 15 minutes
Calories per serving => 300
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Easy Chocolate Honeycomb Torte
An easy chocolate honeycomb torte recipe made with just a handful of storecupboard ingredients including Cadbury crunchie bars!
Servings => 8
Takes => 45 minutes
Calories per serving => 510
Get the recipe
Festive Bakes
Mincemeat Crumble Slices
These easy mincemeat crumble slices make a nice change from traditional mince pies during the festive season, with buttery oat crumble sandwiching the fruity mincemeat middle!
Servings => 12
Takes => 43 minutes
Calories per serving => 386
Get the recipe
Easy Puff Pastry Mince Pies
Easy puff pastry mince pies made with shop-bought buttery puff pastry and sweet mincemeat! The perfect Christmas bake.
Servings => 12
Takes => 20 minutes
Calories per serving => 196
Get the recipe
Easy White Chocolate Cranberry Blondies
Soft and fudgy white chocolate cranberry blondies packed with sweet white chocolate chips, fruity dried cranberries, and a hint of aromatic vanilla. Perfect as a festive tea time treat!
Servings => 16
Takes => 33 minutes
Calories per serving => 211
Get the recipe
Easy Christmas Tiffin
An easy no-bake chocolate Christmas tiffin recipe made with dark and milk chocolate, crushed shortbread biscuits, dried cranberries, and orange zest! Finished with cute Christmas sprinkles on top!
Servings => 16
Takes => 2 hours 10 minutes
Calories per serving => 367
Get the recipe
Easy White Chocolate Tiffin
An easy white chocolate tiffin recipe made with creamy white chocolate, ginger biscuits, chopped stem ginger, dried cranberries, glace cherries, and sweet fudge pieces.
Servings => 16
Takes => 2 hours 10 minutes
Calories per serving => 300
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Mini Sausage Rolls
Skip the fuss and let store-bought ingredients take the work out of entertaining with these irresistible mini sausage rolls. Made with ready-rolled puff pastry and featuring a flavour-packed filling of sausage meat spiced up with apple sauce and sage & onion stuffing mix, these bite-sized parcels of puff pastry delight are the ideal last-minute party appetiser.
Servings => 36
Takes => 28 minutes
Calories per serving => 85
Get the recipe
Leftovers Recipes
Easy Leftover Turkey Curry
An easy leftover turkey curry recipe, packed full of flavour and ready in just 40 minutes. This is my go-to turkey curry for Boxing Day.
Servings => 4
Takes => 40 minutes
Calories per serving => 419
Get the recipe
Easy Leftover Turkey Fricassee
A quick and easy leftover turkey fricassee recipe using leftover cooked turkey from Christmas.
Servings => 4
Takes => 20 minutes
Calories per serving => 547
Get the recipe
Air Fryer Turkey Toastie
An easy air fryer turkey toastie with bacon, brie, and cranberry sauce. The perfect recipe to use up leftover turkey after Christmas or Thanksgiving.
Servings => 2
Takes => 15 minutes
Calories per serving => 658
Get the recipe
Easy Leftover Gammon & Pea Pasta
A delicious leftover gammon pasta recipe with peas. The perfect recipe for leftover ham!
Servings => 4
Takes => 22 minutes
Calories per serving => 810
Get the recipe
Easy Leftover Roast Beef Stroganoff Recipe
Transform your leftover roast beef into a delicious and creamy leftover roast beef stroganoff. With tender strips of roast beef, sautéed mushrooms, and a rich and creamy sauce, this dish is perfect for a quick and easy weeknight dinner!
Servings => 4
Takes => 28 minutes
Calories per serving => 364
Get the recipe
Top tips for success!
Here are some top tips for preparing Christmas dinner:
- Advance Preparation: The key to a successful Christmas dinner is in the preparation. Do as much prep work as you can ahead of time.
- Defrost Properly: Ensure you allow ample time for defrosting any frozen items, especially joints of meat.
- Organise Kitchenware: Organise all your serving dishes, plates, cutlery, glasses, candles, and crackers the night before. This helps avoid any last-minute searches.
- Food Delivery Options: Consider booking a supermarket delivery or click and collect order. Using disposable tin foil containers can also be a huge time-saver and reduce the amount of washing up.
- Enjoy the Day: Most importantly, ensure you enjoy yourself. If you find the preparations overwhelming, there's no harm in opting for ready-made dishes.
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