Every Christmas dinner needs a delectable menu for your guests to enjoy.
Traditional dishes like succulent honey-roasted ham and the iconic Christmas pudding are hits at every Christmas dinner.
Going the traditional route for your Christmas catering menu is a pretty safe way to throw a successful festive dinner, but why not try some alternative ideas to add a little twist to your meal and the enjoyment of your guests?
Traditional Christmas Dinner Menu Ideas
Here are a few unique Christmas dinner ideas that can take any Christmas catering menu to new heights.
Christmas Tacos
Tacos are great and versatile food, but do they fit in at a Christmas dinner? With the addition of a seasonal twist, tacos might just become a mainstay on your holiday menu.
Start by slow-cooking some short ribs with chilis, cinnamon, and pomegranate juice to give the meat a unique, and undeniably festive, flavor; this will be your filling. Once it’s ready, prep your corn tortillas and pile on the filling, top it off with some cilantro and lime.
Beef Wellington
Beef wellington can make for an eye-catching centerpiece on any Christmas dinner table. This unique dish is made of beef tenderloin wrapped in crispy puff pastry, with a good portion of savory mushrooms mixed in.
If you want a dish that delivers on both the taste and presentation fronts, you can’t go wrong with a good beef wellington.
Marmalade-glazed roast duck
Roast duck can be an easier alternative to traditional Christmas turkey. Most traditional Christmas roasts use honey glazing to give the meat that touches of sweetness, but in this alternative recipe, marmalade serves this purpose.
Since duck is smaller than turkey, you can have your Christmas roast glazed and oven-ready in just a few minutes.
Wild Rice and Kale Casserole
Green bean casserole is a common Thanksgiving dish, but while casseroles don’t always hold a place of honor at festive tables, no plate is truly complete without it.
You can make the ultimate Christmas treat by adding kale, wild rice, mushrooms, thyme, and gruyere to your casserole.
This can make for a great, warm side dish to your Christmas roast.
Spinach and Broccoli Lasagna
Lasagna is usually prepared as a meaty pasta dish. This version trades in the meat for hearty servings of spinach and broccoli, while still retaining that familiar, generously cheesy feeling of regular lasagna.
Spinach and broccoli lasagna will be a great addition to your menu, especially for your vegetarian guests.
Cranberry BBQ Chicken
Cranberry sauce is a quintessentially festive condiment, and it goes well with all kinds of dishes.
Instead of just serving it on the side, why not let it shine as an ingredient?
Cranberry BBQ chicken is a great dish that brings together the succulence of chicken and the tangy flavor of cranberry sauce. It’s a hassle-free dish to make, and the only ingredients you’ll need are onions, cranberry sauce, barbeque sauce, and chicken breast.
All you need to do is combine all your ingredients in a slow cooker for just a few hours.
Honduran Turkey Tamales
Christmas is a major holiday in Honduras and one of their most popular dishes during the holiday season is tamales.
Tamales are made by stuffing corn husks or plantain leaves with ingredients like chicken, pork, or in this case, turkey. These are then either boiled or steamed.
Adding tamales to your table this year can create a more varied Christmas catering menu for your guests.
Mediterranean Medley
This dish, enjoyed in Portugal, is made from dried and salted fish, accompanied by a plethora of boiled vegetables such as cabbages, zucchini, and red onions.
While it’s not the most traditional festive dish on our list, it’s a hearty addition that can warm up any Christmas menu this season.
Curate a truly memorable Christmas Catering Menu
There are many great ways to put your own twist on the traditional Christmas dinner, whether you’re planning a quiet Christmas dinner for just your family and friends or for an upcoming corporate holiday party—the possibilities are endless.
With the help of a professional catering company, you can let your imagination run wild this Christmas and give your guests an amazing culinary experience they’ll dream about well into the new year.
