Best Non Traditional Christmas Dinner Recipes (2024)

Christmas | Christmas Dinner | Meal Planning | Round Ups

ByJo-Anna RooneyPostedUpdated

Are you wondering what to serve for Christmas Dinner that isn’t a traditional roast turkey? Well look no further, here are some delicious Best Non Traditional Christmas Dinner Recipes for you! You can choose from beef, ham, pork, pasta and even some non-traditional turkey recipes. The menus include a main course,side dish ideas, desserts and even some festive drinks. All delicious, special and festive for the holiday season.

What can I serve instead of traditional turkey?

When most people think of a traditional Christmas dinner, they think of the classics like roast turkey as the main dish on the holiday table. But if you don’t want to make a full turkey, or just feel like something entirely different instead, there are plenty of other delicious options you can try (who knows, maybe you’ll even create some new Christmas traditions). So if you’re looking to try something different this year, I’m sharing some delicious recipes for your Christmas meal here! (These are also great options for Christmas Eve dinner.)

Best Non Traditional Christmas Dinner Recipes (1)
Best Non Traditional Christmas Dinner Recipes (2)

Non-Traditional Turkey Ideas for Christmas Dinner

If you want turkey for Christmas Day but don’t want to make a traditional turkey, here are some options that are easier, and still give you that Christmas turkey dinner flavour you love!

  • Turkey and Stuffing Meatballs
  • One Dish Turkey Breast and Stuffing
  • Turkey Pot Pie

Best Non Traditional Christmas Dinner Recipes (3)

Best Non Traditional Christmas Dinner Recipes (4)

Best Non Traditional Christmas Dinner Recipes (5)

Beef Recipes for Christmas Dinner

Beef is always a nice option for your Christmas dinner table. Prime Rib is always a treat, and it’s especially delicious for special occasions. Or a nice Beef Pot Roast is a great option too. Serve with a salad, buns or popovers.

  • Prime Rib
  • Pot Roast or Roast Beef
  • Beef Tenderloin
  • Serve with:
  • Mashed Potatoes + Gravy
  • Caesar Salad
  • Roasted Brussels Sprouts
  • Yorkshire Puddings/Popovers
  • Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake
  • Winter Sangria

Ham Menu for Christmas

Another great option for your holiday menu is a baked glazed ham. This Christmas Ham is SO delicious…it’s smothered in an orange-honey-brown sugar glaze that’s always a hit and met with rave reviews! Create a festive spread with some tasty sides, dessert and a festive co*cktail!

  • Best Christmas Ham
  • Serve with:
  • Scalloped Potatoes
  • Creamy Gouda Cauliflower Bake
  • Maple Syrup Sweet Potatoes
  • Homemade Dinner Rolls
  • Butter Rum Cake
  • Cranberry Gin co*cktails

Best Non Traditional Christmas Dinner Recipes (13)

Best Non Traditional Christmas Dinner Recipes (14)

Best Non Traditional Christmas Dinner Recipes (15)

Best Non Traditional Christmas Dinner Recipes (16)

Best Non Traditional Christmas Dinner Recipes (17)

Pasta Recipes for Christmas Dinner

Another great non-traditional meal at Christmas is pasta. It’s easy, everyone loves it, and you can make many pasta dishes ahead of time. Here are some delicious recipe ideas to consider:

  • Classic Homemade Lasagna
  • Creamy White Lasagna
  • Beef Ragu
  • Italian Meatballs
  • Serve with:
  • Caesar Salad
  • Garlic Breadsticks
  • or Garlic Bread
  • German Chocolate Cake
  • Christmas Pavlova

Pork Recipes For Christmas Dinner

Pork roasts, tenderloins or chops are a great option for Christmas dinner too!

  • Garlic + Rosemary Roasted Pork
  • Roasted Pork with Butternut Squash
  • Creamy Smothered Pork Chops
  • Serve with:
  • Whipped Mashed Potatoes w/ Truffle
  • Glazed Carrots
  • Steamed Green Beans
  • Eggnog Sheet Cake

Best Non Traditional Christmas Dinner Recipes (26)

Best Non Traditional Christmas Dinner Recipes (27)

Best Non Traditional Christmas Dinner Recipes (28)

Best Non Traditional Christmas Dinner Recipes (29)

Best Non Traditional Christmas Dinner Recipes (30)

Best Non Traditional Christmas Dinner Recipes (31)

Fish and Seafood Ideas for Christmas Dinner

Fish and seafood are also an excellent option for Christmas dinner! Here are some simple, yet special recipes.

  • Maple Macadamia Nut Salmon
  • Creamy Tomato Basil Shrimp Pasta
  • Lobster Chowder

Best Non Traditional Christmas Dinner Recipes (32)

Best Non Traditional Christmas Dinner Recipes (33)

Best Non Traditional Christmas Dinner Recipes (34)

More Non-Turkey Christmas Dinner Ideas

  • Beef Wellington (a Gordon Ramsay recipe)
  • Seafood: Lobster, Lobster Chowder, Pasta with Shrimp
  • Roast Duck (an epicurious recipe)
  • Whole Roast Chicken with Roasted Seasonal Veggies
  • Roast Lamb (a Jamie Oliver recipe)
  • Red Wine Braised Short Ribs (a Food & Wine recipe)
  • French Onion Soup (perfect for a vegetarian Christmas dinner)

I hope you found some delicious non-traditional Christmas dinner ideas for your holiday dinner! I bet you won’t even miss the traditional holiday fare. Merry Christmas to you and your family.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Best Non Traditional Christmas Dinner Recipes (35)

Best Non Traditional Christmas Dinner Recipes (36)

Jo-Anna Rooney

Hi I'm Jo-Anna Rooney, the creator, director, baker, maker and home decorator here at A Pretty Life in the Suburbs! I'm sharing a simple home life through fresh and easy recipes and uncomplicated home tips and home decor.

Similar Posts

Christmas | Christmas Decorating | Porch + Patio | Sponsored Post | Wreath

Silver and Gold Christmas Porch

Christmas | Christmas Dinner | Recipes | Side Dish | Thanksgiving Dinner

Traditional Bread Stuffing

Round Ups | Zucchini

9+ Delicious Zucchini Recipes To Try

Chicken | Meal Planning | Round Ups

25 Quick Chicken Recipes

Christmas | Christmas Cookies | Cookies | Cranberry | Recipes

Cranberry Orange Brown Sugar Shortbread

Breakfast | Meal Planning

Mother’s Day Brunch Menu

Leave a Reply

Best Non Traditional Christmas Dinner Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What are some different ideas for Christmas dinner? ›

14 Alternative Christmas Dinner Ideas
  • 01 of 14. Christmas Tacos. ...
  • 02 of 14. Easy Seafood Linguine. ...
  • 03 of 14. Grilled Sweet Potato Nachos. ...
  • 04 of 14. Family Favorite Macaroni and Cheese. ...
  • 05 of 14. Honey Glazed Moroccan Carrots. ...
  • 06 of 14. Shrimp and Crawfish Jambalaya. ...
  • 07 of 14. Grilled Sea Bass With Garlic Butter. ...
  • 08 of 14.
Mar 20, 2020

What can I do instead of turkey for Christmas? ›

6 Meat Alternatives to the Christmas Turkey
  1. 01 of 06. Classic Beef Wellington. The Spruce. ...
  2. 02 of 06. Roast Rib of Beef for Christmas Dinner. The Spruce / Diana Chistruga. ...
  3. 03 of 06. Baked Glazed Ham. Getty Images. ...
  4. 04 of 06. Ballontine of Goose Recipe. ...
  5. 05 of 06. Christmas Roast Pork With Crackling. ...
  6. 06 of 06. Buttery Roast Chicken.
Dec 19, 2022

What is the least popular Christmas food? ›

Across all states, their findings showed that the least popular Christmas foods are persimmon pudding (13%) and fruitcake (25%).

What are the top 10 Christmas dinner foods? ›

Top 10 most popular Christmas recipes
  • Nut roast.
  • Ultimate roast potatoes. ...
  • Mary's Berry Christmas chutney. ...
  • Sausage, sage & onion stuffing. ...
  • Cola ham with maple & mustard glaze. ...
  • Sticky spiced red cabbage. ...
  • Christmas pudding with citrus and spice. ...
  • Yule log. ...

What is the most popular Christmas dinner item? ›

Overall the traditional Christmas dinner classic, the turkey, is far and away the winner for most popular festive food.

What is the best Christmas dinner? ›

Our Top 22 Traditional Christmas Dishes
  • 01 of 23. Chef John's Honey-Glazed Ham. ...
  • 02 of 23. Mom's Scalloped Potatoes. ...
  • 03 of 23. Best Green Bean Casserole. ...
  • 04 of 23. Chef John's Roast Turkey and Gravy. ...
  • 05 of 23. Holiday Mashed Potatoes. ...
  • 06 of 23. Christmas Prime Rib. ...
  • 07 of 23. Quick and Easy Yorkshire Pudding. ...
  • 08 of 23. Beef Wellington.
Dec 18, 2023

What do most people eat on Christmas? ›

Traditional Christmas dinner features turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, and vegetables. Other types of poultry, roast beef, or ham, are also used. Pumpkin or apple pie, raisin pudding, Christmas pudding, or fruitcake are staples for dessert.

What is the best meat for Christmas? ›

If you're looking for a truly standout centerpiece, Prime Time Butcher presents their top 12 meat selections for the most festive and delicious Christmas dinner:
  • All Natural Boneless Turkey Roast. ...
  • All Natural Whole Turkey. ...
  • All Natural Duck. ...
  • Dry Aged American Rack of Lamb. ...
  • Dry Aged Chuck Roast. ...
  • All Natural Crown Roast of Pork.
Dec 18, 2023

What can I cook instead of turkey? ›

Cornish game hen, goose, duck, ham, beef, salmon, and mushroom recipes make worthy centerpieces for holiday meals. This is collaborative content from Food & Wine's team of experts, including staff, recipe developers, chefs, and contributors.

What is the most wanted alternative to turkey on Thanksgiving? ›

Honey-glazed ham is synonymous with celebrations during the holidays. This main course alternative meets all the requirements of maintaining tradition and having a meat-based protein as the focus.

What to make for Thanksgiving if you don't like turkey? ›

Thanksgiving Main Dishes That Are Better Than Turkey
  • Roast Chicken With Maple Butter and Rosemary. Image. Credit... ...
  • Beef Wellington. Image. ...
  • Ombré Gratin. Image. ...
  • Skillet Pork Chops and Apples With Miso Caramel. Image. ...
  • Samosa Pie. Image. ...
  • Maple-Baked Salmon. Image. ...
  • Lasagna. Image. ...
  • Ina Garten's Make-Ahead Coquilles St. Jacques.
Nov 10, 2022

What is a healthier alternative to turkey? ›

Roasted Whole Chicken

“Each of these can be seasoned to your taste and roasted in the oven, resulting in wonderful aroma and delicious meat,” says Palumbo. Both chicken and turkey are lean proteins, especially if you avoid dark meat.

How do you celebrate non traditional Christmas? ›

9 Alternative Ways to Celebrate Christmas (That Still Embrace the Holiday Spirit)
  1. Give Time, Not Gifts. ...
  2. Save a Tree, Decorate Something Else. ...
  3. Try Out a New Skill. ...
  4. Try Out a Non-Traditional Christmas Dinner Menu. ...
  5. Host a Friendsmas Party. ...
  6. Get Active for the Holidays. ...
  7. Exchange Gifts with Laughter. ...
  8. Have a Gift Scavenger Hunt.
Nov 30, 2022

What do Americans have for dinner on Christmas? ›

In America, Christmas dinner resembles Thanksgiving – there is turkey or ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy. For Jewish people living in America, the tradition is to eat Chinese food – with most Chinese restaurants open on the holiday.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Kareem Mueller DO

Last Updated:

Views: 6342

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (46 voted)

Reviews: 85% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Kareem Mueller DO

Birthday: 1997-01-04

Address: Apt. 156 12935 Runolfsdottir Mission, Greenfort, MN 74384-6749

Phone: +16704982844747

Job: Corporate Administration Planner

Hobby: Mountain biking, Jewelry making, Stone skipping, Lacemaking, Knife making, Scrapbooking, Letterboxing

Introduction: My name is Kareem Mueller DO, I am a vivacious, super, thoughtful, excited, handsome, beautiful, combative person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.