Alternative Christmas dinner recipes | Good Food

Top 20 alternative Christmas dinner centrepieces

Top 10 alternative meaty mains

Do Christmas a little differently this year and try a turkey alternative. Don’t fancy cooking a bird? Try a glistening glazed ham, roast lamb or a decadent duck recipe. Experiment and find your new favourite.

1. Quick roast Christmas chicken & sticky veg

Enjoy an energy and cost-efficient festive lunch with our quick roast chicken. We’ve used a few tricks to cut down on the oven cooking time, but the result is still a succulent chicken.

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Discover even more amazing roast chicken recipes in our main collection.

2. Honey-glazed ham

Add a sticky honey and mustard glaze to gammon for a delicious sweetness that contrasts with the saltiness of the meat. It’s great for a celebration supper.

Watch our video tutorial and learn how to glaze and cook a ham.

3. Easy roast pork shoulder

Master roast pork with crispy crackling using our easy recipe. This succulent main requires just four ingredients, a great way to simplify your Christmas Day cooking.

See our roast pork recipes for more ideas.

4. Marmalade glazed roast duck

Roast duck makes a delicious, easy alternative to turkey and our addition of sticky Seville oranges and marmalade makes it all the more festive. It takes just five minutes to prep this beautiful bird and it’s a great size for a smaller family meal on the big day.

Try even more versatile roast duck recipes in place of your traditional roast.

5. Easy roast leg of lamb

Roast leg of lamb is a great crowd pleaser that will go down a storm on Christmas Day. See this easy version, infused with fragrant rosemary.

Get your fill of our moreish roast lamb recipes – they’re not just for Easter.

6. Christmas dinner wellington

Christmas dinner wellington cut into slices and served on a wooden board with a jug of gravy

As much as we love a classic turkey main, we also like to mix it up. This fabulous Christmas dinner wellington is a crowd-pleasing alternative – a make-ahead meal in one, it incorporates stuffing and cranberry sauce, so all you need to think about on the big day is the veg and gravy.

Search through our wellington recipes for more ideas.

7. Ale-glazed beef fillet with a crispy onion crust

Ale-glazed beef fillet with a crispy onion crust served with baby carrots and spinach

Forget traditional turkey – try chef Tommy Banks’s quick beef fillet for an alternative Christmas main. It’s a showstopping dish which delivers restaurant-quality results, but it’s also easy to make. Plus, you only need to set aside 30 minutes of prep time.

Take a browse through more Christmas beef recipes.

8. Baked salmon fillet with pickled cranberries, parsley & pistachios

Baked salmon fillet with pickled cranberries, parsley & pistachios cut into slices

Looking to switch things up with a salmon centrepiece? This baked salmon fillet is a must-try this festive season, with the oily salmon balanced out with homemade pickled cranberries. Cranberries also add a fun, Christmassy feel to the dish.

Check out more Christmas salmon recipes.

9. Christmas pie

Christmas pie on a black circular serving plate

Looking to really mix things up this year? Combine a few key Christmas flavours to make an epic festive pie that both children and adults will enjoy.

See more of our best pie recipes for more ideas.

10. Roast pork with sage & double onion stuffing, baked apples & roasties

Roast pork with sage & double onion stuffing, baked apples & roasties served on a plate

For a Christmas dinner with a twist, serve up this winter feast of roast pork loin with homemade sage and onion stuffing. Carve the joint into pork chops and enjoy with sweet apples and crisp roasties.

See our maple-mustard pulled pork for another pork centrepiece.

Top 10 vegetarian alternatives

Never fear, nut roast alternatives are here! Try a savoury slice of veg cake, a cheesy truffled pudding or an Italian-inspired gnocchi dish. Take a look at our vegetarian Christmas collection for more enticing meat-free meals.

1. Whole roasted cauliflower

Wow family and friends at Christmas with a spectacular whole roasted cauliflower. With festive pomegranate jewels, it’s a great veggie main.

See more roasted cauliflower recipe ideas.

2. Parsnip, mushroom & barley wreath

Nothing says Christmas like an edible wreath, packed with your favourite winter veg. This show-stealing recipe tastes as good as it looks, and even the carnivores will be asking for a second slice. The mushrooms add a rich, umami depth that brings out the earthy flavours of the root veg. Top with colourful root veg crisps for added crunch. It’s also delicious the next day, layered into Boxing Day sandwiches.

3. Truffled parsnip & brioche pudding

Truffled parsnip & brioche pudding in a white oven proof dish

Go for full on indulgence and pig out on our truffled parsnip & brioche pudding, with crunchy hazelnuts and thyme butter. This decadent, savoury twist on the classic pudding is pure comfort food. A spoonful of this ultra-rich bready delight will take a plateful of roast veg and crispy potatoes from standard to something special.

4. Vegan pie

Make this fantastic vegan beetroot, sweet potato, chard and celeriac rainbow-layered pie as a stunning centrepiece for a meat-free Christmas.

For more ideas, see our vegan Christmas mains.

5. Beetroot & red onion tarte tatin

Bring a splash of colour to an overly beige plate of treats with our beetroot and red onion tarte. Although it looks impressive, this easy recipe takes just 10 minutes to prepare, so you can dazzle your guests with very little effort. Top with orange zest and a sprinkle of salt, and serve with a peppery salad.

6. Parsnip, feta & butter bean pie

Parsnip, feta & butter bean pie on a cake stand with a slice taken out

Looking for a showstopping veggie dish to serve guests? Packed with parsnips, feta and butter beans, this meat-free pie makes the perfect Christmas centrepiece.

Check out more vegetarian pie recipes.

7. Spiced squash, feta & beetroot wellington

Spiced squash, feta & beetroot wellington on a chopping board

Stuck for vegetarian centrepiece inspiration? Turn your hand to this vibrant veggie wellington with squash, beetroot and feta, all encased in puff pastry. It’s a truly showstopping main for Christmas.

See our vegetarian Christmas menu for a full feast of veggie recipes.

8. Squash, winter herb & crispy butter bean pie

Squash, winter herb & crispy butter bean pie with a slice taken out

Make this hearty squash pie to serve as an alternative vegetarian Christmas centrepiece. It’s festive and contains plenty of herby flavour, plus you can serve any leftovers cold the following day.

Check out more roasted butternut squash recipes.

9. Easy vegan nut roast

Easy vegan nut roast with a slice cut out

Struggling to decide what to serve the vegans at the table? This colourful nut roast makes the easiest show-off vegan main. With pomegranate, cranberries and chestnut mushrooms, it’s packed with warming festive flavours.

Discover more nut roast recipes.

10. Easy vegan wellington

Vegan wellington filled with butternut squash, mushrooms and chestnuts

Wow family and friends with this mushroom and sweet potato wellington with cranberries. It makes an impressive centrepiece dish in a vegan Christmas spread, plus even committed meat-eaters will be dazzled.

See our vegan Christmas menu for full menu inspiration.

Alternative Christmas desserts

Christmas pudding

If you love baking but aren’t a fan of traditional puddings, we have a whole host of brownies, cakes, cheesecakes and ice creams to get your mouth watering. Take Christmas pudding and turn it on its head. Try a scoop of Christmas pudding trifle, a slice of pudding cheesecake or a bowlful of Christmas pud ice cream.

We’ve got plenty more ideas for alternative Christmas desserts, including chocolate puddings, trifles and more.

Cheesecake topped with orange wheels and with a slice cut out

See more Christmas pudding recipes and leftover Christmas pudding ideas.

Christmas cake

Want a stunning sponge to take centre stage this Christmas? Embrace all the flavours of the season, with our own clever twists. Our gingerbread cake with caramel biscuit icing is deliciously decadent, complete with coconut ‘snow’. Get a taste of the tropics with our pineapple & rum cake, filled with sunny Caribbean flavours. Ditch the fruit cake and try our white chocolate, orange & cranberry cake with picture-perfect meringue toppers.

Find more Christmas cake recipe ideas.

Mince pies & yule log

Perk up your standard sweet offering with our golden-brown cinnamon swirl mince pies. They’re easy and can be made with just a handful of ingredients. Try another glorious mash-up in the form of our mince pie baklava – serve small bites with coffee or a hearty serving warm with ice cream. Bring a pop of colour to your dinner table with our stunning rainbow yule log, a striped Swiss roll makes a centrepiece that’ll get everyone talking. If you need something sweet to satisfy your cravings, try your hand at our salted caramel yule log. A slice of this is the perfect end to a festive meal.

Discover even more mince pie and Yule log recipes.