How to Plan an Elegant Christmas Dinner Menu

Co-authored by Ollie George Cigliano

Last Updated: October 22, 2022 References

Christmas is a time of family, friends and, just as importantly, food. Should you find yourself playing host at a special Christmas dinner this year, take advantage of the opportunity to wow your guests by putting together a mouthwatering array of holiday delicacies that are sure to please any palate. Start by narrowing down a few simple but appetizing dishes that you want to make, then take care of the necessary shopping and start preparing the meal with plenty of time to spare. After the last morsel has been devoured, your guests will leave full of good food and good cheer.

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Preparing to Receive Guests

1
Find out how many people are coming. Touch base with your invited guests to get an idea of how many to expect. Taking a headcount will allow you to stock up on supplies to that you can prepare enough food for everyone. It will also give you a chance to arrange for seating and make sure you have ample space for your guests to mingle before and after the meal.^{[1]
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- Follow up with the people on your invite list to confirm whether they’ll be able to attend.
- Only invite as many guests as you have room and provisions for.
2
Decide what you'll be making. Give some thought to what you'd like to serve and how much time and preparation it will require. Your menu could consist of contemporary recipes using inventive combinations of different ingredients, or traditional favorites that you've enjoyed since childhood. Try to structure a diverse menu with the enjoyment of yourself and your guests in mind.^{[2]
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- When making food for a crowd of people, it's generally best to work with dishes and ingredients that you know well in order to avoid unexpected complications.
- Adjust the measurements of your recipes to reflect the number of people you’ll be serving.
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3
Make a shopping list. Once you have an accurate count of how many you’ll be cooking for, put together a master list of the ingredients you’ll need for dinner. This should include the individual components of the food, as well as other considerations like alcohol, formal dining accessories and decorations. Bring your list to the store with you to make sure you don’t forget anything.^{[3]
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- To keep things organized, draft your shopping list by what you need for each recipe.
- Incorporate delectable ingredients that are fresh and in season.^{[4]
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4
Have a plan for selective eaters. Due to food allergies, dietary restrictions and personal taste, you may have some diners who won’t be able to partake of everything you prepare. Take into account guests who are vegetarian or vegan, gluten free or just plain picky. Try to assemble a comprehensive menu that incorporates a range of dishes, flavors and cooking methods so that everyone will have something to enjoy.^{[5]
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- You’re not always going to please everybody. Make the kind of dinner you want to make, rather than trying to accommodate a dozen different preferences.
- For example, you could offer prime rib as well as portobello mushrooms for a vegetarian option.^{[6]
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  Ollie George Cigliano
  Private Chef & Food Educator
  Expert Interview. 30 August 2021.}
- Encourage guests with special dietary needs to also bring some of their own favorite dishes.
5
Create the right atmosphere. Set the mood for your holiday dinner by livening up your home and dining area. Make a playlist of your favorite Christmas music, dim the lights and put out festive decorations like garlands and mistletoe. When you set the table, make use of an ornate runner, or embellish with poinsettia arrangements and linens in scarlet, green, white or gold. A good dinner party is just as much about the ambiance as it is the meal, so transform your setting to embody the spirit of the season.
- Use candles and Christmas lights to illuminate the room rather than relying on ordinary light sources.^{[7]
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- Garnish your finished dishes with holiday-themed accents like holly and candy canes.
6
Provide some hors d'oeuvres. Think of a few simple finger foods you can put out as you get the main course ready. You don’t have to get too complicated—Swedish meatballs and cheese balls with crackers are popular holiday appetizers, or you could splurge on a nice baked brie and some fresh fruit.^{[8]
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Ollie George Cigliano
Private Chef & Food Educator
Expert Interview. 30 August 2021.} Tell your hungry guests to help themselves until dinner is served.^{[9]
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- Light appetizers will make it easier for your guests to wait on a complex meal that’s awaiting its finishing touches.
- If you want to keep things simple, lay out a charcuterie platter with a selection of cured meats, cheeses, olives and bread.^{[10]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 4:

Planning Your Main Course

1
Roast a leg of lamb. There is perhaps no Christmas entree more decadent than leg of lamb. When cooked perfectly, it is succulent and tender, making it ideal for filling empty bellies on a chilly winter evening. Season the lamb with rosemary, garlic or thyme and roast in the oven until the meat is browned and sizzling.^{[11]
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- Create a bed of potatoes, carrots and onions at the bottom of your baking dish and roast them alongside the lamb. They’ll soak up the juices from the meat, making them crisp and flavorful.
2
Make a traditional beef dish. People have long served beef on Christmas Eve. Since it’s a more substantial meat, a medium-sized roast, tenderloin or prime rib can be enough to satisfy many hungry guests.^{[12]
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Ollie George Cigliano
Private Chef & Food Educator
Expert Interview. 30 August 2021.} Whatever cut you choose, cook the beef to the right temperature, and use a light hand when flavoring it. Let the meat speak for itself.^{[13]
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- Prime rib is best enjoyed on the rare side, while roasts should be a little more done, and other cuts can be cooked to individual preference.^{[14]
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- Pair your beef dish with a red wine sauce, horseradish cream or brown gravy.
3
Bake a ham. Ham is one reason why people get so excited for the holiday season. Slather the outside with brown sugar, honey or molasses, then bake it, slice it and serve it piping hot. One large ham can easily feed a crowd of a dozen or more, and pairs well with many different types of side dishes.^{[15]
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- Hams can take hours to cook all the way through, so plan ahead to allot yourself enough time.
4
Cook Cornish game hens. For a more classically-inspired Christmas recipe, cook up a few Cornish hens. These petite fowl can be prepared just like chicken, taking the guesswork out of serving them for the first time. Rub them with butter and dry seasonings, or try filling them with cornbread stuffing before you put them in the oven.^{[16]
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- For even more flavor, inject a marinade or herb butter under the skin.^{[17]
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- Because of their small size, you can serve each guest their own hen at smaller gatherings.
5
Offer a vegetarian option. Keep in mind that not all of your guests may eat meat or animal products. For these people, have one or two meat-free, non-dairy alternatives ready, such as baked ratatouille or a made-from-scratch tart loaded with savory vegetables. You can also buy some tofu and cook it the same way you do your main dish.^{[18]
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- Tofu is very simple to work with. It can be baked, grilled, fried or sauteed, and will absorb the flavors of the ingredients it’s prepared with.^{[19]
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Part 3

Part 3 of 4:

Laying Out the Side Dishes

1
Have some hearty potatoes. As a heavier side, you can’t go wrong with potatoes. These can be prepared in so many ways: baked, mashed, au gratin or simply chopped, drizzled with oil and sage and thrown under the broiler. In fact, potatoes are so versatile that you can get away with serving them in a couple different dishes, if you wish.^{[20]
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- If you’re serving more than one potato dish, make sure they’re sufficiently different in terms of flavor, texture or presentation. Too much one one type of food can seem repetitive.
- Boil or pressure cook potatoes to get them done faster.^{[21]
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2
Add green beans to the menu. Green beans are another vegetable that you can do a lot with. Crunchy and mild, these can benefit from the addition of onion, roasted peppers or pungent spices like black pepper, but they’re also tasty enough to stand on their own.^{[22]
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Ollie George Cigliano
Private Chef & Food Educator
Expert Interview. 30 August 2021.} Green beans are universally loved and pair well with a variety of meats and other sides.^{[23]
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- Simmer your green beans in a pot with fatback for a more Southern take, or go with a rustic French haricot vert with cloves of garlic and slivers of sliced almond.^{[24]
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- Green beans can be served whole or broken into smaller pieces to go in sautés and casseroles.
3
Roast seasonal vegetables. Heat up a medley of fresh seasonal vegetables. Brussel sprouts and carrots are particularly revered around Christmas, but you might also use asparagus, turnips or squash, depending on your entree. Prepare each vegetable individually, or choose complementary flavors and dice them up, cook them and serve them together in the same dish.^{[25]
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- Look for different types of root vegetables in vibrant colors to add some visual appeal to the dish.
4
Don’t forget the bread. Put the finishing touches on your feast with a basket hot, fluffy yeast rolls or a loaf of crusty French bread. You could even take it one step further and turn the bread into its own dish, such as miniature Yorkshire puddings. Your guests will agree that no meal is complete without bread.^{[26]
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- Serve with butter or a dish of olive oil and cracked black pepper.
- If you’re baking your own bread, be sure to set a timer so that it comes out with the rest of your meal.

Part 4

Part 4 of 4:

Offering Desserts and After-Dinner Treats

1
Bake a cake or pie. When it comes time for a little something sweet, it’s important that the confections you have in store be the perfect conclusion to an already delicious dinner. Obviously you have a lot of freedom in selecting the desserts you serve, but some faithful choices include red velvet cake, a cream-filled “yule log” or a chilled chocolate cream pie. Give your guests a few different options to choose from never hurts, either.^{[27]
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- Take care of your baked goods the morning of so you can have them ready without adding to your preparation time.^{[28]
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- Pumpkin, pecan and cranberry pie are often enjoyed at Christmas time as well as Thanksgiving.
2
Fix a classic Christmas pudding. Christmas pudding is made by combining sweet dried fruits, flour, molasses and zesty spices like cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, then cooking it all down together. This dessert originated in Britain, but has since become a popular treat enjoyed the world. Since pudding is so dense and filling, it will be more than enough for those who only want a little nibble.^{[29]
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- In England, Ireland and other countries, homemade pudding is the traditional way to end Christmas dinner.
3
Put together a trifle. Trifle is an essential part of Christmas cooking to many families. Stack airy sponge cake between layers of rich custard and fruit-flavored jelly. With so many scrumptious components, every bite of this dessert is like a little surprise. Its light consistency makes it manageable after a big meal.^{[30]
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- The layers of a trifle can come in many different colors and flavors.
- Trifles take a lot of effort to put together. Don’t hesitate to buy one premade if you’re running short on time.
4
Share in a drink. Ask your diners if they would like a special beverage as a palate cleanser. Now is the time to uncork a bottle of red wine, champagne or brandy.^{[31]
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Ollie George Cigliano
Private Chef & Food Educator
Expert Interview. 30 August 2021.} Break out the eggnog for a splash of sweetness, or brew strong, hot espresso to provide a pick-me-up and help stomachs settle.^{[32]
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- Make hot cocoa, coffee, tea or cider available as well.^{[33]
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- Raise your glass and propose a celebratory toast to your guests to thank them for coming.

Warnings

Don’t wait until the last minute to start cooking and putting dishes together. This will just make things harder for you and leave your guests waiting. Instead, aim to finish a little early and keep the food warm until everyone has arrived and is ready to eat.

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Stick with what you know. It can be a disaster to try to serve a dish you’ve never made before at a lavish dinner party.

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