Christmas dinner is the one meal of the year where the oven, not the cook, is really in charge. We have made our peace with that, and these days we plan around it rather than fight it. A roast that wants four low hours, a casserole that wants the same rack, sides that all somehow want 200°C at once… you know the drill. Which is why the dishes that work for the person actually hosting are about timing more than ambition. Flæskesteg and Jansson’s Temptation have been doing this for generations, roasting pork low while a potato casserole bakes alongside it on the same rack. A braised lamb shoulder and a mushroom Wellington cover a table split between meat eaters and vegetarians, and both can be assembled a full day ahead. Insalata di polpo and a good potato salad round things out without touching the oven at all. Plan the sides around the oven rather than the other way around. Here is what we would put on the table!
Jump to: Mains · Sides · Sauces, Pairings & Leftovers
Mains
1 · How to Make Flæskesteg: Danish Pork Roast with Crispy Crackling
Scoring the skin in a tight grid before it goes in the oven is what turns flæskesteg’s crackling brittle instead of chewy, so don’t rush that step. It’s the centerpiece worth building a whole Danish table around, gravy and all, rather than treating it as just another roast.
Get the recipe: How to Make Flæskesteg: Danish Pork Roast with Crispy Crackling
2 · Mushroom Wellington
A duxelles of finely chopped mushrooms gets cooked down until completely dry before it meets the puff pastry, or the crust turns soggy from the inside out. It’s the main that actually gives vegetarians a seat at the center of the table instead of a side dish stand-in.
Get the recipe: Mushroom Wellington
3 · Whole Grilled Greek Fish: A Lighter Christmas Dinner Main
Grilled whole over live coals with just lemon, oregano, and olive oil, this fish is a lighter main for a table that’s already heavy on potatoes and pork. Bring it out after the roast if the meal’s running long, since nobody ever regrets more fish on the table.
Get the recipe: Whole Fish: Grilled The Greek Way
4 · Bacalhau à Elizabeth: A Salt Cod Classic for Christmas Dinner
Salt cod needs a full day of soaking with several water changes before it goes anywhere near a pan, so start this one well before dinner. The payoff is a dish that tastes like it took all week, which is exactly the effect you want on Christmas Day.
Get the recipe: Bacalhau à Elizabeth: Brazilian New Year’s Comfort
5 · Soy-Honey Pork Chops: A Quick Backup for Christmas Dinner
Marinate the chops the night before and this becomes a five-minute sear on the day itself, glaze already done. It’s the one to fall back on when the big roast is still an hour from ready and everyone at the table is already hungry.
Get the recipe: Soy and Honey Glazed Pork Chops
6 · Braised Rosemary Lamb Shoulder Chops
Braised low and slow until the meat pulls apart with a fork, this is the main that actually tastes better made a day ahead and reheated gently. It’s the one to choose over a whole leg of lamb when the oven is already fighting for space with the sides.
Get the recipe: Braised Rosemary Lamb Shoulder Chops
7 · Grillades and Grits: A Southern Main for Christmas Morning
Stewed beef over stone-ground grits is a Southern brunch dish that works just as well as a lighter Christmas morning main before the big dinner. It gives the table something warm and savory to eat while the roast is still hours from the oven.
Get the recipe: Grillades and Grits Recipe – Authentic Southern Comfort Food
Sides
8 · Brunede Kartofler – Danish Caramelized Christmas Potatoes
Small whole potatoes get boiled first, then rolled in butter and sugar until the outside turns a deep caramel color, no glaze or oven needed. They’re sweeter and stickier than a roast potato, which is exactly the contrast a table full of pork wants.
Get the recipe: Brunede Kartofler – Danish Caramelized Christmas Potatoes
9 · Swedish Christmas Classic – Jansson’s Temptation
Anchovies melt into the cream here rather than reading as fishy, which is the detail that convinces skeptics this potato casserole is worth the plate space. Assemble it a day ahead and bake it fresh, since the potatoes only get better for the wait.
Get the recipe: Swedish Christmas Classic – Jansson’s Temptation
10 · Parmesan Hasselback Potato Casserole
Thin, even slices are what make the hasselback cuts fan out properly, so a mandoline earns its keep for this one. It’s a more photogenic potato than a plain gratin, and it holds up just as well left in a low oven while the rest of dinner catches up.
Get the recipe: Parmesan Hasselback Potato Casserole
11 · Huzarensalade: Dutch Potato Salad
Diced apple and pickle give this Dutch potato salad a sweet-sour edge that a plain mayonnaise salad doesn’t have. It holds well made a day ahead in the fridge, so it’s one less cold dish to think about on the day itself.
Get the recipe: Huzarensalade: Dutch Potato Salad
12 · Gluten-Free Zucchini Rolls: A Lighter Bite for Christmas Dinner
Salting the shaved zucchini and pressing out the liquid first keeps these rolls from turning watery once they’re filled. They’re a lighter counterpoint on a table otherwise built around potatoes and roast meat, and gluten-free guests get something that isn’t an afterthought.
Get the recipe: Party Finger Food: Gluten-Free Zucchini Rolls
13 · Goat’s Milk Ricotta: A Cheese-Board Starter for Christmas Dinner
Just goat’s milk, an acid, and heat make this, and the curds need a gentle hand or they turn grainy instead of soft. Spread it on the cheese board before dinner starts, since it’s a lighter opener than anything baked or fried.
Get the recipe: Homemade Goat’s Milk Ricotta Cheese
14 · Insalata di Polpo: A Cold Italian Side for Christmas Dinner
The octopus actually needs a rest in the fridge overnight in its own dressing before serving, since it tenderizes and takes on flavor as it sits. It’s the dish to make when the table wants something coastal and cold to break up all the roasted, buttery sides.
Get the recipe: Insalata di Polpo – Italian Octopus Salad
15 · Nordic Christmas – Pheasant Rillette
Shredded pheasant packed into a jar and topped with a layer of fat is a spread built to be made days ahead and only gets better with time. It’s a more distinctive starter than the usual pâté, and one that quietly signals you didn’t buy dinner from a shop.
Get the recipe: Nordic Christmas – Pheasant Rillette
Sauces, Pairings & Leftovers
16 · Family-Style Holiday Menu and Vinho Verde Wine Pairing
A light, slightly fizzy Vinho Verde is the pour that cuts through a table of roasted pork and potatoes without competing with either. It’s a smarter match than a heavy red here, since the meal is already rich enough without a wine fighting for the same space.
Get the recipe: Family-Style Holiday Menu and Vinho Verde Wine Pairing
17 · Leftover BBQ’d Ham Fried Rice
Cold, day-old rice fries up drier and separates better than fresh rice, so save leftover ham for the fried rice pan the next morning. It’s a faster fix than another plate of reheated sides, and it makes the ham feel like a new meal instead of round two.
Get the recipe: Leftover BBQ’d Ham Fried Rice
18 · Leftover Pot Roast Turned Ragù
Shredded pot roast simmered down in its own gravy with tomato turns into a ragù thick enough to hold on pasta by the second day. It’s the better use of leftovers than a straight reheat, since the sauce actually improves with the extra time on the stove.
Get the recipe: Leftover Pot Roast Turned Ragù
19 · Croque Madame: What to Do With Leftover Christmas Ham
Leftover ham slides right into a croque madame, and the fried egg on top is what separates it from a regular grilled cheese. It’s a proper lunch instead of another plate of cold cuts, and well worth ten more minutes than reheating the ham plain.
Get the recipe: Croque Madame – French Ham, Cheese and Egg Sandwich
