(Photography Tim Roberts; styling Lucy Busuttil; recipes Jessica Brook and Sarah Murphy; food preparation Ismat Awan and Tamika O’Neill)
Christmas is a wonderful time of the year, but it’s one where the food you serve does take a bit of planning. And if you’re not one to prep in advance, then entertaining and cooking can become quite tricky. Whether it’s Christmas Eve or the night before a big party that you forgot you organised, these easy Christmas recipes have you covered.
With many options for every Christmas food category – appetisers, salads, mains, sides and desserts – your dinner will look and taste show-stopping, without any effort at all!
Looking for more options? Try out one of our specialised Christmas recipe collections below:
32 easy Christmas recipes for your next festive celebration
Starters, entrees and finger foods
Seafood isn’t off the menu if you’re watching your budget. By simply swapping the classic whole side of salmon for smaller pieces, this delicious starter is an impressive and easy-to-do dish for Christmas Day.
Celebrate in style with oysters, king prawns and smoked salmon served with your own Romesco seafood sauce, prosciutto, breadcrumbs and chilli mango salsa.
Pass a corn-chip stat! Full of fresh, zingy flavour and deliciously creamy avocados, this dip is ideal for entertaining in summer.
Elevate crowd-favourite meatballs to cocktail-party level by tossing through a glossy cranberry sauce and serving skewered with creamy brie, fresh parsley and succulent bacon. Pair with a negroni for a jolly holiday winner!
Jazz up your finger food with star-shaped sourdough toasts made with cookie cutters. These cuties will disappear fast!
A glamorous twist on a finger food favourite, wrap chipolatas in streaky bacon, bake and serve with your Christmas lunch or dinner.
So simple, so continental. Use glasses to serve grissini at varying heights for added interest.
The sweetness of caramelised onions alongside crumbled goat’s cheese makes these mini tartlets a delicious moreish bite that you need to serve at your next party.
Salads that are easy to prep ahead
If you’re looking for something to take to a picnic, hosting a festive lunch or dinner, or simply looking for something to brighten up your dinner table, this mango, avocado, and macadamia salad is a vibrant and refreshing dish that’ll have your guests asking for the recipe within the first bite.
Add freshness and colour to your entertaining with this deliciously easy salad and dressing. With only four ingredients, you’ll have this salad ready in minutes!
Not all salads are green! Combine sweet fruits with a salty cheese for a flavour journey across the world.
Here’s a match made in heaven. A duo of spuds with crisp cured ham and creamy aioli – prepare to serve up seconds!
The perfect accompaniment to any entertaining, this royal classic is fit for kings, queens, family and friends.
Combine hearty buckwheat and pearl couscous with tender roasted carrots for a vibrant and filling festive side. No yoghurt? Scatter crumbled feta instead.
Want a refreshing take on greens? Use the Greek-inspired flavours of zesty lemon and fragrant fresh mint.
Easy mains to make the day before
Adorned with a bouquet of bay leaves, rosemary and sage, this quince-glazed ham will take centre stage.
Choose a pan that will take your roast from oven to table. It’s quick and easy and means less dirty dishes.
This pork special by Fast Ed is all set to be your go-to recipe for Christmas. With a sprinkle of salt and a drizzle of olive oil you’ll have gorgeous crispy crackling in no time at all.
With its crispy top and creamy base, this is the perfect balance of cheese and herb flavours.
It only takes 15 minutes of preparation to create layers and layers of delicious goodness!
Sticky roasted pumpkin is a side that takes centre stage! The honey-mustard glaze teams with crunchy hazelnuts and tart craisins for a fab flavour combo.
Pies are filling, but not elegant for the Christmas table, so go for a galette – French freeform pastry – for your festive menu. It’s drizzled in a delicious ginger-lime cream!
This vegetarian showstopper – a cheese-and-spinach pumpkin roulade with parmesan crust – will have your guests oohing and ahhing over your kitchen skills but is secretly easy to make and also easy on the wallet!
Easy Christmas desserts to make in a flash
With a distinctly adult twist, this trifle includes fruit, cream and lashings of liqueur.
This chocolate caramel Christmas crack will win over even the pickiest eaters. Made with a perfect combination of crispy salada biscuits, chocolate and caramel, they’ll make perfect gifts for loved ones.
With minimal effort, you’ll get maximum impact using a store-bought pavlova base. The secret to this recipe is all about creating a show-stopping top!
Just mix store-bought ice-cream with nuts and berries, sandwich between packet bikkies and decorate with lollies. Yum!
Divinely decadent, this Weiss Bar-inspired cake uses mango sorbet and macadamia ice cream – made by you – topped with Rafaello balls. Wow! The best part is this recipe can be made ahead, making it the perfect no-fuss dessert.
‘Tis the season and Woolies cake hacks don’t stop for anything – not even Christmas.
Take the highway to heaven with this fabulous medley of chewy, chocolatey, crunchy goodness. In this easy recipe, we’ve opted for coffee biscuits, pink and white marshmallows, red glace cherries, halved and roasted hazelnuts.
Make your Christmas desserts an absolute showstopper this year with these gorgeous mini coconut Christmas trees. They’re easy to make and would look so cute as a present.
