It’s Christmas time, which means tons of family gatherings, celebrations, and loads of delicious food. From savory roasts to sweet treats, here are ten of the most popular Christmas dishes that are a must-have during the holiday season.
1. Roasted turkey
No Christmas dinner is complete without roast turkey. Roasted to perfection, this tender and juicy meat is a staple on dinner tables during the holiday season. Unsurprisingly, this dish has been the number one choice for Christmas dinner in every home for quite some time.
2. Ham
Be it baked, smoked, or glazed, ham is another popular dish for Christmas dinner. For ages, it has been a favorite meal of many for its flavor and texture. You can even give the traditional recipe your unique twist to make it a family recipe passed down from generation to generation.
3. Roast beef
Prime rib, also known as classic roast beef with bones, is preferred by many over turkey since it is juicer than the latter. Slow-cooked to perfection, this juicy, tender, and flavorful meat will surely be a winner on the Christmas dinner table.
4. Stuffing
The stuffing (or dressing or filling) is a must-have for many Christmas dinners. With endless possibilities for the ingredients, this one-pot dish is more or less a combination of herbs, dried-out bread, spice mixture, and garlic, along with finely diced vegetables like carrots, celery, and onions. The baking process combines all the flavors, promising a delectable bite with each spoonful. One can even add diced turkey or bacon to amp it up.
5. Poultry
Apart from beef and turkey, many Christmas dinner tables often include a variety of poultry. People love this dish’s tender texture, crispy skin, and delicious flavor. Take your pick from chicken, duck, or geese; they are all bound to be mouth-watering and delicious.
6. Sweet potato casserole
A nutritious root vegetable, sweet potato is the easiest to make among all the other dishes. You only need to peel the sweet potatoes and bake them with butter, brown sugar, pecans, and mini marshmallows. Yes, marshmallows! It might sound bizarre, but it tastes fantastic.
7. Cranberry sauce
You cannot miss this side dish on the Christmas table. It’s prepared by combining sugar and cranberries into boiling water till it gets thick and has a sauce-like texture. It goes well with almost everything, even with turkey, the combination being especially popular for Thanksgiving dinner.
8. Plum pudding
Plum pudding, also known as Christmas pudding or figgy pudding, is a traditional sweet treat served during the holiday season. It mainly consists of dried fruits, flour, suet, spices, and brandy.
9. Gingerbread cookies
Gingerbread cookies are cookies with a bite, made with flour, brown sugar, molasses, eggs, and a spice mixture of cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, or other spices of your choice. These cookies are decorated with royal icing on top for eating. Many families love to make gingerbread houses, cutting them into different shapes and sizes. The house is then glued together with icing. If you want an eggless recipe for the same, here’s an easy one that all will love.
10. Eggnog
While some love to drink eggnog during Christmas, others would not mind missing it. This drink is made from eggs and milk and sweetened with honey or syrup to taste.
Apart from these, Christmas dishes like plum cake, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and mulled wine are also popular during the holiday season.
So, take your pick from the ten most popular Christmas dishes to satisfy your cravings and add some festive cheer to your celebrations. In the comment section, let us know which dish is your favorite and if there are any family recipes that you would like to share.
