Super Easy Christmas Menu

Build a low-effort Christmas menu with a starter, a choice of main, sides, a fresh salad, bread and an easy chocolate cake. Prepare components ahead where noted, then finish the dishes on the day.

Start with festive baked brie and crackers. Prepare the components ahead, then assemble the brie in minutes on the day.

Warm brie with a cracker dipped into its melted center — Festive brie served with crackers.

Choose a main: slow cooker turkey breast with gravy, glazed ham, or baked salmon. The menu also offers a creamy potato bake or lemon potato salad, plus wild rice salad.

Baked salmon topped with herbs, nuts, dried fruit and pomegranate seeds — Festive baked salmon on a serving tray.

Sliced turkey breast with browned, herb-speckled skin — Sliced turkey breast served as a main.

Add a simple green salad, garden salad or cherry tomatoes with basil and a dressing of your choice. Finish with bread and easy chocolate fudge cake.

Wild rice salad with pomegranate seeds, greens and dressing — Wild rice salad with colorful toppings.

What you'll need

Starter

festive baked brie
crackers, for dipping

Mains

slow cooker turkey breast with gravy
brown sugar glazed ham, or
maple glazed ham, or
Christmas baked salmon

Sides

creamy cheesy potato bake
lemon potato salad, or; make-ahead option
wild rice salad

Simple salad

side salad, choose one
leafy greens, garden salad or halved cherry tomatoes, with torn basil and one of the dressings below
balsamic dressing, or
French dressing, or
Italian dressing

Bread

bread, store-bought
butter or olive oil, for dipping

Dessert

easy chocolate fudge cake

Festive baked brie

Prepare the components ahead, then assemble the brie in minutes on the day.

Slow cooker turkey breast with gravy

Prepare the rub ahead, then start the turkey in the slow cooker first thing in the morning.

Glazed ham

Prepare the brown sugar or maple glazed ham ahead, or bake it ahead.

Christmas baked salmon

Prepare all the components ahead. Bake the salmon in foil on the day for simple cleanup.

Creamy cheesy potato bake

Prepare the ingredients ahead, then bake the potato dish on the day. Alternatively, bake it ahead and reheat it in the oven, covered.

Lemon potato salad

Make the lemon potato salad the day before.

Wild rice salad

Prepare all the ingredients ahead, then toss the salad just before serving.

Simple salads

Make the dressings up to 2 days ahead.

Easy chocolate fudge cake

Make the cake several days in advance.

Tips

Choose one of the alternatives marked with “or” and one or two simple salads to suit your table.