Turkey and Ham with cranberry sauce and all the trimmings is the usual in our house for Christmas Day. But what if your family are not big fans of this Christmas Meal? Or you are catering for vegetarians or just fancy a change? Keep everyone in the house happy this Christmas with our 8 Alternative Christmas Dinner Ideas if You Don’t Want Turkey! 

Sign up for our free newsletter packed with information and great offers. Or join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube.

#1. Stuffed Lobster Tails

Image from Lobster from Maine

A good seafood alternative Christmas dinner idea is Lobster. I love this recipe for stuffed lobster tail, which combines some of the traditional Christmas dinner elements like a herb stuffing and a white wine sauce.

Serve with creamy baked potatoes, buttered carrots and some fresh peas, for a feast to tempt family and visitors alike.

#2. Individual Mini Beef Wellington

By creating mini beef wellington for each diner, you can cook the beef to everyones liking or, just make them for the meat eaters and create a vegetarian wellington option too. Serve with creamy mashed potatoes, roasted parsnips, braised red cabbage and a rich red wine sauce.

My top tip would be to prepare more than you think you need as everyone will want seconds!

#3. Jamie Oliver’s Best Every Cranberry & Pistachio Nut Roast

For some, Christmas dinner has to include or be a nut roast. This recipe from Jamie Oliver, for his best every cranberry & pistachio nut roast, combines mushrooms, rice and nuts with a sticky cranberry glaze to produce a nut roast dinner worthy of any Christmas table.

#4. Venison Steaks with a Cranberry Cumberland Sauce

Venison is a healthy alternative to beef and this recipe from Coopershill uses orange and lemon zest along with cranberries to add a christmas flavour.

Best of all, the sauce can be made days in advance and the venison steaks only take 3 to 6 minutes to cook. Serve with brussel sprouts, mange tout, french beans, caramelised baby onions, braised red cabbage and mashed or jacket potatoes or croquettes for an alternative Christmas dinner.

#5. Mini Vegetarian Shepherds Pie

Image from Bev Cooks

Topped with baby purple potatoes and filled with lentils, kale, carrots and mushrooms these mini vegetarian shepherds pies from Bev Cooks are sure to wow both meat eating and vegetarian guests alike.

#6. Caramelised Sea Scallops with Roasted Chestnut Butter Sauce

The taste of Christmas comes through with the use of thyme in this recipe for Caramelised Sea Scallops with Roasted Chestnut Butter Sauce from Chestnut Growers Inc.

Scallops are a luxurious treat, so cook them gently to ensure they don’t get tough.

#7. Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff

Onegreenplant.org has a delicious recipe for Mushroom Stroganoff that is the classic comfort food dish. It would be ideal as the centrepiece for a superb alternative christmas dinner. And it can also be create to be gluten free.

#8. Duck with Maderia Sauce and Braised Red Cabbage

I usually create this dish using Barbary duck breasts but if you are creating it for an alternative christmas dinner, you could roast a whole duck. Make double quantities of the Maderia sauce, as, although it doesn’t keep, it will be used up on the day!

Lift your duck off the bottom of your baking tray using a wire rack and place your roast potatoes and parsnips beneath so they roast in the juice from the duck. There really is nothing better! Serve with braised red cabbage and broccoli or brussel sprouts.

Do you have any alternative Christmas Meal Ideas? Please share it with us in the comments box below.