By: Author Jack Slobodian
Posted on - Last updated:
Here are 21 Delicious traditional English Christmas side dishes that are going to take your Christmas dinner to the next level.
In England we love to invite all the family around for Christmas. It is normal to have multiple households gather around for one big Christmas dinner.
My Christmas dinner typically ranges from around 15 to 20 people each year. This means we prepare a huge Christmas dinner and at least 10 different side dishes. Everything from spiced, sweet and tangy braised red cabbage to creamy and crunchy baked cauliflower cheese.
Whats in a Traditional English Christmas Dinner?
Christmas Dinner has been traditional for many centuries in England. With turkey joining our Christmas table after Henry the VIII ate turkey for Christmas. This dated back to the 16th century making him the first monarch to ever eat turkey on Christmas.
There are many other English ingredients and recipes that are served on Christmas. This includes sage and onion stuffing, pigs in blankets, cranberry sauce, roast potatoes and vegetables cooked in a variety of ways.
Overtime the traditional English Christmas dinner evolved to include more popular meats and side dishes like roast beef, Yorkshire puddings and a variety of other vegetables cooked in different ways like Creamed Leeks.
The Christmas dinner is then finished off with dessert. Some typical desserts include mince pies, trifle and Christmas Pudding.
Typically Christmas dinner in England is eaten between 1pm to 4pm on the 25th of December.
21 Traditional English Christmas Recipes
Braised Red Cabbage
This braised red cabbage is rich and spiced, perfect for this time of year. Especially with Christmas just around the corner!
Check out this recipe
Baked Cauliflower Cheese
This baked cauliflower cheese is rich, packed with cheese flavour and has a nice golden crunchy topping. Its the perfect side to have with your Christmas dinner or Sunday roast.
Check out this recipe
Creamed Leeks
These creamed leeks are complex in flavour yet very easy to make using one pot and 5 ingredients. Perfect for Sunday Roasts & Christmas Dinner.
Check out this recipe
Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots
These brown sugar glazed carrots pack a ton more flavour than boil carrots and they are easy.
Honey Roasted Parsnips
Easy honey roasted parsnips made with just 3 ingredients and one baking tray!
Garlic Cavolo Nero
Tangy, tender, garlic-y and slightly sweet, this recipe ties in perfectly with a Christmas dinner.
Duck Fat Potatoes
These duck fat potatoes are rich and crunchy with a fluffy interior.
Vegan Roast Potatoes
These vegan roast potatoes are perfectly crunchy on the outside with a fluffy and soft interior. Just what you want in a good roastie.
Mashed Potatoes
These mashed potatoes are soft and creamy with superb flavour and texture!
Herbed Mashed Potatoes
These herbed mashed potatoes are a tasty alternative to your regular mashed potatoes. They are smooth, fluffy and flavoured with fresh herbs and garlic.
Onion and Sage Stuffing
This classic sage and onion stuffing recipe is really easy to make at home and tastes so much better than the packet version.
Garlic Roasted Brussel Sprouts
These garlic roasted brussels sprouts are really tender and tasty. This easy recipe takes a few simple ingredients and creates a mouthwatering side dish you’ll be excited to serve.
Pancetta Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Even if you don’t like Brussels sprouts, you may be surprised by how tasty they are when roasted with pancetta, especially if you have purple Brussel sprouts
Yorkshire Puddings
Perfectly crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, just what you want in a Yorkshire pudding.
Vegan Yorkshire Puddings
Golden and crispy Yorkshires so tasty that you won’t even they are vegan.
Pigs in Blankets
These crispy, slightly sweet honey glazed pigs in blankets are always one of the first Christmas sides to disappear.
Christmas Dinner Side Sauces
Cranberry Sauce
This homemade cranberry sauce with apple cider uses just 4 ingredients and is so simple to make! Much better then any store bought cranberry sauce.
Sugar Free Cranberry Sauce
This no refined sugar cranberry sauce is simple to make and loaded with fresh flavours. It’s the perfect accompaniment to a Christmas turkey.
Onion Gravy
This homemade onion gravy will help take your Christmas dinner to the next level.
Turkey Gravy
Delicious turkey gravy you can make a head of time with your turkey trimmings.
Vegan Red Wine Gravy
Vegan red wine gravy thats infused with sweet vegetable & fresh herb flavour. Its super tasty, rich & flavoursome.
