The Best Christmas Dinner Sides

Everyone has their own idea of what makes the Best Christmas Dinner Sides for the big day but sometimes its fun to mix them up. With everything from gravy to roast parsnips, stuffing, pigs in blankets and cranberry sauce, I’ve featured the best traditional recipes as well as some fun variations!

We all know about the main event whether that is a glorious roast turkey, a traditional roast goose or even a feature nut roast. But I think we all know that its the side dishes that really maketh the Christmas dinner or lunch.

I mean can you even being to comprehend a traditional Christmas roast dinner without gravy and cranberry sauce. I certainly don’t want to!

I’ve scoured my recipes from Feast Glorious Feast and I’ve included really basic recipes. Simple and easy to make with no extra faff. And then many many options where you can mix it up for something a little different.

As for how to use up leftovers, don’t miss my Leftover Roast Dinner Pizza which is the perfect way to use up all manner of leftovers from any Sunday roast or Christmas dinner.

And it’s not quite a side but don’t forget to stock up on Puff Pastry Mince Pies.

Here we go…

The Best Christmas Dinner Side Dish Recipes

Christmas Sausages & Stuffings

Simple Pigs in Blankets

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without Pigs in Blankets. My recipe keeps this simple and it’s an easy get ahead recipe too.

Pigs in Blankets Recipe (UK Bacon Wrapped Sausages)

Pigs in Blankets are an essential on many Christmas menus. But these tasty bacon wrapped chipolatas are just as great as the centrepiece of an everyday meal, as a cheeky canape or as a side to roast chicken.

Air Fryer Pigs in Blankets (UK Recipe)

Don't think for a second that you should only make these Air Fryer Pigs in Blankets at Christmas! They're delicious year round and are just as amazing served for breakfast as with a roast dinner. Bacon wrapped pork sausages are a British classic and if you're not yet familiar, make sure to give them a try.

Mini Pigs in Blankets (Air Fried UK Recipe)

Mini Pigs in Blankets made with cocktail size pork sausages and streaky bacon are a fun one bite snack or side dish. They're so simple to make – don't save them just for Christmas, they can be air fried to perfection in no time at anytime!

Simple Stuffing

Of course truly simply stuffing would be to just whip up a packet mix and leave it at that. My simple recipe takes it only one step further by adding in sausage meat. Well, it is Christmas after all!

Sage & Onion Sausagemeat Stuffing Recipe

This Sage & Onion Sausagemeat Stuffing is my pimped up Paxo recipe. Yes we could make it all from scratch but packet stuffing mix is easy and tasty so I make no apologies for this cheat’s shortcut. Sausage meat stuffing is a must on my Christmas table and any other roast dinner for that matter!

Homemade Paxo Stuffing Recipe (Sage & Onion)

I've finally figured out the secret to making a delicious Homemade Paxo Stuffing and I'm ready to share it. This classic British sage and onion flavoured roast dinner essential is buttery and full of flavour. Fresh ingredients mean it isn't a direct copycat but even lifelong packet stuffing lovers like me will be converted – it really is better!

Air Fryer Paxo Stuffing Balls Recipe

Make perfect and crispy Air Fryer Paxo Stuffing Balls every single time with these simple instructions. Included are all my tips for properly prepared, soft in the centre and crispy on the outside balls made with packet sage and onion stuffing mix. Try this recipe and you won't look back!

Air Fryer Sausage Meat Stuffing Balls Recipe

These Air Fryer Sausage Meat Stuffing Balls are a brilliant update to packet stuffing like Paxo. They're meaty enough to be the main event but you'll likely want to add them to your roast or Christmas dinner trimmings. Pork sausages with sage and onion stuffing are my flavours of choice but you can mix and match meats and flavours as you wish!

How to Air Fry Stuffing (Paxo)

These instructions for How to Air Fry Stuffing are incredibly simple. Packet stuffing like Paxo is a really quick and easy side dish and a brilliant way to bulk out a meal. The biggest trick to air frying it successfully is which dish you use – of course I've included everything you need to know in this post!

Christmas Potatoes

To roast, to mash or both?

Simple Roast Potatoes

Personally roast potatoes are a given on the Christmas table. Even if there are no other options, there must be crispy roasties!

How to Roast Potatoes

This is the ultimate How to Roast Potatoes guide. It’s a step by step tutorial of how to make roasties which are both perfectly fluffy and perfectly crispy. Trust me, boiling the potatoes is a step worth taking for the ultimate carb side! And it works every single time.

Crispy Air Fried Roast Potatoes (Parboiled Recipe)

These Crispy Air Fried Roast Potatoes are first parboiled then coated with oil and air fried to perfection. This gives the fluffiest insides and crispiest crust you could ask for. With the speed they cook, air fryer roasties are as easy to whip up on a busy weeknight as they are as part of a stress free roast dinner!

Next Level Roast Potatoes

If you don’t want to stay traditional this year, try one of these alternative options packed with flavour.

Garlic Roasted Sweet Potatoes Recipe

Garlic Roasted Sweet Potatoes are one of my favourite side dishes. They go with almost everything from fish to pork chops and even make a great addition to salads, tacos and soups. Talk about versatile! As a bonus my recipe includes my top tip for avoiding that burnt horrible garlic taste.

Roasted Potato Cubes with Rosemary Recipe

These Roasted Potato Cubes with Rosemary and Garlic are a very tasty side dish which is ready in no time at all. You might know them as parmentier potatoes or simply cubed potatoes but whatever you choose to call them, these crispy little spuds are terrific!

How to Air Fry Whole Baby Potatoes

The most delicious and simple side dish, baby new potatoes turn into a cross between mini baked potatoes and roasties in the air fryer! Follow my easy instructions for How to Air Fry Whole Baby Potatoes just once and you'll be making them on repeat.

Air Fryer Roasted Sweet Potatoes (Parboiled Recipe)

These Air Fryer Roasted Sweet Potatoes are truly the greatest way to cook sweet potatoes. They're boiled before being air fried so they're silky smooth and tender inside and beautifully seasoned and charred on the outside!

Simple Mashed Potatoes

If my Dad is to be believed, the world would stop without mash. So for him mash is an absolute given on Christmas day. And any other day ending in a “y”. We like to keep it classic with lots of butter, cream and salt.

Easy Mashed Potatoes Recipe with Butter & Cream

These Easy Mashed Potatoes are packed with both salty butter and thick cream to make the most luxurious, smooth and flavourful mash you'll ever eat. I've included all my tricks and tips to make sure that you can make this simple side with zero fuss or issue so you'll make this again and again.

Christmas Sprouts & Greens

If you think you don’t like sprouts think again. Chances are you’ve just not tried them in the right combination with bacon and/or garlic and cream. If you aren’t a sprout family then chances are you’ll have a cabbage based dish instead so I’ve included some other options in this section too.

Simple Brussels Sprouts

Quickly boiled with a little added bacon. Perfect. Unless you’re veggie in which case maybe don’t include the bacon!

Simply Boiled Brussels Sprouts Recipe

These Simply Boiled Brussels Sprouts are indeed simple and easy for when we don't need every element of a meal to be highly complicated with lots of added flavours! Boiled sprouts are flavourful in their own right and a cheeky bit of butter at the end of the cooking makes them glossy and even more delicious!

Simple Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts Recipe

This Simple Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts recipe includes all my tips and tricks to serve up perfectly soft in the middle but crispy on the outside sprouts which make a delicious side dish. Say no to bitter or soggy bullet sprouts!

Something different with sprouts

Cream them, roast them, add cheese or go bonkers and cook them in a cheese sauce gratin. Loads of options here!

Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Brussels Sprouts Recipe

Introducing Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Brussels Sprouts! A slightly ridiculous but super fun and extremely delicious canape, appetiser or side dish. You never know, you might even convert a bacon-loving-brussels-hater into a sprout fan!

No sprouts? Try brassicas or greens instead!

Simple Buttered Savoy Cabbage Recipe

This Simple Buttered Savoy Cabbage recipe shows exactly how to prepare this delicious cabbage. It may be simple but savoy cabbage is naturally full of flavour and this traditional preparation showcases that to its fullest.

Simple Cheesy Leeks (Leeks in Cheese Sauce Recipe)

These Simple Cheesy Leeks are a delightful dish of tender steamed and pan-fried leeks smothered in a creamy cheese sauce. It's a great alternative side dish to the more common cauliflower cheese and this classic roux based recipe for leeks in cheese sauce is simple to make with my easy step-by-step instructions.

Simple Air Fried Roasted Cauliflower Recipe

This Air Fried Roasted Cauliflower recipe results in soft and tender cauliflower with a beautiful flavour and char. No shrivelled or dry cauliflower here, just a tasty side dish that can be flavoured and jazzed up however you please or kept lovely and simple like this base recipe.

Christmas Red Cabbage

Red cabbage actually isn’t something I’ve ever had with my Christmas dinner. Its not really a favourite of mine and I can easily live without it. But I know that for many people it is a non negotiable so I’ve included a variety of recipes for you!

Keep it Simple

Actually all of these recipes are pretty simple. Braised cabbage with slight variations on the Christmassy spices!

Braised Red Cabbage Recipe – No Apple or Spices

This is the simple Braised Red Cabbage recipe that I've been searching for. With no apple, vinegar and no cinnamon or other spices, the flavour of the cabbage truly has chance to shine. This quick veggie side takes moments to prepare and is truly effortless!

Christmas Carrot & Swede

Mashed carrot and swede with a bit of butter and pepper was the standard for me at Christmas growing up. And of course I made it for years too.

Classic Carrot & Swede Mash

Easy Mashed Carrot & Swede Recipe

This Easy Mashed Carrot & Swede recipe is simplicity itself but packed with flavour. The sweet and earthy root veg flavours combine to make the perfect veg side dish which is a classic on the Christmas table but shouldn't be overlooked the rest of the year either.

Just Christmas Carrots

But then after many years I realised that I don’t actually like swede. Isn’t it funny how sometimes we don’t question the traditions?! So now I just make my favourite glazed carrot recipe and wow and I am much happier.

Vichy Carrots with Thyme Recipe

Vichy Carrots are cooked according to a classic French method but there is nothing fancy or tricky about this recipe. Earthy carrots are simply cooked down with butter, sugar and fresh thyme to create a sticky glazed and rather decadent side dish. Think carrots are boring? Think again!

Easy Mashed Carrot & Swede Recipe

This Easy Mashed Carrot & Swede recipe is simplicity itself but packed with flavour. The sweet and earthy root veg flavours combine to make the perfect veg side dish which is a classic on the Christmas table but shouldn't be overlooked the rest of the year either.

How to Air Fry Roasted Carrots

Sweet and vibrant carrots are sliced on an angle before being tossed with oil and salt and then air fried to perfection with these easy How to Air Fry Carrots instructions. Perfect to add to any weeknight meal or serve with a classic roast dinner!

Buttery Mashed Carrot Recipe

Simple and classic is sometimes just what we need from a veg side and this easy Buttery Mashed Carrot absolutely fits the bill.

Just Swede For Christmas

If you’re the other way from me and just prefer the swede (or turnip or neeps or rutabaga depending where in the world you are) then these recipes are for you. Although of course there is nothing stopping you from making both a carrot and swede dish. More the merrier right?!

Buttery Mashed Swede (Rutabaga Mash Recipe)

Try this simple Buttery Mashed Swede recipe for a quick and tasty side dish. With minimal ingredients, the full earthy flavour of Swedish turnips (also known as rutabaga) is allowed to shine. And let's be honest, there is very little in life that doesn't benefit from a dash of butter!

Christmas Roast Parsnips & Veg

Perfect Every Time Roast Parsnips

Roast parsnips are probably my favourite vegetable of all time. They’re juicy and sweet. My easy recipe for a classic unglazed parsnip is always my go-to.

The Best Roast Parsnips Recipe

The Best Roast Parsnips are golden and crispy on the outside and juicy and tender inside. No skinny burnt ends, no stringy middles, just pure unadulterated crispy roast parsnip joy. They’re just as tasty on the Christmas table as with any roast dinner or just as a simple weekday side.

Simple Crispy Air Fryer Roast Parsnips Recipe

These Simple Crispy Air Fryer Roast Parsnips do exactly what they say on the tin. Air frying really gives parsnips a beautifully even cook all the way round so they're soft and tender on the inside and crunchy on the outside. Perfection!

More than Just Roast Parsnips

Whether you’re looking for fancier parsnips, an all in one vegetable dish, something totally different like onion pudding or a cauliflower cheese, there is no need to choose, just make them all! Or maybe choose a couple.

Air Fryer Honey Roast Parsnips Recipe

This Air Fryer Honey Roast Parsnips recipe takes my tried, tested and fabulous recipe for plain roast parsnips and turns up the flavour dial a good notch! Air frying parsnips gives you the most amazing crispy results and my part boiling method ensures the centres are juicy and soft too. The honey glaze is simply the icing on the cake.

Simple Air Fryer Carrots & Parsnips Recipe

This Simple Air Fryer Carrots & Parsnips recipe will give you perfectly soft on the inside and crispy on the outside vegetables. A perfect way to speed up cooking veg by doubling up and providing extra variety. Use my easy method and you'll never have an unevenly cooked or stringy parsnip or carrot again!

Baked Cauliflower Cheese Recipe with Béchamel

This delicious Baked Cauliflower Cheese is made with a classic béchamel sauce base with a mix of cheeses to make a smooth, creamy and perfectly cheesy side dish. With these full step-by-step instructions and photographs, you'll be able to make the best cauliflower bake in town.

Air Fryer Roasted Butternut Squash Cubes Recipe

These Air Fryer Roasted Butternut Squash Cubes are soft and squishy in the middle and beautifully crispy and charred on the outside. You can cook from fresh or frozen and prepare the squash yourself or use pre-prepared, plus you can mix up the seasonings to your heart's content.

Christmas Gravy & Sauces

I don’t think of the sauces on a Christmas dinner as optional extras or just a garnish. A really good gravy (turkey gravy for me) is especially essential.

Simple Christmas Gravy

My make ahead gravy recipe is suitable for almost any roast. It uses a chicken base which can be finished off with the juices from any roast.

Get Ahead Gravy From Scratch

This Get Ahead Gravy recipe is perfect to make a good quantity of gravy without last minute stress. Any roast meat juices can be added to finish it off so it’s ideal for turkey gravy at Christmas or Thanksgiving, any Sunday lunch or even bangers and mash!

Alternative Christmas Gravy

Of course not everyone will want a gravy packed with meat flavour and juices. So this veggie alternative is a great alternative gravy option.

Simple Onion Gravy Recipe with Sherry

This Simple Onion Gravy is made without meat drippings for a delicious sauce that can accompany any meal. Use red or white onions depending on preference for a rich gravy with a hint of sweetness and lots of depth of flavour.

Basic Cranberry Sauce

This simple and classic version will hit the spot if you want to upgrade from a pre made option.

Homemade Whole Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Homemade Whole Cranberry Sauce is a real cut above anything store-bought. As it only takes around 10 minutes to make, I can't see a time when I'll buy it again. The pure and simple flavour is second to none and the texture is just wonderful.

Homemade Smooth Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Making your own Smooth Cranberry Sauce is incredibly simple – it takes less than 15 minutes and can be made with fresh or frozen cranberries. Forget Ocean Spray, this is the cranberry sauce you'll want on your table from now on!

Traditional Bread Sauce

I am obsessed with bread sauce at Christmas and you should be too. If you haven’t tried it before, please give it a go, I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Homemade Bread Sauce Recipe with Panko

This Homemade Bread Sauce recipe is traditional in flavour but super creamy and made with handy store cupboard breadcrumbs. Don’t relegate this classic chicken and turkey accompaniment to Christmas, let’s start eating it all year round!

Christmas Yorkshire Puddings

Any roast dinner without Yorkshires is a sad roast dinner in my opinion. And lets be honest, Christmas dinner is really just the king of roasts.

Perfect Simple Yorkshire Pudding

No faff, no fuss, no fail Yorkshires. No variations needed.

Proper Yorkshire Puddings Recipe

My Proper Yorkshire Puddings are like the ones that my grandparents generation made. Golden brown, crispy on top, a little puddingy down below and with a hole which is the perfect gravy receptacle. I’ve has such great feedback from my Yorkie Pud recipe, you should definitely try it too!

So now head to the comments and tell me what your Best Christmas Side Dishes and recipes are!

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